Instructor: Einstein

Email:  eeinstein@taftcollege.edu

Information Competency is a graduation requirement for all Taft College students. While some students may choose to take a proficiency exam, the majority of students choose to take this course. Currently, the course is available in a variety of ways, either traditional classroom lectures or by distance learning, using the internet and a Library of Congress based college library. Although you have chosen to take INCO 48 in a non-traditional fashion, you will be responsible for the same rigors as is expected of all students. With the advent of online and CD ROM databases, some research techniques have rapidly changed, yet many have hardly changed at all. In this class, we will cover a variety of those techniques in preparation for the term paper bibliography on a topic of your choice.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Information Competency 48 Information Competency and Bibliography (1) UC

Instructor: E. Einstein
Campus Phone: 661.763.7707 (Library for msg)

Catalog Description: Methods of library research including the use of online resources, catalogs, indexes, bibliographies and specialized sources of information are presented. Emphasis on research techniques in preparation for the term paper bibliography.

Text used in class but not required: Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6^th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2003.

GRADING POLICY

The extra credit quiz at the end of the syllabus is worth 2 points. Assignments 1 – 4 are worth 10 points each. The Quiz with assignment 6 is worth 15 points. The final bibliography is worth 45 points, for a class total of 102 points. Grading will be done according to the scale below:

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the course, a successful student should be able to:

1. Explain the purpose of the college library, the kinds of materials it includes as well as their physical arrangement and organization.
2. Compare and contrast classification systems as an aid in the use of libraries.
3. Deduce valid conclusions regarding the purpose of the library catalog.
4. Identify reference material beyond the catalog.
5. Solve novel research problems utilizing major reference sources, both general and specialized.
6. Synthesize reference material to produce printed bibliographies and make footnotes/end notes for term papers and research papers.
7. Evaluate kinds of books and materials which are needed to research a given subject including electronically driven reference tools.
8. Justify the importance of using a variety of sources.

Mode of Delivery

This course will be presented via the Internet or on a CD ROM. Just as the Internet uses links to other sites, you will use links that will take you to samples of various sites. This course has been designed to look as much like an Internet based class as possible. Assignments have been made at the education department at TCI or to the TC Library/Learning Resource Center. If you have e-mail capabilities, they may be sent to  eeinstein@taftcollege.edu. Questions may be submitted to the instructor by email, the education office at TCI, or by phone message. Please note that the instructor will be at the TC library on the on the first business day after the assignment due dates listed below.

Helpful Hints

• Section 1: The questions are looking for you to correctly identify MLA elements only.
• Section 2: The first questions are looking for the correct formatting of the elements found in Section 1. For the plagiarism questions, focus on the quote from Diana Hacker for your answer.
• Section 3: When answering questions here, remember you must also cite the source of the answer.
• Section 4: When answering questions here, remember you must also format the source of the answer, except question 5 which is short answer.
• Section 5: While there is no formal work here, parts of the quiz in section 6 will require knowledge from this section.
• Section 6: For the written parts of the quiz, focus on URL and Domain types in your answer as well as site supporting documents. Note that the multiple choice section can be answered from material in Section 5 as well as this section.

Term Project

A bibliography on a singular topic of your choice is due on the date listed below.  It must be typed and contain fifteen (15) sources in total (no more, no less).  From the list below, you must use each type of source at least three times. The following kinds of sources must be included: 

• Physical Books
• Reference Works
• Periodical Articles
• Electronic Sources

The COVER PAGE format for the final will look like this:

NAME _______________________________ SECTION # _________

TOPIC (OR SUBJECT) _______________________________________

TOTAL (= 15)

ORDER

• PHYSICAL BOOKS (> 3)
• REFERENCE WORKS (>3)
• PERIODICAL WORKS (>3)
• ELECTRONIC SOURCES (>3)

On the next page, place the phrase Works Cited on the top centered as shown and begin.

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