Graduate
LIS 742-01 - (3 credit hours)
- Spring,
2008
REFERENCE SOURCES IN THE SCIENCES
Tuesday, 6:00 – 9:00
Main Lewis – Room
Instructor: Bernard McMahon
312-810-0368 (cell)
708-763-9756 (home)
Course Description:
Introduction to communication patterns and bibliographic control of information in the pure and applied sciences. Emphasis is on reference sources as they relate to user information needs and on the identification and optimization of appropriate search techniques, both manual and automated. This course reviews traditional paper-based reference sources to the sciences as well as a number of Internet-based resources in order to realistically acquaint students with options for scientific and technical information.
The course provides an introduction to science librarianship, library services including reference, instruction, and collection development to scientists, science students, and non-scientific constituencies. Disciplines that will be examined include the health and biomedical sciences, the natural sciences (biology, geology, environmental sciences, and atmospheric sciences), mathematics and the physical sciences (chemistry and physics), and the applied sciences (engineering and computer sciences). Traditional and computer resources and searching strategies will be studied. Prerequisites: LIS 701 & 704
No Required Text:
Handouts will be provided in class,
readings placed on reserve in the library and posted on Blackboard and through
library databases.
Learning
Objectives:
• Provide an introductory understanding of the field science reference and scientific research.
• Develop a framework for understanding the relations between technological innovations and the dynamic nature reference service in the sciences.
•Explore current issues and controversies in the field of science reference including social, political, ethical, and policy issues in information environments.
• Establish an understanding of the purposes, functions and processes of public, academic, school, special libraries and information centers that serve scientific audiences
• Understand existing information infrastructures and how science librarianship functions within such systems.
• Develop concrete research and critical thinking skills related to the science reference and how to evaluate sources from a variety of environments.
Assignments,
Course Requirements and Grading
Reference Questions and Queries: 40% of final grade.
Sample reference questions will be distributed in class.
Collection Development Assignment: 10% of
final grade
Pick an academic science library and create a book purchasing profile.
Create a Subject Guide webpage or online pathfinder. 10% of final grade
We will use Dreamweaver to create an online research guide designed to assist youngsters with a science project.
Group Presentation on SCIFINDER SCHOLAR:
10% of final grade
Design and deliver a Bibliographic Instruction session on using Scifinder Scholar.
Visit two Science Libraries: 10% of
final grade
I will give you a list with contact information. Visit and report back to the class. You will also utilize the reference collection during these visits.
Find an article from the journal Science and Technical Libraries or Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship
and write a three page report. 10% of final grade
This paper and online journal is perfect match for the goals of this class.
Class Participation: 10% of final grade
Lots of in-class projects, exercises and material to turn in.
The course grading scale is as follows: A (95-100 points); A- (90 to 94 points); B+ (85-89 points); B (80-84 points); B- (77-79); C+ (74-76); C (70-74); C- (65-69); F (64 and below). Grading will follow GSLIS grading guidelines:
A: Outstanding achievement. Student performance demonstrates full command of the course materials and evinces a high level of originality and/or creativity that far surpasses course expectations; nearly flawless work.
A-: Excellent achievement. Student performance demonstrates thorough knowledge of the course materials and exceeds course expectations by completing all requirements in a superior manner.
B+: Good solid work. Student performance demonstrates strong comprehension of the course materials and exceeds course expectations on all tasks as defined in the course syllabus.
B: Satisfactory acceptable work. Student performance meets designated course expectations, demonstrates understanding of the course materials and performs at an acceptable level.
B-: Marginal work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete, substandard understanding of course materials, or absence of required work; indicates danger of falling below acceptable grading standard.
C+: Unsatisfactory work. Student performance demonstrates unsatisfactory understanding of course materials and inability to meet course requirements.
C: Unacceptable work. Student performance demonstrates incomplete and inadequate understanding of course materials.
C-: Poor work.
F: Failing grade.
Course
Calendar
|
1/15 |
Into, course Overview |
|
1/22 |
Read Bradford and Morris-Knower |
|
1/29 |
Questions (1) due |
|
2/5 |
Visit Libraries |
|
2/12 |
Questions (2) due, Read Bronars |
|
2/19 |
Questions (3) due |
|
2/26 |
Questions (4) due, Read Scott, Hauptman and Fish |
|
3/4 |
NO CLASS THIS WEEK |
|
3/11 |
Questions (5) due, Collection Dev Project due, Read Darrymlple |
|
3/18 |
Questions (8) due, article review due, Guest Speaker |
|
3/25 |
Questions (7) due, web page due |
|
4/1 |
Questions (9) due, Read Fenstermacher |
|
4/8 |
Easter Tuesday??? |
|
4/15 |
Questions (10) due, SciFinder
presentation due |
|
4/22 |
Library Visit reports due |
|
5/29 |
Wrap Up |
Reading List:
Ackerson, Linda G. “Challenges for Engineering Libraries: Supporting Research and Teaching in a Cross-Disciplinary Environment,” Science and Technology Libraries 2001 v21 (1/2): 43-52
Bradford, Jane T, Barbara Costello, Robert Lenholt, . “Reference Service in the Digital Age: An Analysis of Sources Used to Answer Reference Questions,” Journal of Academic Librarianship, volume 31, number 3 (May), 2005, pp. 263-272;
Bronars, Lori. “Science Reference on the Internet” The Reference Librarian no. 91/92 (2005) p. 175-96
Darylmple, Prudence. “The Impact of Medical Informatics on Librarianship,” IFLA Journal 2002 v28 (5/6): 312-316.)
Editorial Desk, “Professor Sokal's Bad Joke.” New York Times , May 18, 1996, Saturday, Late Edition – Final
Flaxbart, David “Conversations with Chemists Information-Seeking Behavior of Chemistry Faculty in the Electronic Age, Science & Technology Libraries Volume: ,2001,21 Issue: 3/4--- Get paper copy and put on reserve
Fenstermacher, D.A. (2005) Introduction to Bioinformatics. Journal of the American
Society Information Science and Technology. (2005) 56: 440-446.
Hauptman, Peter, “Fashionable Nonsense”. Journal of Information Ethics 13 no1 78-9 Spr 2004
Morris-Knower, James, “Phyllostachys aurea--didn't he work with Socrates? Reference work in science libraries by librarians who are not scientists” The Reference Librarian no. 72 (2001) p. 155-69
Scott, Janney. “Postmodern Gravity Deconstructed, Slyly” New York Times. May 21, 1996, Tuesday, Late Edition – Final, Section A; Page 23; Column 1
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/chem/info/citations.html
http://insidehighered.com/views/2006/05/08/altbach
http://www.physics.nyu.edu/faculty/sokal/
http://www.sla.org/division/dpam/subjects/astro.html
http://education.nasa.gov/home/index.html
http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/astroweb.html
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_12/starr/
http://jdupuis.blogspot.com/
http://www.istl.org/06-fall/index.html
http://www.svsu.edu/mathsci-center/resources_mathsites.cfm
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi/Resources/Subjects/Mathematics/Lesson_Plans.html
http://www.e-streams.com/
Databases to be examined: Agricola, Annual Reviews, Biological Abstracts, Biological & Agricultural Index, General Science Fulltext, MathSciNet, Medline (PubMed), Physics Journals from Institute of Physics Publishing, Plus Scifnder and Dialog