LIBR 202-15
Information Retrieval
Fall 2007 Greensheet
Dr. Leanne Strum
E-mail
Phone: (757) 226-4172
Fax: (757) 226-4167
Office location: Online
Office hours: IM, Email, or Telephone (My office hours: 9-4 M-F (EST))
| Greensheet Links Textbooks and Readings Course Requirements |
Resources Blackboard Blackboard Tutorials SLIS eBookstore |
LIBR 202 Resources Online Resource Supplemental Readings Inmagic Download |
Students must self-enroll for the course on Blackboard between August 19 and September 12, 2007. The required password access enrollment code will be provided with the MySJSU Messaging system. Class starts on Blackboard August 23, 2007. Materials for class week 1 will be posted on Monday, August 20, 2007. Review the materials, but do not start the class until August 23, 2007.
See instructions here: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/blackboard/course_comm/class/mysjsu.htm.
Course Description
Principles of information retrieval and their application to information systems and services. Emphasizing models of user information seeking behavior, human information processing and their relationship to retrieval models in information systems.
Course Prerequisites: Demonstrated computer literacy.
Students need to know how to download software, zip and unzip files, work with folders, and elementary computer trouble shooting.
Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to design, query, and evaluate a database information retrieval system, using an appropriate user model.
- Students will be able to articulate fundamental concepts of information-seeking behavior and employ them in the design and evaluation of systems.
- Students will be able to define a set of terms reflecting fundamental concepts of information retrieval and use them in discussions of their projects for the class.
- Students will understand metadata, both structure and representation, and be aware of dominant models such as the MARC record, LC Classification, Dublin Core, and NISO 39-19.
- Students will understand principles of good interface design and be able to evaluate interfaces using those principles.
LIBR 202 supports the following SLIS Core Competencies:
- Design, query and evaluate information retrieval systems.
- Understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge.
- Describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors.
These additional SLIS Core Competencies are also supported by this section:
- Use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation, and organization of specific items or collections of information.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the use of current information and communication technologies, and other related technologies, as they affect the resources and uses of libraries and other types of information providing entities.
- Use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users.
- Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for group work, collaborations and professional level presentations.
See: http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/slis/competencies.htm
Textbooks and Readings
Please order the two textbooks from any online bookstore or directly from the publishers in time to have them by at least the second week of class.
- Meadow, Charles T., Boyce, Bert R., Kraft, Donald H., and Barry, Carol. (2007) Text Information Retrieval Systems, 3rd ed. San Diego: Academic Press.
- Marchionini, Gary (1995). Information Seeking in Electronic Environments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Out of Print but Available Online)
- “Supplemental Readings” on electronic reserve -- http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/202/welcome202.html
Note: If books are purchased from Amazon via a SLIS referral (http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/books/), SLIS scholarship funds get a 6% referral bonus!
Course Requirements
Complete the New Student Technology Workshop
This is a mandatory short, self-paced online workshop on Blackboard that must be completed by all new SLIS students before the first day of classes. The access code for this course will be sent to new students via MySJSU. If you have questions about this course, e-mail Debbie Faires or Dale David.
For more information, see http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/slis/blackboardintro.htm
Class Materials Access
Scheduled by student (Asynchronous)
- The class week runs from Thursday to Wednesday midnight.
- Course materials will be made available on the Monday prior to the beginning of the specific class week.
- Blackboard is generally down for backups from 1 am to 4 am.
- Students are expected to login to Blackboard at least 4 to 5 times a week.
Elluminate Meetings
Currently there are three optional synchronous Elluminate sessions scheduled for this class:
- Saturday, August 25 -- 12.00-1.00 PM (EST)
- Saturday, September 8 -- 12.00-1.00 PM (EST)
- Saturday, September 22 -- 12.00-1.00 PM (EST)
These will be primarily for question and answer sessions - these sessions will be recorded and made available after these times. (In case of change, an updated schedule will be posted on Blackboard.) You are required to complete an orientation session with Debbie Faires prior to participating in the first Elluminate session. For a list of training times and other helpful information, see the SLIS Student Guide to Elluminate at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/software/elluminate/students/index.htm
Technology Components
Successful students must be able to:
- Send and receive email and attachments including zipped files
- Access the School’s website and Blackboard for course handouts and readings
- Download software from a web site and install it on a computer
- Use common web search engines and library article databases
- Learn a new database management system
Skills
The assignments are designed to provide the students to acquire and demonstrate the following skills:
- Create a user model, and based on the needs identified, design descriptive and subject metadata for a collection.
- Create a controlled vocabulary that adheres to a set of standards such as NISO Z39.19
- Search the database.
- Set performance criteria and, based on searches, evaluate the database.
- Evaluate one or more information retrieval interfaces.
- Describe fundamental concepts of information seeking behavior.
- Use information retrieval concepts in discussions.
Assignments
| Assignment | Skill | Date Due | Points | % of Grade |
| Course Participation | 20 | 4% | ||
| Participation in the Discussion Forum | 80 | 16% | ||
| Assignments: | ||||
|
1,pre-2, 7 | 10/3 | 125 | 25% |
|
5,6 | 10/24 | 50 | 10% |
|
1,2,3,4,7 | 12/5 | 125 | 25% |
| Examinations: | ||||
|
1,2,7 | 10/17 | 50 | 10% |
|
1,4,5,6,7 | 12/17 | 50 | 10% |
| Total | 500 | 100% | ||
Course Calendar
(Subject to change with notification.)
| Class Week |
Date | Topic | Readings | Chapter Titles | Assignment(s) |
| 1 | 8/23 – 8/29 Available: 8/20 |
Introduction to IR SystemsIntroduction to Course Information Retrieval Systems DB/TextWorks |
View Lecture #1 Meadow 1 |
Meadow, Ch. 1: Introduction | Install DB/ TextWorksOptional: Elluminate Session 8/25 |
| 2 | 8/30 – 9/5 Available: 8/27 |
Data, Information, & KnowledgeAggregation File Structure Metadata Attributes |
View Lecture #2 Marchionini 1-3 Meadow 2 |
Marchionini, Ch. 1: Information & Information Seeking Marchionini, Ch. 2: Information Seekers and Electronic Environments Marchionini, Ch. 3: Information-seeking Perspective and FrameworkMeadow, Ch. 2: Data, Information, & Knowledge |
|
| 3 | 9/6 – 9/12 Available: 9/3 |
The Structure of DataArchitecture of IR Systems Taxonomy |
View Lecture #3 Meadow 6 & 10 |
Meadow, Ch. 6: The Physical Structure of Data Meadow, Ch. 10: System-Computed Relevance and Ranking |
Optional: Elluminate Session 9/8 |
| 4 | 9/13 – 9/19 Available: 9/10 |
User ModelsUser Models Representation of Information (Descriptive metadata) |
View Lecture #4 Meadow 5 |
Meadow, Ch. 5: Models of Virtual Data Structure | |
| 5 | 9/20 – 9/26 Available: 9/17 |
Representation of Information (Subject Metadata: Controlled Vocabularies) | View Lecture #5 Meadow 3 & 4 – Part A |
Meadow, Ch. 3: Representation of Information Meadow, Ch. 4: Attribute Content and Values |
Optional: Elluminate Session 9/22 |
| 6 | 9/27 – 10/3 Available: 9/24 |
Representation of Information (Subject Metadata: Classification, Taxonomies) | View Lecture #6 Meadow 3 – Part B |
Meadow, Ch. 3: Representation of Information | Assignment 1 Due |
| 7 | 10/4 – 10/10 Available: 10/1 |
Representation of Information (Subject Metadata: Natural Language) | View Lecture #7 Meadow 3 – Part C Marchionini 7, 8, 9 |
Marchionini, Ch. 7: Designing Support for Browsing Marchionini, Ch. 8: Continuing Evolution of Information Seeking Marchionini, Ch. 9: Future Directions and ConclusionMeadow, Ch. 3: Representation of Information |
|
| 8 | 10/11 – 10/17 Available: 10/8 |
Review Session | Supplemental Readings | Supplemental Readings | Mid-Term Exam |
| 9 | 10/18 – 10/24 Available: 10/15 |
Searching and Querying – Part 1 Introduction Interpretation & Execution |
View Lecture #8 Meadow 7 & 8, |
Meadow, Ch. 7: Querying the Information Retrieval System Meadow, Ch. 8: Interpretation and Execution of Query Statements |
Assignment 2 Due |
| 10 | 10/25 – 10/31 Available: 10/22 |
Searching and Querying – Part 2 Search Strategy |
View Lecture #9 Marchionini 5 & 6 Meadow 9 & 13 |
Marchionini, Ch. 5: Analytical Search Strategies Marchionini, Ch. 6: Browsing StrategiesMeadow, Ch. 9: Text Searching Meadow, Ch. 13: Search Strategy |
|
| 11 | 11/1 – 11-7 Available: 10/29 |
Searching and Querying – Part 3 Feedback Mapping |
View Lecture #10 Meadow 11 & 12 |
Meadow, Ch. 11: Search Feedback and Iteration Meadow, Ch. 12: Multi-Database Searching and mapping |
|
| 12 | 11/8 – 11/14 Available: 11/5 |
Evaluating Retrieval Systems | View Lecture #11 Meadow 16 |
Meadow, Ch. 16: Measurement & Evaluation | |
| 13 | 11/15 – 11/21 Available: 11/12 |
Information Seeking Behavior | View Lecture #12 Marchionini 4 |
Marchionini, Ch. 4: Foundations for Personal Information infrastructures: information Seeking Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes | |
| 14 | 11/22 – 11/28 Available: 11/19 |
IR Interface Design -- Usability | View Lecture #13 Meadow 14 & 15 |
Meadow, Ch. 14: Information Retrieval Interface Meadow, Ch. 15: A Sampling of Information Retrieval Systems |
|
| 15 | 11/29 – 12/5 Available: 11/26 |
Course Review | Assignment 3 Due Final Exam distributed |
||
| 16 | 12/6 – 12/10 Available: 12/3 |
Wrap-up | Final Exam |
Grading Scale
The standard SJSU SLIS Grading Scale is utilized for all SLIS courses:
| 97-100 | A |
| 94-96 | A- |
| 91-93 | B+ |
| 88-90 | B |
| 85-87 | B- |
| 82-84 | C+ |
| 79-81 | C |
| 76-78 | C- |
| 73-75 | D+ |
| 70-72 | D |
| 67-69 | D- |
| Below 67 | F |
In order to provide consistent guidelines for assessment for graduate level work in the School, these terms are applied to letter grades:
- C represents Adequate work; a grade of "C" counts for credit for the course;
- B represents Good work; a grade of "B" clearly meets the standards for graduate level work;
- A represents Exceptional work; a grade of "A" will be assigned for outstanding work only.
Students are advised that it is their responsibility to maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.
| Points Earned | Numeric Grade | Letter Grade |
| 485-500 | 97-100% | A |
| 470-484 | 94-96% | A- |
| 455-469 | 91-93% | B+ |
| 440-454 | 88-90% | B |
| 425-439 | 85-87% | B- |
| 410-424 | 82-84% | C+ |
| 405-409 | 79-81% | C |
| 400-404 | 76-78% | C- |
| 395-399 | 73-75% | D+ |
| 391-394 | 70-72% | D |
| 388-390 | 67-69% | D- |
| >387 | Below 67% | F |
No Incompletes will be granted. |
||
The class GPA for LIBR 202 usually runs between 91% and 93% (B+). University policy states that competent graduate level work is B.
Late assignments are only accepted with instructor’s approval and if prior arrangements are made with instructor.
Assignments 1 and 3 have major team components (approximately 40-45%). The Midterm, final, discussion postings, participation, and assignment 2 are totally individual efforts.
Academic Integrity
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San José State University, and the University's Academic Integrity Policy requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm.
Reasonable Accommodation of Disabilities
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability,
please e-mail me as soon as possible. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires
that students with disabilities register with the Disability Resource Center
(DRC) to establish record of their disability.
No matter where students reside, they should contact the SJSU DRC to register. The DRC Web site: http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192-0029
Phone: 408-924-2490
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