College of San
Mateo
LIBR105: Advanced Online
Research
FALL 2008
Course Syllabus
:
I am available via e-mail
(preferred) or phone. I can
make alternative arrangements to meet with you if communicating via e-mail or
the phone is not a viable option.
Links to Course Lessons
and Assignment Due Dates:
Lesson 1: Due
Monday, August 25th
Lesson 2: Due
Monday, September 8th
Lesson 3: Due
Monday, September 15th
Lesson 4: Due
Monday, September 29th
Lesson 5: Due
Monday, October 6th
Lesson 6: Due
Monday, October 20th
Lesson 7: Due
Monday, October 27th
Lesson 8: Due
Monday, November 10th
Lesson 9: Due
Monday, November 17th
Lesson 10: Due
Monday, December 1st
Final Project:
Due Monday, December 15th
Important Dates:
- Due dates for each assignment are listed
above.
- We will be holding a mandatory meeting
for all students from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on
Monday, October 6, 2008 at the C.S.M. Library. If you are unable to attend this meeting, you
must make arrangements to check in with me via e-mail or phone during that
week.
- The last day to drop the class with a W
("withdraw") is Monday, November 17, 2008.
Quaratiello, Arlene Rodda. The
College Student’s Research Companion. 4th ed. New
York: Neal-Schuman, 2007.
- Note:
A copy of this text will be on reserve at the library for two-hour
checkout.
Rozakis, Laurie. Schaum's Quick Guide to Writing Great Research Papers.
[e-book]. New York:
McGraw-Hill Professional, 1999.
Course Goals:
- This primary goal of this course is to teach you
about the value of information resources and information
technologies.
- This online, independent study course is
designed to show you how to use information resources that are available
in libraries and on the Internet to conduct research, and how to
successfully identify, choose, analyze, and synthesize data to meet
various information needs.
- Please read this syllabus thoroughly so you understand the course expectations
before you commit to them.
Student Learning
Outcomes:
Upon completion of LIBR 105,
students should be able to:
- Perform effective and efficient searches in an
online library catalog for books and other materials by title, author,
subject and keyword.
- Understand the basics of library classification
systems including the Dewey Decimal System and Library of Congress
Classification System.
- Identify, locate and make use of print and
online reference resources.
- Identify an information source (e.g. library database)
appropriate to a given research topic or information need.
- Perform a basic keyword search for periodical
articles in a multidisciplinary database.
- Refine keyword searches by using controlled
subject headings.
- Use Boolean operators to narrow or expand a
search.
- Apply critical thinking skills to evaluate
sources for relevance, credibility and accuracy.
- Cite any source using either the MLA citation
format.
- Recognize and avoid plagiarism.
- Explain the importance of respecting copyright
and intellectual property.
Course Mechanics:
- Since this is not a lecture-based course,
learning occurs by completing the assigned readings and the assignments
that accompany each unit.
- You will be asked to complete ten assignments
and a final project.
- All assignments are posted online as Microsoft
Word documents.
- Your assignments should be typed in Microsoft
Word and submitted to me as an e-mail attachment, or you can cut and paste
the text of the assignment into the body of your e-mail message, and send
it to me that way.
- If you cut and paste your assignment into an
e-mail message, you will lose your document formatting.
Grading:
- This course is a three-unit (3.0) course with
the option of receiving a letter or Pass/Not Pass grade.
- The grades from each of the ten assignments and
the final project will be tallied and weighted evenly to determine your
course grade.
- If you do not complete one of the assignments,
you will receive an “F” for that assignment, which will be factored with
your other assignment grades to determine your course grade.
- Solid letter grades will be assigned for each
assignment (“A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F”).
- You are expected to complete each assignment on
or before the due date listed above.
- NOTE:
Assignments will be penalized by half a grade for each day they are late.
Letter Grade Overview:
Grade “A”
Represents a superior
mastery of course material and is a grade that demands a very high degree of
understanding as well as originality or creativity as appropriate to the nature
of the course.
Grade “B”
Good mastery of course
materials evident and student performance demonstrates an above average degree
of attention to detail. The grade indicates that the student works well
independently and often demonstrates initiative.
Grade “C”
It is the grade that may be
expected of a student of average ability who gives to the work a reasonable
amount of time and effort. This grade implies familiarity with the content of
the course and acceptable mastery of course material.
Grade “D”
Denotes a limited
understanding of the subject matter, meeting only the minimum requirement for
passing the course. It signifies work which in quality and/or quantity falls
below the average acceptable standard for passing the course.
Grade “F”
Indicates inadequate or
unsatisfactory attainment, serious deficiency in understanding of course
material, and/or failure to complete requirements of the course.
Academic Integrity:
- Students attending colleges in the San Mateo
County Community College District are expected to conduct themselves in an
acceptable manner, as outlined in the College
of San Mateo Catalog
and in the Student Handbook.
- One of the most common challenges to a student’s
academic integrity is plagiarism.
- Plagiarism consists of using another author’s words
or ideas without giving credit to that author’s work.
- Plagiarism takes the form of direct quotation
without the use of quotation marks or other documentation, or paraphrasing
without proper identification or documentation.
- The fabrication of sources, or the act,
deliberately or unintentionally, of passing another author’s work off as
your own are also considered plagiarism.
- S.M.C.C.D. policy states that students who
commit plagiarism or other acts of academic dishonesty will be subject to
disciplinary action, including possible cancellation of registration, and
may be denied future admission to the Colleges of San Mateo County
Community College District.
- In this class, the first offense of academic
dishonesty or plagiarism will result in an “F” for the corresponding
assignment. If it happens twice, you will be withdrawn from the course and
your action reported to the Vice President of Student Services.