Course Description

Students receive practical experience in the research process, from selecting a topic through locating and assessing materials. They will familiarize themselves with traditional library-based information resources and reference materials, and will develop strategies for applying research methods to electronic databases and the internet. Students will develop skills to select, assess, and critically evaluate various types of information resources.

Outcomes

This 8-week course is intended to provide students with the skills necessary to conduct research in any academic field through practical experience. After completing the course, students should be able to:

• Understand the scope and nature of information resources, including the organization of libraries and electronic databases
• Comprehend the research process, know how to select research topics, and how to develop a research strategy
• Use reference materials
• Use online catalogs to locate materials as well as understand classification and organization of materials
• Use and understand the value and limitations of traditional periodical sources and indexes
• Use and understand the value and limitations of electronic resources--know what's available and how to use those tools effectively
• Use the internet and understand the value and limitations of the internet as a research tool
• Know how to evaluate source materials

Evaluation

Students will complete a series of 4 assignments worth 100 pts. each. Individual points will be assigned to each question. In order to pass the course, students must complete all assignments. In order to receive the following grades in the course, students must accumulate the number of points assigned to each. In addition, each student will be asked to submit a short response paper due in each week a major response is not due (except Week 2 of class). These will be worth 5 points each. These are due on the day of each week listed on the syllabus and will be used to determine whether or not a student is still attending class. All students are expected to set up a DACC email account and check it regularly as a requirement of this class. This is the method I use most frequently to contact students. You will also need a DACC email to access electronic resources from off campus. Assignments are available on the course web site (with the exception of Assignment 1). You are responsible for printing out assignments or submitting them electronically (with permission of the instructor.) Failure to submit any assignment, major or minor, on schedule without prior arrangement will result in a student being dropped from the course.

Staple all assignments and supporting documents and put your name on each item. Label all materials clearly in order to receive full credit.

A = 360 pts.
B = 320 pts.
C = 280 pts.
D = 240 pts.
F = 239 pts. or less

Assignments may be completed and submitted by email, although accompanying support documents will need to be submitted in person. They may also be delivered in person by placing them in the student’s assigned envelope in my office. If my office is locked, assignments may be turned in to the librarian working at the Reference Desk. Assignments will be marked late if they have not been submitted by closing (or emailed before midnight by the email date stamp—supporting documentation may be submitted no later than closing. the following day) on the due date. There is NO FINAL EXAM. An OPTIONAL Final Exam will be made available that is cumulative in nature. It will require students to use skills developed over the entire course and will be worth a maximum of 50 points.

Students with disabilities who wish to request academic accommodations should identify themselves to the instructor. Appropriate documentation of disability must be on file with the SSSC before accommodations will be granted.

Textbook

There is no textbook for this class. All course readings are available on the web.

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created 1/10/05
revised 1/17/07

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to act according to the student conduct code. This is especially true in the case of an independent study course, where you are being judged on the value of your own work. Acts of academic dishonesty will be punished either by failure of the assignment or by failure of the course.

Acts of academic dishonesty:

• Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials or aids, including copying work from other students or preparing work for another student who uses it falsely.
• Plagiarism: Representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise. It is the student’s responsibility to properly summarize and/or paraphrase content derived from information sources and to give proper credit to each original source (according to the course documentation of citation standard), when the student has used thoughts, words, or any content from other sources in the completion of assignments.
• Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Helping or attempting to help another student violate any provision of these academic standards.