Catholic University of America
Library and Information Science
Syllabus
LSC 819: Information Sources & Services: Business Information
Spring 2008, January 16- May 17
Wednesdays, 7:10 - 9:40 p.m.
Aquinas Hall 108 (formerly the Life Cycle Institute)
Instructor: Jennifer Boettcher, Business and Economics Bibliographer and Business
Reference Librarian
Office Hours: before or after class or by appointment
Phone: 202 687-7495
E-mail: boettcher@georgetown.edu
Course Website: http://faculty.cua.edu/boettcher/
Web: Business Intelligence Center http://www.library.georgetown.edu/bic
Prerequisites:
LSC 553 or nine credits of business-related classes. Prior knowledge of on-line database systems helpful, but
not required.
Description:
This course is designed to introduce the student to key business sources and
services. Subjects covered will be marketing, finance, management, accounting,
economics, international business, and other related fields.
Pragmatic library skills of business reference, competitive intelligence, collection
development, training/instruction, and other services will be explored. Sources
covered will include print and electronic
bibliographic sources as well as statistical, government, commercial, and free
sources.
Objectives:
To further your abilities to conduct reference interviews and develop research strategies.
To understand business terms and principles.
To become proficient at finding business information.
To learn how to critically evaluate various business sources for competitive
intelligence.
To development critical thinking skills related to working in a business-supportive environment.
To practice extracting data and bibliographic text to put in a useable format.
Method of Instruction:
Classes will be interactive with class discussions, lectures, exercises, projects,and
guest speakers.
Projects and Requirements:
Class Participation, 5%
Homework, 28% (7 credit each)
Projects, 47% (20 credits each)
Final Project, 20%
Extra Credit, 9% (3 credits each)
A. Class participation - 5%
There are many factors that make up class participation: showing up on time,
reading
assignments, class discussion, etc.
B. Four Homework Assignments - 7% each = total 28%
May answer only ten (10) questions on each homework, but if you answer more,
I will disregard the incorrect answers and only count the right ones.
1- Core sources, online databases, government documents, directories, private
companies, trade and scholarly articles
2- Industry, NAICS, ratios, Economic Census, stocks, mutual funds, advisory
services, experts, case studies, franchises/small business
3- Patents, technology, marketing, advertising, demographics, GIS map,
Census of Population and Housing
4- Accounting, tax, banking, law, international, trade, economics, review
Students are expected to work individually on assignments.
Defendable answers- 5% and Complete Citations (author/editor, title/database,
publisher, date, page number/webpage, frequency, and cost)-
2%
ALL PROJECTS, COLLECTION PLAN, AND EXTRA CREDITS MUST BE SUBMITTED AS TYPED
TEXT OR HTML
Typed reports can be single or double spaced. Font sizes should be between 10
and 15. Please include your
name and page number on each page.
C 1. Speed Lead (used in general business library environments)-
Also known as a pathfinder, research guide, bibliography, and many other names.
Your Speed Lead is a 1-3 page document dedicated to helping someone identify
sources,
refine question, and research effectively. Format can be web-based but no more
than three pages when printed out. Choose a business subject (industry,
process, topic, etc). Review sources, choose the most relevant ones (print,
government documents, fee-based and free databases, statistical, journals,
in-house
resources, directories, etc). Search strategies using a library catalog.
For each source write a brief description why it would be useful and describe
effective
search terms or techniques for that resource. Arrangement and structure
of the
Speed Lead should allow the researcher to refine a question and research effectively
without the help of a business librarian. Examples can be found on the Internet.
Do NOT arrange sources alphabetical or by format.
C 2. Business or Marketing Plan (used in public library settings)-
Prepare a business or marketing plan.
This will require a lot of imagination or entrepreneurial family members. Take
a business idea or existing business and fill in the blanks of a plan. Please
list citations on separate sheet. You can use the plan templates from
the SBA at http://www.sba.gov/starting/indexbusplans.html.
Or use a commercial template, found in most public libraries. Plans should be
between 4 - 10 pages. For
help
filling
out the marketing plan use some of the sources at
http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/rusasections/brass/brassprotools/brasspres/presentations.htm.
C 3. Help Sheet (used in academic and public library settings)-
Choose a database and create a help sheet/webpage on how to use the database. Try to cover in 2-5 pages the
content, access, layout, searching, output, interpreting results, and anything unique to using the database. Please
include a list of sources you used to inspire you. Models of database help sheets can be found at
http://www.library.georgetown.edu/bic/help.htm.
C 4. Company SWOT analysis (used in special library settings)-
Create a 2-5 page report on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
and Threats
for a publicly traded-company. Include your opinion of buying stock in or doing
business with this company. This will require you to read and use the business
sources and
to interpret the data and stories in these
sources. You will be judged on depth of understanding of the company
operations and industrial environment. Hint: you will have to read the
SEC filings and annual report for the past year. Please include a brief company
profile with the report and list citations on separate sheet, not part
of the page count. Models and suggested sources can be found on the web
by searching in Google [swot company site:.edu]
C 5. Country Potential (Used in special or academic library settings)-
Create a 3-10 page report on the potential for a company to market a product
in a specific country. This will require you to understand the product and
country. Hint: choose a product or a country of which you are familiar. Explore
the sources to learn about country barriers, incentives, trade statistics, and
potential for your product. Assumptions will have to
be made, please base them on some piece of knowledge, even if it is based on
personal observation. Please include a list of citations used on a separate
sheet, not part of the page count. Templates for the reports can be
found on the web by searching for ["international business" "potential product"].
AND
C. One Presentation in front of the class - Take one of your projects and explain
your reasoning and struggles in putting the project together. 10-20 minutes.
Projects will be judged on targeted library/audience, selection of sources, understanding of business and library ideas, professional presentation, and complete citations. Professional presentation includes format, style, spelling, grammar, etc.
D. Final Project - Collection Plan 20%
The final project will require you to adopt a public, special, or academic library and ask the business librarian to
identify a subject (business topic, ongoing operations, new class being taught, known weaknesses). You will
then write a collection plan for that subject. Elements of a collection plan you will be graded on include an
understanding of the need, strength of the collection, where to improve the collection, identifying sources (using
compete citations) and professional presentation. If you are unable to find a library, I will help you find one.
If a budget is not given, assume $1,000 for one-time purchases and at most $8,000 dollars for print and electronic serials.
E. Extra Credit- 3% each (can be repeated, at most three times) - total possible 9%
all extra credit assignments must be turned in by May 2.
E 1. Web/book/conference review - 3%
Ask an editor if you can review a business book, website, presentation, or
conference. Follow the review style for that publication. Full 3% given if
review is accepted
by May 2th
(include
acceptance letter from editor or evidence of publication). Only 1% for not
being submitted.
E 2. Interview - 3%
Submit a two page report concerning an interview with a business information professional (librarian, vendor,
analyst, etc). Write about their current job, how they expect it to change in the next 2-5 years, one thing they wish they had done differently in their
career, one thing they love about their job, and your opinion about possible job opportunities in their field. 1% for doing it, 1% for professional presentation, and 1% for insight.
E 3. Nomination - 3%
Choose an award/grant from a local or national organization and write a nomination
letter for yourself or someone else. Full 3% for sending letter in, only 1%
for just writing it. Please include information about the award/grant.
All projects, extra credits, and collection plan can be submitted electronically to boettcher@georgetown.edu , by 11:00 pm on the due date, turned in at class time, or dropped in my box in the Marist Hall office on the due date. HOMEWORK should be in hand at 7:10 on the due date, since it is reviewed in class. If you are unable to attend class, send it to my email by 7:00 pm.
CLASS ATTENDANCE:
Attendance has little direct effect on course grades, but class content is important. Should you miss class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to get notes from classmates. The instructor is happy to discuss what was covered, but does not guarantee completeness, nor does she keep class notes suitable for student use
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Please read the policy on "Academic Honesty / Dishonesty" in the University's Online
Student Handbook.
Incidences of academic dishonesty, defined in the Handbook
as "failure to observe rules of fairness in taking exams or writing papers, plagiarism, fabrication, and cheating" will
result in a grade of F (0
points) on the project or exam in question, and will be reported to the Dean for further action
(including failure in the course and/or dismissal from the program). See
the Handbook or discuss the problem with your instructor if you
have questions about what is involved in such offenses. In addition, refer to the University "Code
of Student Conduct" on the University Policies and Procedures Web site (http://policies.cua.edu/studentlife/studentconduct/conduct%20full.cfm).
Plagiarism, which the University defines to include
"[1] intentionally or knowingly representing
the
words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise;
[2] failure to attribute any of the
following:
quotations, paraphrases, or borrowed information from print sources or websites;
[3] buying completed papers from other
to use as
one's own work", will not be tolerated.
For more on
what
constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it, please read (carefully) Margaret Procter's "How Not to
Plagiarize" or see the guide on the Purdue Onilne Writing Lab Web site at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html.
Grading:
| Grade | Range |
| A | 93-100 |
| A- | 89-92 |
| B+ | 85-88 |
| B | 80-84 |
| C | 70-80 |
| F | <70 |
Required Reading: (in Mullen Reference (MR) or Aladin (WRLC) Collections):
Text book:
Strauss's Handbook of Business Information: A Guide for Librarians, Students, and Researchers, 2nd ed.
Rita W. Moss
Libraries Unlimited, ISBN: 1563085208, (2004)
Cost: ~$88
MR - HF 5004 .M7 2004
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money & Investing, 3rd
ed.
Kenneth M. Morris and Virginia B. Morris
Lightblub Press; ISBN: 0743266331; (2004)
Cost: ~ $15 new or $5 used
MR -- HG4910 .M67 1993 (older, but still good)
Sign up for BUSLIB-L
http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=BUSLIB-L
Basic Business Library: Core Resources, 4th ed. (Oryx Press, 2003)
Rashelle S. Karp, Ed. and Bernard S. Schlessing, Assoc. Ed.
Cost: ~ $65.00
WRLC- Z675.B8 B37 2002
Business Information: How to Find it, How to Use It. (Oryx Press, 1992)
Michael R. Lavin
Cost: ~$50
MR -- HF 5356 .L36 1992
Industry Research Using the Economic Census: How to Find it, How to Use It. (Greenwood Press, 2004)
Jennifer C. Boettcher and Leonard M. Gaines
Cost: ~$85.00
MR-- HC101 .B594 2004
International Business Information, 2nd ed. (Oryx Press, 1998)
Ruth Pagell and Michael Halperin
Cost: ~$99
MR -- HF5 4.5 .P33 1998
Suggested Sources for Professional development:
Reading Online Magazine (trade) or Journal of Business and Finance Librarianship (academic)
anything in the Super Searchers Series (Information Today)
For regional Business Information Professional organization activities sign up
at http://units.sla.org/chapter/cdc/bif.html
Additional readings and sources will be put on reserve or loaded on Web by the instructor.