The Engaged Intellectual: An Introduction to Research and Academic Work: Fall 2013

Instructor:

June Ahn

School:

iSchool at Maryland

Semester:

Fall 2013

Description:

This is a required, 3-credit course for doctoral students in the College of Information Studies. The course is run as an intensive seminar that is intended for first year PhD students.

In this seminar, students will explore a series of issues that confront academics who work in research universities. The course is an “Introduction to Research”, but the process of research is more than a recipe of rote analytical procedures. Instead, research is intimately linked to one’s beliefs about knowledge, scholarly community, and the impact one wants to make on the world.

In this course, students will examine academic life with a particular focus on what it means to undertake research, teaching, and service. By the conclusion of the course, students will have a better understanding of what tenure-track faculty do and how they work in the academy. Students will also explicate how they intend to structure their own professional careers.

Students will read, analyze, and discuss several issues in this semester. First, students will explore and debate what it means to conduct quality research, write for academic audiences, and contribute knowledge in the academy. Second, students will examine the debates around theory, research quality, and constructions of knowledge. Third, students will consider teaching, service, and their roles as academics in the field of Information Studies. The course will ask students to consider and define their identities as individuals, researchers, and teachers. Students will explicate how they see themselves as developing scholars, both at the present time and in their professional future.

Required Textbook:

Crotty, M. 1998. The Foundations of Social Research.
Graff, G., Birkenstein, C. 2009. They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing, 2nd ed.
O’Meara, K., Terosky, A. L., Neumann, A. 2008. ASHE Higher Education Report, Special Issue: Faculty Careers and Work Lives: A Professional Growth Perspective.
Sword, H. 2012. Stylish Academic Writing.

Link to Syllabus:

http://ischool.umd.edu/sites/default/files/syllabi/INST%20800%20-%20Engaged%20Intellectual%202013.pdf

Intellectual Foundations of Informatics: Summer 2009

Instructor:

Kris Unsworth

School:

University of Washington

Semester:

Summer 2009

Description:

Informatics is the study of information and information technology to meet people’s needs. All these elements are essential – people, information, and information technology – but the magic happens in the interplay among the three.

Required Textbook:

No required textbook.

Link to Syllabus:

http://courses.washington.edu/info200/Su09/Schedule_and_Readings.html

Research Principles & Analysis: Winter 2014

Instructor:

Karyn Moffatt

School:

McGill

Semester:

Winter 2014

Description:

Fundamental aspects of reflective thinking and the methods and techniques of research appropriate to the investigation of library/information problems. Criteria helpful in evaluating published research in library/information studies by analyzing the various steps of the research process, thereby providing guidelines for planning, conducting, and reporting research.

Required Textbook:

Wildemuth, N. M. 2009. Application of social research methods to questions in Information and Library Science.

Link to Syllabus:

http://www.mcgill.ca/sis/files/sis/glis611_2014winter_moffatt_sec002.pdf

Research in Information and Library Science: Spring 2012

Instructor:

Chang Suk Kim

School:

Southern Connecticut

Semester:

Spring 2012

Description:

Fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research methods will be studied. Central research findings and research literature of the field are considered.

Required Textbook:

Leedy, P. D., Ormrod, J. E. 2010. Practical Research: Planning and Design, 9th ed.

Link to Syllabus:

http://www.southernct.edu/ils/uploads/textWidget/wysiwyg/documents/ILS_580-01-Syllabus-Spring_2012-Kim_Chang_Suk.doc

Competitive Intelligence Resources and Strategies: Spring 2014

Instructor:

Claudia Chidester

School:

University of Texas at Austin

Semester:

Spring 2014

Description:

Resources and strategies for market and competitive analysis. Research and analysis of market trends and financial, technical, and cultural strengths and weaknesses of companies. Online, print, and primary research and analytical techniques. Ethics, process, and presentation are emphasized.

Required Textbook:

No required textbook.

Link to Syllabus:

http://courses.ischool.utexas.edu/Chidester_Claudia/2014/Spring/INF382P/index.php (pdf)

Understanding Research: Fall 2014

Instructor:

Yan Zhang

School:

University of Texas at Austin

Semester:

Fall 2014

Description:

Research methods in a variety of information environments; primary and secondary research; research project design; research results interpretation; analysis of published research; techniques supporting research process.

Required Textbook:

Punch, Keith F. 2005. Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, 2nd ed.

Link to Syllabus:

https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/images/webform/ResearchMethods_Fall2014_ForPosting.doc

The Research Enterprise: Fall 2014

Instructor:

Lecia Barker

School:

University of Texas at Austin

Semester:

Fall 2014

Description:

Pursuing a Ph.D. is a commitment to a research career. The Research Enterprise will introduce students to approaches and methods of social research in information studies, types of knowledge and expertise needed, and types of research careers.

Required Textbook:

Blaikie, N. 2009. Designing social research, 2nd ed.
Ridley, D. 2012. The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students, 2nd ed.

Link to Syllabus:

https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/images/webform/INF391D.11_Syllabus_F14_Aug27.pdf

Survey of Information Studies: Fall 2014

Instructor:

James Howison

School:

University of Texas at Austin

Semester:

Fall 2014

Description:

The core of this course is reading, analyzing and discussing academic articles across a broad conceptualization of Information Studies as an intellectual area. The material covered will give you a clear base of familiarity with the major research questions, approaches and genres of Information Studies. As a scholar in Information Studies you will eventually be expected to have extremely deep familiarity with your chosen areas of concentration, but (as we will see) Information Studies is a broad area and a competent Information scholar is able to intelligently appreciate and discuss research with scholars from quite different backgrounds.

Required Textbook:

Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M. 2008. The Craft of Research, 3rd ed.

Link to Syllabus:

https://utexas.instructure.com/courses/1124297/assignments/syllabus

Humanities Sources and Services: Summer 2010

Instructor:

Nancy E. Friedland

School:

Long Island University

Semester:

Summer 2010

Description:

The Humanities as a field of study consists of literature, language, fine arts, architecture, music, performing arts, film, religion and philosophy. This course is intended to be an introduction to the kinds of materials, print, electronic and other non-print, in the humanities that are likely to be used in libraries. Throughout the course, students are given the opportunity to examine print and electronic humanities reference sources. This course also provides insight into the practices, procedures, and problems of humanities libraries.

Required Textbook:

Hock, R. 2010. The Extreme Searcher’s Internet Handbook: a guide for the serious searcher, 3rd ed.
searcher. 3rd ed.
Mann, T. 2005. The Oxford Guide to Library Research.

Link to Syllabus:

http://palmerblog.liu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/LIS-901-Humanities-S10-Friedland.pdf

Great Collections of New York City: Summer 2014

Instructor:

Kyle P. Triplett

School:

Long Island University

Semester:

Summer 2014

Description:

This course introduces students to special collections in a variety of significant research institutions in New York City. It does so through guided visits to repositories where the class will meet curators, see representative examples, and hear from professional staff about issues associated with the institutions visited. In the class sessions and in assignments, students will review trends and issues in special collections. The course is largely experiential and participatory. This class is particularly valuable to those planning to pursue rare book librarianship or curatorial careers in special collections, but would also benefit those interested in research libraries in general. The course will give valuable access and exposure to important New York institutions, while challenging the students to think critically and creatively about the roles of special collections.

Required Textbook:

No required textbook.

Link to Syllabus:

http://palmerblog.liu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/519-Great-Collections-of-NYC-Summer-2014-Triplett.pdf