INFORMATION STUDIES

School of Information Studies

Professors: Blazek, Hart, McClure, Robbins; Associate Professors: Bertot, K. Burnett, Conaway, Dresang; Assistant Professors: Belton, Besant, G. Burnett, Genz, Shim; Visiting Assistant Professors: Brooks, Gross, Heo; Other Personnel: Buerkle, Chavez-Hernandez, Latham, Stromberg; Professors Emeriti: Aaron, Hunt, Jahoda, Summers, Trezza

The School of Information Studies offers a bachelor's degree in information studies, a master of science degree which is accredited by the American Library Association, a specialist degree, and a doctor of philosophy degree. All but the bachelor's degree offer majors in information studies and library studies. The bachelor's degree offers a single major in information studies. The master's degree is required for entry-level positions in the field of library practice. Refer to the "School of Information Studies" chapter of this General Bulletin or to the school's website at http://www.lis.fsu.edu for more details concerning degree programs and other information . For complete details of graduate degree requirements, plus a description of the School of Information Studies and its facilities and opportunities, refer to the Graduate Bulletin.

State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites

The State of Florida has identified common course prerequisites for this University degree program. These prerequisites are lower-level courses that are required for preparation for the University major prior to a student receiving a baccalaureate degree from The Florida State University. They may be taken either at a community college or in a university lower-division program. It is preferred that these common course prerequisites be completed in the freshman and sophomore years.

The following lists the common course prerequisites or approved substitutions necessary for this degree program:

1. COP XXXX (College-level programming course in C, C++, or Java);
2. CGS 2060;
3. MAC 1105.

Note: CGS 3048 (prerequisite: MAC 1140 or MAC 2233) may be substituted for COP XXXX at The Florida State University.

Definition of Prefix

LIS - Library and Information Studies

Undergraduate Courses

LIS 2568. Multicultural Issues in Information Resources for Youth (3). Introduces students to diversity within Western society. Employs strategies for analyzing print, electronic, and digital information resources for youth that will assist students in understanding race, ethnicity, class, gender, disability and age issues in the contemporary cultural context.

LIS 3021. Technical Communication for the Information Professions (3). Course covers technical and professional documents generated and used by information professionals. Attention will be given to the writing process with emphasis on audience analysis, document design, collaboration, and peer editing.

LIS 3201. Information Needs and Preferences (3). This course provides students with an overview that emphasizes the user's perspective in the analysis of information needs and preferences. It also offers the fundamentals for a broad approach with a unifying structure to understanding human information-seeking behaviors.

LIS 3267. Information Science (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3353. This course presents the history, philosophical bases, concepts, theories and methodologies of information science. It also emphasizes the definitions and properties of information, formal and informal information systems, information origination, transfer, classification, formatting and use.

LIS 3353. Technologies for Information Services (3). Beginning beyond the computer literacy level, the course develops an appreciation for the application of computer hardware, software, and information systems for the provision of information services. Highlights features and offers up-to-date coverage of technical developments with examples of real-world software applications and the principles by which computer systems and their networks support information seekers.

LIS 3602. Information Sources and Services (3). An introduction to the basic sources and systems for the provision of information to users. Provides an integrated approach that combines print and electronic sources and comprehensive services within a broad range of user and use contexts which emphasize matching sources and services with user needs and preferences.

LIS 3946r. Field Study in Information Studies (1–6). Prerequisite: Consent of advisor. Provides students with an unpaid work experience within a major area of information studies. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LIS 3949r. Cooperative Education Work Experience (0). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: Consent of advisor. Paid work experience with a firm or agency to be determined on an individual basis.

Advanced Undergraduate Courses

LIS 4264. Systems Approach in the Information Environment (3). An introduction to the systems approach for problem solving in an information seeker's environment. The theories and concepts of information science are integrated with a variety of practical tools for the structured design and analysis of information systems.

LIS 4266. Theory of Information Retrieval (3). Prerequisites: LIS 3267, 4276 and 4351. The theory of information retrieval for both text and picture materials. Discussion of various retrieval, query, and knowledge representation methods beyond Boolean models, including vector, probabilistic edge-detection, 2D strings, and associative network models. Elaboration of concepts of retrieval performance, efficiency and effectiveness beyond precision and recall. Retrieval issues of user-interfaces and hypertext are explored.

LIS 4276. Quantitative Methods in Information Studies (3). Prerequisites: LIS 3201, 3602 and senior standing or consent of instructor. Details practical methods for collecting and analyzing quantitative data. Includes hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, correlation and experimental design.

LIS 4277. Usability and Usefulness of Information Systems (3). Prerequisites: LIS 3201 and 4276. Introduces students to the concepts of cognitive and human information processing, their application to information systems design, and the assessment of the usability and usefulness of information systems.

LIS 4301. Electronic Media Production (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3353. The understandings, skills and techniques needed for the production and utilization of various types of electronic graphic resources, with particular emphasis on visual literacy, the evaluation of graphic resources, design standards and the visual representation of information. Students will evaluate existing materials, and design and produce materials for both electronic and print formats, including pages for the World Wide Web, slide shows for visual support of verbal presentations, and documents produced with desktop publishing software.

LIS 4351. Interface Design (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3353. Introduction to the basic theory of computer interface design for information specialists and the fundamental concepts and techniques of computer programming.

LIS 4355. Natural Language Processing for the Information Professional (3). Prerequisites: LIS 3267, 4351. Studies the problems and techniques of processing natural language as an approach to providing information services. Introduces the theory of spoken language and how it differs from theories of computer-generated natural language. Includes language pattern recognition and syntactic inference, and semantic networks as applied to information systems.

LIS 4365. Advanced Web Applications (3). Prerequisite: LIS 4301. Course introduces the concepts and technical needs of client and server side application technologies for World Wide Web information servers. Teaches students how to evaluate the effectiveness of WWW applications. Acquaints students with resources available for design, production and evaluation of WWW information servers and assists students in developing strategies for locating these sources. Students gain hands-on experience in web application production, including: PERL/CGI, JavaScript, server authentication techniques, synchronized multimedia, and hypertext authoring.

LIS 4366. Website Development and Administration (3). Prerequisite: LIS 4301. Issues and techniques related to the planning, production, and management of large World Wide Web Sites, including information on organization and design, hardware and software, and cutting-edge development tools. Special emphasis paid to information provision, and the role of Web developers as providers and managers of information resources.

LIS 4410. Societal Implications of the Information Age (3). An introduction to the evolving role of information in the "Information Age." Emphasizes information services in society and contemporary information resources that fulfill society's information needs. Considers the nature of electronic sources of information as well as other information formats and sources.

LIS 4481. Managing Information Resources and Services (3). Prerequisites: three of the following: LIS 3201, 3267, 3353, 3602, 4276 and 4351. An introduction to management science and administrative issues as applied to information resources management (IRM), information centers, and information services. An emphasis is placed upon management functions, concepts and principles. IRM definitions and issues. IRM implementation and strategies. Life-cycle management, and career opportunities.

LIS 4482. Managing Networks and Telecommunications (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3353. The fundamentals of networking and telecommunications, as a means of providing information services to users. From LANs to the "Information Superhighway," the course includes an introduction to voice, data, and video telecommunications concepts, technical requirements, and application issues. Includes the techniques and management of communication systems.

LIS 4488. Network Administration for the Information Professional (3). Prerequisites: LIS 3353, 4482. Provides the information and skills necessary to perform competently in the role of network administrator or network system manager within a library and/or information center environment. Introduces students to the design, operation, and management of networked systems from local area networks to the Internet. Includes communication concepts, technical and application issues, with a focus on managing a network.

LIS 4642. Electronic Information Sources and Services (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3602. An introduction to the processes of electronic information retrieval including some theoretical principles, laboratory experiences and selected current research issues.

LIS 4701. Information Representation (3). Prerequisite: LIS 3267 and 3602. Course addresses the principles and techniques of organizing non-bibliographic information sources including unpublished and transitory materials such as archival and manuscript collections, business/office records, ephemera and local databases. Course focuses on locally produced resources created for a narrowly defined, specific, and possibly restricted information user group.

LIS 4770. Information and Image Management (3). Describes the scope and the problems involved in the administrative management of records. Emphasis centers upon the importance of managing and controlling records from the time of their creation until their vital deposition.

LIS 4905r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only.) Guided studies for individual professional and subject needs. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LIS 4910r. Design Problem (3). Prerequisite: senior standing. An independent enterprise for which a student designs and implements an information studies project, working under faculty guidance. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LIS 4930r. Special Topics in Information Studies (3). Prerequisites: three of the following: LIS 3201, 3267, 3353, 3602, 4276, and 4351. A directed and supervised investigation of selected problems, issues, and trends in information studies, with an emphasis on research. It is anticipated that each offering will be different because of the evolving nature of the subject matter. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LIS 4938. Seminar in Information Studies (3).Prerequisite: Senior standing and three of the following: LIS 3232, 3267, 3342, 3602, 4276, 4351. The intensive reading and preparation of position papers concerning current issues in information studies, followed by discussions of these papers with faculty and information specialists.

LIS 4940r. Internship in Information Studies (1–6). (S/U grade only.) Prerequisite: LIS 3201, 3353, 3602 and consent of advisor. Acceptable work experience in the information industry that expands and integrates classroom work. Internship may be paid or unpaid. May be repeated for a maximum of six (6) semester hours.

LIS 4970r. Honors Work in Information Studies (3). Prerequisites: Member of the university honors program and information studies major. Course provides an opportunity for students to engage in independent and original research in a specialized area beyond the current curriculum in information studies. Course may be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours. To graduate with honors in information studies, the student must complete six (6) semester hours of course work with at least a "B–"or better and an overall 3.2 GPA or higher.

Graduate Courses

• LIS 5203. Assessing Information Needs (3).
• LIS 5241. International and Comparative Information Service (3).
• LIS 5260. Information Science (3).
• LIS 5262. Computer Applications for Information Services (3).
• LIS 5263. Theory of Information Retrieval (3).
• LIS 5270. Evaluating Neworked Information Services and Systems (3).
• LIS 5271. Research Methods in Information Studies (3).
• LIS 5275. Usability Analysis (3).
• LIS 5313. Design and Production of Media Resources (3).
• LIS 5316. Information Graphics (3).
• LIS 5350. Design and Development of Computer Information Retrieval Systems (3).
• LIS 5362. Design and Production of Network Multimedia (3).
• LIS 5364. Web Site Development and Administration (3).
• LIS 5367. Advanced Web Applications (3).
• LIS 5402 Human Resources Management (3).
• LIS 5408. Management of Information Organizations (3).
• LIS 5413. Seminar in Information Policy (3).
• LIS 5415. Socio-Political Process in Information Studies (3).
• LIS 5426. Planning, Evaluation and Financial Management (3).
• LIS 5484. Managing Networks and Telecommunications (3).
• LIS 5487 Information Systems Management (3).
• LIS 5489. Network Administration (3).
• LIS 5511. Management of Information Collections (3).
• LIS 5512. School Collection Development and Management (3).
• LIS 5513. Preservation of Information Materials (3).
• LIS 5524. Instructional Role of the Informational Specialist (3).
• LIS 5564. Information Needs of Children (3).
• LIS 5565. Information Needs of Young Adults (3).
• LIS 5566. Multicultural Literature and Information Resources for Children and Young Adults (3).
• LIS 5567. International Literature for Children and Young Adults (3).
• LIS 5576. Information Needs of Adults (3).
• LIS 5603. Introduction to Information Services (3).
• LIS 5604. Library Information Services (3).
• LIS 5610. Information Needs and Services in the Humanities (3).
• LIS 5620. Information Needs and Services in the Social Sciences (3).
• LIS 5624. Information Needs and Services in Business (3).
• LIS 5630. Information Needs and Services in Science and Technology ( 3).
• LIS 5645. Electronic Information Sources and Services (3).
• LIS 5647. Advanced Electronic Information Retrieval (3).
• LIS 5661. Information Needs and Service in Government Resources (3).
• LIS 5703. Information Organization (3).
• LIS 5711. Cataloging and Classification (3).
• LIS 5736. Indexing and Abstracting (3).
• LIS 5737. Subject Analysis (3).
• LIS 5771. Information and Image Management (3).
• LIS 5782. Database Management Systems (3).
• LIS 5900r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only.)
• LIS 5916r. Issues in Information Studies (1–3).
• LIS 5945r. Internship (0–12). (S/U grade only.)
• LIS 5971r. Thesis (3–6). (S/U grade only.)
• LIS 6205. Issues in Information Behavior (3).
• LIS 6269. Seminar in Information Science (3).
• LIS 6278. Issues in Theory Development (3–5).
• LIS 6279r. Research in Information Studies (3).
• LIS 6289. Seminar in Education for Information Studies (3).
• LIS 6409. Seminar in Library Administration (3).
• LIS 6662. Seminar in Information Policy (3).
• LIS 6759. Seminar in Library Technical Services (3).
• LIS 6909r. Directed Individual Study (1–8). (S/U grade only.)
• LIS 6911r. Research Collaboration (3–6).
• LIS 6919r. Issues in Information Studies (1–5).
• LIS 6980r. Dissertation (1–12).

For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis, dissertation, and master's and doctoral examinations and defense, consult the Graduate Bulletin.

INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH:
see Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS:
see Educational Psychology and Learning Systems