Instructor: Ingrid Hsieh-Yee
Professor, SLIS, Catholic U. of America
Office: 240 Marist Hall
Phone: (202) 319-6270
Email: hsiehyee@cua.edu

• Introduce students to a range of Internet search tools and provide them with a framework for analyzing the tools.
  
• Prepare students to become skilled searchers on the Web.
  
• Develop students’ ability to evaluate Web resources.
  
• Introduce students to information architecture and its applications, including web site analysis and design.
  
• Prepare students to create web sites with HTML and Dynamic HTML.
• Give students experience with HTML editing tools such as Netscape Composer and Dreamweaver.
  
• Help students understand challenges posed by the changing information environment to information professionals.
  

• Project A: Analysis of search tools (15 points)

Each student will use the framework for tool analysis to examine selected search tools and report on their similarities and differences. Project A description will be distributed on Day 2. Project A is due on Sept. 28, 2005.

• Project B: Web site analysis (25 points)

Each student will analyze a web site for its structure and contents and present recommendations for improvement. This project includes an eight minute presentation. Project topics must be approved by the instructor. See Project B description for details. Project B reports are due on Nov. 9.

• Project C: Web page/site creation (35 points). 

Students will form two person teams for this project. Depending on each team's Web experience and interest, students may choose to 1) design a web site on a selected subject, 2) redesign an existing web site, or 3) create a web site for a digital collection. This project includes a ten-minute presentation. Project topics must be approved by the instructor. Because this project can be quite complex, students should identify topics for this project by Oct. 26, 2005. See Project C description for details. Project C reports and presentations are due on Dec. 14, 2005.

• Exercises (15 points): Three exercises are designed for students to practice creating Web pages, using HTML and JavaScripts. The exercises are due on the dates specified and students should be prepared for class discussion. These are pass/fail exercises. No late exercises will be accepted. Students will lose five points for each fail exercise and each exercise not turned in on time.
  

• Class participation (10 points)

This course includes many discussions and in-class practices. Students should be prepared to do exercises in class and actively participate in class discussion.

Academic Integrity
The Catholic University of America has clear policies on “Academic Dishonesty” (http://policies.cua.edu/view_policy.cfm?pol=524) and “Unethical Practices”  (http://policies.cua.edu/view_policy.cfm?pol=516) and all students are responsible for adhering to these policies. Failure to observe these rules may result in a grade of F (Failure) for the course or expulsion from the university. Students should keep these policies in mind as they pursue advanced study at the Catholic University of America. If you have questions about these policies, please consult your instructor.

Castro, Elizabeth. 2003. HTML for the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide. 5th ed. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.
 
Rosenfeld, Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville. 2002. Information Architecture for the World Wide Web. 2nd ed. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly & Associates, Inc. 

8/31   Course introduction; Internet, users, and information professionals

Lawrence, Steve, & Giles, C. Lee. 1998. "Searching the World Wide Web." Science 280, no. 5360: 98-100. Posted on Blackboard.  Answers to key questions posted as "How big is the Web? How much of the Web do the search engines index? How up to date are the search engines?" are available online at URL = http://www.cs.biu.ac.il/home/search/studies/lawrence.htm 

Pack, Thomas. 2001. "Getting vertical to cut research time." Online 25, no. 25, 44-48. (full-text available on WilsonWeb)

Price, Gary. 2001. "Web search engines FAQs: Questions, answers, and issues."  URL =
http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/oct01/price.htm

Two good reference sites for information on search engines:
Notess, Greg. 2005. "Search engine showdown: The users' guide to Web searching." URL = http://www.notess.com/search/

"Search Engine Watch Site Map." 2005. URL = http://www.searchenginewatch.com/sitemap/article.php/2148801

9/14  Search engine architecture & search strategies; Subject guides, portals, databases, OPACs, digital libraries

Online IR system evaluation: online databases versus Web search engines. By Hong (Iris) Xie. 2004. Online Information Review 28 (3): 211-219.  Posted on Blackboard.

9/21  Metaengine and specialized search engines
         Search strategies

9/28    Evaluation of Web resources: content and structure;
           Information architecture (1): Principles of information organization & IA components        
           Project A due          

Nielsen, Jakob. 1996." Top ten mistakes in web design." URL = http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html

Nielsen, Jakob. 1999. "Ten good deeds in web design." URL =  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/991003.html

Frederickson-Mele, K., Michael D. Levi and Frederick G. Conrad. 1997. "Evaluating Web site structure: a set of techniques." URL = http://stats.bls.gov/ore/htm_papers/st970070.htm

Nielsen, Jakob. 2000. "Why you only need to test with 5 users." URL =  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html

"Research-based Web design & usability guidelines." URL = http://www.usability.gov/guidelines/index.html

11/2    ASIST Conference. No class.        

11/9   Project B reports due
          Project B presentations
          HTML (3) Tables: Examples & practice         

11/23   Thanksgiving