School of Information Resources & Library Science

IRLS 501
Organization of Information
Spring 2005

Instructor: Deborah J. Karpuk
E-mail: arizonakarpuk@aol.com
Office hours: After class; e-mail

D2L will be used for online lectures and discussion

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

This course provides a framework for understanding the organization of information and the implications for knowledge management. Decisions regarding the organization of materials, access points, vocabulary control, thesauri, and user perspectives will be covered.

COURSE MEETINGS:

IRLS 501 will meet: January 12 – 27 April, 2005

D2L Lectures/Discussions: (Required)
Wednesday evenings, 6:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m., Arizona Time

COURSE READINGS:

Rowley, Jennifer and John Farrow. ORGANIZING KNOWLEDGE: AN INTRODUCTION TO MANAGING ACCESS TO INFORMATION. 3rd ed. (Burlington, Ct.: Gower, 2000) [REQUIRED]

Taylor, Arlene G. THE ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION. 2nd ed. (Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2004) [OPTIONAL TEXTBOOK]

Additional Readings:
(ELECTRONIC RESERVES)

Readings are in alphabetical order under IRLS501.
Note that readings are for on-campus meetings and for online discussions.
Password: IRLS501 (case sensitive)

The instructor will distribute additional readings and URL’s through D2L.

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT:

The core components of the project included below. The DUE dates provide for beginning each section of the project during the week on campus.

Points for each section will be assigned with the FINAL SUBMISSION.

This strategy provides the opportunity to begin each area of the project as the topic is being covered in class lecture. Simulation exercises, discussion in class/online emphasize basic concepts which are applied in the project.

Application Draft Due Dates and % points:

Non-bibliographical organizational problem 20 DUE: Jan. 26
Bibliographic description 10 DUE: Feb. 9
Subject headings, thesauri, indexes 20 DUE: Mar. 2
Classification 10 DUE: Mar. 30
User perspectives and searching 20 DUE: Apr. 13
Final project and debriefing 20 SEE BELOW

Initial submissions of each project section will be submitted to the D2L Dropbox. All postings must be received by DUE DATE, 10 p.m., Arizona Time. Plan accordingly.

FINAL PROJECTS WILL BE MAILED TO DR. K’S POST OFFICE BOX. Dr. K will not read final projects online, therefore, observe due dates and allow ample time for mailing final version of the project.

Remember:
Include sufficient postage for the return of your project.

Project is detailed on a separate handout: Individual Project

METHODOLOGY:

This course will be conducted through online lecture, online discussion, in-class exercises, an individual project, with instructor option of a mid-term examination to test on course content Participation is required.

GRADING SCALE:

A 93+
B 86-92
C 78-85
D 70-77
F 69 AND BELOW
*** ***************************************************

Attendance is required in order to get an “A” in the class. Classes begin promptly at the appointed time and end punctually.

Office hours are after class and by e-mail.

COURSE CALENDAR: Spring 2005
*** Consult table above for project deadlines
***** New web materials posted the Saturday before class
DATE TOPIC READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS

12 Jan Course OrientationIndividual Project Syllabus; Individual Project GuidelinesDUE: 19 Jan – Objects for Project

19 Jan Issues of Access Rowley, p. 3-17D2L: Issues of Access (slides)E-Reserve: Borges, “Library of Babel” ; Borgman “Access to Information” ; Svenonius “Information Organization” ; Rosenfeld “Organizing Information” Gather supplies for 1/26 in-class “organizing” exercise

26 Jan Formatting & Structuring Knowledge Rowley, p. 19-55D2L postings & URL’sE-Reserve: Review above readings ; Stokes “Nature of Bibliography”

2 Feb Describing Documents Rowley, p. 59-92D2L postings & URL’s

9 Feb Users & Interfaces Rowley, p. 95-122E-Reserves:Ashley “User’s Information Seeking ….” ; Blazek “Accessing Information in Religion” ; Von Seggern “General Information Seeking …” ; Hernon “General Social Sciences” ; Blazek “Introduction to the Humanities”Gather materials for in-class exercise on 2/16.

16 Feb Indexing & Searching Languages Rowley, p. 123-163D2L postings & URL’s

23 Feb Pre-Coordination and Subject Headings; Thesauri Rowley, p. 165-190E-Reserves:Katz “Indexing and Abstracting Services”Tibbo “Abstracting ….”Review sheet for in-class exercise on 3/2

2 Mar Classification & Systematic Order Rowley, p. 191-214E-Reserves:Stokes “Naming of Parts”

9 Mar Bibliographic Classification Systems Rowley, p. 215-243D2L postings & URL’sInstructor Option: Examination

16 Mar SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK

23 Mar Access Points in Catalogs & Bibliographies Rowley, p. 245-171D2L postings & URL’s

30 Mar System Context for Knowledge Organization Rowley, p. 275-304E-Reserves:Spanner “Border Crossings”Review assigned websites for in-class exercise

6 Apr Internet & Applications Rowley, p. 303-334D2L postings and URL’sE-Reserves:Bowler “Primary School Students ….”

13 Apr Manual Information Retrieval Rowley, p. 335-360D2L postings and URL’sE-Reserves:Hurt “Multidisciplinary Sources of Information”

20 Apr Management Issues Rowley, p. 361-391D2L postings and URL’sE-Reserves: Brown “Limits to Information” ; Day “Information and the Role of Critical Thinking” ; Day “Remembering Information” ; Lavely “Student Abstracts …”

27 Apr Course Wrap UpProject Debriefing DUE: 29 April – Individual Project(See instructions for mailing to P.O. Box)

4 May UA SPRING SEMESTER 2005 ENDS

***** Adjustments may be made to the calendar in order to meet instructional objectives

REMEMBER: Individual Project guidelines are a separate document