L625 - Information in the Social Sciences
Indiana
University School of Library and Information Science
Spring Semester, 2002
March 5, 2002
Course description: This course explores approaches to information in anthropology,
economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology, and other social
sciences. Information on standard bibliographic and other tools is understood
from the context of students and researchers in these fields.
Course Objectives: L625 is an advanced elective course. Our approach
emphasizes understanding how social scientists approach information resources,
the kinds of questions they seek to answer, and how various resources have
evolved (or in come cases failed to evolve) to meet these specialized
information needs. At the end of this semester you should be able to:
1. use
social science information resources with understanding,
2.
critically evaluate primary and secondary sources of social science
information,
3.
adjust your information seeking to the make the best use of resources available
in a particular setting,
4.
develop strategies for presenting information in a social science discipline of
interest to a specific group of users.
Class Organization: This course will operate on three levels to
introduce you to and prepare you for the roles and responsibilities of
information intermediaries in the social sciences.
Level One: Each week we will address a particular subject area,
with attention to the field, its information needs and approaches, and the
resources that support its research. You will have weekly assignments that will
introduce the subject-specific information resources and prepare you for these
sessions. These assignments should be completed before the class meets, as they
will form the basis for in-class discussion.
Level Two: During the semester (working alone or with one other
person) you will prepare two pathfinders for someone new to a discipline or
disciplinary specialization
Level Three: During the semester you will participate in two
groups that will prepare materials to support information seekers in a
particular discipline. In each group you will develop a presentation/promotion
plan for resources in a discipline or specialization
Debora Shaw will coordinate
the course. Subject experts from Indiana University and Vigo County Public
Library will teach classes in and oversee projects in their subject
disciplines. Instructors and assigned readings for each class are noted on the
syllabus by date.
Text: Herron, Nancy L. The Social Sciences: A Cross
Disciplinary Guide to Selected Sources. 2nd. ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries
Unlimited, 1996.
The text is available in the
Main Library Research Collections Reference Room (Z7161 .S648 1996).
Assignments / Student
Evaluation (100 points total):
Weekly Assignments for
Class Discussion (12, worth 2 points
each; 24 points):
The week before a subject
areas is discussed you will receive a list of information sources in that
subject area and a set of questions these sources can answer. You are to use
the questions to familiarize yourself with the sources, in preparation for the
class. Bring the questions, your preliminary answers, and any related notes;
your work will be collected at the end of class, and may include additional
comments or observations arising as a result of the class discussion. Link to: Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Pathfinders (2, worth15 points each; total 30 points):
A pathfinder is a guide
designed to provide a quick overview of research tools in subject area. They
are written for users new to research in the area. Some examples on the web are
available at:
(additional sources are
welcomed).
Your first pathfinder and
supporting documentation (due February 22) will present information sources in
subject area covered January 25 through March 9; the second (due April 5) will
address a subject covered March 22 - April 19. Pathfinders may be done
individually or with one other person.
In addition to the pathfinder
itself, you will provide background on the pathfinder including: 1) a short
description of the subject area it covers (for example, psychological aspects
of smoking cessation), 2): the intended audience (students at a 4-year liberal
arts college), and 3) discussion of how each resources and examples was chosen
– how your understanding of the information needs of the target population
informed your choices.
Example topics for February
22 pathfinders:
Advice for the first-time author submitting a social
science research article for publication
Citing and quoting information from the Web
Current information on terrorism
U.S. Presidential facts and trivia
Locating
psychological tests and information about them
Full-text
journals in psychology--free and less-than-free
Media
(film and television) and psychology
Neuropsychology
Example topics for April 5
pathfinders:
Standardized test preparation materials
Resources for teachers of exceptional children
Print and electronic sources of U.S. government economic
indicators
Biographical information about prominent economists
Current developments in electronic commerce
Presentation/Promotion
Plans (2, worth 20 points each, total
40 points):
Subject specialists will
outline consulting projects related to the subjects covered in each half of the
semester. Examples of topics include: to increase knowledge and use of an
under-used information source; how to present a library’s collection to new
faculty members in the subject area; and how to assess faculty or student
reception of library instruction.
You will work with two other
students as consultants on one of these projects. You will prepare a written
report for the subject expert, and will present the major points of the report
to the class. Plans and oral reports are due March 8 and April 26.
Criteria for Evaluating
Class Presentations
From Alaska Academic
Decathlon Coaches' Handbook:
Speech
Development is the way the speaker
puts ideas together so the audience can understand them. The speech is
structured around a purpose, and this structure must include an opening, body,
and conclusion. A good speech immediately engages the audience's attention and
then moves forward toward a significant conclusion. This development of the
speech structure is supported by relevant examples and illustrations, facts and
figures, delivered with such smoothness that they blend into the framework of
the speech to present the audience with a unified whole.
Effectiveness
is measured in part by the audience's
reception of the speech, but a large part is your subjective judgment of how
the speech came across. You should ask yourself such questions as "Was I
able to determine the speaker's purpose?" "Did the speech relate directly
to that purpose?" "Was the audience's interest held by the
speaker?" "Was this subject appropriate for this particular
audience?"
Correctness
of Language insures that attention
will be directed toward what the speaker says, not how it is said. Proper use
of grammar and correct pronunciation will show that the speaker is the master
of the words being used.
Appropriateness
of Language refers to the choice of
words that relate to the speech purpose and to the particular audience hearing
the speech. Language should promote clear understanding of thoughts and should
fit the occasion precisely.
Speech
Value justifies the act of speaking.
The speaker has a responsibility to say something meaningful and original to
the audience. The listeners should feel the speaker has made a contribution to
their thinking. The ideas should be important ones, although this does not
preclude a humorous presentation of them.
Voice is the sound that carries the message. It should be
flexible, moving from one pitch level to another for emphasis, and should have
a variety of rate and volume. A good voice can be clearly heard and the words
easily understood.
Non‑Verbal
Presentation of a speech carries part
of the responsibility for effective communication. The speaker's appearance
should reinforce the speech, whether profound, sad, humorous, or instructional.
Body language should support points through gestures, expressions, and body.
Projects for March 8
presentation:
1. The Head of the SLIS Library
is interested in students’ perceptions and use of the library; she is
particularly interested in why there are relatively few reference questions
asked. Please design a study to provide her with this information. Identify the
method(s) you will use, the questions your will ask (and why), and any problems
or limitations you foresee with this approach.
2. From the IU Undergraduate
Library perspective, develop a presentation of the importance of the library to
success of undergraduates majoring in the social sciences. In addition to the
text or script for the presentation, outline the argument(s) you make and
discuss your choice of examples.
3. The Association of College
and Research Libraries’s Information Literacy Competency Standards for
Higher Education states, “The information literate student accesses needed
information effectively and efficiently.” http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilstandardlo.html
Using ISI’s Web of Science
effectively and efficiently involves both a) dealing with information coming
from many academic disciplines, and b) understanding the differences between
citation searching, words in titles and abstracts, and keywords as subjects.
Prepare a (written) introduction to Web of Science and outline an (oral)
presentation, which will be appropriate for college juniors who are majoring in
any of the social sciences. Discuss your choice of examples.
Projects for April 26
presentation:
1. Anthropology: Moira
Smith’s presentation will include information on the Human Relations Area Files
(HRAF - see: http://www.indiana.edu/~libsalc/hraf/).
She is interested in increasing use of these materials. Your project is to
outline a plan to increase awareness and use. Please discuss at least three
approaches, and describe why you have selected the one(s) you recommend.
2. Political Science: The
electronic resources section of Debora Cheney’s Political Science chapter (in
Herron) is outdated. Research and
develop a current, annotated version of this section. Discuss how your
identified and selected the resources; describe those you omit, and why.
3. Education: You are a
librarian in the education section of an academic library. You are asked by the School of Education to
give their incoming master’s candidates an orientation. First, choose which
sources you will highlight and why (this is your written report; include
sources you considered but excluded, if applicable). Then prepare the orientation
and present it to the L625 class.
Evaluation of
Presentations (2, worth 3 points
each; total 6 points):
Oral reports of the
presentation/promotion plans are similar to the presentations candidates make during
job interviews. As your classmates make their reports, you will observe and
critique the report from the perspective of a member of a search committee.
Class Schedule Class meets Fridays, 1:00-3:45 in Main Library Room
036:
January 11 Introduction of
course;
How social scientists
approach information
Howard Rosenbaum, Assistant
Professor, SLIS
January 18 How do students
approach information; how do we present information to students?
Diane Dallis, Instructional Design
Librarian, Indiana University Libraries
Jenkins,
S. (2001). Undergraduate perceptions of the reference collection and the
reference librarian in an academic library. The reference librarian, 73,
229-241.
Kimball,
J. (1999, July/August). Remember when you were information illiterate? College
& research libraries news, 556-557.
January 25 General social
science research tools; Selection of subject areas for round one projects
Emily Okada, Assistant Head, Undergraduate Library Services, Instructional Services Librarian, Indiana University Libraries
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Whittington,
C. (1996). General social sciences. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social
sciences: A cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 3-40).
Englewood CO: Libraries Unlimited.
February 1 Psychology
Zabel,
D. (1996). Psychology. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 243-264). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
February 8 Sociology/Anthropology
Moira Smith, Librarian for
Folklore, Sociology, Anthropology and Women's Studies, Indiana University
Libraries
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Ogburn,
J.L. (1996). Anthropology. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 169-186). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
Zabel,
D. Sociology. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 187-207). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
Jeanne Holba Puacz, Reference
and Systems Librarian, Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, Indiana
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Cheney,
D. (1996). Political science. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 43-72). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
February 22 History
PATHFINDER 1 DUE
Celestina Wroth,
Bibliographer for History, Religious Studies, and History and Philosophy of
Science, Indiana University Libraries
Weekly Assignments
for Class Discussion
Faries,
C. (1996). History. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 116-137). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
Lou Malcomb, Head, Government Publications Department / Geography and Map Library; Coordinator for the Research Collections, Indiana University Libraries
Weekly Assignments for Class Discussion
Harwell,
K.R. (1996). Law and legal issues. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social
sciences: A cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 138-168).
Englewood CO: Libraries Unlimited.
Hernon,
P. (1996). Government information policy in a time of uncertainty and change.
In P. Hernon & C. R. McClure (Eds.) Federal
information policies in the 1990s: views and perspectives (pp. 1-18).
Norwood, NJ: Ablex. (SLIS Reserve JK 468 .S4F43 1996)
Review
the issues about access from the GODORT web site at http://sunsite.Berkeley.edu/GODORT/
March 8 Presentation of first
projects
PRESENTATION/PROMOTION PLAN 1
DUE
March 22 Education
Jeanne Holba Puacz, Reference
and Systems Librarian, Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, Indiana
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Harvey,
K. (1996). Education. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 211-242). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
March 29 International and
Area Studies
Martha Brogan, Associate Dean
and Director of Collection Development, Indiana University Libraries
Weekly Assignments
for Class Discussion
Wiley,
D. (2001). Forty years of the Title VI and Fulbright-Hays international
programs: Building the nation's international expertise for a global future. In
P. O’Meara, H. D. Mehlinger, & R. M. Newman (Eds.). Changing perspectives
on international education (pp. 11-29). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University
Press.
Prewitt,
K. (2001). The future of international research. In P. O’Meara, H. D.
Mehlinger, & R. M. Newman (Eds.). Changing perspectives on international
education (pp. 324-336). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Kennedy,
P. (2000). Preparing for the 2lst century: Winners and losers. In P. O’Meara,
H. D. Mehlinger, & M. Krain (Eds.). Globalization and the challenges of
a new century: A reader (pp. 323-354). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University
Press.
Whitney,
G. (1995). International book production statistics. In P. G. Altbach
& E. S. Hoshino (Eds.). International
book publishing: An encyclopedia (pp.163-186). London: Fitzroy Dearborn.
April 5 Economics /
Statistics
Jeanne Holba Puacz, Reference
and Systems Librarian, Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, Indiana
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Kalin,
S.W. (1996). Economics. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 73-95). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
Xiao Jason Yu,
Data & Electronic Services Librarian, CSA, and UITS Local Support Provider,
Indiana University Libraries
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Herron,
N. L. (Ed.) (1996). The social sciences: A cross-disciplinary guide to
selected sources. Englewood CO: Libraries Unlimited. Read or re-read all
sub-sections entitled “Statistics,” or “Statistical Information,” or
“Statistical Sources” of relevant chapters, specifically, in pages 34-35,
57-58, 61, 67, 85-95, 113-114, 203-207, 238-239, 297-298.
Morehead,
J. (1999). Introduction to United States government information sources
(6th ed.). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Read: “Chapter 9:
Statistical Sources,” p. 285-330.
Recommended
Reading:
Gerhan,
D. R. (1999). When quantitative analysis lies behind a reference question. Reference
and User Services Quarterly 39 (2), 166-176.
April 12 Communication /
Journalism
PATHFINDER 2 DUE
Weekly
Assignments for Class Discussion
Carolyn Walters, Head,
Undergraduate Library Services, Indiana University Libraries
Rose,
R.F. (1996). Communication. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 286-299). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
April 19 Business
Weekly Assignments for Class Discussion
Avery,
C. (1996). Business. In N.L. Herron (Ed.), The social sciences: A
cross-disciplinary guide to selected sources (pp. 96-115). Englewood CO:
Libraries Unlimited.
April 26 Presentation of
second projects
PRESENTATION/PROMOTION PLAN 2 DUE