University
of North Texas
School
of Library and Information Sciences
SLIS
5600/4600
Introduction
to Information Access and Retrieval
Houston Web
Institute, Spring 2006
Welcome!
ˇBienvenidos al curso!
Faculty
|
Ana
D. Cleveland, Ph.D., AHIP
Professor and Director
Health
Informatics Program
Director, Houston Program
Adjunct
Faculty, Dept. of Family Medicine
UNT-Health
Sciences Center at Fort Worth
Email:
ana@lis.admin.unt.edu
|
Jodi
Philbrick, M.S.
Assistant Director, Houston Program
Doctoral
Student
Interdisciplinary
Ph.D. Program
in
Information Science
Email:
wilcoxen@lis.admin.unt.edu
|
Contact Information
|
University
of North Texas
School
of Library and Information Sciences
ISB,
Room 204
P.O.
Box 311068
Denton,
TX 76203-1068
Office:
940-565-2445
Fax:
940-565-3101
Cleveland
Home: 940-383-2778
|
Office
Hours:
You
may contact the faculty any time via WebCT email. Official
office hours will be given at the time of the Web Institute. You
may call 1-877-ASK-SLIS or 940-565-2445 for an appointment.
|
Introduction
This core
course will introduce you to the field of information access and
retrieval. More than ever, the world is information dependent.
It has become obvious to our society that we need to efficiently and
effectively organize, access, and retrieve information. The new
information technologies have created an urgent need to learn how to
evaluate the vast amount of information being produced. There are many
issues that need to be addressed to understand information retrieval.
As information
professionals dealing with the area of access and retrieval, we need to
be aware of the wealth of information resources available to meet the
needs of our users. This course gives you the opportunity to become the
link between the user and information resources.
We have
prepared a comprehensive and challenging course for you. The
following is a list of the topics and types of information resources we
will explore through the semester:
Topics:
- The Nature of Information
- Historical Overview of
Information Services
- Philosophy, Ethics, and
Information Access
- The Internet as an Information
Resource
- Modeling Information Needs
- Profiling the User
- Patterns of Information
Seeking Behavior
|
- Users and Systems
- Retrieval Processes
- Interfacing with the User
- Resource Management
- User Services
- Administration and Management
Issues
- Digital Library Collections
and Services
|
Types
of Resources:
- Guides
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias
- Bibliographies &
Catalogs
- Indexes & Abstracts
- Serials
- Internet
|
- Directories
- Handbooks & Manuals
- Almanacs & Yearbooks
- Biographical Sources
- Geographical Sources
- Government Information
Resources
|
We want to make you aware from the
beginning that this core course is time consuming, and you will need to
plan to spend a minimum of 10-12 hours per week on your assignments.
Keep in mind that this course is four credit hours instead the normal
three credit hours.
We want to
encourage you to get to know your fellow classmates as this will create
a sense of community in the course. Many of you will take other
courses together, and this experience will help you create a bond with
other students that could last beyond your time in the SLIS program.
Networking is an important part of our profession, and this class will
give you an opportunity to network with future information
professionals.
We look forward to working with you
this semester!
Course
Description
Epistemological foundations of
information use. Basic principles and techniques of information
retrieval and access services. Survey of research in information
seeking behavior and user interaction. Introduction to systems of
access, search, and retrieval skills and collection management. Study
of evaluation methods for all formats of resources, services, and user
satisfaction.
Course
Objectives
- To understand principles of
information retrieval in access services.
- To understand information needs,
patterns of information seeking behavior and impacts of
information use in society.
- To understand the principles and
techniques in access and retrieval systems.
- To introduce the student to
different types of information resources and how to evaluate and
use them in access services.
- To develop query negotiation
skills in order to identify and translate information needs.
- To develop skills in searching
databases in a variety of formats.
- To understand intellectual,
physical and technical issues in systems of access.
- To understand issues related to
the management and evaluation of information access and retrieval
systems and services.
- To understand selection,
evaluation, and maintenance of information resources collections.
- To introduce methods for
identifying and analyzing future trends in the field.
Required
Textbook
The required textbook
for the course is:
|
|
Bopp,
Richard E. and Linda C. Smith. Reference and
Information Services: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Englewood,
CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2001.
(ISBN
1-56308-624-7)
|
We
encourage you to purchase the textbook before the arriving at the Web
Institute. You can purchase the textbook from the following
locations:
Course
Access
The
course will be officially open on the first day of class, and it uses
WebCT, a course management tool. You can access the course by
going to http://webct.unt.edu and
entering your UNT EUID and password. Specific instructions on
using WebCT will be provided on the first day of class.
Technology
Requirements
To effectively navigate
through the course, you will need to be aware of several technology
requirements:
-
You need a reliable
Internet connection.
-
You need a browser
that interfaces well with WebCT, such as Microsoft Internet
Explorer or Netscape Navigator. You can check your browser
at:
http://www.webct.com/tuneup
-
It is important to
read and understand the Technology Recommendations outlined by
SLIS at: http://www.unt.edu/slis/students/techreq.htm.
Be sure to note that Microsoft Office is the standard software for
this course as well as SLIS.
-
It is required that
each student have basic knowledge and understanding of word
processing, e-mail, and database management programs. See the SLIS
Information Technology Knowledge and Skills Entry-Level
Requirements at:
http://www.unt.edu/slis/apppacket/ITKS/index.htm.
Course
Content and Organization
The course embraces
traditional concepts and techniques that have proven effective in the
management of information. As information technologies emerge, new
applications open innovative paths in the field of information.
Similarly, the content and coverage of SLIS 5600 has expanded in order
to be as inclusive as possible of the tools, techniques and issues
that you will face in your professional positions in libraries,
information sciences and related areas.
Based on this
premise, the course is organized into two major components: Foundation
Lessons & Resource Units. In
general, the lessons focus on the background and basic concepts
necessary to access and retrieve information, and the units present
the practical application tools necessary to be able to access and
retrieve information efficiently and effectively.
Course
Assignments
The
course has the following assignments. The specifics of the
assignments are detailed in the syllabus that you will receive at the
Web Institute.
| Reading
Assignments |
The
readings are composed of textbook chapters, journal articles,
and Web sites. |
| Information
Hunts |
The
information hunts require the student to look for answers to
questions using different types of information resources, much
like a scavenger hunt. |
| Evaluation
of Resources |
The
evaluations require the student to examine the structure,
organization, and utilization of different types of
information resources. |
| Midterm |
The
midterm evaluates the students' progress in the course. |
| Final
Project |
In
groups, the students will develop an information service for a
specific clientele in a particular setting. |
| Class
Participation |
The
students are expected to participate fully in class
activities, such as in the online chat and discussions area. |
Grading
|
Readings (Summaries) |
15% |
|
Information Hunts |
20% |
|
Evaluation of Resources |
20% |
|
Midterm |
20% |
|
Final Project |
20% |
|
Class Participation |
5% |
|
Total |
100% |
Helpful Information
About the Course
-
SLIS 5600 is an
electronically delivered course and has deadlines for submitting
assignments. This is NOT a self-paced course.
-
We need to be polite
to and tolerant of each other, especially in the chats and
discussions.
-
The course requires a
lot of time and effort. You need to learn how to manage your
time in order to keep up with the pace of the course.
-
You should expect to
receive replies to e-mails and discussion postings within 48 hours.
-
Let the faculty know
how they can best serve your needs in the course.
-
Your faculty is fluent
in Spanish.
What to Bring to the
Web Institute
We'll
see you in class!
ˇHasta
pronto!
