Introduction

Browsers

Newsgroups

Listservs

Indexes

Searches

Evaluating sites

Mass media

Government

Specialized sites

Reference

Glossary

Journalism 222

Using The Internet for Research

Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Eddie Blick
Office
: 152 Keeny Hall
Mailing address
: PO Box 10258, Ruston, LA 71270-0045
Phone
: 318-257-4427
E-mail
: blick@latech.edu

Office hours: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. These times are reserved for drop-in conferences. I will be available at other times, too, but ask me or call the office first.

Text: Find It Online by Alan M. Schlein. (Facts on Demand Press 2004) It is available from the Louisiana Tech Bookstore and should be available from sources such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

Goals and Requirements

     Journalism 222 is designed to prepare you to use the Internet effectively for research in various areas -- especially for journalistic purposes. The course will help you will learn about the kinds of resources that the Internet provides and how to make the best use of them. You will also learn how to evaluate information that you find on the Internet. These skills can be useful to you in other classes, in your personal life and in your profession after you graduate.
     One requirement essential for success in this course is active use of the resources that we will discuss. As is true with many skills, the more you practice, the more proficient you are likely to become.

Objectives

     Students in Journalism 222 will demonstrate the following skills (among others):

  • gathering information from Web sites
  • evaluating information found on Web sites
  • finding listservs and newsgroups relevant to specific topics
  • using directories (indexes) to find information on the Web
  • using search engines to find information on the Web
  • constructing advanced search expressions for search engines

     Journalism 222 is designed to prepare you to use the Internet effectively for research in various areas -- especially for journalistic purposes. The course will help you will learn about the kinds of resources that the Internet provides and how to make the best use of them. You will also learn how to evaluate information that you find on the Internet. These skills can be useful to you in other classes, in your personal life and in your profession after you graduate.
     One requirement essential for success in this course is active use of the resources that we will discuss. As is true with many skills, the more you practice, the more proficient you are likely to become.

Nature of Course Content

     Your work in this course will involve hands-on activity in addition to reading from this Web site and the textbook. Activities are designed to increase your awareness of Internet resources and how to use those resources most effectively, and they will allow you to put into practice what you learn.
     Considering the dynamic nature of the Internet -- and particularly the Web -- I may revise the contents of this course as the quarter progresses. If so, I will send a notice via e-mail. (See Discussion Group below.)

Assessment/Grading

     Students in Journalism 222 will be evaluated on their ability to complete the following tasks (among others):

  • gather information on specified topics from Web sites

  • evaluate information found on specified Web sites

  • locate and use listservs and newsgroups relevant to specified topics

  • use directories (indexes) to find specified information on the Web

  • use search engines to find specified information on the Web

  • construct specified advanced search expressions for search engines

     You will be evaluated on two examinations and a group of assignments. Each exam will count one-third of your final grade, as will your average on the group of assignments. Letter grades will be assigned to your final numerical average on the following scale:

A

90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 0-59

Reading Assignments

     You should use your textbook as a supplement to the material on this Web site. Not everything in the book applies to this course. Where material is relevant I will indicate a reading assignment for a particular topic. The assignment will usually appear at the top of the first page of the section to which it applies. 

Homework

     Homework will be posted on pages on this Web site. You will return completed assignments via e-mail. Look for the "Homework" link in the navigation bar for each section. When you are ready for your assignment, go to that link. When you have completed the assignment, e-mail it to me. Unless otherwise indicated, partial submissions of assignments will not be accepted. You will lose points for incomplete portions of homework. Send homework only in the body of e-mail messages. Do not send attachments.
     Keep a copy of each homework assignment. If your submission does not reach me, you will need to send it again.

Examinations

     Exams will be handled by e-mail. Notify me when you are ready, and I will send you your questions. The first exam will cover the first six sections of the course as indicated in the course outline. When you are ready for that exam, use the e-mail link above to contact me. Ask me to send you questions for Exam 1. Similarly, when you are ready for questions on the second half of the course, use the e-mail link to ask me to send you Exam 2.
     No time limit is specified for exams. The only time restriction is the deadline for delivering your answers to me.
     Exams are open-book on the honor system. You may use your textbook and resources on the Internet, but you may not receive help from another person.

Schedule

     One advantage of a Web-based course is its flexibility. You don't have to be in a specific place at a specific time to take it. That flexibility has limits, though. Homework and exams must be submitted by the deadlines listed in the course outline. Late submissions will be penalized. No homework will be accepted more than two weeks after the specified deadline.

Discussion Group

     At the beginning of the quarter I will create an e-mail discussion group for this course. It will allow me to make announcements to all of you, and in turn you can post questions or comments to me or to the other students in the class. You will receive instructions on how to participate in the group.

Return of Graded Material

     I normally try to grade homework assignments within one working day of the time I receive them. Thus, if I receive your completed assignment on Tuesday, for example, I will try to reply to you with your grade and relevant comments by Wednesday. Occasionally the process may take longer if I receive a lot of submissions at the same time or if I have other duties related to my job that demand my time and attention. Replies to exams will take longer because they have more content to grade. I do not usually check my e-mail on weekends, so if you send something that arrives after 5 p.m. Friday I probably will not see it until Monday morning.