LIB 101: Fundamentals of Library Research

Syllabus Summer 2009

Course Description:

LIB 101 introduces students to information resources available in an academic library, including online catalogs, electronic indexes and databases, and the Internet. Emphases are on defining the research problem, learning appropriate search tools and strategies, evaluating information critically, and using information ethically and legally. The research process learned in this class will be valuable to students who need to find information for college-level research assignments, career demands, and lifelong learning.

Course Goal:

Information literacy has become an essential competency in the current environment of ever-increasing technological change and the resulting information explosion. The American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy says "Ultimately, information literate people are those who have learned how to learn. They know how to learn because they know how knowledge is organized, how to find information, and how to use information in such a way that others can learn from them. They are people prepared for lifelong learning, because they can always find the information needed for any task or decision at hand."

Entering Skills:

Upon entering this course, students should be able to read a college-level text, write a coherent basic paragraph, be familiar with the keyboard on a computer, and use email (including sending attachments). Advisories: CIT 100A, READ 023, and eligibility for ENGL 101.

Course Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Understand the structure of the information environment and the processes by which both scholarly and popular information are produced, organized, and disseminated.
2. Identify a research topic or other information need, formulate appropriate questions, and modify the topic to achieve a manageable focus.
3. Select appropriate information retrieval systems for the research topic by investigating the scope, content, organization, and help features of such search tools as online catalogs, reference sources, periodical databases, and Web sites.
4. Identify keywords, synonyms, and related terms for the information need and select controlled vocabulary specific to the search tool (e.g., library catalog).
5. Construct and implement search strategies using appropriate search features and commands for the information retrieval system selected (e.g., Boolean operators, truncation, field-searching, etc.; internal organizers such as indexes for books).
6. Understand the necessity for citing sources and utilize the correct citation format for a variety of print and electronic sources.
7. Understand the need to evaluate resources before using them as the basis for research and apply established guidelines to evaluate information found on the World Wide Web (WWW).
8. Demonstrate an understanding of intellectual property, copyright, and fair use of copyrighted material.
9. Demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes plagiarism.

Course Text Books

Required: Carla List-Handley. Information Literacy & Technology (4th ed.) 2008
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. ISBN: 0757518761

Available for purchase at:

The Rio Hondo College Book Store
Amazon books
CampusBooks.com (compares prices from several vendors) Put ISBN number in "Buy Textbooks" box
Kendall Hunt Publishing

The textbook is also available on Reserve at the Rio Hondo College Library. Reserve books are on loan for two hours and are 'in-library' use only.   Copies from textbooks can be made in the library for .10 cents per page. 

Additional Readings:  these will be made available on Blackboard as part of course material.  These include additional handouts, links to websites, exercises, short readings from the web, and other materials.  

Communicating with the course, and technical/computer issues:

• Blackboard:  this course takes place on the Blackboard system, as are all online courses at RHC.   If you are not familiar with Blackboard, please see the online orientation at:

• http://online.riohondo.edu/orientations/index.htm

• As well, the Virtual College has several in person orientations at the beginnings of the semester [see the link above].    The Virtual College is also available for computer problems and issues that are not solvable by basic troubleshooting.  

• Email. You must have an outside working email account to receive course email. You should have the ability to send email attachments and use book marks (Favorites) as well.

• Computers. If you are using your own computer, you must be able to do basic troubleshooting for problems as needed to complete assignments and the course. Please be aware of the Virtual College; they provide a valuable resource for computer issues and questions concerning online classes.

• You may also use campus computers to complete work for this course. Some of the assignments and readings may contain links to sites that utilize the Flash player. Please download and install on your computer the free Flash player, as well as the Real Player, so that you can enjoy the interactivity of these web pages. Also make sure you have Adobe PDF software; if needed it can be downloaded at this link: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/

• Reaching me. This is an online class and we have no scheduled meetings in person. However, there are a variety of ways we can communicate:

• Email/Phone: the email and phone # above; I will also list my cell phone number in the first weekly discussion thread

• Campus hours: I am available to meet with you at a time convenient to us both. [***I will be out of town for the first few weeks of June; however, I will be available later in June, July and August for meetings on campus].

• Chat: these can be set up at student request. We may set up a few chat times for the class for quiz reviews, or for discussion of the Research Brief.

• Weekly discussion threads: feel free to post a question in the weekly discussion threads.

Class procedures: getting weekly assignments, coursework, readings.

• Weekly Course Work. Please go to Coursework, linked from the Coursework and Homepage menus. There you will see links for each Unit, or week, of work. This links you to Key Concepts, Readings, and Assignments/Discussions for each Unit [week].  

Attendance. This is an online course, so we have no in person meetings.   However, you are expected to participate weekly in the course through discussion threads, and to turn in assignments, quizzes, and the final project in a timely manner.  

Statement on Academic Integrity

It is expected that you will do all your own work in this class (and others you take at Rio Hondo College. It is my belief that borrowing, copying, or allowing others to do work you hand in is not only dishonest, but cheats you of the chance to learn and broaden your knowledge. Penalties for plagiarism in this course could range from losing points on individual pieces of work to expulsion from the course if the transgression is extremely grave.

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Course Requirements

General Information about LIB 101 online

What can I expect from this course?      Although this course is conducted online, it is very interactive.   My focus as an instructor is to provide a collaborative learning environment where students can learn from each other as well as from course material.   We communicate through discussion threads weekly.  As well, we may also communicate through chat sessions at various points throughout the semester. 

With that end, our discussion threads feature most of our written and essay format assignments for the class, with written assignments submitted individually that are more focused on skill-related exercises in searching, using theoretical concepts from class to find information, and on presenting a final project in finished form.    That way, we can learn from each other's thinking on theoretical concepts of information.

Although this course may seem like a 'lot of work', the assignments call upon differing skills and levels of engagement.   Assignments range from 'completion and participation' assignments, focused on skill building exercises, to the longer assignments which require more time [3], and the Research Proposal [final project] which will be graded for polished, finished results.  

Pace your time -- don't sweat exercises and assignments, do them and get them done! --- and you should be able to keep caught up very efficiently.  ALSO, be aware this is a summer course, so our schedule is condensed. 

About the weekly discussion threads:     There are 9 total discussion threads. Discussion threads provide your 'in-class' time, and provide opportunity to interact with fellow classmates, and the instructor.

 These will usually deal with the theoretical issues brought up in our course, of information in society, or connected to our current readings. Hopefully these encourage lively debate of theoretical issues, and the chance to discuss course concepts!  Grading will depend upon addressing the weekly topic, in 200 words minimum,  and responding to other student postings.   Reading relevant chapters and handouts is sufficient preparation for participating in the threads. 

Description of assignments

Chapter Assignments:   5 total [questions from chapters and skill exercises [25 pts each]

10 pts Searching Exercises:    5 total.  These are short skill exercises on specific search techniques for catalogs, databases, and the Internet. 

In-Depth Assignments:   [3, 50 pts each]

1. Topic Development [week 5-6]

2. Advanced Searching [week 7-8]

3. Citation formats [week 9-10]

This series of assignments cover thoroughly each skill or area. These are also keyed to the Research Proposal.  Through completing the Topic Development and other assignments the student will be able to develop ideas and sources for the Research Proposal.

Research Proposal   [25o pts]

This is the main project for the class.  The research proposal will be a finished, completed work that involves a topic statement, 3 research questions, a topic overview/scope note and correct citation formats for 8 sources along with annotations. Due Week 16

1. Research Proposal rough draft [week 14]
2. Research Proposal [final proposal] [week 16]

Quizzes/Exams

• 2 quizzes 50 pts. each [weeks 6 and 10]]

• Final. 100 pts. [finals week 16]

The 2 short quizzes are multiple-choice, T/F, and matching, consisting of approximately 30 questions each.   The way these will work: you will have an opportunity to see your grade for these immediately. You will be able to retake the quiz ONE time, to look up and correct answers that you missed, to gain full points on both quizzes. This gives you practice and review for the final, which will cover all concepts in class.

The final exam will also be mainly multiple-choice, T/F, and matching, with probably one essay question. This exam will be taken once, and will review the concepts you learned in Quizzes 1 & 2.

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Assignments must be turned in on time to receive maximum points. Late assignments will receive some points off, according to the following:

3-7 days late:    3 point deduction; later than 7 days:  7 points deduction.

Please talk to me if you have a problem or emergency preventing participation in the class. With advance notice, we can discuss arrangements for quizzes or assignments.

How much time do I need to spend on this class weekly/monthly etc?   If you have questions about how much time this course may take, please refer to the standard recommendations for course time outside of class:

from http://online.riohondo.edu/courses/indexSpring09_intersession.asp

Remember that you should be putting as much time into your online course as you would a campus-based course. Based on the Carnegie Unit, you should be spending 9 hours per week of an 16-week semester working on a 3-unit course. Budgeting your time properly is necessary for online success.

In reality, some weeks you will spend more time, and some weeks less time than this, but count on spending some time each week, reading the textbook chapters, course materials, and completing assignments and discussions.