UNIV 106-4039, Library Skills

UNIV 106-4054, Library Research Spring 2010 Syllabus

Instructor Sara Seely Office: Library 109A [email protected] Phone: (208) 426-1263 Hours: I am generally in the library from 8am to 5pm on Monday through Friday, and you are always welcome to call, email, or stop by my office. Or contact me to set up an appointment at your convenience.

Required Materials There are no required textbooks for this course. Students are expected to obtain a Boise State University student account (BroncoWeb username and password) that provides access to digital resources in Albertsons Library.

Course Description and Goals University 106 provides an introduction to the library research process and basic tools a student needs to succeed in coursework at Boise State University and beyond. This section of University 106 was created as part of Project Writing and Research (PoWeR), in which University 106 research activities support the completion of English 102 writing projects.

In this course, you will learn to:

 Recognize how information is created and distributed, and understand that content differs by information format. (ACRL #11)  Determine information needs and design search strategies to locate information sources relevant to your research topic. (ACRL #1, 2)  Use a variety of electronic and print resources, with emphasis on library resources and services, to locate information on your research topic. (ACRL #2)  Select and evaluate the most useful information sources for your research topic. (ACRL #3)  Reflect on and revise your individual research process. (ACRL #1, 2, 4)  Demonstrate a basic understanding of plagiarism and documentation of sources. (ACRL #5)

Logistics All students in this course are required to be co-enrolled in English 102 section 044 with Melissa Keith. Assignments and readings in University 106 are created to support and complement English 102 projects. This course is conducted entirely online in the Univ106 page of the E-102-44 course wiki, Awesome Composition, available at http://awesomecomposition.pbworks.com/UNIV-106-Home- Page. Univ106 will also make use of Blackboard as a place to post work and retrieve grades. All students are expected to have access to Albertsons Library’s physical and digital collections.

Weekly Assignments Through weekly assignments, you will read and view course materials online, conduct research using the library’s print and digital resources, and do activities both online and in the library.

1 Association of College and Research Libraries. (2000). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm Your grade for this course will be based upon your contributions to weekly assignments. I will post a prompt for the weekly assignment each Friday, which may ask you to read materials or watch a demonstration, perform research exercises or other activities, and then complete a worksheet, quiz or writing exercise.

Although this course is online you are required to submit your weekly assignment by the following Thursday at 12pm (midnight) MST (see the E-102 unit schedules for an outline of weekly activities and due dates).

Grades This is a one-credit, pass/fail course, and everyone who completes the coursework at a satisfactory level will receive a “P.”

You will receive up to 10 points for each activity in Univ106, with the possibility of approximately 200 total possible points. Most weeks we will only have one activity, but some weeks will have two or more. Late work will receive 0 points, unless arrangements have been made with me prior to the due date.

Satisfactory performance is evaluated as 75% of the total points possible or higher to receive a “Pass” for the course.

Attendance There are no in-person meetings of this course. However, you will need to visit the Univ106 page on the Awesome Composition course wiki (available at http://awesomecomposition.pbworks.com/UNIV- 106-Home-Page) regularly to keep up with assignments and course materials.

Student Online Privacy Notice Please take a few minutes to read the Student Online Privacy Notice, which describes in general terms your rights and responsibilities while participating in an Internet-enhanced course.

Plagiarism and Intellectual Honesty Plagiarism occurs when a person borrows directly from another's ideas or work without giving them credit. It doesn't matter if the work is that of a published author, an unpublished co-worker, a website, or another student. A student who plagiarizes will receive a grade of 0 on the assignment in question and may be subjected to the following: exclusion from the course, a final grade of F, and/or referral to the Dean of Students and the Student Conduct Board for disciplinary action.

If you have any questions about plagiarism, just ask. It’s better to be safe than sorry! You can also find further clarification in A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations; the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers; the BSU Student Handbook; and the Student Online Privacy Notice.

Special Considerations If you need any special accommodations for this course, please let us know as soon as possible. The Boise State University Office of Disability Services offers services designed to meet the educational needs of enrolled students with documented disabilities.