Course Syllabus for IRLS 401/501 Organization of Information
- Course Name, Number, and Prerequisites
- Course Description
- Course Objectives
- Required Course Materials
- Course Requirements
- Course Policies
- Grading
- Contacting the Instructor
Link to Course Outline
Fall 2005 Instructor:Dr Deb Karpuk
IRLS 401/501
Organization of InformationPrerequisities: None
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COURSE DESCRIPTION“Introduction to the theories and practices used in the organization of information. Overview of national and international standards and practices for access to information.”
What will we be covering in this course?
- Issues of access, formatting & structuring knowledge, describing documents, users & interfaces, indexing & searching languages, pre-coordination and subject headings, thesauri, classification & systematic order, bibliographic classification systems, access points in catalogs & bibliographies, system context for knowledge organization, internet & applications, management issues.
- Helpful to think about how organization of information impacts everyday life.
How are we going to do this?
- Course is divided into 15 topical areas with corresponding live online lecture/discussion in Breeze.
- Reading material includes: Textbook, E-reserves, readings posted in D2L, and additional topic specific web-based resources.
- Course outline and project information: Will be submitted to SIRLS two weeks before the semester begins.
- Course will begin: 28 August (Sunday evening, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Arizona time); D2L course will be available on 21 August.
- Communication: Live class sessions, individual e-mail, instructor feedback on assignment postings.
What will be expected of you, the student?
- Class attendance. All class sessions are recorded for study and review.
- Project which provides active application of concepts covered in class sessions.
- Time management. Course is paced for ample time to complete reading and submit project drafts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- To understand principles of information and representation of information;
- To demonstrate information organization through project that models organizational principles in a practical way;
- To reflect on cultural, diversity, and disciplinary issues with regard to context for information organization;
- To evaluate information organization and retrieval from a user perspective;
- To participate in a virtual learning environment for open exchange of viewpoints and ideas about information organization.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALSRowley, Jennifer and John Farrow. (2000). Organizing knowledge: an introduction to managing access to information. 3 rd ed. Burlington, Vt.: Gower. [Course text]
Taylor, Arlene G. (2004). The Organization of information. 2 nd ed. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. [OPTIONAL text]
E-Reserves available under IRLS 501 and instructor name. Password will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
Additional handouts, readings, references to helpful web resources. These resources are posted in conjunction with specific lectures on the topic.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Active participation (attendance at live online classes)
- Ask questions, participate in discussion, and e-mail instructor if clarification needed
- Keep up on the reading in advance of topic coverage in class
- Consistently work on assigned Project
COURSE POLICIESAcademic Code of Integrity
Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.
Accommodating Disabilities
The University has a Disability Resource Center . If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.
Incompletes
The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual, p.23 reads
The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
Assignment Policies
How to submit your assignments:Project steps will be submitted to the D2L folder created. Each project step is numbered and a corresponding folder will be where submissions are posted. All postings should be in MS Word.
- Assignment due dates:
A Project instruction sheet and course outline will be available two weeks before the semester begins. Each of the Project section corresponds with class lecture, readings, and then application through the Project steps
Section of the Project
Step #
% Points
Due Date
Non-bibliographical organizational problem
#1
20
Draft: 9/07/05
Bibliographic records
#2
10
Draft: 9/14/05
Internet searching
#3
10
Draft: 9/28/05
Subject headings, thesauri, indexing terms
#4
20
Draft: 10/12/05
Database searching
#5
10
Draft: 10/26/05
Classification systems
#6
10
Draft: 11/09/05
User perspectives and searching
#7
10
Draft: 11/23/05
Project debriefing
#8
10
Draft: 11/30/05
Final project
#1-#8
100%
Final: 12/12/05
Final project is mailed to the instructor with sufficient postage for project return.
- Writing style:
American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 5 th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
URL:
APA Homepage
Last Accessed: 3/17/05
Late Policy:
Project steps are expected on the due date. This provides instructor ample time for feedback before moving to subsequent project steps.
Final Projects must meet the due date in order to meet deadline for submitting course grades.
GRADING
Grade
Points
A
93 +
B
86-92
C
78-85
D
70-77
F
69 and below
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CONTACTING ME
Dr. Deb Karpuk
arizonakarpuk@aol.comMailing Address:
Dr. D. Karpuk
P.O. Box 270729
Littleton, Colorado 80127
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