LIB 201 - Critical Information Studies & Research Methods

Credits: 5
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 55
Lab Hours: 0
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: This course empowers students to find, evaluate and use information sources and critically think about the nature of information in both a scholarly setting and in society.

Prerequisite: None.
Distribution Requirements:

Social Sciences Distribution Requirement

Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Define and develop an academic-level research topic.
Develop project management skills related to academic research.
Discuss and evaluate historical and current issues and theories in scholarly communication, including copyright, open access and intellectual freedom.
Discuss and evaluate arguments related to current and historical information issues in society, including Digital Divide, impact of social media, “fake news” and their own consumption of online resources.
Analyze information-seeking behavior and explain how they search.
Practice citing sources and ethical use of information in academic research.
Practice information finding and evaluation skills across multiple format types and genres

Course Contents

Introduction to Libraries & the Research Process
Getting Started on Your Research
Finding Sources and Nature of Search
Searching and evaluating internet sources
Access, Algorithms and Automation
Information Creation & Evaluation
Using Other Libraries and Research Behavior
Reporting the Results of Your Research - Joining the Academic Conversation
The Changing Nature of Information
Intersectional Technology and Knowledge Organization
Portfolio and Final Review

Instructional Units: 5