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Last revised August 6, 2006.

Course Syllabus for IRLS 613: Decision Making for Library and Information Professionals


Fall 06 Instructor: Don Fallis



COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

Decision Making for Library and Information Professionals

IRLS 613

Prerequisites: None

Location: EDUC 333

Time: Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 9:00pm
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COURSE DESCRIPTION

"Introduction to quantitative methods for analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of the various systems that make up an information service such as a library."

Like any other professional, library and information professionals are decision-makers. Whether working the reference desk or running the library, library and information professionals need to be able to make good decisions. As a result, such professionals should be aware of the basic rules of good decision making.

There is a fairly standard procedure for making good decisions.  It has been successfully applied to all sorts of decisions, such as locating nuclear power plants, developing environmental policies, deciding on medical treatments, etc.  This procedure is commonly known as decision analysis.  This course will introduce the basic principles of decision analysis, such as:

Predicting the consequences of library policies often requires the use of mathematical models.  Economic theory is one of the most important and powerful mathematical models that can be applied to the management of information services.  This course will introduce the basic principles of the economics of information, such as:

Technical Prerequisites:  Students taking this course will need to satisfy the standard SIRLS technical requirements.  In addition, as the course description suggests, this course will involve a certain amount of mathematics.  But familiarity with basic algebra will be sufficient mathematical background.  Also, several assignments and exercises in this course will make use of Microsoft Excel.  As a result, some prior experience with Microsoft Excel would be helpful, but is not strictly necessary.  Please contact the instructor if you have questions about these prerequisites. 

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COURSE FORMAT

This course will be taught on campus.  Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions.  In addition, each student will have to give a brief presentation on one of the readings at some point during the semester.

While this is an on-campus course, we will use D2L as a supplement.  Enrolled students will be given accounts early in the fall semester.  Information about using D2L is available at http://www.sir.arizona.edu/resources/computing.html#d2l.  If you have trouble with D2L, you can contact the D2L Support Staff (d2l@email.arizona.edu).  In addition, you can contact Bjorn Tipling (btipling@email.arizona.edu) for help with D2L.  (He is the "D2L GAT" for SIRLS this semester.)  Send the D2L staff or Bjorn an email message explaining exactly what is happening.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of this course, students will:

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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

There are two required texts for this course:

Additional readings will be available electronically.  Some readings will be on the web.  Other readings will be in journals that can be accessed online through UA Library.  (You will need a CatCard number to access these readings.)  Still other readings (viz., those which do not have links) will be available through electronic reserves.  (The password will be distributed in D2L.)

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There are five components that go into the final course grade:

Requirement
 Percentage of Final Grade
Participation
 15%
Short Assignments
 10%
Midterm One
 25%
Midterm Two
 25%
Group Presentation
 25%
Further details about these assignments (including due dates) will be provided in D2L.
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COURSE POLICIES

Academic 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 the 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.

Assignment Policies

Further details about turning in assignments will be posted in D2L.

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.

Incompletes will be given in this course only when exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent the student from completing  part of the course work. 

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GRADING

Final Grade
 Overall Percentage Score
A
 90% and above
B
 80% to 89%
C
 70% to 79%
D
 60% to 69%
E
 59% and below

Each assignment will be graded on a point system.  For example, you might receive 17 out of a possible 20 points on your Article Analysis.  At the end of the course, the points received on each of the five components will be aggregated (using the percentages discussed in the Course Requirements section) to yield an overall percentage score.  Students with scores of 90% and above will receive an A, those with scores between 80% and 89% will receive a B, those with scores between 70% and 79% will receive a C, etc. Further details about the grading of assignments will be posted in D2L.

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CONTACTING ME

Office: SIRLS 14
Office Hours: Wednesdays 2:30pm to 4:00pm and by appointment.
Telephone: 621-5223
D2L email: fallis at d2l dot arizona dot edu
Regular email: fallis at email dot arizona dot edu

If you have questions for me about the course, post a message to the D2L discussion forums or send a message to my D2L email account.  (I prefer that you not use my regular email account for questions about the course.)  In addition, if you are going to be in Tucson, you can come to my office hours or set up an appointment.
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