Foundations of Information Science

It is critical that you carefully read and think about the assigned readings. In order to help you do that, and to demonstrate to me that you are doing that, you will keep a reading journal. Writing regularly in this journal should help you synthesize and remember the material and be better prepared for class (and the exams).

You are expected to post entries for each of the assigned readings. If there are two readings due on the same day, you will create two separate blog entries. If a reading is split into parts and assigned for different days, you will create entries for each part.

Your journal entries are due at 11AM on the date the readings have been assigned. You will not receive credit for late blog entries, so it is imperative that you carefully schedule your time.

You will create your journal entries in Piazza, the discussion forum we are using with this class. (See this post for more details about how to use Piazza post your entries.)

On three occasions, you will create meta-reflections. To construct a meta-reflection, you should look back over all your journal entries for the period, think about them and write a short reflection upon them. One good way to do this is to note particular statements that you find interesting or meaningful as you re-read your old entries. Then, write about why you selected these or what you found interesting or meaningful about them. Also think about how your thinking has changed since your wrote the original entry and how what you have learned during the unit connects to your own life experiences.

Frequently asked questions:

How do I post journal entries?

You will post your journal entries in Piazza, the discussion forum we are using with this class. See this post for more details about how to use Piazza post your entries.

How many journal entries should I create?

Create one journal entry per assigned reading. Your first entry should be for the reading assigned for August 22.

How much do my journal entries count towards my final grade?

In total, your journal entries are worth 14% of your grade (so if there were 28 journal entries each one would be worth 0.5%). Each of the three meta-reflections is worth 2% of your grade. So, your journal entries plus the three meta-reflections together are 20% of your grade.

When are my journal entries due?

Journal entries are due at 11AM on the date for which the assigned reading is due. Late journal entries will not be evaluated.

How long should my journal entries be?

Each entry should be one paragraph long. A paragraph is about six sentences and should be no more than 200 words long. It should express precisely one idea, stated clearly in its key sentence. The other five sentences should elaborate upon or support that idea. Writing a paragraph should take you about 27 minutes. If you are feeling particularly inspired, you may write two paragraphs, but under no circumstances should you write more than 400 words.

How long should my meta-reflections be?

Four to six paragraphs (800 to 1200 words).

What should I say?

Your journal entries should express your own ideas about the content of the readings. Get to the point and remember that I have read all of these readings so I will be familiar with the material. Don’t provide me with a summary of what you read. I am not interested in summary; I am more interested in your ideas related to the reading. These ideas might include connections you see between these readings and (1) prior readings and class discussion, (2) your personal experiences, (3) anything you’ve learned in other courses you have taken; questions you have about the readings and/or points of confusion; things you’d like to learn more about in the future; reflections about how the readings changed your ideas about information science.

How will my journal entries and meta-reflections be evaluated?

They will be evaluated based on their clarity, depth and thoughtfulness. I will look for evidence of learning, including integration of the readings with prior course content and personal experience.

How will I know if what I have done is sufficient?

The first grading period will be a time for you to receive feedback about your entries and make adjustments.

Look back over your journal entries from August 20 to September 24, think about them and write a short reflection upon them. One good way to do this is to note particular statements that you find interesting or meaningful as you re-read your old entries. Then, write about why you selected these or what you found interesting or meaningful about them. Also think about how your thinking has changed since your wrote the original entry and how what you have learned during the unit connects to your own life experiences.

Your meta-reflection should be four to six paragraphs (800 to 1200 words) long and posted on Piazza. You may post privately or anonymously.

The first midterm will be given in class and will cover material from August 20 to September 24. If you anticipate a problem with taking these exam on this date, then you need to let me know as soon as possible. If you are ill on the exam day, then you need to email or call me at least two hours before the exam starts. You will need to provide a medical excuse before you can make-up the exam.

IMPORTANT: Read about taking tests on Sakai before coming to take the midterm.

Look back over your journal entries from September 26 to October 29, think about them and write a short reflection upon them. One good way to do this is to note particular statements that you find interesting or meaningful as you re-read your old entries. Then, write about why you selected these or what you found interesting or meaningful about them. Also think about how your thinking has changed since your wrote the original entry and how what you have learned during the unit connects to your own life experiences.

Your meta-reflection should be four to six paragraphs (800 to 1200 words) long and posted on Piazza. You may post privately or anonymously.

The second midterm will be given in class and will cover material from September 26 to October 29. If you anticipate a problem with taking these exam on this date, then you need to let me know as soon as possible. If you are ill on the exam day, then you need to email or call me at least two hours before the exam starts. You will need to provide a medical excuse before you can make-up the exam.

IMPORTANT: Read about taking tests on Sakai before coming to take the midterm.

Look back over your journal entries from October 31 to November 26, think about them and write a short reflection upon them. One good way to do this is to note particular statements that you find interesting or meaningful as you re-read your old entries. Then, write about why you selected these or what you found interesting or meaningful about them. Also think about how your thinking has changed since your wrote the original entry and how what you have learned during the unit connects to your own life experiences.

Your meta-reflection should be four to six paragraphs (800 to 1200 words) long and posted on Piazza. You may post privately or anonymously.

The final exam is due 24 hours after you download it, or at 3PM sharp on Tuesday, December 10, whichever comes first. Note that when you download the exam, the download time is recorded, so it is easy to check whether you have kept the exam longer than 24 hours. So don’t download it until you are ready to start working on it!

Download the exam as a Word file. Don’t forget to put your name in the header. After completing the exam, you may email it to me or zip it and submit it via the link below.