Accessing Information for Research
Spring Semester 2007

Class Rationale and Description:

The recent past of human history has been greatly impacted by a prolific information explosion. The acquisition, evaluation, and use of information saturate our lives everyday. While it has become easier to find many resources to address an information need, it has become much more difficult to access highly relevant and quality information. Through this course, you will learn about, practice, and master concepts and skills that are central to helping you meet your information needs. More specifically, you will be better able to use these skills to develop and complete effective research projects. You will become more information literate and an information literate citizenry is essential to a healthy democratic society and to thriving in the face of constant and rapid global change.

Course Objectives:

This course focuses on the research and scholarly communication process as well as concepts, skills and strategies for accessing and using information efficiently and responsibility. Skills in these areas will enable you to become a more informed, skillful user of an entire range of research tools and options.

By the end of the course each student will be able to:

• use the library catalog and databases, along with the Internet to find relevant information in multiple formats.
• describe the scholarly research and communication process in your discipline.
• explain the characteristics of the various information types and formats.
• critically evaluate the quality of information resources.
• correctly acknowledge resources according to the style manuals of the relevant discipline, while avoiding plagiarism.
• synthesize research information into written reports and oral presentations.

Course Policies and Information:

Attendance and Participation: Most of the daily activities in this course feature hands on group discussions, experiments, simulations, and searching. Because of this fact and the cumulative nature of the course content, students are expected to attend all sessions and participate in all activities. Actively, intelligently, and constructively contributing to class activities will contribute to earning an excellent grade (see section on assignments and grading). If you must miss a class, you are responsible for learning the material covered. Absences are counted as soon as you are officially enrolled in the class or the instructor has signed your "add" form, which ever comes first. Attendance/Participation is worth 20% of your grade. For each day of class you miss, you will lose 1/15 (7%) of your grade in this category. Tardies result in a loss of 1/30 (4%). Note that although this a one-credit class, the pace and intensity will feel like a two credit class as we only meet for the first half of the semester.

Readings: There is no required textbook for this course. All course material will be available on the Web, available as reserve reading in the Holland and Terrell Libraries, or handed out in class.

Assignments: This course concentrates on three central assignments. Assignments are expected to be turned in at the beginning of class on the dates prescribed in the course schedule below. Assignments turned in later that same day or up to one day later will receive a maximum of 75% of the original total value; assignments turned in later than that will not be accepted. There are no tests or extra credit opportunities in this course. In addition to the three central assignments, there are a variable number of minor assignments which make up 10% of the final grade. These minor assignments may include finishing in class activities we do not have time to complete during the class period.

Grading: Letter grades will be given based on the 4-point scale and definitions in Section 90 of WSU's Academic Regulations. See also How to Calculate GPA.

Academic Integrity: You are expected to exhibit integrity and respect for intellectual property and to follow the University's statement of Academic Integrity and the Academic Standards and Procedures outlined in the Washington State University Standards of Conduct for Students portion of the Student Handbook. Students who cheat and/or plagiarize will fail the assignment and possibly the class.

Disability Accommodations: Students with Disabilities: I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Rooms 205). Call 509 335 3417 to make an appointment with a disability counselor.

Course Schedule:

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