57148 Discovering and Accessing Information

UTS: Communication
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This subject explores the nature, functions and characteristics of a range of resources and collections in diverse settings. It examines the interrelationship between processes and principles of information/knowledge organisation, selection and retrieval practices and information seeking behaviours. Students develop an understanding of the theory and practice of information retrieval and collection management in networked information environments. Students learn to apply client-centred approaches to information retrieval and develop specialised search strategies that enable them to improve client access to electronic and print resources. The subject covers topics such as: Boolean logic, thesauri tools, keyword searching, metadata and mediating relationships. Information retrieval interactions (including interpreting the needs of information seekers, negotiating, question analysis, searching and evaluating retrieval effectiveness) are also examined. These principles are put into practice in specific client contexts in the workshops and assessable tasks.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

understand concepts of information access: information seeking, information discovery and information retrieval interactions
identify, analyse and evaluate conceptual frameworks and models for the retrieval of knowledge, document representations and other information resources
demonstrate familiarity with the nature and characteristics of, and use a range of information resources, including databases and digital libraries
demonstrate awareness of the conceptual and empirical literature of information seeking and information retrieval, with particular knowledge of key areas of contemporary debate and contention
demonstrate some of the key skills and capabilities required for effective retrieval of networked information resources in the production of components of an information system meeting professional standards.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject focuses on the development of some of the sophisticated information handling skills required for professional practice in a range of environments. Students will critically reflect on their practice, with reference to some of the understandings emerging from contemporary research into the issues and contexts of information seeking and retrieval.

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching strategies will strive to promote interactive learning and to foster exploration extending beyond the classroom. The weekly program will involve lectures, group discussions and workshops expanding upon selected themes and readings. Sessions in the computer lab aim to help them develop the information skills necessary for completion of assignments. The course program uses UTSOnline, a web-based learning tool that can be accessed from inside and outside UTS via most web-browsers. Through UTSOnline, students can participate in discussion forums, interact with their course colleagues, keep informed about class announcements, and access some learning resources.

You should not hesitate to ask your tutorial leader or subject coordinator for help throughout the semester. In your first class you will be advised how to contact your tutorial leader. You will be provided with comments and suggestions on your assessment tasks throughout the semester.

Effective assessment demands a high level of personal discipline, self-motivation and organisation of time. If you are not clear about any requirement, or need assistance or additional information, please contact your lecturer. You may also find the following text a useful guide for managing and organising your coursework:

Orna, E. & with Graham Stevens 1995, Managing information for research, Open University Press, Buckingham.

Content

Overview of the creation, production and distribution of information resources: nature, functions and characteristics of information resources, eg primary, secondary, published, unpublished, digital, print, people, services, networks.
Basic concepts of information access: exploring themes of information seeking and retrieving in the literature; use and implications of networked information systems; relevance as a concept and as part of the search experience.
Constructing and implementing search strategies for specific purposes or for individual clients: conducting client interviews in virtual and real environments; applying advanced search tactics; effectively using databases and digital libraries; judging relevance and evaluating search results.
Developing skills for accessing content: seeking, searching and evaluating.
Utilising indexing tools and thesauri.
Identifying and evaluating components of information retrieval interactions: understanding the search process, client interaction; mediation and disintermediation; the role of the 'expert' in information retrieval interactions.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Portfolio of Learning Activities

Objective(s):	a, c, d
Weighting:	30%
Task:	This is an ongoing assignment that involves theory and skills introduced in the first few weeks of the semester. The Portfolio submitted in Week 6 will provide evidence of your engagement with the ideas introduced and discussed in class and your personal searching and retrieval skills development. Your critical reflections about your learning will demonstrate your personal, intellectual and practical skills development. Your portfolio will also be a vehicle for allowing you to determine areas of skills development specific to your personal requirements and interests.
Assessment criteria:	Thoroughness in the application of theoretical and practical literature in your analysis of portfolio activities. Depth of critical reflection evident in the portfolio and in the overall reflective summary. Effective searching and retrieval practices evident in your activity descriptions and samples. Ability to reflect on one's own skills developed during assignment activities. Clarity of written work submitted, including structure, layout, individual expression, referencing.

Assessment item 2: Devising, implementing and evaluating a Search Strategy for a client

Objective(s):	a, b, c
Weighting:	45%
Task:	Acting as an 'information expert' for a client, students will address a specific problem of the client using a range of information resources. The assignment has two components: Professional Report detailing your process and critically reflecting on your search experience (2500-3,000 words); and Search Documentation (with search history, description, document samples, etc.).
Assessment criteria:	Students will be assessed in terms of: ability to extract information requirements from the reference interview and other contact with the client; ability to devise and implement appropriate search strategies evident in report and supporting documentation; ability to refine searches in inventive ways for successful searching outcomes; ability to evaluate search results; depth of analysis and synthesis of theoretical literature to support claims; depth of understanding of dynamics of interactions with clients evident in your analysis of the varied stages of the search and retrieval processes; depth of understanding of dynamics of interactions with information systems evident in your analysis of the varied stages of the search and retrieval processes; professionalism demonstrated in presentation of information to the client; clarity of written work submitted, including structure, layout, individual expression, referencing thoroughness and accuracy in acknowledgment of sources

Assessment item 3: Poster on a topic of individual interest

Objective(s):	a, d, f
Weighting:	25%
Task:	In this assignment, students will have the opportunity to explore a current aspect of information access that is of particular interest to them.
Assessment criteria:	Students will be assessed in terms of: ability to relate the chosen poster topic to the content of the subject; depth of understanding of the topic being presented as evident in poster (components, mini-conference presentation and annotated bibliography); depth of understanding of the topic being presented as evident in self-assessment; thoroughness of reading on the selected topic evident in the poster, annotated bibliography and self-assessment; ability to organise and present information in an effective and professional manner for an audience of professional peers; ability to reflect on an issue and evaluate work against a set of criteria

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g. illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

The following text will be used for most of the lecture topics, although additional readings on specific topics will be provided in class.
Chowdhury, G. 2004. Introduction to modern information retrieval, 2nd Edition, Facet Publishing, London

The following text will be used for the search exercises that are a critical part of your work on Assignments 1 and 2:
Henninger, M. 2008 The Hidden Web: Quality Information on the Net, 2nd Edition, UNSW Press, Sydney. (Note: the book is available at a 20 per cent discount off the regular price via the following link: www.unswpress.com.au/code13/u8552)

The reference list below is indicative of the texts used in the course.

Barry, C. L. 1994, 'User-defined relevance criteria: an exploratory study', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol.45, no.3, pp.149-159.

Bates, M.J. 2002, 'Toward an integrated model of information seeking and searching', The New Review of Information Behaviour Research, vol. 3, pp. 1-16.

Bates, M. 1998 'Indexing and access for digital libraries and the internet: human, database, and domain factors', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol. 49, no.13, pp.1185-1205.
Bates, M.J. 1989, 'The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interface', Online Review, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 407-424.
Bates, M. J. 1979, 'Information search tactics', Journal of the American Society for Information Science,vol.30, pp.205-214.
Bopp, R.E. and Smith, L.C. gen.eds. 2001, Reference and information services: an introduction. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Libraries Unlimited.
Bowker, G.C. & Star, S.L.S. 1999, Sorting things out: classification and its consequences, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
Buckland, M. 1997, 'What is a document?', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol. 48, no.9, pp.804-809.
Byström, K. 2000, 'The effects of task complexity on the relationship between information types acquired and information sources used', The New Review of Information Behaviour Research, vol. 1, pp. 85-102.
Byström, K. & Hansen, P. 2005, 'Conceptual Framework for Tasks in Information Studies', Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, vol. 56, no. 10, pp. 1050-1061.
Case, D.O. 2007, Looking for information: a survey of research on information seeking, needs, and behavior, 2nd Edition, Elsevier Academic Press, Amsterdam, Boston.
Dervin, B., & Dewdney, P. 1986, 'Neutral questioning: a new approach to the reference interview', Reference Quarterly, pp.506-513.
Ellis, D., Cox, D. & Hall, K. 1993, 'A comparison of the information seeking patterns of researchers in the physical and social sciences', Journal of Documentation, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 356-369.
Fidel, R. & Green, M. 2004, 'The many faces of accessibility: engineers' perception of information sources', Information Processing & Management, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 563-581.
Fisher, K.E., Erdelez, S. & McKechnie, E.F. (eds) 2005, Theories of Information Behavior, Information Today, Medford, NJ.
Fry, J. 2006, 'Scholarly research and information practices: a domain analytic approach', Information Processing & Management, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 299-316.
Given, L.M. 2002, 'The academic and the everyday: investigating the overlap in mature undergraduates' information-seeking behaviors', Library and Information Science Research, vol. 24, pp. 17-29.
Harter, S. P. 1992, 'Psychological relevance and information science', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol.443, no.9, pp. 602-615.
Harter, S. P. 1996, 'Variations in relevance assessments and the measurement of retrieval effectiveness', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol.47, no.1, pp. 37-49.
Hert, C. A. 1997, Understanding information retrieval interactions: theoretical and practical implications, Greenwich, CN: Ablex.
Hjørland, B. 1997, Information seeking and subject representation: an activity-theoretical approach to information science, Westport, CO: Greenwood Press.
Ingwersen, P. 1992, Information Retrieval Interaction, London: Taylor Graham.
Jacob, E.K. 2001, 'The everyday world of work: two approaches to the investigation of classification in context', Journal of Documentation, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 76-99.
Jennerich, E.Z. & Jennerich, E.J. 1997, The Reference Interview as Creative Art, 2nd edn, Libraries Unlimited., Englewood,CO.
Katz, W.A. Introduction to reference work, vol.1. 8th ed. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Kuhlthau, C. C. 1991, 'Inside the search process: information seeking from the user's perspective', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol.42, no.5, pp.361-371.
Kuhlthau, C.C. 2004, Seeking meaning: a process approach to library and information services, 2nd edn, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CN.
Kwasnik, B. H. 1999, 'The role of classification in knowledge discovery', Library Trends, vol.48, no.1, pp.22-47.
Lancaster, F. W., & Warner, A. J. 1993, Information retrieval today, Rev., retitled, and expanded ed., Arlington, VA: Information Resources Press.
Langridge, D.W. 1992, Classification : its kinds, elements, systems, and applications, Bowker-Saur in association with the Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, N.S.W., London.
Marchionini, G. 1995, 'Information seeking in electronic environments', Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
Mizzaro, S. 1997, 'Relevance: The Whole History', Journal of the American Society for Information Science, vol. 48 no.9, pp.810-832.
Morville, P. 2005, Ambient findability, O'Reilly, Sebastopol, CA.
Schamber, L. 1994, Relevance and Information Behavior, Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, vol. 29, pp.3-48.
Schamber, L., Eisenberg, M. B., & Nilan, M. S. 1990, 'A re-examination of relevance: toward a dynamic, situational definition', Information Processing and Management, vol.26, pp.755-776.
Sparck Jones, K., & Willett, P. (Eds.) 1997, Readings in information retrieval. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufman.
Taylor, R.S. 1986, Value-added processes in information systems, Ablex, Norwood.
Taylor, R.S. 1991, ' Information use environments', Progress in Communication Sciences, vol. 10, pp. 217-255.
Vakkari, P. 1999, Task complexity, problem structure and information actions. Integrating studies on information seeking and retrieval. Information Processing and Management, vol. 35, no.6, pp., 819-839.
Wilson, T. 1999, 'Models in information behaviour research', Journal of Documentation, vol.55, no.3, pp.249-270.

Other resources

Computer requirements
Successful completion of your Assessment Tasks will require familiarity with and access to a range of computer-based tools like UTSOnline, databases and search engines. Moreover, as components of this subject will involve work in the computer lab, you should ensure that you always bring some form of recordable media (e.g.: memory stick, re-writable CD) to each class so you can save your work.

In some instances, if workshop activities have not been completed during class time, you must be prepared to complete these tasks in your own time before the next class. You can use the UTS computer laboratory or your personal computer to complete these activities. Students have 24-hour access to campus computer laboratories, but are advised that class bookings take precedence over individual access. Be sure to check the schedule of individual labs you plan to use (www.itd.uts.edu.au/fstudents/facilities.html).To work on these tasks off-campus, you will have to download some tools from websites to your personal computer. Other tools will be introduced in class, with URLs and download instructions provided as required.

You will also find it useful to familiarise yourself with EndNote, a software package that can assist you to collect, store and organise your references. References can be entered into EndNote manually, or they can be found in databases and library catalogues and downloaded into EndNote using Filters. You may find these features helpful particularly when working on Assignment 2. You can also transfer references from EndNote into a Microsoft Word document such as a research paper or thesis. Staff and students of UTS can download a free copy of EndNote over the internet, or purchase a copy on CD-ROM from a UTS Library Enquiries Desk for $20 (no cash please: EFTPOS, Credit Card or UTS CopyCard only). Further information about EndNote and details about forthcoming workshops can be found on the library website: www.lib.uts.edu.au/information/endnote. It also provides a useful interactive tutorial that demonstrates some of the features of EndNote that can help you manage your references.

UTSOnline
In this subject UTSOnline is used at Level 3 for communicating information and for facilitating moderated as well as un-moderated discussions. Keep in mind that UTSOnline is a dynamic tool and that you should keep an eye on the Announcements page and key areas of the site every two or three days.

UTSOnline will be used to support your studies as follows:

announcements about this subject will be posted by the subject coordinator or tutor
providing electronic copies of the subject outline, selected subject documents including reading lists on themes addressed throughout the semester
providing links to other digital resources, learning tools and websites, as required
sending and receiving emails between tutors, lecturers and students
moderated discussion forums answering questions about assessments and subject requirements within 2 working days of posting
unmoderated forums for you to talk with other students about your studies and share resources or ideas (un-moderated).

The lecturers will respond to questions on the discussion boards specifically set up for questions about assignments. However the lecturers will not necessarily respond to comments and discussion on other discussion boards, including self-help discussion boards set up so you can discuss your assignments with other students. You are encouraged to use the discussion board facility to talk with other students as you wish.

You will need to update your email address in UTSOnline so the lecturers or tutors can contact you and so you will receive the messages. There is a web link in Subject Documents that will show you how you can do this.

Information about UTSOnline is available at: www.iml.uts.edu.au/ utsonline/student/accessing

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