Syllabus
Newsltrs
Quizzes
Library
Mirror

marble divider
Sequential List of Readings

This course is driven by two essential functions: how to find information ("research"), and how to deal with information ("thinking"). I have, therefore, divided the units into these two areas below. Each part of each unit is numbered so that they can be referred to by number, like Thinking 2.4.a.

Note, the lectures are also available in an ALPHABETICAL SUBJECT INDEX

THINKING
Turning information into understanding.
RESEARCH
Finding & organizing relevant information.
  1. I.S. Course Pre-Test

  2. INTRODUCTION
    1. What is information and why study it?
    2. Basic skills needed for this course
      1. Operating the Computer
      2. Using the Web
      3. Becoming a Student: An Introduction
        1. Why Go To College?
        2. Succeeding In College: The Student Lifestyle
        3. Super-Learning (Metanoia)
        4. Lifelong Learning
        5. Requirements for Effective Learning
        6. The Goal System: Motivation
        7. Planning Effectively
        8. Time Management
        9. Study Environment: Your Desk and Files
        10. Learning Vocabulary
        11. Using the Textbook
        12. Effective Reading for learning
        13. Taking Notes In Class
        14. Memory Aids
        15. Working with Others, Group Dynamics
        16. How to take an exam

  1. WHAT IS INFORMATION?
    1. Why do we need it?
    2. How do we use it?

  2. DECISION MAKING, PROBLEM SOLVING
    1. Decision making
    2. Problem solving
      1. Defining the issue
        1. Questions to ask
          1. Why do I have to do anything?
          2. Why is a decision necessary?
          3. What is / is not the problem?
          4. What is / could be / should be happening?
      2. Clarifying your purpose
        1. Avoid tunnel vision
        2. Define your purpose as broadly as possible to allow for more possible solutions
      3. Setting criteria
        1. What do you want to...
          1. achieve?
          2. preserve?
          3. avoid?
      4. Establishing priorities
        1. What are your absolute requirements?
        2. Rank your desirable objectives from 10 (maximum importance) to 1
      5. The Search for solutions
        1. The need for information
        2. Problem-solving methods
        3. Thinking "outside the box"
        4. Systems thinking
        5. Synthesizing information
        6. Metanoia & mind-shift
        7. Brainstorming
      6. Testing the Alternatives
        1. The possible need for more information
        2. Rate each alternative against each criterion
        3. Thinking "outside the box"
        4. Seek ways to combine characteristics of several alternatives to create a better solution.
      7. Troubleshooting
        1. List possible problems
        2. Rank the likelihood of each occurring
        3. List preventive actions to take

  3. DEALING WITH INFORMATION
    1. Establish a need
    2. Understand your purpose
    3. Narrow the topic
    4. "Cycling" and "soaking," the immense value of the literature review

  4. EVALUATING INFORMATION
    1. The need to evaluate
    2. Evaluating materials--Differentiating good from bad information
    3. Evaluating online resources
    4. Evaluating other sources of information

  5. THE SCIENTIFIC/ANALYTICAL METHOD
    1. How to solve any problem

  6. SYNTHESIZING
    1. Combining alternatives
    2. The Quaker approach to decisions
    3. 3-sigma thinking tools
    4. Mind mapping
    5. Mind shift

  7. CRITICAL THINKING
    1. What is it?
    2. Characteristics of critical thinking
    3. How do you do it?
      1. Think in Different Terms
    4. What are the mistakes to avoid?
    6. What is critical thinking?
    7. Why we don't think straight (Sutherland)
    8. Sure-fire Ways to Spot Bogus Information
    9. Evaluating the Quality of Web Sites
    10. How to Solve Any Problem: The Scientific Method
    11. What is critical thinking?
    12. Teaching Critical Thinking
    13. Defining Critical Thinking
    14. Criteria for Critical Thinking
    15. Good thinker vs. poor thinker
    16. Characteristics of critical thinkers
    17. Logical Fallacies in thinking
    18. Humorous Example of Fallacious Thinking
    19. Strategies for Critical Thinking
    20. A Hidden Reality --example of need for critical thinking
    21. Out of Control --another example of the need for critical thinking
    22. Self-Deception
    23. Debunking
    24. Checklist for thinking about an issue
    25. How to Ask a Question
    26. Dissent, Civil Disobedience, Other Ramifications of Critical Thinking
    27. Alternate News Sources to Help in Critical Thinking

  • THE 7 LEVELS OF CHANGE/THINKING
    1. Doing the right things (effectiveness)
    2. Doing the right things right (efficiency)
    3. Doing things better (improving)
    4. Doing away with things (cutting)
    5. Doing things other people do (copying)
    6. Doing things no one else is doing (different)
    7. Doing things that can't be done (impossible)

  • SYSTEMS THINKING
    1. Metanoia
    2. Systems Thinking (Fifth Discipine)

  • INNOVATIVE THINKING "OUTSIDE THE BOX"
    1. Transform yourself through thinking
    2. The search for a meaningful life
    3. Why people don't think
    4. Improving your thinking abilities
    5. Become a critical thinker
    6. Learning to live creatively
    7. Eliminating constraints
    8. Success is a habit

  • WORKING IN GROUPS
    1. The value of working in teams
    2. Group dynamics
    3. Cooperative learning
    4. Tips and tricks

  • EDITING FOR CLARITY

  • ETHICS & COPYRIGHT LAW
    1. Definitions of information, knowledge, data, facts, etc.
    2. Ethics of Information
    3. Theories of Information Storage and Retrieval
    4. Theories of Information Organization
    5. Theories of Information Dissemination

  • Course Post-test
    1. INTRODUCTION TO SOURCES OF INFORMATION
      1. Library
      2. Online
      3. Other Sources

    2. SEARCH STRATEGIES & TYPES OF INFORMATION
      1. Introduction to information organization
        1. How information is generated
        2. Academic disciplines and fields of study
        3. Guides to research
        4. Channels of information dissemination
          1. Academic/scholarly
          2. Popular
      2. Question analysis; how to ask a question
      3. Research strategy
      4. Evaluation of materials

    3. THE RESEARCH PROCESS
      1. An overview of the process
      2. Strategy
      3. Keeping track of what's been done
      4. Topic selection
        1. Analysis of information needs
        2. Evaluation of information sources
      5. Paradigms and models for research papers
      6. Managing research results
        1. Control of research records
        2. Copyright laws
        3. Documentation
      7. When are you finished?

    4. RECORDING INFORMATION
      1. The necessity of recording
      2. Note taking methods
      3. MLA bibliographic style
        1. MLA Exercises
      4. APA bibliographic style
      5. The Annotated Bibliography
      6. Copyright considerations
      7. Not getting lost

    5. THE RESEARCH PAPER
      1. From research to paper ("soaking in the literature")
      2. The necessity of an outline
      3. Moving information from notes to outline
      4. Creating a coherent whole
      5. The necessity of re-writing

    6. INFORMATION ONLINE
      1. The Internet
      2. E-mail
      3. Listservs
      4. Newsgroups
      5. Chat
      6. Telnet
      7. Gopher
      8. The World Wide Web
        1. How it works
        2. Resources available
        3. Methods for searching
        4. Evaluation of sites and information
        5. Copyright issues

    7. INFORMATION IN THE LIBRARY
      1. Introduction to Libraries
        1. The Value of Knowing the Library
        2. History of books
        3. History of libraries
        4. Purpose of libraries
        5. Types of libraries
        6. Library humor
      2. Introduction to the PAC and ACCD libraries
      3. Basic Library organization & Terminology
      4. Classification Systems and Library Catalogs
        1. Classification systems
        2. Library Catalogs
        3. Call Numbers

    8. REFERENCE MATERIALS
      1. Introduction to using reference materials
      2. Encyclopedias
        1. General encyclopedias
        2. Specialized subject encyclopedias
      3. Indexes and abstracts
        1. Using Print Indexes
        2. Using Electronic Indexes
        3. Using Newspaper Indexes
      4. Bibliographies
      5. Dictionaries
        1. General English language dictionaries
        2. Oxford English Dictionary
        3. Subject and specialized dictionaries
      6. Yearbooks
      7. Manuals & Handbooks
      8. Biographical Sources
      9. Geographical sources
      10. Almanacs & Directories
      11. Government Documents
      12. Subject reference sources
        1. Social Sciences
        2. Humanities
        3. Literature and Poetry
        4. Mathematics and Sciences

    9. OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION
      1. Original research
      2. Authorities
      3. Circles of knowledge (intranets)

    10. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
      1. Organizing your notes
      2. Keeping up with the news
        1. Developing your own sources of information
      3. "Information Management", article by Sandra Kerka in ERIC archives
      4. Tips and tricks
      5. How to automate your life

    11. COMMUNICATING INFORMATION
      1. Legal considerations
      2. Effectiveness considerations
      3. Written communication
        1. The MLA style paper
        2. The APA style paper
        3. Other considerations
      4. Web presentations
      5. PowerPoint presentations
      6. Other forms of communications
        1. Improving your writing
        2. The Book Review
        3. The Critical Essay
        4. The Synopsis
        5. The Annotation

    Concatenation of course elements (professor's reference)


    line of books

    Please send comments to: Colby Glass, MLIS

    You are visitor to this page!
    FastCounter by LinkExchange
    Ozuna LRC | Information Studies | Philosophy On The Web | Palo Alto College marble divider