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Course Syllabus for IRLS 587, Information Seeking Behaviors


COURSE NAME, NUMBER, AND PREREQUISITES

Information Seeking Behaviors

IRLS 587

None. Informal pre-requisites: IRLS 506 Research Methods
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COURSE DESCRIPTION

Catalog Description

IRLS 587: Information Seeking Behaviors (3 units)
Description: Information-seeking theories, methods, and user behaviors will be covered in order to gain an understanding of how different groups of people seek, gather and retrieve information in a variety of information environments. Information-seeking behavior draws on literature from library and information science, psychology, and communications.

Course Description

This course examines the individual and social aspects of human information needs, seeking and use behaviours that are based on theoretical and empirical research. Elements of information behaviors studied are:
  • Nature of information and knowledge;
  • Tyes and characteristics of information use and users;
  • Models and theories of information seeking;
  • Contexts of information seeking;
  • Methods to study information seeking behaviors;
  • The representations of inquiry and the role of language;
  • The searching strategies and techniques, including emotion, cognition and learning theory.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES

The main goal of the course is to become familiar with the principles and research related to information seeking. More specifically, by the end of the course, the student will be able to:
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REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

Required Text

Case, Donald O. Looking for Information: A Survey of Research on Information Seeking Needs and Behavior. San Diego: Academic Press, 2002. [AP Catalog description]. The 2nd edition of this book was recently published by Elsevier (previously Academic) in December 2006. I will not be using it.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

I. Readings

Students are required to read materials as assigned on schedule (see below). The course will be taught online in seminar form. Students are encouraged to ask questions and answer peers; students may also be asked to summarize or interpret readings and complete quizzes and exercises. In addition:

II. Discussions

Students are expected to participate in written, constructive, collaborative, logical discussion of the readings and topics.

III. User Study

Students are expected to write their major project paper based on a real-world experience. This will involve observation and evaluation of information seeking behaviors in the social context, with human subjects, and/with systems assigned. The project paper will describe a research proposal to study some aspect of information behavior and include a small pilot or feasibility study. The goal of the pilot study is to provide students with field experience in studying/observing users. More information on specific research methods can be found in the text.

IV. Methods of Assessment

Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation and two deliverables: Research Proposal and Research Project Report. The Report is the cumulative and final version of proposal modified based on graded feedback; additionally, it will include the data from pilot study you conducted using methods and users as you outlined originally.

More specific information about the Research Proposal and the Research Project Report will be given on a separate handout within D2L.

V.

Schedule

Note: Chapters refer to text (Author: Case)
  1. Week 1
    Course Overview, Introduction, Syllabus
  2. Week 2
    What is Information Behavior? Chapters 1, 2
  3. Week 3
    What is information? Chapter 3
  4. Week 4
    What is information seeking? Chapters 4, 5
  5. Week 5
    Four models of information behavior Chapter 6
  6. Week 6
    Is there a theory of Information Behavior? Chapter 7
  7. Week 7
    What is Research? Chapter 8
  8. Week 8
    What are research methods we can use and what does the research show? Chapter 9 & 10
  9. Week 9
    Student presentations: Share & Discuss Research Proposal
  10. Week 10
    Submit 1st deliverable in WebCT Dropbox by 5:00 pm: Research Proposal
  11. Week 11
    Student presentations: Share and Discuss Research Proposal
  12. Week 12
    What does the research tell us about occupational groups? Chapter 11
  13. Week 13
    What do the demographics tell us? What conclusions can we reach? Chapter 12 & 13
  14. Week 14
    Review/Presentations
  15. Week 15
    Student Discussions
  16. Week 16
    Submit 2nd deliverable in D2L Dropbox by 5:00 pm: Research Project Report
  17. Week 17 - Finals Week
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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Code of Integrity

Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity, see . 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.

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.

Assignment Policies

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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GRADING

Grading Formula

Grading for the course will be as follows:

  • Research Proposal - 40%
  • Research Project Report - 60%

    Course Grades

    Course grades will be assigned as follows:
    • A= 90-100 (Superior Work)
    • B=80-89 (Very Good)
    • C=70-79 (Marginally Satisfactory)
    • F=Below 69 (Failed to meet requirements)
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    CONTACTING ME

    Contact details:  Email - D2L (asc@d2l.arizona.edu)

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