Lib 127 - Information & Research Skills

Table of Contents

• Lib 127 - Welcome
• Course Description
  
• Learning Outcomes
• Lib 127 Portfolios
• Schedule of Events & Course Assignments/Assessments
  • 1st class meeting
  • 2nd class meeting
  • 3rd class meeting
  • 4th class meeting
  • 5th class meeting
  • 6th class meeting
• Rubric for Assessment (Assignments)
  

Lib 127 Welcome

Term: Winter 2010

Day & Time: Tuesdays, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: TBA

Instructor: Candice Watkins

Office: Library

Office Hours: M-F 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Phone: 503.338-2460

Email: cwatkins@clatsopcc.edu

No textbook required

Supplies: Mass storage device (thumbdrive)

Grading policy: Pass/No-credit; See Rubric for Assessment below for details

Attendance: We have only 6 class meetings. Your attendance is required in order to receive a passing grade. If you miss more than 2 classes, you should consider dropping the course.

Statement on Plagiarism/Academic Misconduct: Intentionally presenting another person's work or ideas as your own without giving proper credit is not acceptable. You will receive a failing grade on that assignment if this happens.

Students with Disabilities: Students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accomodations. To receive services, contact Services for Students with Disabilities, 338-2474 (TDD--325-2092)

Non-Discrimination: It is the policy of Clatsop Community College that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability in any educational programs, activities, or employment.

 
Course Description

Hi and welcome! This is a one credit lab that will focus on the development of information literacy skills and knowledge. Our late start date in the term coincides with the beginning of research papers in other classes. Take a research topic that you’ve chosen for one of your classes and apply it to this class. The assignments that you complete will help you develop your research thoughtfully and thoroughly. The knowledge you gain from this class will not only benefit your research in other classes but reach beyond your time as a student, to your professional and every day life.

"What is information literacy? The basic definition of information literacy is 'a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.'" Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. American Library Association. 2006.http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilcomstan.html (Accessed June 6, 2008)

Learning Outcomes

• Identify gaps in your knowledge and recognize when you need information
• Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies
• Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria
• Treat research as a multi-stage, recursive learning process
• Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies
• Organize and manage information, using appropriate tools and technologies
• Create, produce, and communicate new knowledge through synthesis of relevant information

Schedule of Events & Course Assignments/Assessments

1st class meeting

 Class Slides

Identify gaps in your knowledge and recognize when you need information

• Introduction of information literacy and its importance
• Eportfolio - setting up of account (back up all work with thumb drive)
• Identify research topic
• Read and analyze assignments and class instructions
• Frame appropriate research questions based on information needs
• Define a manageable focus and time-line for research projects
• Determine the scope and depth of information needed

Assignment/Assessment: Due at the 2nd class meeting

1. Set up your portfolio. The portfolio will showcase your work in this class, i.e. the research process for your chosen topic. Make sure to back up your work with a thumb drive. A portfolio will serve you well when applying to jobs in the future or as a transfer student to a 4-year institution.

• Set up your portfolio at this website: http://pbworks.com/. Follow the directions to create a new account. Once you have created your account, you can start creating your portfolio.
• Here's an example portfolio.

2. You're next step will be to create a text document entitled, Research Topic, and record in this document the following information:

• Your chosen topic
• The class and instructor to which the research is connected. State type of research assignment with specific requirements (example: An extended argumentative research paper for WR 123 with Nancy Cook or an analytical research paper for Marine Biology with Michael Bunch)
• A thesis statement; Also, turn that statement into a research question
• Refer to the example portfolio. In this portfolio, you'll find an example of a Research Topic page.

3. Keep these thoughts in mind: Is your thesis statement flexible? Is your scope appropriate for the type of project? What kind of sources would most likely contain information about your topic?

2nd class meeting 

Class Slides

1) Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies - Reference Sources & Books

• Employ common strategies for narrowing or expanding searches
• Recognize the interconnections between published works by effectively using bibliographies, etc.
• Identify sources/resources that are likely venues for finding information on your topic or written by people interested in your topic
• Use the library to obtain materials that aren’t available locally
• Use digital tools and methods to locate and access information resources
• Know that information is labeled and organized using systems

2) Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

• Evaluate the timeliness, relevance, and accuracy of sources
• Recognize bias and distinguish between facts and opinions
• Identify materials that are scholarly/academic/peer reviewed versus materials written for a popular audience
• Evaluate the credibility of a source as it relates to the information needs of its
  intended audience

3) Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

• Accurately record information retrieved
• Use one or more standard citation styles to clearly identify the sources of information that  you incorporate into your own work
  
• Understand and respect the concept, purpose, and practice of academic
  honesty & intellectual property rights.
• Utilize others’ ideas in the service of their own

Assignment/Assessment: Due at the 3rd class meeting

1. This week you'll add the Works Cited/Reference List and the Source Evaluation pages to your portfolio. Remember, you'll create these as Word documents and upload to the Showcase section in your portfolio. You'll continuously add to these pages for the remainder of the class.

2. Searches for and locates at least one reference source (print or electronic) and one book in the CCC library catalog.

3. Evaluate sources using the CRAAP criteria; Record evaluations in portfolio.

4. Cite sources correctly using either the MLA or APA format. Record in Works Cited/Reference List of portfolio.

5. Using Summit or WorldCat, find a book to request through Interlibrary Loan; Record title/author of requested work on ILL form from library and bring form to class.

3rd class meeting

Class Slides

1) Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies - Periodical Databases

• Employ common strategies for narrowing or expanding searches
• Recognize the interconnections between published works by effectively using bibliographies, etc.
• Identify sources/resources that are likely venues for finding information on your topic or written by people interested in your topic
• Use the library to obtain materials that aren’t available locally
• Use digital tools and methods to locate and access (and even start to manage/organize) information resources
• Know that information is labeled and organized using systems

2) Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

• Evaluate the timeliness, relevance, and accuracy of sources
• Recognize bias and distinguish between facts and opinions
• Identify materials that are scholarly/academic/peer reviewed versus materials written for a popular audience
• Evaluate the credibility of a source as it relates to the information needs of its
  intended audience
• Explore how to use technology tools to evaluate the credibility of a source

3) Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

• Accurately record information retrieved
• Use one or more standard citation styles to clearly identify the sources of information that you incorporate into your own work
  
• Understand and respect the concept, purpose, and practice of academic
  honesty & intellectual property rights
• Utilize others’ ideas in the service of their own

Assignment/Assessment: Due at 4th class meeting

1. In your portfolio, you'll add to your Works Cited/Reference List and Source Evaluation pages.

2. Search for and locate in the library’s periodical databases at least two periodical articles. These articles can come from journals, magazines, or  newspapers.

3. Take the sources that you found in the databases and evaluate each in your portfolio using the following criteria:

• Currency
• Relevance
• Accuracy
• Authority
• Purpose

 4. Cite sources correctly in Works Cited/Reference List in portfolio.

5. Search for, locate, and record a request for an Interlibrary Loan from the library; Fill out an ILL form (obtained from the library) and bring form to class.

4th class meeting

The Internet, Web 2.0, and Us

1) Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies - Internet

• Employ common strategies for narrowing or expanding searches
• Recognize the interconnections between published works by effectively using bibliographies, etc.
• Identify sources/resources that are likely venues for finding information on your topic or written by people interested in your topic
• Use digital tools and methods to locate and access (and even start to manage/organize, i.e. delicious) information resources
• Know that information is labeled and organized using systems

2) Organize and manage information, using appropriate tools and technologies

• Record, organize, and extract information using a variety of technologies and web 2.0 tools. Use of delicious to record and organize websites. There are other tools that do this, as well. (Twine, Flickr, etc.)
• Maintain a research history using information technology tools. There are sophisticated tools that accomplish this in a more focused manner (ex. Zotero)

3) Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

• Evaluate the timeliness, relevance, and accuracy of sources
• Recognize bias and distinguish between facts and opinions
• Identify materials that are scholarly/academic/peer reviewed versus materials written for a popular audience
• Evaluate the credibility of a source as it relates to the information needs of its
  intended audience

4) Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

• Accurately record information retrieved
• Use one or more standard citation styles to clearly identify the sources of information that you incorporate into your own work
  
• Understand and respect the concept, purpose, and practice of academic
  honesty & intellectual property rights
• Utilize others’ ideas in the service of their own
• Be aware of the issue of safe-guarding personal information while using online tools

5) Treat research as a multi-process, recursive learning process

• Integrate new information into their knowledge base, and draw inferences, connections, and conclusions
• Modify or revise their topic or thesis and/or develop new search strategies based on research results
• Understand that information searching requires time, diligence, and practice, and that skills are learned over time

Assignment/Assessment:

1. In your portfolio, you'll add to the Works Cited/Reference List and Source Evaluation pages. You'll also add a Revised Thesis Statement page.

2. Search for and locate three websites relevant to topic

3. Tag websites using “delicious” - login with username clatsop and password lib127

4. Evaluate sources using the CRAAP criteria; Record evaluations in portfolio

5. Cite sources correctly in Works Cited/Reference List of portfolio

6. Post revised thesis statement in portfolio

7. Record additional sources in the Works Cited/Reference List section of portfolio

5th class meeting

Information Ethics - Let's discuss Honesty & Ethics, Freedom of Speech, and Privacy

4) Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

Assignment/Assessment

Take quiz at end of class period.

For your own interest, read one of the following articles pertaining to today's discussion.

• "The Future of Privacy" from American Libraries
• "Myspace: Coming of Age for a Coming of Age"
• "The Anonymity Experiment"

6th class meeting

Class Slides

1) Organize and manage information, using appropriate tools and technologies (continued from last week)

• Record, organize, and extract information using a variety of technologies and web 2.0 tools. We’ve used delicious to record and organize websites. There are other tools that do this, as well. (Twine, Flickr, etc.)
• Maintain a Works Cited/Reference List using information technology tools. There are sophisticated tools that accomplish this in a more focused manner (ex. Zotero)

2) Create, produce, and communicate new knowledge through synthesis of relevant information

• Use digital tools and applications to create and produce information (portfolio).
• Find, assess, acquire, learn and maintain the hardware and software needed to
  accomplish information intensive tasks.

Assignment/Assessment:

1. Take a look at the following tools and post a review/comment on your portfolio.

• Zotero
• Digg
• Flickr

2. Final Works Cited/Reference List contains at least one reference source, one book, two sources from a periodical database (one popular and one academic) and three websites; All sources are cited correctly in the Works Cited/Reference List of the portfolio using either the MLA or APA style

3. Take chosen research topic and progress through the information literacy process

4. Use portfolio to document the research process

Rubric for Assessment

The following rubric outlines the criteria for grading assignments/assessments pertaining to each learning outcome.

Week 1

Identify gaps in your knowledge and recognize when you need information

Week 2

1. Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies - Reference sources and Books

2. Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

3. Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

Week 3

1. Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies – Periodical Databases

2. Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

3. Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

Week 4

1. Find information efficiently and effectively, using appropriate research tools and search strategies – Internet

2. Organize and manage information, using appropriate tools and technologies

3. Evaluate and select information using appropriate criteria

4. Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

5. Treat research as a multi-stage, recursive learning process

Week 5

4. Ethically, legally, and safely use information and information technologies

Week 6

1. Organize and manage information, using appropriate tools and technologies

2. Create, produce, and communicate new knowledge through synthesis of relevant information

This document draws from the competencies, outcomes, proficiencies, or other guidelines found on the following pages:

• http://web.cocc.edu/finney/studentshaveachieved.htm
• http://www.cgcc.cc.or.us/Library/mission-policies/info-lit.htm
• http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm
• http://www.lanecc.edu/library/services/outcomes.htm
• https://teach.lanecc.edu/kenz/llc/userpages.html?thispage=74
• https://teach.lanecc.edu/kenz/llc/userpages.html?thispage=110
• http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/instruction/w121/session_outcomes.html
• TAC guidelines: http://oregonstate.edu/tac/
• OSU IL Competencies:
• http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/instruction/ug_comp.html
• http://blogs.library.oregonstate.edu/ilsummit/2007-summit/proposed-proficiences/
• http://library.clatsopcc.edu/tip/intro1.htm