Extra Credit: Survey

Hi Folks. I'd really appreciate your feedback on the class. So much so that I'm offering extra credit.

I'm especially interested in your input about the format of the class (the brief meeting sessions w/open lab from 1-2, the blogging, the online activities, etc.).

Here's the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=575263437742

Then, email me and let me know you did it, and I'll add a point to your total grade for the quarter.

The deadline for survey completion is: Friday, 3/23

Final Class Quiz!

This quarter really flew by! Tomorrow is our last class, and as I emailed you earlier, I recommend that you look through the class handouts (posted here on the blog) and also the LIBY 1210 delicious links, which are neatly tagged by topic and week:
http://del.icio.us/liby1210

Your exam will consist of 20 questions worth half a point each, for a total of 10 points.

Things to review:

1. Library of Congress call numbers and subject headings (what they are & how they work--you don't need to know what specific call numbers mean)

2. APA format (general rules)

3. Characteristics of scholarly books and journals

4. Search engines & Databases (how to use them and when)

5. Tags vs. Subject Headings

6. Boolean Operators (AND, OR & NOT)

7. Web Site Evaluation

Things #21 & #22: Final Project

We're headed down the home stretch!

Note that your final projects are now due on Friday, 3/9 by 5PM at the library reference desk.

Although these are listed as separate "things," hand 21 & 22 in together as a print copy (stapled) at the library reference desk.

Thing 21 is your project narrative/overview of the heath issue you have researched. Thing 22 is your annotated reference list.

Together, they are worth 20 points, a significant part of your grade.

See the project assignment and sample project for details (see main blog page). Be sure to get these done on time, as late projects will not be accepted.

Good luck, and see me with any questions.

For Next Week: 2/26

Here's the list for next week:

19. Find current information about your project topic. (3 points)
20. Explore a few award-winning Web 2.0 websites. (3 points)

Remember that if you need assistance with citing the articles you find, visit the class wiki, where I've put up a page of APA citation resources.

Also, I've posted a sample final project (also on the Class Handouts Menu). Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a good week,

-Korey

For Next Week: 2/19

Believe it or not, we've already covered 15 of our 23 things!

I think you'll find this week's audio-centric activities to be pretty fun, but then, I'm speaking as a podcast addict.

Contact me if you have trouble locating resources in Haystac, although it seemed like you did a good job of this in Tuesday's class.

Also, don't forget that I'm posting class handouts and assignments for download. Just look to your left and scroll if necessary to see the list, which includes your final project guidelines. I'm hoping to have a sample project for you to review by next week.

Here's the list:

16. Find 2 books with background or statistical information about your topic.
17. Learn about podcasts & the search tools used to find them.
18. Explore iTunes U or OpenCourseWare.

For Next Week (2/12)

Here's your list of things for next week's class. Don't forget to bring in your Boolean search statement handout from the 2/6 class. We'll be using these to search Haystack for books.

13. Learn about wikis and take a look at some uses of them. (3 points)
14. Make an entry in the class wiki. (3 points)
15. Explore a couple of web-based applications. (3 points)

Here's an interesting video about web 2.0 from youtube. It neatly summarizes a lot of what we've been covering in this class!

For Next Week (2/6)

Here's the list for the week:

10. Find 2 websites with background or statistical information about your topic. (3 points)
11. Explore Noodletools and create citations. (3 points)
12. Explore Flickr and learn how tags work with images. (3 points)


For thing 11, contact me if you have trouble accessing Noodletools.

Also: Notice on the right hand menu there are two new feature. Class Handouts are downloadable, and I recommend you check them out as they may (hint) be related to your final quiz!

I added a search box above the IM box. This is a custom search engine I created through Google Coop that only searches through web sites I think will retrieve good information. You still need to apply your C.A.R.D.I.O. assessment of course!

For Next Week (1/30)

All due by 9PM 1/29:

Things 7-9 on the schedule:

7. Learn about Web 2.0 and the future of information. (3 points)

8. Compare two search engines of your choice. (3 points)

9. Set up a del.icio.us account and learn about tagging. (3 points)

Contact me with any questions before next week's class, not in next week's class. I'm working at the reference desk on Sunday from 12-8, so feel free to stop by.

-Korey

RSS Tip: (for things 5 & 6)

Those of you NOT using Firefox, you can still easily search for and subscribe to RSS feeds via the Google reader--HOWEVER--if you try to subscribe from a site you like, say www.mayoclinic.com, by clicking on a feed icon at that site, you'll need to cut and paste the feed URL from the address bar, then paste it directly into the green Google Reader "Add Subscriptions" box.

Firefox has a convenient drop-down menu that lets you subscribe via google reader from anywhere on the web, hence my strong recommendation that you use it instead of Explorer. Unfortunately, the library computers have Explorer!

Questions? Let me know--I'm here all day.

-Korey

Fun With RSS--Search Updates

Here's a neat trick you can use to create your very own feed with Google News:

1. Go to Google.com

2. Select the "News" link above the main search box. This takes you to Google's extensive news page.

3. Search for something that interests you, like say your project topic, or who looked funny at the Golden Globes (I tried: avian flu china)

4. Notice that when your search is displayed, the orange RSS icon magically appears in the right corner of the address bar? Click on it!

5. Subscribe to your feed with Google reader or cut and paste the feed URL into a reader of your choice. Now your getting auto updates from news sites all over the web via Google!

Naturally, content from the web still needs to be evaluated by you. Next week we'll talk about web resource evaluation and learn some search tricks.

-Korey

Final Project Topics--First Come, First Served

Hello all:

In my zeal to familiarize you with RSS feeds, I neglected to mention that I want to avoid topic duplication for the final project. As of today, the following health topics are spoken for:

Breast Cancer
Asthma
Ovarian Cancer

Be sure to look over the assignment carefully before choosing your topic.

I'll try to keep up with your posts and make a note of who's doing what, but check you blog comments to make sure I've approved it. I've also emailed you about this in case you haven't subscribed the class blog with you new Google Reader account!

See you next week,

Korey

Week 2--RSS etc.

Hi folks:

I forgot to mention in class that I strongly recommend you use the Firefox browser, available as a free download from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Subscribing to RSS feeds will work in other browsers but Firefox works especially well with Google Reader, the RSS subscription manager we'll be using.

Also, please follow each assignment carefully and post things 4-6 by 9 PM next Monday, 1/22.

I won't be flexible about due dates now that we're past week 1, but I will allow you to edit your work for additional credit if it was submitted on time. Remember to check the comments for each of your posts.

-Korey

Blog URLs & Due Date Change

Hi folks:

Just a reminder to send me your blog address (URL or Uniform Resource Locater in geek parlance) once you set it up. Please work through Things 1-3 on the schedule.

Also, the campus is closed Monday in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s' birthday, so you won't be able to access the library that day. Because of this, I'm giving you until 12:00 noon on Tuesday to do Things 1-3 and post all answers to your blog.

Please make each "Thing" you complete a separate post, i.e, you should submit three posts by 12:00 on Tuesday 1/16.

As a side note, I'm scheduled to work the reference desk this Saturday (1/13) from 11-5, so if you happen to be around, stop by and say hi and/or get help. My regular desk hours are on the side-bar under the navigation menu.

Enjoy the day off,

Korey

Welcome to LIBY 1210

powered by ODEO

You may not know it, but if you regularly use Google to find stuff on the web, MySpace to keep in touch with friends and family or have personalized your Yahoo homepage, you're already using the kinds of technologies we'll be exploring in this class.

This quarter, we'll use some emerging and (hopefully) fun new information tools that can improve the way you use information at school and in life. In addition to using the traditional "physical" library collection and learning about academic research strategies, we'll be playing around with tools like blogs, wikis, RSS feeds and other methods of accessing and organizing the information you need.

If you are reading this after class one, you know that the course centers around 23 Things (learning tasks), designed by Lori Townsend, another electronic collections librarian, and myself that will help you find, organize, cite and evaluate information.

Here are the "ground rules" for the class:

1. Research-specific topics will be covered extensively during our weekly class meetings, to be held in LIB 2064. However, not all tasks will be covered in class. For those topics that we don't cover in class, you will be given online resources and some basic directions, but I will expect you to figure things out for yourself. You are free to seek help from fellow classmates and individual help from me.

2. Because of the extensive online component, each (required) class session will only meet for the first hour. The second (optional) hour will be reserved for individual help. You may stay and work on your homework in the lab and I'm happy to help as I'll stick around for hour two. Or you may choose to leave. If you encounter any trouble understanding the assignments, I encourage you to stay for the second half of class. I will be available at other times for individual appointments, but I expect you to seek help during class first, if possible.

3. All assignments and announcements will be posted on the LIBY1210-04 blog. Please subscribe to the blog's RSS feed (Week 2, Thing 5).

You will turn in all of your assignments, with the exception of the health information sheet project, via your personal blog (which you will be setting up this week).

4. For some of you, the tasks will contain unfamiliar material and be challenging. I hope that you will regard this as an opportunity to explore and have a little bit of fun. Many of the tasks are designed to introduce you to emerging web trends - I don't expect you to become an expert (but maybe you will!). Just get your feet wet, play, and let me know how things go.

For details about the course schedule, grading, and other policies, please see the links above to Syllabus and Schedule.

-Korey