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Section 0201 - Online
Instructor: Jim Kinnie |
University Library Room 124 Office hour by appointment Fax: (401) 874-5403 |
Course material available on WebCT: http://www.uri.edu/webct |
Information Literacy is the ability to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. Information Literacy is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It forms the basis for lifetime learning." -American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989) |
| Why Information Literacy? |  |
| Course Goals and Objectives |
Information is a commodity readily available in overwhelming abundance. However. information is only useful if the researcher has the knowledge and skills necessary to manipulate it. While exploring the information world students will learn to use effective methods and techniques of information gathering, evaluation and presentation. The knowledge gained in this course will prepare students to conduct university level research and beyond that, develop skills necessary for life-long learning.
Student Objectives
| Requirements: |
Required Materials:
There is no textbook for this course
| Grading |
Grades for the course will be A-F. Grades should be considered as a way for an instructor to communicate how well students have learned what the course is designed to teach. I will grade Homework and Class Exercises on a check / check plus / check minus basis. This translates into 1, 2, 3 or 0 points for each assignment (1=not great,, 2=good, 3=excellent, 0 = not done at all). Exams and projects will be graded traditionally as a percentage of 100 points.
Your grade will be based on the following:
| Criterion | Percent of final grade |
| Minute writing/Reading responses/In-class exercises (class participation) | 10% |
| Attendance/ | 10% |
| Homework assignments | 25% |
| Presentations | 20% |
| Quizzes | 5% |
| Semester Project - "The Paper Trail" | 20% |
| Final exam | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
The following number of points out of a total of 100 will determine the corresponding letter grade:
| A = 93-100 A- = 90-92 B+ = 87-89 B = 83-86 B- = 80-82 C+ = 77-79 |
C = 73-76 C- = 70-72 D+ = 67-69 D = 60-66 F = Below 60 |
Minute writing/Reading response/In-class exercises - 10% of the grade
Minute writing exercises are short. I will pose questions on the Discussion Board, review course material, or link to news articles to encourage consideration of information issues. These exercises are designed to help students review and retain course material, to provide practice in applying ideas, to promote understanding of concepts, and to encourage active reading of assigned texts.
Reading responses - Students will submit reading responses for selected readings posted on the discussion board in WebCT. Your written responses will be composed of thoughts and evaluations of the readings based on class discussions and experiences with the assignments, exercises and readings for the course.
Exercises
Exercises allow practice with tools and resources that will be used to complete homework assignments and the semester project. hey are generally formatted as "quizzes" in the WebCT environment.I will refer those who need help in composition to the URI Writing Center, 874-4690 or http://www.uri.edu/artsci/eng/wrtcnt.html
Attendance-10%
Since this is an online class, "attendance" will be determined by the quality
and quantity of responses to the Discussion Board postings and the completion of
the exercises.
Homework Assignments 25%
The goal of the homework and exercises is to facilitate your learning through
engaging with the material and to provide an opportunity to learn and practice
the skills we are covering in class.
Most of the homework assignments will be considered first drafts of the elements that make
up the semester project, the Paper Trial. There will be opportunities to revise the
drafts. Assignments and exercises are expected on the date due. Turning homework
assignments in more than a week late will not be graded. It is very important
that you submit the assignments on time so that you will not fall behind in the
class.
Presentations - 20%
There will be at least two group presentations. Teams of 2 to 3 students will
explore 1) subject databases and 2) issues of the information age and report
back to the class. Some class time will be available for preparation and
summaries will be posted in WebCT.
Quizzes - 5%
The quiz dates are listed in the Class Schedule below. They will cover anything listed on
this syllabus up to the date of the quiz including the readings, class discussions,
lecture notes,
and Web sites used in class. There will be two quizzes to be
taken in WebCT.
Final Exam - 10%
The final exam will be a common exam for all sections of LIB120 to be
taken on WebCT. It will be graded on a pass/fail basis. The date and format for the final will be announced during the semester.
NOTE: Absence during an exam must be excused by a doctor's note verifying illness, an
official university letter verifying a participation in a sports event, or a note from a
university counselor verifying personal problems. Without an approved excuse, you will not
be allowed to take a make-up exam.
The Paper Trail - Semester Project - 20%
The Paper Trail is due on the last class. You will be working on it for most of the semester. It is
worth 20% of your grade, so be sure to stay on top of this project. Essentially the Paper
Trail is an annotated portfolio or a map of the research process used for a research paper
or project. Your Paper Trail project should allow me to follow your research path for a
pre-selected research question. It is a map to trace all of your research - the processes
that worked and those that didn't work. Homework assignments throughout the semester will
directly apply to the Paper Trail project; a personal journal describing your
research experiences and an outline of the paper you would write will also be included. Journal entries and homework will be
collected and returned for revision as the semester progresses. It is recommended that you
use a topic from a course you are currently taking if you can. The topic idea must be submitted
to me for approval before you can begin the project. Paper Trail Projects that are
turned in late will lose 10 points off the total Semester Project grade for each day late.
Any student needing special accommodations should contact the URI Office of Student Life, Disability Services at (401) 874-2098, TTD (via RI Relay) 1-800-745-5555, or on the Web at http://www.uri.edu/disability_services/
Please read the University Manual sections on Plagiarism and Cheating,
8.27.10+
http://www.uri.edu/facsen/8.20-8.27.html
Please Read the URI Student Manual sections on the use of Computing Facilities,
4.13-4.20
http://www.uri.edu/judicial/studenthandbook.pdf
The Academic Enhancement Center
The work in this course is complex and intensive. To do the best you can, it is a good
idea to visit at the Academic Enhancement Center (AEC) in Roosevelt Hall. The AEC offers a
comfortable environment in which to study alone or together, with or without a tutor. AEC
tutors are your peers they have taken your courses, and can answer questions, clarify
concepts, check your understanding, and help you to study. You can make an appointment or
walk in anytime during office hours -- Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 9 pm, Friday
from 9 am to 1 pm, and Sunday from 4 pm. to 8 pm. For a complete schedule -- including
when tutors are available specifically for this class -- go to www.uri.edu/aec, call (401) 874-2367, or stop by the
fourth floor in Roosevelt Hall.
Class Schedule
Subject to change
Readings and assignments available on WebCT
Lecture Notes
Supplemental Sites:
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