Introduction to Information Science and Technology
LIS 670 Course Syllabus
Spring 2015
LIS 670 Course Syllabus
Spring 2015
A survey of topics in information science and technology. Lectures and discussions emphasize practice, problems, and theory relating to information storage, retrieval, and dissemination provision technology in libraries and information centers.
There is no prerequisite for this course.
Students will be introduced to a variety of research methods utilized in user studies. This knowledge is given practical application through the creation by each student of a Recommendation for a User Study in response to a given scenario.
This introductory survey course addresses the objectives of the LIS Program, enabling students to:
| 1a. | Apply LIS theory and principles to diverse information contexts. |
| 1c. | Develop and apply critical thinking skills in preparation for professional practice. |
| 2b. | Work effectively in teams. |
| 3a. | Demonstrate understanding of the processes by which information is created, evaluated, and disseminated. |
| 3b. | Organize, create, archive, and manage collections of information resources following professional standards. |
| 3c. | Search, retrieve and synthesize information from a variety of systems and sources. |
| 4a. | Evaluate systems and technologies in terms of quality, functionality, cost-effectiveness and adherence to professional standards. |
| 4b. | Integrate emerging technologies into professional practice. |
This is an introductory course which provides a basic preparation for more advanced courses in such areas as digital librarianship, library automation, database design and creation, systems analysis, and information and records management. Through these advanced courses the student develops skills in the use, evaluation, and selection of information storage and retrieval systems, as well as some of the tools for their creation. In this course the student will gain a very basic understanding of theory and practice in information retrieval systems past and present; selected theories and research methodologies relating to information-seeking behavior; an introduction to computer and computer networking hardware, operating systems, and selected applications; and how to select, organize, and prepare materials for presentation in the World Wide Web environment.
In this course the emphasis is on exploration of technologies currently in use or of potential future use in library or other information management settings. New technologies necessitate formulation of new policies for their usage. Thus, information policy—including ethical, political, and financial issues—regarding utilization of technology in information provision will also be discussed. Students are encouraged to give expression to their thoughts concerning the employment of these new technologies in the library. My hope is that this course will not only familiarize students with the technological tools of the library today but will enable them to be innovators in the formulation of new ways to provide information to both traditional and nontraditional patrons of information services.
Lectures are used to introduce students to the underlying theoretical issues of information storage and retrieval. Guest speakers bring to the course expertise in a variety of fields. Independent exercises and a group project provide hands-on experience. Discussion sessions allow students to share knowledge and insights gained from their readings.
Selected readings from books and articles will be assigned. Some of the readings will be accessed via the World Wide Web. Materials that are designated as e-reserve can be accessed via the Hawaii Voyager Library Catalog Web page. Select Course Reserves and search on LIS 670.
| 99-100 (outstanding work) = A+ | 92-98 = A | 90-91 = A- |
| 89 = B+ | 82-88 = B | 80-81 = B- |
| 79 = C+ | 72-78 = C | 70-71 = C- |
| 69 = D+ | 62-68 = D | 60-61 = D- |
This course requires use of an Internet-connected computer with a standard Web browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat reader (available free of charge from http://www.adobe.com) and a word processor. Students will be required to view Powerpoint presentations, complete exercises and written assignments, participate in online discussions, create a World Wide Web portal, view pdf documents, and access Internet sites. Internet-connected PCs are available in the LIS alcove. There are also Internet-connected PCs in Hamilton Library. In addition, most medium- and large-sized public and academic libraries provide access to the Web for their patrons.
Each student will be required to use SSH software. Instructions for downloading and using this encryption program will be given during the course.
You will also be required to obtain and use a UHUNIX e-mail account (free to UH students). Information about obtaining a UHUNIX account is available at the UH website.
If you are a new student you are urged to consult the UH Information Technology Services Web page to obtain information about your UH username, connecting to UH, accessing your e-mail, and training resources offered through the University of Hawai`i. Point your browser to: http://www.hawaii.edu/its/ then scroll down to the Quick Links section for links to valuable information about UH technology.
LIS students at the University of Hawai`i are required to observe rigorous standards regarding intellectual and personal honesty. Please review these standards, available online at:
http://www.hawaii.edu/lis/students/professional-expectations-notice/
In the scholarly world we acknowledge the fact that our contributions to knowledge build upon the contributions of others. We do this by citing the works from which we have drawn ideas, data, or text. In this class citations are required.
You may use the author-date method (preferred), footnotes, or endnotes. Please remember that you must cite and you must do so in a consistent manner.
If you use the wording of another author (even if the author is anonymous) you must either put the text between quotation marks or indent and single-space the material. The quoted text must be followed immediately by the author, date, and page number (author/date method) or footnote or endnote number.
Two style manuals frequently used in the discipline of Library and Information Science are Turabian and The Chicago Manual of Style:
| Session Number |
Date | Topic(s) | Readings and Assignments Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
1/12/15 |
Getting to know
you; Introduction to the course; Discussion: What is information? Shannon and Weaver |
|
| 2 | 1/26/15 | Discussion:
Vannevar Bush; Introduction to UNIX; Introduction to SSH |
|
| 3 |
2/2/15 | Discussion: Filtering software; Explanation of "Proposal for an Internet use policy assignment"; Introduction to HTML (part 1) |
|
| 4 | 2/9/15 | Introduction to HTML (part 2); Situational relevance exercise; Explanation of Web portal assignment |
|
| 5 | 2/23/15 |
User studies; Explanation of user study assignment; Technology for persons with disabilities |
|
| 6 | 3/2/15 | Discussion of final paper and presentation; Relevance, precision, and recall (part 1) |
|
| 7 | 3/9/15 | Relevance, precision, and recall (part 2); Explanation of "Evaluation of an online catalog" assignment; Formation of catalog evaluation teams; OPAC selection and criteria formulation for catalog evaluation assignment |
|
| 8 | 3/16/15 | Introduction to networks; Boolean, bibliometrics, and beyond; Video: The machine that changed the world, Part I: Giant Brains (if time permits) |
|
| 9 | 3/30/15 | Guest speaker: Dr. Péter Jacsó on Citation-enhanced databases--the good, the bad, and the ugly (and the dysfunctional) |
|
| 10 | 4/6/15 | Guest speaker: Dr. Larry Osborne on Hardware |
|
| 11 | 4/13/15 |
Tips on presentations with Powerpoint; Indexing; Searching by color exercise; Relational databases; Relational database exercise |
|
| 12 | 4/20/15 | Guest speaker: Special Agent Arnold Laanui, J.D., Ed.D. on Network security |
|
| 13 | 4/27/15 | Student presentations; Dissemination and access (if time permits) |
|
| 14 | 5/4/15 | Student presentations |
|
If you need reasonable accommodations because of the impact of a disability, please:
Information about the Kokua Program is available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/kokua/.