Course Syllabus for IRLS 588 The Book as an Information Technology
Link to Course Outline
- Course Name, Number, and Prerequisites
- Course Description
- Course Objectives
- Required Course Materials
- Course Requirements
- Course Policies
- Grading
- Contacting the Instructor
Spring 2006 Instructor: Cheryl Knott Malone
IRLS 588 The Book as an Information Technology
COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES
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(3 units) Considers the information technology continuum through the phenomenon of the book. Takes a broad perspective to include production, distribution, collection, organization, and reception in the past, present, and possible future.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONHow this course will be taught
Students will read short lectures and assigned readings, visit Web-based exhibitions, participate in discussion groups, and complete assignments posted to our d2l ("desire to learn") course space. Enrolled students will be able to log in to their d2l account via the Learning Technologies Center E-Learning Portal. The course requires a commitment to critical reading, excellent writing, and analytical thinking. It is not a professional skills class, unless of course you consider critical reading, excellent writing, and analytical thinking to be important skills in the information age in general and in the library and information professions in particular.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course, the student will:
- understand the broad outlines of the history of the book and current developments in book publishing and distribution, as demonstrated in class discussions;
- have experience evaluating the work of peers;
- be able to demonstrate a relatively deep understanding of at least one key aspect of the book as an information technology, evidenced by the writing of an essay of publishable quality.
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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALSDavid Finkelstein and Alistair McCleery, eds. The Book History Reader. Routledge, 2001. ISBN: 0415226589 (paperback)
James J. O'Donnell, Avatars of the Word: From Papyrus to Cyberspace. Harvard University Press, 2000. ISBN: 067400194X (paperback)
The above 2 books can be ordered from your favorite online bookstore or from the UA Bookstore.
Perusal of additional short readings and Web-based resources will be required. These will be accessible in the d2l course space. A list of recommended readings and resources will also be posted on d2l.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTSStudents are expected to do the readings, log in to the d2l course space 2-3 times a week, participate in discussions, and complete the assignments on time.
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COURSE POLICIESAcademic Code of Integrity
Accommodating Disabilities
The University has a Disability Resource Center . If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.
Incompletes
The 1997-8 University of Arizona General Academic Manual, p.23 reads
The grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a semester, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case the grade of E must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incompete grade before the end of the semester ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
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GRADINGGrade Breakdown
Everyone begins with 100 points.
- Participation: 25 points (5 discussion posts @ 5 points)
- Discussion Leading Assignment: 20 points
- Draft Essay: 15 points
- Peer Review Exercise: 10 points
- Final Essay: 30 points
Assignment of Course Grades
A: 90+ (Superior Work)
B: 80-89 (Very Good)
C: 70-79 (Marginally Satisfactory)
D: 60-69 (Unacceptable)
F: 0-59 (Failed to meet requirements)General grading criteria : (specific criteria will be posted with the assignment descriptions)
- All work must be completed by the due date.
- Final essays must be in html format (not MS Word) and must turned in using the dropbox within d2l (not to the instructor’s u.arizona.edu or d2l mailbox).
- All assignments must be completed to receive a final grade. For example, you cannot decide to submit only 4 of the required 5 discussion posts and thereby forfeit 10 points. Five discussion posts are required.
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CONTACTING ME
Please use the internal d2l email system for questions and comments about the course.
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