Dixie State College of Utah
Val A. Browning Library

LIB 1010 (*IL)
INFORMATION LITERACY

SYLLABUS: Spring 2008

LIB 1010 modules, quizzes, and assignments will not be available to you until the beginning of Spring Semester: January 7, 2008. However, once you have access to Blackboard Vista, the modules and quizzes are available to you, and you may read and work ahead. There are important deadlines within LIB 1010. Read this Syllabus and the included schedule carefully.

Accessing the Course: The basic format of the course is online. This means that all teaching and learning activities, including learning modules, quizzes, exams, and communication with your instructor can take place in a Web-based environment. Specifically, LIB 1010 is housed within courseware called Blackboard Vista. This courseware houses LIB 1010 as well as other DSC classes.

Several options are available to access Blackboard Vista, and students do not need to be on campus to access Vista:

• The library home page (http://library.dixie.edu) has a direct link to the Blackboard Vista log in page under Information Literacy
• The Dixie State College Web site (http://www.dixie.edu) has a link to Blackboard Vista at the bottom of the page (scroll down).

Communication: It is extremely important that you regularly check your Blackboard Vista mail and announcements. There are various reasons your instructor may need to contact you, and these are the venues s/he will use. We need to know how best to contact you, and you need to regularly check the mail and announcements in this course. When you log on to Vista, you will see icons below the course link if there is new mail, announcements, or discussion messages awaiting your attention. Take the time to read these! It is important for your success in this class. Also, now would be a really good time to send a Blackboard Vista mail (not regular email) message to your instructor including your current contact information (telephone, email, etc.).

Username and Password: To log in to Vista, a student needs to know his/her Campus Username, which is not your Banner ID number. Your Campus Username, which is also your Rebelmail name and your log in at campus computer labs, is your Vista Username. Your Vista password is the same as your PIN in Banner. You can look up your Campus Username and Banner PIN at https://bannersec.dixie.edu/proddad/dscidlkup.P_Dispdscidlkup.The library Reference Desk or any campus computer lab can also help you find your Campus Username and password.

Getting Started: First, send a Blackboard Vista mail message to your instructors. Please include your current email address and telephone number in this Vista mail message. To send Blackboard Vista mail, click on the "Envelope" icon, then "Browse for Recipients", and select "All Instructors," which will send the message to the instructors listed for your section. Do not use your instructor's email address in Vista mail!

Then, finish the Syllabus Quiz based on this Syllabus no later than Thursday, January 10, 2008, at 11:59 p.m.

A Syllabus Quiz Make Up containing additional questions will be available from January 11 until January 24, 2008, at 11:59 p.m. If you do not take the Syllabus Quiz by that date, you are seriously delinquent in this class, are in jeopardy of failing the course, and may be administratively withdrawn from the course.

Staying current is vitally important. Take the time now to print the course schedule found at the end of this Syllabus and enter the deadline dates into your personal calendar, either in print or electronic format.

Instructors: Librarians teach sections of LIB 1010. Instructors of this course are professional librarians, individuals trained through graduate study to deal with a complex information environment and help others navigate this complicated terrain. The specific instructor for each section is listed within Blackboard Vista and in an online directory. Information about your instructor is available by clicking “Instructor Information” in your LIB 1010 course site.

Your individual instructor is available to assist you in various ways: in online discussions, using email, by telephone, and during office hours in-person or via online chat. Students can also make an appointment with an instructor for a face-to-face meeting or an online chat. But even more assistance is available.

Getting Assistance: Along with individual instructors, professional librarians are available at the Reference Desk in the Val A. Browning Library on campus. All college librarians are prepared to assist you with any questions or problems you may have in LIB 1010, but you may be asked to contact your individual instructor using the “Mail” feature within Vista, which is the best way of contacting your instructor. If you are confused about any part of LIB 1010 (course content, policies, deadlines, etc.), contact your instructor or come to the Reference Desk.

During Spring Semester the Reference Desk hours are

Consult the calendar in Vista to find specific dates when Reference Desk hours are different.

Current Browning Library hours and closure dates are available online but are generally

Please make note of the section of LIB 1010 in which you are enrolled. This will enable instructors and librarians to help you more efficiently. The section number can be found on your registration and also in the Vista in several places. Example: LIB 1010-40. “40” is the section number. Please note your section number.

Face-to-Face Instruction Sessions: Many students learn better from a live person than a computer screen. To assist these students, seven (7) face-to-face, hands-on instruction sessions will be held each week so students can get personalized assistance from a librarian. Before the one-hour session, students must read the module text for the quiz they will be completing. Instructors will assist, but will assume you have already read the text.

Each session is limited to the first 25 students who arrive. All sessions are held in LIB 121.

Course Description: This course introduces students to college-level research and fulfills the General Education requirement for information literacy. After successfully completing this course, students have met the Association of College and Research Libraries basic "Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education." Specifically, students will be able to determine the extent of information needed; access the needed information effectively and efficiently; evaluate information and its sources critically; incorporate selected information into one's knowledge base; use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose; understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information; and access and use information ethically and legally. This competency-based class is graded Pass/Fail and is taught in an online format.

LIB 1010 is designed to help students. Specifically, this course is meant to assist students toward greater achievement in all their college courses through the effective use of information. Although the course requires work, the knowledge gained will save students time in the long run by informing them of resources, techniques, and services that will increase their educational accomplishments. Instructors in other classes will assume students have completed this class once they have finished ENGL 1010, and faculty will hold students responsible for understanding the information contained in it. LIB 1010 is a pre-/co-requisite with ENGL 1010 and 2010, and the information in LIB 1010 is essential to completing those and other college courses.

The course is not designed to be overly difficult, but a certain amount of time and effort will be required to read and study the modules and pass the quizzes and final exam. A one-credit course in college does not equate to one hour of work per week. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Dixie State College’s accrediting body, requires a standard 45 hours of work for each semester credit (http://www.nwccu.org/Standards%20and%20Policies/Standard%202/Standard%20Two.htm). This means a one-credit class should take at least 45 hours to complete (and a three-credit class should require a minimum of 135 hours). Staying on schedule is the most important thing you can do to ensure your success in this class.

Although the course may take slightly less or more time to successfully complete based on your own experience and abilities, DSC is strongly committed to maintaining this standard for all courses, including online classes. Therefore, you should expect to spend approximately 2 - 3 hours each week completing LIB 1010 modules, assignments, and quizzes. This is time well spent beyond just this class, however, because of the impact of the skills taught in LIB 1010 on many other college courses.

Additionally, LIB 1010 is designed to show students how to be responsible, meet deadlines, and work and learn in an online environment. These are essential skills both in college and in one's life. This course is designed to be practical and enhance a student’s learning during the college experience. This is an online course and, as such, has no specific meeting times.

How to Be Successful in LIB 1010:

1. Stay on schedule
2. If you get behind, work diligently to get back on track quickly. Being behind will cause you extra work and puts you in the position of potentially failing the course every week.
3. Read all module texts (Don't just look for the answers to quiz questions. You will not understand the concepts by doing this.). Read the texts before taking the quizzes, and use the module Review Outlines for taking notes.
4. Do all quizzes honestly -- without assistance from friends and without looking up answers at first. If you need help, seek out your instructor online or come to the library Reference Desk.
5. Ask questions of your instructor or reference librarians as needed. (Often a seemingly complex topic can be explained in a few minutes during a face-to-face meeting or an online chat.)
6. Review incorrect answers and look up the correct answers
7. Before taking the Final Exam, print the Final Exam Review Outline
8. Write down with a pen or pencil a brief explanation about each topic on the review outline (Pretend you are explaining the concept to someone not in the class.)
9. Look up those topics you don’t know enough about
10. Take the practice tests without looking up the answers
11. Look up the answers to the incorrect questions on the practice tests
12. Contact your instructor or the librarian at the Reference Desk with questions
13. Read each question and answer in the Final Exam carefully
14. Take your time during the exam and check your answers before submitting the attempt
15. Don't change answers unless you have misread the question or answer

To be successful at the final exam, you should read all the modules and pay special attention to "how to do things."  Do not just search for the answers to the quiz questions. That will not give you a thorough enough understanding of the concepts in the class to enable you to pass the Final Exam, which is NOT open book.

While reading each module, open separate browser windows and follow along as it describes different research tools and processes. If the module or quiz recommends or requires you to go to a web site or database and perform a task, do it.  If there is a concept or definition emphasized in the module, learn it. Ask yourself what three questions might be asked from each module. Although questions relating to the academic research process itself and basic definition questions may be asked, the purpose of the final exam is for students to demonstrate competence in understanding and executing academic research processes. 

General Course Objectives: The general objective of this course is to enable DSC students to become information literate. The specific objectives are based on the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Standards. Successful completion of this course fulfills the DSC General Education Information Literacy requirement, as well as meeting the Utah System of Higher Education standards for information resources, technology research tools, and ethics of information access and use.

Specific Course Objectives: LIB 1010 will assist students in becoming information literate. The information literate student will:

• Recognize and articulate the need for information.
• Understand how information is designed, stored, and organized.
• Identify and select the most appropriate investigative methods of information retrieval systems.
• Develop and implement effective search strategies.
• Identify, locate, and retrieve information.
• Analyze, evaluate, and synthesize the information.
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
• Assess the information seeking process and product.
• Understand many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information.
• Access and use information ethically and legally.

Required Materials: There is no textbook or other materials required for this class. The modules are your textbook. You must have access to a computer with an Internet connection to complete the course modules and quizzes. Students who do not own their own computers may use the facilities at campus computing labs or the library reference area. Printing and keeping the modules will give students a reference for research methodology, resources, and techniques within this course and for use in the future.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course. However, LIB 1010 is a co-/pre-requisite for ENGL 1010, Introduction to Writing, and for ENGL 2010, Intermediate Writing. This means that what students learn in this class will directly affect their abilities to successfully complete research assignments in those and other college courses. LIB 1010, like most college classes, requires substantial reading, so college-level reading skills are important. Remember to take notes and/or use highlighting, outlining, and other active reading techniques. Since this is an online course, basic computer skills are needed.

Course Requirements: Students must complete each module with competence or mastery, shown by scoring at least 80% on a quiz for each module and a minimum of 70% on the Final Exam. In addition, students must complete a course evaluation when they finish all the modules and the final exam.

Although this class has self-paced elements, a deadline date exists for each module. A student must complete a quiz for each module no later than the deadline date for the Make Up Quiz. Students are urged to not wait until the deadline to begin a module. A variety of factors can influence an outcome: connectivity issues, computer problems, or not achieving the required 80% on the quiz. Completing each module in advance of the deadline date will allow students to avoid such problems. If you do get behind, work hard to catch up the following week. Doing the longer "make up" increases the amount of work in the class substantially.

You may, however, work ahead. There is no “start date” for modules; all modules will be available at the beginning of the semester. A student may work as rapidly as he/she likes and complete the course as early as you like.

However, each quiz must be successfully completed before the next quiz is made available, and all quizzes must be successfully completed before scheduling or taking the final exam. Many college classes get more difficult as the semester progresses, and students may be well served to complete LIB 1010 during the first half of the semester. No matter when a student completes the course, the final grade may not be entered until May 5, 2007.

There are 10 modules that consist of the following:

Module text

The information in the module text is the heart of the course. Treat the modules like a textbook.  If you print them, use a highlighter and / or take notes to make review easier. If you would rather read the modules online, take notes, perhaps on the module's Review Outline. Don't be a passive reader or viewer. Read or view the modules BEFORE attempting a quiz. Although you are allowed to return to the modules to locate answers to specific questions during the open book quizzes, your learning and ultimate understanding of the concepts in this class will be enhanced if you read the modules first. Reading the module texts and not just looking up the answers to quiz questions is important in order to pass the Final Exam.

Review outline

A review outline listing the basic topics is available for all modules. Reading the outline before or after the module text can help you determine how well you understand the topics. If there are elements that are confusing, re-read that portion of the module, ask your instructor for clarification, or ask for help at the library Reference Desk. Print the Review Outline for each module and use it to take notes while you read.

Quiz

A quiz consisting of 20 questions is required for each module. The quiz must be completed by the deadline listed in this Syllabus and the course calendar in Vista. If the quiz deadline is missed, a Make Up Quiz that contains 10 additional questions will automatically become available for a period of two weeks. The deadline for the Make Up Quiz is the final deadline for that module. If you want to be successful on the final exam, do your own work! Do not work with others on quizzes.

NOTE: Two-Part Quizzes: Three quizzes (modules 6, 7, and 8 ) include a second portion with extended fill-in questions that require more time than multiple-choice questions. Plan ahead to do these quizzes early as many students need to do a second attempt to pass. These quizzes must be hand-graded by your instructor, so it is very important that you leave yourself enough time to retake the quiz as needed. Also, many students benefit from coming to the library and receiving one-on-one assistance from a librarian or attending a review session for these modules. Check the schedule at the end of this Syllabus for the deadlines for these modules and plan ahead now!

1. No quizzes are available until the Syllabus Quiz has been successfully completed, (80% or better).
2. Quizzes must be taken in order. A quiz does not become available until the previous quiz has been successfully completed (80% or better).
3. There is a deadline for each quiz. Quiz deadlines are always Thursday evenings at 11:59 p.m.
4. You must complete a quiz within 12 hours of starting that attempt. You will not be allowed to enter any more answers after 12 hours expires. Once you click the “Begin Assessment” button, you have started the 12-hour clock. If you do not complete the quiz within the 12-hour period, you must click “Finish” (or “Continue Assessment” and then “Finish”) to allow you to begin another attempt.
5. Students are limited to three (3) attempts for each quiz. You may take a quiz up to three (3) times without penalty. You can view your attempts and see which questions you answered incorrectly. If you are still not close to succeeding after two attempts, you should contact your instructor or the Reference Desk for clarification or instruction on the troublesome questions before you start your third attempt. No extra attempts are allowed. If you don't pass a quiz in three attempts, you will have to wait for the Make Up Quiz to be released on the date listed in the Syllabus. Treat quiz attempts seriously, looking up correct answers to questions you missed.
6. If you require more than one attempt at a quiz, after the first attempt, the order of answers in each quiz may change. This is called "randomizing." Do not simply transfer answers from your first attempt. The answers may be shuffled (not in the same order). Read the answer and make sure it's correct. If you have questions about this or anything else to do with quiz-taking, please come to the Reference Desk.
7. If you miss the Thursday night deadline for an quiz, a make-up quiz will automatically become available to you for two weeks. Make up quizzes contain additional questions and require more work than the initial quizzes. A make up quiz may be completed without penalty anytime during that period, but since a new module is due every week you are encouraged to get back on schedule.
8. Do not wait until the last minute to complete your quizzes. You may not achieve a passing score. You may have computer or Internet problems. You may have to work late. You may get sick or have other last-minute problems.
9. The quizzes in Modules 6, 7, and 8 contain two-part quizzes, including written material, that take more time than other quizzes. Note the deadline dates for these quizzes and plan ahead now!
10. Remember, you are never looking for the "correct" answer in a multiple choice test. You are looking to eliminate any "wrong" or "incorrect" answers and then select the "best" answer. Sometimes in multiple choice tests, there is more than one "correct" answer, but there is a "best" answer.

Grading: This 1-credit course is graded on a Pass / Fail basis.

To pass this course, students must score at least 80% on the syllabus quiz and on each module quiz to demonstrate competence or mastery. A passing score on quizzes is 80/100; on make up and make up quizzes, it is 79.92/100 (which is 80%). A passing score on the Final Exam is 70/100.

The final grade of pass or fail is not computed on an average. Students must pass the syllabus quiz, every module quiz, and the final exam as well as complete the course evaluation to receive a “Pass” grade.

A student can check his/her grades and progress at any time within the “My Grades” tool in Blackboard Vista.

You are responsible for meeting course deadlines, which are strictly enforced. Not successfully completing a module by the make up quiz deadline date may result in failing the course.

Test Out Option: A Test Out Option is available for students who believe they already possess the knowledge and skills to demonstrate college-level information literacy. If you believe you are prepared to take the 50-question Test Out Exam and pass with a competency level of 70% or higher, you may take the Test Out Exam in the DSC Testing Center during the first two weeks of the semester. If you wish to attempt the Test Out Exam, you must take the exam no later than January 18, 2008. No Test Out Exams will be allowed after that date. There is no penalty for attempting the Test Out Exam, and sample questions are available in the Final Exam folder on the main LIB 1010 page in Vista. If you pass the Test Out Exam, no further work is required in the course; you will receive credit for the course and a grade of "P". If you have other questions about the Test Out Option, please come to the library Reference Desk.

Final Examination: A proctored final exam is required in LIB 1010. The final exam is different from the quizzes. A “Final Exam Review Outline” and practice tests will become available once you have successfully completed all modules. More information about the Final Exam can be found in the Final Exam folder on the main LIB 1010 page in Vista.

The Final Exam is different than the other assessments in LIB 1010, and students should approach it differently. The Final Exam is not open book the way the rest of the quizzes are, and there are only two attempts. You are unable to see which questions you answered incorrectly. Remember, you are unable to see which questions you got wrong on the Final Exam; you only receive a grade. The Final Exam is also different than other quizzes because the second exam is different from the first. Some students have found the exams to be progressively harder, so it is not a good plan to take the first exam without studying.

1. The Final Exam is not “open book.” It must be completed using the knowledge and skills you have gained throughout the course without referring to other course materials. A Final Exam Review Outline and Practice Tests will be available to assist you in preparation.
2. You must successfully complete all modules in order to access the Final Exam.
3. From the beginning of the semester until the last day of Final Exam Week, you may take the Final Exam in the Testing Center without an appointment.
4. During the last week of classes, you may also make an appointment to take the exam in the Library classroom. For more information, go to the Final Exam folder in Vista.
5. You MUST have your DSC student ID card to take the Final Exam. If you are enrolled in three credits or less this semester, you will be required to provide a copy of your schedule and a form of picture ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
6. If you are located more than 100 miles away from DSC and are not enrolled in any face-to-face classes, you may arrange to take the Final Exam at a distance. For more information on taking the final exam at a distance, go to the Distance Final Exams site. Do not wait until the last week of classes or the exam period to arrange for your distance exam!
7. Students are encouraged not to wait until the end of the semester to take the Final Exam. Long lines occur at the Testing Center near deadlines, and waiting after you finish the modules usually means forgetting what you have learned. NO Final Exams may be taken after Thursday, May 1, 2008, at 5:00 p.m.
8. Each student is limited to two (2) attempts to successfully complete the Final Exam at 70/100 or above. Each attempt is limited to two (2) hours. The two hours begins at the scheduled time, not when you start the exam, so being on time is important.
9. In order to qualify for a second attempt at the Final exam, you must take your first attempt no later than Thursday, April 24, 2008, 5:00 p.m.
10. If you do not pass your first attempt, you will be required to complete the Final Exam Review Outline and attend an in-person Final Exam Review Session before you will have access to a second Final Exam attempt.

Expectations: For students to succeed in college, mastery of the content of this course is essential. Students are expected to complete the modules, quizzes, and evaluations according to course deadlines. In addition, students are expected to treat classmates and the instructor with respect and use the Blackboard Vista course tools (mail, calendar, discussions, and online chat) only for academic purposes. Since LIB 1010 will impact so many other classes during your college career, students should treat the course seriously and as an opportunity to gain useful skills. Students must check the Vista communications tools (Mail, Announcements, Discussion) at least once each week. Important course information is disseminated using these tools. Look for the green check mark designating new messages every time you log in to Vista. You are responsible for the content of those messages!

Policies: If you haven’t already read the Dixie State College of Utah Student Rights & Responsibilities Code, do so now. It can be found at http://www.dixie.edu/reg/04-05/catalog/stu_activities.htm#Rights.While a DSC student, you are responsible for acting in accordance with these policies.

Non-adherence to any of these policies can result in failing the course and / or other academic sanctions. As members of Dixie State College's academic community, students shall maintain academic ethics and honesty; to this end, prohibited activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Cheating, which includes, but is not limited to, copying from another student's test papers, or plagiarism.
• Using materials during a test not authorized by the person giving the test.
• Collaborating with any other person during a test without authority.
• Knowingly obtaining, using, buying, selling, transporting, or soliciting in whole or in part the contents of any test, without authorization of the appropriate official.
• Bribing any other person to obtain any test.
• Soliciting or receiving unauthorized information about any test.
• Substituting for another student or permitting any other person to substitute for oneself to take a test or complete an assignment.
• Plagiarism, which is the unacknowledged (uncited) use of any other person or group's ideas or work. This includes purchased or borrowed papers.
• Collusion, which is the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit.
• Falsification, which is the intentional and unauthorized altering or inventing of any information or citation in an academic exercise, activity, or record-keeping process.
• Giving, selling, or receiving unauthorized course or test information.

Each student’s understanding of the concepts of this class will impact his/her success in other college courses. Remember, quizzes are included in these rules. These policies can be easily summarized: Do your own work. If you need assistance, contact your instructor or come to the Reference Desk. Do not rely on the work of others or group work. Do not share answers on quizzes (often called "working together"). This is called collusion, and it will impair your ability to successfully pass the final exam.

Although it is possible to circumvent these rules for the quizzes, the Final Exam requires students to demonstrate competence and knowledge in a structured environment without the help of outside materials or other individuals. The best preparation for the Final Exam is to conscientiously complete the modules, read the module texts, use the exercises as practice, and take the quizzes according to the rules.

Disabilities: If you are a student with a documented physical or mental impairment that will substantially limit a major life activity, please contact the Disability Resource Center on the main campus.  The Center Coordinator and staff will assist you in analyzing your eligibility for services.  If you are deemed eligible, reasonable accommodations that are appropriate for your disability will be assigned.  If you have any questions concerning this process, please contact the Center at (435) 652-7516 or go to the Student Services Center, Room 201 of the Edith Whitehead Building.

COURSE SCHEDULE

1. Quizzes must be completed no later than the date listed for each module.
2. If you do not complete a module by the deadline date, the Make Up Quiz will automatically become available for a period of one week.
3. The Syllabus Quiz, a quiz for each module, and the Final Exam must be successfully completed to pass the course. Each element of the course must be successfully completed.

For the best results in this class, DO NOT leave modules and quizzes until just before a deadline date. Any number of problems -- computer, connectivity, or personal issues -- could arise, and procrastination is not a valid excuse for missing a deadline. You are responsible for meeting course deadlines.

Three modules include two-part quizzes. The second portions of these quizzes involves substantial work beyond multiple-choice questions. You are urged to give yourself extra time for Modules 6, 7, and 8, and to seek out help early from the library Reference Desk as needed. Both portions of the quizzes are due by the deadlines listed.

All quiz deadlines are Thursdays at 11:59 p.m. (midnight). The deadlines are also available in the Blackboard Vista calendar. The final exam deadline is Thursday, May 1, 2007, at 5:00 p.m.

A quiz from all modules MUST be successfully completed no later than
Thursday, April 10, 2008, at 11:59 p.m.
All Final Exams MUST be completed no later than
Thursday, May 1, 2008, 5:00 p.m.