School of Information Sciences

University of Tennessee

SIS 592
{This number is used for several topical courses not yet part of the standard curriculum.}

2.10 - 455

Room 62 HSS

William C. Robinson

Required skills/experiences:

• IS 560 [suggested]
• Ability to send and receive email
• Ability to find and evaluate WWW sites
• Word processing skill
• On-line searching skill
• Ability to evaluate WWW pages
• Ability to speak before a group

OFFICE:

• 455 Communications Building [865.974.7918]
• Email: wrobins1@utk.edu
• web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/

OFFICE HOURS:

• Monday and Wednesday 10.00 - 11.30
• Other times by appointment

These are my official office hours, but I will be pleased to see you at other times. I am usually available before class. Often, I work at home on Fridays. If I am not in my office, please leave a note in my mail box in 451 or send an email and I will get back to you.

Email is the best way for students who are not often on campus to have questions answered. I normally check my email three times each work day and once a day on most weekends and holidays. Normally, I can respond to your queries within a few hours.

DISABILITIES

If you need course adaptations or accomodations because of a documented disability or if you have emergency information to share, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 191 Hoskins Library [865-974-6087].

SCOPE:

The purpose of this course is to introduce reader's advisory work, especially in public libraries, with an emphasis on genre fiction. However, the methods and issues should readily apply to a wider variety of reading material including non-fiction. Reader's adviser methods and techniques will be applied using genre fiction as a case study. While the course should cover the basic principles of reader's advisory work in some detail, genre fiction, because of the immense body of literature available, will be covered in a brief, introductory manner. The genres to be considered include adventure, western, mystery/crime, science fiction, heroic fantasy, romance, historical fiction, Christian fiction, and horror. Although other formats will be considered, primary emphasis will be on the novel.

SCHEDULE:

We may NOT be able to do everything listed below. The semester will provide about 45 hours of classroom time in a highly concentrated manner. The limited time frame means that both class room and personal time management are important. Since we will be in the class room for such long times, good humor and patience will be especially important. Dress for comfort.

TEACHING METHODS:

This is a discussion-oriented course where all will participate in teaching and learning. Each student is expected to make a substantial contribution.

TEXT

You will need to have a copy of Reader's Advisory Service in the Public Library [2^nd ed.] and Genreflecting [latest ed.]. An alternate text for the genres would be Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Saricks (ALA, 2001). Although I have not yet incorporated it into the course materials, The Readers' Advisor's Companion by Shearer and Burgin is useful, especially Parts II and III.

If possible, become familiar with the NoveList Reader's Advisory Database which may be available at your friendly neighborhood public library. A similar database, What Do I Read Next, is available in the Tennessee Electronic Library [TEL] via Hodges Library databases or many Tennessee public libraries.

CLASS ATTENDANCE:

Class attendance is required because this course is discussion based. The teacher is willing to discuss absence with students who have a compelling reason to miss a class session. Failure to attend class without previous permission may result in a lower final grade. However, you should not come to class if you are ill.

The teacher will post a note on UTKSIS-L if he is unable to meet with the class. He will also attempt to inform the School secretary who will post a note on the classroom door. If this happens, a reasonable effort will be made to schedule a make-up meeting at a reasonably convenient time. Attendance at such a meeting is voluntary.

OUTCOMES:

When you successfully complete this course, you should be able to:

1. Identify and discuss trends and problems in readers' advisory work
2. Identify, evaluate and discuss resources particularly useful for readers' advisory work
3. Identify and discuss appeal elements in popular fiction
4. Interview and respond appropriately to a request for guidance
5. Create annotations for popular fiction
6. Create and implement a program to make it easier for users to find an appropriate next or new book and
7. Give an organized, persuasive book talk

ASSIGNMENTS:

Please consult the separate assignment instructions for detailed information about the several course assignments. All assignments are due when class ends on the specified due date.

Formal written work must be typed or word-processed. Written work should be neatly stapled in the upper left corner and submitted without separate covers. Your name and SIS mail box number should be on the first page. Students rarely in Knoxville may request email comment on their work and should include an email address.

It is assumed that you will be prepared and ready to participate when a particular topic or assignment is to be discussed in class. I do call on students rather than asking for volunteers.

In addition to assignment specifics, all written work will be evaluated using these criteria:

• Quality of the presentation--neat and free from error
• Quality of the writing, clear, direct, and correct
• Quality of the organization--smooth, logical flow of content
• Quality and amount of reflection, analysis, and evaluation and
• Use of the appropriate literature/sources.

In addition to assignment specifics, book talks will be evaluating using these criteria:

• Enthusiasm
• Appropriate selection
• Genuinely interesting presentation ~ captures and holds audience attention
• Effective organization ~ introduction with a hook ~ strong summary close
• Content flows smoothly
• Good eye contact
• Loud, clear, pleasant voice
• Some variation in speaking tone
• Appropriate use of gestures

EVALUATION OF STUDENT WORK

The following convention is used in evaluating student work:

Clearly superior with high quality and additional effort visible = A

More than competent plus additional effort visible = B+

Competent, professional response = B

Unsatisfactory graduate response = C+

Decidedly unsatisfactory graduate response = C

A competent, professional response earns a grade of B. In order to earn a grade higher than B, additional effort and high quality must be visible. Normally that extra effort would be seen in helpful evaluative comments and in comparisons between similar sources. A wholly or mostly descriptive characterization of a resource, even if exactly correct, or simply reporting the correct answer will not earn a grade higher than B.

Warning:

This is an introductory survey course which is intended to present basic information about genre fiction and readers' advisory work. The course is not comprehensive. Rather, you should leave the course with the feeling that your foot is in the door, and that you know enough to continue your education on your own. Obviously, one short course cannot give you the background or competencies necessary for a professional lifetime spent working with books.

Return to Readers Advisory Page