JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION LITERACY
PAD 241
COURSE SYLLABUS
Today we are living in the midst of a technological revolution; we now live
in The Information Age. This course provides an introduction to the study of
this world of information. The goals of the course are for students to gain an
understanding of how information is organized, learn how to gather
information, analyze and evaluate its worth, and use it effectively for
research.
What is Information Literacy?
Information literacy is the ability to “recognize when information is needed
and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed
information. Information Literacy is common to all disciplines, to all
learning environments, and to all levels of education. It forms the basis for
lifelong learning." (American Library Association, Presidential Committee
on Information Literacy, Final Report. Chicago: American Library
Association, 1989).
Course Purpose and Goals
Today, information is a commodity readily available in overwhelming
abundance. However, information is only useful if the researcher has the
knowledge and skills necessary to understand and manipulate the
information (s)he comes across. In this course students will learn to use
effective methods and techniques of information gathering, evaluation and
presentation. The knowledge gained in the course will prepare students to
conduct university level research and develop skills necessary for a
successful career. The course will prove valuable to students in many
aspects of their lives and into the future.
Course Objectives
The specific objectives of this course are for students to:
1. Understand the organization of information systems.
2. Locate and retrieve information sources.
3. Learn the best way to use information research and retrieval tools.
4. Develop appropriate and effective search strategies.
5. Recognize appropriate and inappropriate sources.
6. Analyze and critically evaluate information.
7. Organize and synthesize information.
8. Recognize and articulate a research problem.
9. Use and apply information effectively.
10. Convey important information to third parties.
11. Understand and be able to use APA Style.
12. Properly develop a bibliography.
13. Understand the necessary ethical and privacy issues.
14. Understand information’s role to the public administrator.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class meetings as scheduled. Excessive
absence may result in a failing grade for the course. Students will have their
final grade reduced by 10% for each unexcused absence, starting with their
third unexcused absence.
Grading
Grade
A
A–
B+
B
B–
C+
C
C–
F
P
IN
Numerical Value
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
0.0
—
—
v0.5 (1/20/09) Explanation
Outstanding
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Marginal
Non Satisfactory
Poor
Very Poor
Failure
Pass
Incomplete
2 Grading Criteria
Writing exercises and assignments
Midterm Exam
Semester Project – “The Paper Chase”
Final exam
Attendance and participation
20%
20%
20%
30%
10%
Course Website
This course is developed around a website that contains all readings and
assignments. Students should review www.PAD241.com as soon as
possible. This website will be used by students several times a week.
Course Book
There is no textbook for the course. Part of the objectives of this course is to
provide all information to the student free of charge and assessable after
graduation via PAD241.com. Students should obtain the following reference
guide for use in the course and throughout your education at John Jay
College:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Latest
Edition. Available at the John Jay bookstore.
Writing Exercises and Assignments
Writing exercises and assignments of varying lengths are an integral part of
this course. These assignments allow for revision based on feedback from
the instructor and peers.
used for a research paper or project. The Paper Chase will demonstrate the
mastery of the material covered in the course. The Paper Chase project
should allow the instructor to follow a student’s research path for a preselected public administration research question. It is a map to track all of
the student’s research - the processes that worked and those that didn't work.
It is highly recommended that students use a topic from a public
v0.5 (1/20/09) 3 administration course they are currently taking. The topic idea must be
submitted to the instructor for approval.
Final Exam
A final exam, administered during the time scheduled by the Registrar, is
required by the University. The final exam will consist of essays, short
answers and multiple choice.
The John Jay Writing Center
Students in this class are encouraged to visit John Jay’s Writing Center located on the 2nd floor of North Hall - at anytime during semester. Students
should drop in to make appointments, as needed, throughout the semester.
For more information, go to the John Jay Writing Center's website at
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~writing/index.htm
v0.5 (1/20/09) 4 Course Outline:
WEEK 1: Course Introduction
• Orientation & Overview of syllabus
• Introduction - What is Information?: Information Explosion,
Information Overload, Organization and Characteristics of
Information
• Introduction to Information Literacy
WEEK 2: The Computer Age
• Class 1: Evolution of the computer age, the computer as a scholarly
tool, the computer in government and public administration
• Class 2: Ethics, plagiarism and privacy.
WEEK 3: The Library
• Class 1: Tour of the Library
• Class 2: The Library Website
WEEK 4: Introduction to Academic and Public Administration Research
• Class 1: The Research Process - Developing a topic (concept mapping
and other techniques, research design, how to read for information,
formulating an effective research question, using general and subject
encyclopedias)
• Class 2: Developing a search strategy (developing a research plan,
identifying related academic disciplines)
WEEK 5: Academic Research Process & Quality
• Continuation of Week 4 material
• Judging the Quality of Information - Interpretation and Evaluation
Criteria.
v0.5 (1/20/09) 5 WEEK 6: Monographic Information
• Class 1: Library Catalog (Basic & Advanced), Library of Congress
Classification, Library of Congress Subject Headings and Subject
Searching, Other Library Classification Systems, Subject vs. Keyword
Searching
• Class 2: APA Style, Bibliographic Records, Annotated Bibliographies
WEEK 7: Periodical Information & The Information Cycle
• Class 1: The Information Cycle and Review of Taxonomy of
Periodicals (Popular, Trade, Scholarly)
• Class 2: “The Paper Chase” Finding periodicals using John Jay
Library Research Databases
WEEK 8: The Midterm
• Class 1: Midterm Review & Discussion
• Class 2: The Midterm
WEEK 9: Access to Information: The Federal Depository
• Class 1: Group Trip to the Federal Depository
• Class 2: In Class Discussion of Federal Depository
WEEK 10: The Internet
• Class 1: Characteristics of Information on the Internet, Search Engines
and Directories
• Class 2: Evaluating Internet Information
WEEK 11: More on APA
• Class 1: APA Paper Styles
• Class 2: APA Citations and Citation Formats
WEEK 12: Statistics and Experts
• Class 1: Finding & Evaluating Statistical Information
• Class 2: Using Experts & Live Interviews in Research
v0.5 (1/20/09) 6 WEEK 13: Issues of the Information Age
• Class 1: Intellectual Property, Information Policy and Privacy, Access
to Information, Freedom of Information Act, Preservation of the
Human Record
• Class 2: FOIL Project Presentation
Week 14: Public Administration & E-Government)
• Class 1: Information for the Public Administrator
• Class 2: E-Government & MY.Gov
Final Exam: As Scheduled By The Registrar’s Office
* Sections of this syllabus were adopted from the American Library
Association, The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and the
University of Rhode Island.
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