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LIB-1 Syllabus: Introduction to Information Literacy (8 weeks): Course Syllabus

Course syllabus for LIB-1 by Dr. Dani Wilson.

Welcome!

Hi! I'm Dani Wilson (she/her), your instructor for this semester. I'm a white, anxious, autistic, trans, pan librarian from the South who loves Sci-Fi, fantasy, video games, and tabletop gaming. For those with sight challenges, I'm 6'1" and unfortunately bald. Your success in the course is important to me, and I'm happy to help with any questions. I'll get back to you within 24 hours, except for messages sent over the weekend which I'll respond to on Monday. Here are the ways you can reach me.
  • Reply to the Announcements.
  • Send a private message in Canvas Inbox.
  • Meet with me! I am to meet over zoom and in my office (LIB 203). Office hours are Monday 9 am - 10 am and Thursday 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm; or by appointment. Office hours Zoom link (links to external site).

In this class, we will explore information and how to use it. We will discuss and learn about how to identify good sources of research information,  find articles and ebooks, and evaluate sources of information. As learners, you will be responsible for engaging with course content and each other. As your guide through this course, I will be responsible for answering your questions and providing prompt grading and feedback. Be sure you review the Participation in this Class section below for information on important enrollment and drop dates. Students may be dropped from the course if they do not participate before a certain date.

Everyone is Welcome and Everyone can Succeed!

Diversity is a vital and beautiful thing in the world. It is my intention that students from all backgrounds and perspectives be welcome and well-served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of the class. Students are encouraged to speak up and participate in the class. Because the class will represent a diversity of individual beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences, every member of this class must show respect for every other member of this class. I support an inclusive learning environment where diversity and individual differences are understood, respected, appreciated, and recognized as a source of strength.

General Course Info

  • Course Name: LIB-1: Introduction to Information Literacy
  • Semester/Year: Fall 2024
  • Course Dates: 10/14-12/14
  • Class Location: Online via Canvas
  • Class Meeting Times: There are no required meetings for this class
  • Instructor's Name: Daniel (Dani) Wilson, Any pronouns accepted
  • This syllabus will be updated as needed. If any changes are made during the course, these will be posted as announcements within the course

Textbooks and Materials

  • Introduction to Information Literacy (links to external site) by Daniel Wilson. This text is available online for free, licensed under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC. This page also includes a red PDF button where you can download a PDF copy. Links to the textbook will also be included in the course modules.
    • The seventh chapter of the book was recently revised. You can find the new version attached below.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills: 

  1. Analyze a research/information need.
    • Critical Thinking: Students will be able to demonstrate higher-order thinking skills about issues, problems, and explanations for which multiple solutions are possible. Students will be able to explore problems and, where possible, solve them. Students will be able to develop, test, and evaluate rival hypotheses. Students will be able to construct sound arguments and evaluate the arguments of others.
  2. Develop and utilize search strategies relevant to an information need.
    • Information Competency & Technology Literacy: Students will be able to use technology to locate, organize, and evaluate information. They will be able to locate relevant information, judge the reliability of sources, and evaluate the evidence contained in those sources as they construct arguments, make decisions, and solve problems.
  3. Assess the value of information.
    • Critical Thinking: Students will be able to demonstrate higher-order thinking skills about issues, problems, and explanations for which multiple solutions are possible. Students will be able to explore problems and, where possible, solve them. Students will be able to develop, test, and evaluate rival hypotheses. Students will be able to construct sound arguments and evaluate the arguments of others.

Student Services

Find the online contact info and links for services available for students, such as

Participation in this Class

Participation in this class will come in the following forms:

  • Participation in weekly discussion boards (including creating an original post and response to a classmate's original post)
  • Reading weekly course announcements
  • Reading and viewing assigned course content
  • Completing weekly quizzes and assignments

Participating in the course will help enhance your learning. It will also help you to benefit from your fellow students as they present their own thoughts and perspectives on the course content.

Responsibilities and Expectations

Standards of conduct for students and myself

  • Sign your name to emails and put the class in the subject line of emails. 
  • Be considerate. Rude or threatening language, inflammatory assertions, rants, personal attacks, or other inappropriate communication will not be tolerated.
  • Don't post messages in all CAPS. It comes across as shouting online. 
  • Always practice good grammar, spelling, punctuation, and composition. Use complete sentences and avoid 'text speak'.
  • Respect people's pronouns, affirming names, and boundaries. Use inclusive language (links to external site).
  • This is an academic class, so it is expected that your posts and submissions will be thought out and understandable. Points will be lost for unclear content.

An instructor has the right to remove a student from class any time they consider the student's actions to be interfering with a proper collegiate environment. The instructor may also refer the incident to the administration for disciplinary action as warranted. Removal from class applies to online classes as well as face-to-face classes. 

Add/Drop Deadlines

Students will be dropped from the course by the instructor if they have not either logged in for one hour or completed one assignment (quiz, discussion post, or submission assignment) prior to 10/27/24.

Students may withdraw from courses prior to the drop deadlines by using WebAdvisor/MyPortal. If there is a hold, restricting the use of WebAdvisor/MyPortal, students may bring a completed add/drop card to the Admissions counter at Moreno Valley College and drop classes there. Deadlines to add, drop, and receive a refund are posted on WebAdvisor/MyPortal. It is the student’s responsibility to drop classes that he/she no longer plans to attend. If you need to drop the class, it's important to do so before certain deadlines (listed below)).

  • Last Drop Date with Refund: 10/19/24
  • Last Drop Date without "W": 11/01/24
  • Last Drop Date with "W": 11/29/24

Dates and Schedule for Add/Drop (links to external site)

Academic Honesty and Etiquette

Please see page 12 of the College Catalog (links to an external site) for the college's policy on academic honesty. This course will follow the policies of the college in regards to academic integrity. 

Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is not tolerated. Make sure your work is your own. Please ask if you have any questions regarding what constitutes plagiarism.  

Plagiarized work will receive a zero and no make-up work will be provided.

The college and I expect that you will do the following:

  • Be academically honest.
  • Use integrity.
  • Be honest and determined.
  • Seek help when needed.
  • Give others credit for their ideas using citations.
  • Report cheating and stealing.
  • Discourage and avoid plagiarism.
  • Be the sole author of all work submitted for this class.

In the short term, getting "help" from classmates or paid homework websites may seem easy. But in the long run, you are cheating yourself. While it may not seem like it, the courses you're taking today are the foundation of your professional life. What you learn is just as important as how you learn it.

Importance Concepts in Netiquette:

  • Remember the human: Do unto others as you'd have done unto you
  • Adhere to the same standards of behavior that you'd follow in real life interactions
  • Don't expect instant responses to all your questions
  • Don't assume all readers will agree with or care about the same things you do
  • Share your expert knowledge
  • Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

AI Use Permitted with Attribution

Use of AI tools, including ChatGPT, is permitted in this course for students who wish to use them. To adhere to our scholarly values, students must cite any AI-generated material that informed their work (this includes in-text citations and/or use of quotations, and in your reference list). Using an AI tool to generate content without proper attribution qualifies as academic dishonesty.

What is AI-Generated Material?

AI-Generated Material includes any content created by an AI tool, that is then used in a submitted assignment. Some examples of AI content that must be cited:

  • If you include a sentence (or more) or quote produced by an AI tool in your assignment submission or discussion board post.
  • If you paraphrase ideas or explanations from AI into your own words.
  • If you use an AI tool to create an image or media element to include in your assignment submission or discussion board post.

Some examples of AI content that does not need to be cited:

  • If you use an AI tool for tutoring or helping your understanding of a topic.
  • If you use an AI tool to create search keywords or information that can help you complete an assignment (but are not including AI-generated content in your submission).
  • If you use an AI tool to recommend basic grammatical or spelling corrections in your writing.

Assignments & Grading in this Class

Discussion Boards

The discussion boards in this class are focused on encouraging community and engagement. I view them as an opportunity for you to support, encourage, and help each other. As such, the posts and responses are focused on providing each other with feedback and resources. Each week you are required to make one initial post and then one response to a classmate, but feel free to reply to other students as well!

Assignment Values

Weekly reading quizzes are due by 11:59 pm PST on Thursdays. Submission assignments and initial discussion board posts are due by 11:59 pm PST on Sundays. Your discussion board response to a classmate is due by 11:59 pm PST on Tuesday of the following week.

Grades are based on a total accumulation of points (out of 695 total points). Assignments are not weighted or graded on a curve. Assignments and point values may vary depending on progression of the course. There are several opportunities for extra credit points as well.

  • Week Discussions and Participation = 140 points (20.1%)
  • Weekly Reading Quizzes = 105 points (15.1%)
  • Weekly Assignments = 400 points (57.6%)
  • Final Quiz = 50 points (7.2%)

Please note that these point totals are subject to change.

Grading

Grades are based on a total accumulation of points

90 - 100%: A 

80 - 89%: B 

70 - 79%: C 

60 - 69%: D 

0 - 59%: F 

 

Riverside Community College District uses the letter system of grading the quality of work performed by students. The following grades are used: 

“A”, excellent 

“B”, good 

“C”, satisfactory 

“D”, passing, less than satisfactory 

“F”, failing 

“FW”, failing due to cessation of participation in a course after the last day to officially withdraw from a course 

“I”, incomplete 

“IP”, in progress 

“RD”, report delayed 

“P”, pass; “NP”, no pass; “W”, formal withdrawal from the college or a course 

“MW”(military withdrawal). 

For more information about the grading system, please see page 48 of the college catalog (links to an external site).

Late Work Policy

There is no grade penalty for late assignments. Student work will be accepted (without penalty) until 12:59 pm on Wednesday of the last week of the course. The final quiz will be accepted until 12:59 pm PST on the final day of the course. Exceptions and extensions may be made for students who contact the instructor ahead of time due to real-life issues and emergencies. Assignments have listed due dates but those are just to help keep you from getting behind and to encourage class discussion. If work is submitted late, grading and feedback will also likely be returned to the student later than usual. You are permitted to work ahead; however, I encourage you to not work too far ahead. Many assignments only allow a single submission and it is best to wait for feedback on your previous work before moving ahead.

Attendance

Students who add this class on or after the first day of class must officially register with Admissions by the add deadline and pay fees per Admissions and Records policies. 

Students who choose not to continue the course are responsible for dropping the course. Please do not assume that I have dropped you. If you stopped attending the course but haven't officially dropped then you may end up receiving an "F.", which we certainly don't want. If you have questions or need help with this then you can contact Student Services (links to an external site).

Students are expected to regularly log into Canvas and RCCD student email in order to keep up with assignments, announcements, and any changes to the course schedule. 

Extra Credit Work

There will be three extra credit opportunities available in the course, to help encourage you to engage with additional content, learn more about the course topics, and provide feedback on the course. Each of these extra credit assignments will be worth 5 points.

 

Course Content

Week 1 - Information and its Sources

Week 2 - Ethics and Citation

Week 3 - Getting Started with Research

Week 4 - Searching for Information

Week 5 - Using the Library

Week 6 - Evaluating Sources

Week 7 - Cultural Perspectives on Information

Week 8 - Finals Week

 

Open Education Librarian

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Daniel Wilson
She/Her
Contact:
LIB 203
951-571-6636
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