Course Syllabus
LS 101 Introduction to Basic Research #4002| Fall 2014 | Meets fully online | 2 credits
Instructor: Heather Gillanders, Librarian
Office: Library, building 7
Email: hgillanders@tacomacc.edu (or through Canvas)
Virtual Office Hours: Tuesdays 9-10 a.m.
Phone: 253-566-5102
Course Overview
Welcome to LS 101! I am excited to be your instructor for this class. During this quarter, we will
explore several strategies you can use when performing research. This course will prepare you
with research strategies to use in English 101, as well as in other college courses requiring
library research. In fact, the benefits of taking LS 101 extend beyond your time here at TCC.
Together we will practice strategies for finding and evaluating information to decide if it’s
appropriate to use in an academic setting, and then work towards incorporating information
into your research papers. You can expect to learn some librarian “tricks of the trade” that will
come in handy for academic assignments, but also for research in your personal life.
Contact Information and Communication
The best method to contact me is by email. My email address listed above is my primary email
which you are free to use, though the internal email feature within Canvas is likely what you
will find most convenient. If you email me on a non-holiday weekday (M-F), I will respond to
you within 24 hours. If you email me during the weekend or on a holiday, I will respond to you
on the next day that the campus is open.
I have a virtual office hour I have a virtual office hour on Tuesdays from 9-10 a.m. During this
time, I will be online monitoring my emails (both the Canvas email, as well as my TCC email
listed above). I will promptly reply to any emails sent during this hour, so we can treat that like
a “chat” if that works best for you. Also I tend to be more informal, so you are welcome to
address me as Heather.
You can also make an appointment with me to meet via e-mail or in person at another time, if
the office hour does not work for you.
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Textbooks and Technology Requirements
There are no books to buy for this course. All reading materials (or video or listening
materials) will come free from the Web and can be accessed through your Canvas page. You
will be turning in all your assignments through Canvas, so there is no need to print them. You
might spend up to $10 for printouts, if you choose to print out the lectures, assignments or
other materials for your own reference.
You will need to have access to a computer with the Internet and have the ability to watch
videos on the Internet. You will also need a word processing application, such as Microsoft
Word.
If you will be using TCC computers, know that there are many available in the Library (bldg. 7)
and the Information Commons (bldg. 16, open Saturdays as well as weekdays) that are
equipped with the software and resources you will need to successfully complete this course.
Learning Outcomes
TCC has developed Degree Learning Outcomes that we expect every degree recipient to meet. These
can be found at: http://www.tacomacc.edu/catalog/12-13catalog/degree-learning-outcomes.htm.
Additionally, the Library has developed Program Learning Outcomes that we want all students to have
achieved upon graduation from TCC. These outcomes are:
1. Articulate the role of research and describe the collections and services of an academic
library
2. Strategically and iteratively use a variety of methods and media to identify, access, and
retrieve information
3. Use standard and discipline-based strategies to evaluate the quality and
appropriateness of resources
4. Use information ethically by properly citing sources
5. Synthesize new information with current understanding and experience to
communicate: expansion of their knowledge, acquired insight, or the creation of
something new
The outcomes for this course are designed to align with the Library’s broader Program Learning
Outcomes. Here are the specific outcomes for students who complete this course:
1. Follow a plan for finding information using a variety of electronic and print tools
2. Generate research questions and create a thesis based on the analysis of resources
3. Demonstrate basic use of electronic search strategies, such as Boolean operators and
phrase searching
4. Describe the standard criteria that qualify information sources as appropriate to use in
academic research projects
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5. Describe and collect the elements necessary for a citation in a standard style
6. Incorporate information from research into a written product, using standard academic
English
7. Identify and explain the differences between major types of information resources (e.g.,
books, lay periodicals, scholarly journals, wikis, etc.)
Attendance and Participation
This is a fully online class. It is not a self-paced class. Each week, you will engage in a combination of
lectures, readings and videos within Canvas modules. At times you will be asked to participate by
commenting on an online discussion board in Canvas. Your participation will also include completing all
assignments on time.
Expectations
What I expect of you:
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Turn in all assignments on time (Worksheets due Sundays)
Engage with the assignments thoughtfully and thoroughly
Avoid using ANY KIND of text-speak! I expect you to write in full, complete sentences
Check in on this classroom at least twice weekly (preferably more often!)
Plan to spend about 4-6 hours per week working on assignments and material for this
class
Frequent communication! This includes reading the comments I leave for you on your
graded assignments. Please keep in touch with me. Let me know (over email, by phone,
or in person) ahead of time if you’re having trouble or if life is getting in the way of your
ability to complete assignments on time.
What you can expect of me:
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Responses to your email messages within 24 hours (Monday – Friday)
Weekly assignments posted/opened every Monday, so that you’ll have time to
complete them by Sunday of the following week
Feedback on your assignments by the end of the following week from when you turn
them in. For example, if your assignment is due Sunday night, and you turn it in on time,
I will give you feedback by the next Sunday. Late work may take longer to grade.
Availability for one-on-one meetings (in person via or email) about work for this class
Announcements via Canvas about any changes in the schedule or assignments
Clarity! I will try very hard to be clear in my instructions and expectations
Weekly Assignments
There will be five types of assignments in this course: worksheets, short quizzes, informal discussion
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board posts, surveys, and a final essay.
Worksheets: Most weeks, you’ll have two assignments to turn in via Canvas. These assignments
are very practical in nature and generally will be 1-3 page worksheets that will allow you to put
into practice the topic covered that week. While each person’s abilities vary, on average these
worksheets may take twenty minutes to an hour to complete. These assignments are worth 10
points each and will always be due Sundays by 11:59pm. Late work is accepted for these
worksheets, so see my policy on late work below.
Quizzes: In addition to these worksheets, you will have three short quizzes (true or false and/or
multiple choice and fill in the blank questions) over the course of this quarter. These quizzes will
test the skills and knowledge you have gained during the quarter and give you an opportunity
to display what you have learned, while also seeing where you need to improve. All quiz
content will be similar to questions from weekly assignments. In other words, there will be no
surprises or trick questions. Completing them should take no more than 20 minutes. These
quizzes are worth 10-15 points each, you will have over a full week to complete them, and I will
allow you to retake the quizzes once each.
Note: because these quizzes are automatically graded, the due dates given are final and no late
work be accepted unless you have made other arrangements. See my policy on late work below.
Discussion Board Postings: On occasion you will be asked to post to the discussion board in lieu
of a longer worksheet. You will be given a topic and will be asked to write a short, informal
reply as well as replying to another classmate’s posting. It is my hope that you will engage both
with your peers and the course material and will thoughtfully contribute to these discussion
boards. Like the worksheets, these postings will also be due on Sundays by 11:59pm and are
worth 5-10 points each (see grading breakdown).
Note: Because these discussion board postings are aimed at full class participation, you will be
often be required to make a post and reply to a classmate’s post. Therefore, the due dates given
are final and the discussion board will close on the due date. So unless you have made other
arrangements with me beforehand, there is no late work accepted for this format. See my policy
on late work below.
Surveys: There will be two surveys this quarter, a pre-assessment survey at the start of the
quarter, and a post-assessment survey at the end of the quarter. These surveys will help me
and other librarians to improve this course and help us to see what you have learned over the
quarter. The two surveys are anonymous and ungraded, so whether you know the answers or
not doesn’t matter so much. Do your best, complete the surveys and you will be credited with
10 points for each one IF you turn them in on time. They are treated like regular assignments
and are given due dates. The same late work policy that is applied to weekly worksheets applies
also to these surveys. If they are completed on time, you will be given the full 10 points. If you
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turn them in late, deductions will be made, and if you don’t complete them at all, you will get a
zero for the surveys. Specific due dates will be outlined in Canvas.
Final Essay: The final course assignment is a short reflection paper (3 pages total). The
reflection paper is designed to give you space to critically and thoughtfully think about what
you have learned over the quarter, and to articulate what aspects of the class where/are most
meaningful and helpful to you. You will be required to comment on your strengths and
weaknesses, as well as cite specific content from the course to back up your writing. More
details on the final assignment will be posted during finals week. This essay will be due on the
last day of the quarter and there will be absolutely no late work accepted for this final
assignment. You may however, turn it in early, but there will be no exception to the final due
date.
Completing Assignments and Late Work Policy
In an ideal world, everything gets turned in by the due date. But I know our worlds are not
ideal, so I will accept late work. However, to prevent the class from descending into chaos, I will
enforce penalties for late work. If you have a real life emergency, such as a serious illness or
accident, contact me as soon as possible and I will help you set up a plan for turning in your
assignments that also allows time to adjust to unforeseeable, difficult life circumstances. If you
have an emergency and need to turn in an assignment late, you must contact me before the
assignment is due. I am more than happy to do this - I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED - but you must
keep me informed and let me know how we can work together to do this!
For worksheets and surveys, I will automatically deduct 10% off your grade for the first day and
20% off your grade for the second day. After the second day, I will still accept your worksheets
and surveys but will automatically deduct 50% off your grade. If you do not contact me in
advance and simply do not turn in any assignments, you will receive a zero for that assignment.
This late work policy above applies ONLY to weekly worksheets and the first survey. As
mentioned in the assignments section above, quizzes and discussion board postings will open
and close at a certain time; therefore, late work is not permitted for these kinds of assignments.
You will either get points for completing the quizzes and discussion board postings when they
are due, or you won’t receive any points if the work is not completed on time. And again, there
will be no late submissions accepted for the final paper.
There a few positive things to keep in mind with grading:
 You can always turn in work early!
 You can always contact me in advance if you know you will not be able to meet a
deadline and we can work towards a plan that will help you success despite life's
obstacles.
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 The quizzes in this course are short, multiple choice and/or true and false questions, and
the longer assignments in this course should not be terribly time consuming, so if you
check into Canvas frequently and plan ahead, you should be able to turn assignments in
on time and get full points for all the work assigned.
Technology Forgiveness Policy
There are times when our computers crash; our internet providers cut us off; our documents go
missing, or we don’t have up-to-date plugins. If something like this prevents you from turning
in an assignment on time, please let me know right away. I’ll probably give you the full points,
but also expect you to fix the problem and/or find an alternate place to do your work in the
future. I am likely to make some mistakes myself because the Canvas software is constantly
changing, and the TCC Portal is, unfortunately, full of quirks. So, I am hopingyou’ll forgive me as
well and I will certainly extend deadlines if my errors prevent you from completing an
assignment on time.
Accommodations for Disabilities
Students are responsible for all requirements of the class, but the way they meet these requirements
may vary. If you need specific auxiliary aids or services due to a disability, please contact the Access
Services office. They are located in Bldg 7 or can be reached via phone or email: 253-566-5328 or
accesstesting@tacomacc.edu . They will require you to present formal, written documentation of
your disability from an appropriate professional. When this step has been completed, arrangements will
be made for you to receive reasonable auxiliary aids or services. The disability accommodation
documentation prepared by Access Services must be given to me before the accommodation is needed
so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
Additional Help
Chances are if you have a question about course content or an assignment, your classmates will have a
similar question. I have created a Canvas Discussion board where you can post your questions and help
answer your fellow student’s questions too. I will monitor all student questions/comments posted to
Canvas and will jump in with a response if no one in the class knows the answer. I also encourage you to
email me directly with any questions or concerns you have – big or small, day or night! If you need to
know something or just want to know, just ask! I am online daily and will try my best to be attentive and
quick to reply.
With this said, I know some students like to work on everything just a few hours before
everything is due. While that might be okay for you in other classes, this course is set up in such
a way that you should view the lectures, and then move on to apply what was covered in the
assignments. If all of this is left until 10pm Sunday night - and everything is due at 11:59pm you can and should certainly email me, but the odds are I will not be up and will not be able to
help answer your questions unless you contact me in advance! Do us all a favor and plan ahead!
It will reduce stress and will help you to get more from this class and out time together.
Again, if you need help completing assignments on time, please contact me. Do not wait until
you are falling behind to discuss this matter. If you are in danger of falling behind, discuss your
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situation with me as soon as possible. I will be happy to help you figure out a plan that
works.While you should contact me first for clarification on your assignments, you always can
get additional face-to-face help from the folks at the Writing & Tutoring Center for any
coursework. Whatever you do, do not decide to not turn in an assignment simply because you
have not completed it. Get the help you need and do the best you can. You’ll do great!
Academic Dishonesty
As stated in the TCC catalog, "Students are expected to be honest and forthright in their
academic endeavors. Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication or other forms of academic dishonesty
corrupt the learning process and threaten the educational environment for all students." All
assignments submitted will be your own work. I don’t expect that any of you will engage in
plagiarism or other types of cheating, but academic dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for
that assignment. If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism or academic
dishonesty, please come talk with me! You’ll also be learning how to avoid that problem as you
learn how to collect and cite information in this class.
Grading Breakdown
There are 235 possible points in this class.
Assignments
Weekly worksheets:
Class discussions
Quizzes:
Surveys:
Final paper:
How
Many
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2
3
2
1
Worth
10 points each
1 @ 5pts, 1@10pts
1@10pts, 2@ 15 pts
10 points each
30 points
Points
Possible
130
15
40
20
30
Total
235
Point Grading Scale
A = 235-228
A- =227- 222
B+ = 221-213
B = 212-204
B- = 203-195
C+ =194-186
C = 185-177
C- = 176-168
D+ = 167-159
D = 158-150
E = < 149
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Tentative weekly schedule and distribution of
assignment points (subject to change)
Here’s the tentative schedule of topics and assignments, including points available for each
assignment:
Modules &
Dates
Topics
Module One
Welcome to class!
Monday, Sept. General Information, tutorials & navigating
through Canvas
22nd – Sunday,
th
Sept. 28
Review course syllabus
Module Two
Monday, Sept. Google, Search Terms & Boolean Operators
29th – Sunday,
Oct. 5th
Module Three
Sources Overview, Part 1
Monday, Oct.
6th – Sunday,
Oct. 12th
Different kinds of Sources
for different needs.
Module Four
Sources Overview, Part 2
Monday, Oct.
13th – Sunday,
Oct. 19th
Book sources
Assignments & Quizzes (points)
Assignments are always due by
Sunday Nights 11:59pm unless
otherwise marked
 Introduce yourself (5 pts)
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Pre-assessment survey (10
pts) (due Sept. 29th but
accepted until Oct. 5th)
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Quiz - Syllabus (10 pts)
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Advanced Google
Searching (10 pts)
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Boolean Operators in ASP
(10 pts)
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Gale Virtual Reference
Library & Research
Questions (10 pts)
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CQ Comparing
Databases(10 pts)
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Google books and eBrary
(10 pts)
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Discussion: Battle of the
eBooks (10 pts)
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Quiz 2: Resources & Tools
|opens this week – due by
Oct. 26th (15pts)
Focus on databases
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Module Five
Evaluation, Part 1
Monday, Oct.
20th – Sunday,
Oct 26th
Scholarly vs. popular sources
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Scholarly vs. Popular
Evaluation (10 pts)
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Wikipedia Evaluation (10
pts)
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Quiz 2: Resources & Tools
| opened last week DUE
by Oct. 26th (15pts)
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Website Evaluation (10
pts)
(quiz)
Module Six
Evaluation, Part 2
Monday, Oct.
27th – Sunday,
Nov. 2nd
Using the CRAAP Test when evaluating
Module Seven
Integrating sources, Part 1
Monday, Nov.
3rd – Sunday,
Nov. 9th
Citations, quotes, paraphrasing &
summarizing
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Practice with APA & MLA
citations (10 pts)
Module Eight
Integrating sources, Part 2
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Hamburger Technique of
Writing (10 pts)
Monday, Nov.
10th – Sunday,
Nov. 16th
Integrating information into your writing
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When do I cite? (10 pts)
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Quiz 3: Citations,
Evaluation & Integration –
(15 pts) opens this week
|due by Nov. 23rd
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Main Ideas & Thesis
statements (10 pts)
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Quiz 3: Citations,
Evaluation & Integration
|opened last week DUE by
Nov. 23rd (15pts)
Online sources
&
Understanding Plagiarism
Module Nine
The Writing Process, Part 1
Monday, Nov.
17th – Sunday,
Nov. 23rd
Thoughtful reading
(quiz)
Thesis statements
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Module Ten
The Writing Process, Part 2
Monday, Nov. The research process and planning to write
24th – Sunday,
Nov. 30th
Final: Personal reflection paper
Module Eleven
Monday, Dec.
1st – MONDAY,
Hooray! You’ve made it to the end of the
Dec 8th
course!

Mapping out your
research (10pts )
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Final Reflection Paper
(30pts) (due NO later than
December 8th )
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Post assessment survey
(10pts)
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No submissions accepted
after 11:59pm on Monday,
December 8th
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