"Only the foolish are sure that
they know
anything other than change."
- jcs sarasvati
BASICS
- DAYS: Mon & Wed -
TIME: 6:30-9:20PM, 10 min break about 8:00PM - ROOM:
Lib-25 UNITS: 4
INSTRUCTOR: JOHN
HOGLE
- Home Phone: On printed
greensheet - BY FAR, THE BEST way to get hold of me.
Answering machine.
- E-mail: On printed
greensheet - Third (There is no Second) best way. I get too much
E-mail.
LEARNING &
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
- This class has a reputation for
being hard, but all the techniques you need to effectively and
efficiently complete the assignments are provided.
- It is, though, YOUR
responsibility:
- To listen carefully, ask
questions when you don't understand, and explicitly follow
directions for each assignment. (This is college work for a
profession. I will deduct one or more points if directions are
not followed.)
- To thoughtfully and creatively
apply the techniques that you have learned, which will make the
assignments easier than you expect.
EXPECTED LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
- A basic understanding of the
nature of databases and how database-based systems underly major
library automation and service functions.
- A basic understanding of how and
why to search for records or information in the major types of
databases used in public, academic, and special libraries, and in
other information services.
- Confidence in your own ability to
apply your intellect and creativity to do effective database
searching and learn new databases as needed.
CLASS WEB
SITE:
EMAIL
ACCOUNT
- You must have an email
account for this class.
- From time-to-time I may make
suggestions for particularly difficult searching
problems.
- It is the third best
way of getting hold of me.
- If I have to be out for some
reason, I want to be able to contact you by email as well as by
phone.
- If you don't have an email
account, I suggest that you get a web-based one such as is
available (for free) from Yahoo.com. There are other free
web-based email services, but I recommend Yahoo just because it is
big and stable (it won't disappear like some others have), has
good spam filtering, and does not get as much spam as Hotmail.
Just go to mail.yahoo.com
and sign up. I recommend that you don't put any personal
information on there that you do not want other folks (including
marketers and spammers) to have, and do not sign up for any
offered surveys, polls, or lists of any kind. You'll just get more
junk email.
READINGS:
- These will be assigned. There is
NO Textbook.
- The readings will either be
online or at the Reserve Desk.
- Readings at the Reserve Desk will
be on 3-hour check out and can be copied. (Never forget the
ethical and financial issues involved in copying copyrighted
material.)
- Note: We may or may not
discuss specific readings in class. They are important, though,
for they complement or provide a foundation for other information
in the class.
SEARCHING
ASSIGNMENTS
GRADING
- A
= 90-plus points
- B
= 80-89 points
- C
= 70-79 points
- D
= 60-69 points
- F
= 59 or less points
CHEATING &
COPYING POLICY
- The "Academic
Honor Code" of Foothill College prohibits "any incidents of
academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism." As a
consequence, ANY copying of answers or materials to answer
any assignment in this class will receive an "F" for
that assignment. The code goes on to allow such additional
penalties as "a lower course grade, receipt of an F in the
course, disciplinary probation or suspension, or
expulsion."
- Specifically, I support you
helping each other to understand and develop strategies for
finding answers to the assignments,
BUT I expect you to do the searching and answering of the
search problems individually.