Course Number: EDLF 589, Fall 2003
Course Credit: One Hour Credit
Course Name: Research Techniques & Scholarship in the Digital Environment
Class Time: 7:00 pm- 8:15 pm, Thursday, Fall 2003
Location: Education Library classroom, Room 302, Ruffner Hall

Instructor:

• Kay Cutler, Information Services Librarian
  Telephone: 434-982-2664
  Email: cutler@virginia.edu
  Office Location: Ruffner Hall, Room 302A in the Education Library
  Office Hours: By chance or appointment
  

Course Goals:

• To familiarize Ph.D. & Ed.D. candidates with the information landscape in the field of education, including resources aimed at researchers, practioners, and the general public
• To introduce them to the various tools, resources, and organizational concepts that will assist them with their research and publishing needs throughout their careers.
• To provide hands-on practice with databases, search engines, and other Internet tools
• To enable students to select, locate, access, organize, retrieve, evaluate, preserve, interprete, and archive information whether it is in print or electronic format
• To build skills and confidence in their abilities to locate information using a variety of tools
• To develop the ability to evaluate information, and to present their findings in intellectual and practical settings
• To familiarize the students with copyright laws, the steps in a literature review, the scholarly research cycle, and publication process in a digital world.

Objectives: Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand how electronic databases are constructed, navigated and maintained and be able to effectively search databases using Boolean operators, correct search strategies and various software tools
2. Be able to evaluate, categorize, and archive the information retrieved from databases
   
3. Navigate the Internet using the World Wide Web in support of research and teaching needs
   
4. Develop informed opinions on issues concerning information provision including copyright
   
5. Become acquainted with the top journals and trade magazines in their field of specialization and understand how they are incorporated into the traditional scholarly publication cycle
   
6. Become acquainted with the library's Digital Centers and Special Collections Department and where they fit into the role of a researcher
   
7. Become acquainted with new technology tools used in research such as bilbiographic text managers and palm devices
8. Be able to perform a literature review of print and electronic resources

Course Requirements

• Attendance
  EDLF 589 focuses on hands-on practice, group discussion, and tours. Consequently, it will be difficult to make up for time missed. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and to participate actively in discussion and activities. Contact the instructor immediately if you will not be able to attend a class. The instructor will make the final decision on a case-by-case basis about the opportunity for make up work and the acceptance of homework that is late. Missing more than 2 hours of the course is grounds for failure.

• Grading:
  Pass/Fail

• Assignments
  
• In-class lab activities
• Outside class assignments such as:
  practicing database techniques, exploring resources, reading articles and providing feedback,etc.
• Classroom discussion - active, informed, and constructive contributions are expected
• Students will work with a partner or small group to create a culminating project and presentation