LIBR 518: Classification theory – COURSE SYLLABUS
Program: Master
of Library and Information Studies
Year: 2007-2008
Winter Session, term 1
Course Schedule: Wednesday
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: TEF
320
Instructor: Martha
K. Smith
Office location: TEF
338
Office phone: [coming
soon]
Office hours: by
appointment or drop in when office door open
E-mail address: mkelsmit@myuw.net
Course website :http://www.slais.ubc.ca/COURSES/libr518/07-08-wt1/
Course Goal: The recent explosion in the number of and variation of information services underline the need for effective methods for representing and organizing information in an effective way. In addition, the construction and use of practical and efficient systems for organization and representation of documents is dependent on a comprehensive understanding--not only of the technical side of such systems--but also of human perception, cognition, and language use. The course will give the basic theoretical and philosophical knowledge necessary to understand, create, and analyze classificatory structures.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will:
- articulate the theories and principles on which classificatory structures are built
- based on these principles establish evaluation methodologies of classificatory structures
- gain an appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of classification work
- contribute to the practical and scholarly discussion of classification in LIS
Course Topics:
- Category theory
- Concepts and Concept Theory
- Relationships in Classificatory Structures
- Coding Texts and Establishing Concepts
- Formal Systems
- Revision, Evolution, and Ontogeny of Systems
- Act of / Defining Characteristics of Classification
- Scientific Classification
- Old and New Classificatory Structures in Information Systems
Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 501, 502
Format of the course: Seminar format with short background lectures, student-facilitated discussions of readings, in-class exercises, and student presentations.
Required Reading:
- Custom Course Materials (CCM) packet for LIBR 518
This course does not have an assigned textbook. All assigned readings will be available in the LIBR 518 Custom Course Materials (CCM) packet.
Schedule of readings:
Week and class meeting date |
CCM readings |
Week 1 – Sept. 5 |
|
Week 2 - Sept. 12 |
|
Week 3 - Sept. 19 |
|
Week 4 - Sept. 26 |
|
Week 5 - Oct. 3 |
|
Week 6 - Oct. 10 |
|
Week 7 - Oct. 17 |
|
Week 8 - Oct. 24 |
|
Week 9 - Oct. 31 |
|
Week 10 - Nov. 7 |
|
Week 11 - Nov. 14 |
(none; student presentations) |
Week 12 - Nov. 21 |
(none; student presentations) |
Week 13 - Nov. 28 |
(none; student presentations) |
General Notes on the Readings:
Much of the material and many of the readings for this course are interpretive
and, of course, theoretical. Very few contain “right” or “wrong” answers. Indeed,
the readings often argue for or against “answers” or question
the very existence of “answers.” Some of these readings
are quite dense and will take time to digest. You may need to read
them (or sections of them) several times or to construct abstracts or outlines
of them. Use the Reading Notes and Questions to help you analyze and
to spark ideas.
Weekly Reading Notes and Questions:
I will introduce each reading with a set of Reading Notes and Questions (with
a few exceptions to be explained in class). I will email these to the
class listserv and make them available via FTP to download (instructions
to come). I will send these two weeks in advance to give you plenty
of time.
Course Schedule [week-by-week]:
Note: Reading Reaction Papers are assigned to individuals by week. Please see the website link Reading Reaction Papers for the sign-up schedule for these papers. Also, please see the website link Final Papers for the student presentations schedule for the last three weeks of the course.
Week |
Topics |
Assignments due |
Module 1 |
Introduction |
|
Week 1 Sept. 5 |
Introduction to course: coverage, structure, goals |
|
Module 2 |
Human categorization and socio-cognitive aspects of classification |
|
Week 2 Sept 12 |
Categories and categorization Folk classification |
|
Week 3 Sept. 19 |
Categorization vs. classification “Naïve” classification and knowledge creation |
Reading Reaction Papers for:
|
Module 3 |
Scientific classification, philosophical foundations, and "classical" principles of classification |
|
Week 4 Sept. 26 |
Classification of knowledge: antiquity - 18 th century |
Categorization Exercise Reading Reaction Paper for:
|
Week 5 Oct. 3 |
Classification of knowledge: 19 th century The order of the sciences |
Reading Reaction Papers for:
|
Week 6 Oct. 10 |
Critique of classical approaches Philosophical frameworks Metaphorical and graphical forms in classification |
Reading Reaction Papers for:
|
Module 4 |
Bibliographic classification systems |
|
Week 7 Oct. 17 |
The Modern Library Movement Dewey Decimal Classification Universal Decimal Classification Library of Congress Classification
|
Final Paper abstracts
|
Week 8 Oct. 24 |
Ranganathan and faceted classification Colon Classification Interdisciplinarity in classification
|
Reading Reaction Paper for:
|
Module 5 |
Classification and the Web |
|
Week 9 Oct. 31 |
Classificatory structures for the Web Web directories Adaptations of library classification on the Web |
Reading Reaction Papers for:
|
Week 10 Nov. 7 |
Social classification and folksonomies Post-modernism and classification |
Reading Reaction Papers for:
|
Module 6 Weeks 11-13 Nov. 14, 21, 28 |
Student presentations |
Student Presentations |
Exam Week |
Final Paper due on December 5th |
Final Papers Dec. 5 |
PowerPoint Slides and Handouts from
Weekly Lectures
The PowerPoint slides and handouts from weekly class sessions will be available
via FTP immediately following each class (same day; instructions to come).
Course Assignments, Due dates, and Weight in relation to final course mark:
Assignment |
Due Date |
Weight |
Class participation |
Throughout the term |
20% |
Reading Reaction Paper and discussion leading |
As assigned |
20% |
Categorization Exercise |
Sept. 26 |
20% |
Final Paper abstract |
Oct. 17 |
(part of Final Paper) |
Final Paper |
Exam Week – Dec. 5 |
40% |
Reading Reaction Papers and presentations
Each class member will choose one reading from the course reading list, analyze
it, and write a short Reading Reaction Paper. This paper is due in
class on a date assigned to the individual student in the Reading Reaction
Paper schedule (please see the website link Reading Reaction
Papers). In class on the date for which your
reading is assigned, you will then give a short (5-10 minute) presentation
of the ideas in your paper and facilitate the resulting discussion.
The objective of the Reading Reaction Paper is to start discussion of the chosen
reading, to get the class to think critically about the reading, and to relate
it to other readings and topics under discussion. In preparation for
the class meeting for which a particular reading is assigned, all class members
will bring their own ideas and responses to the Reading Notes and Questions
for discussion of that reading.
Please see the website link Reading Reaction Papers for the sign-up schedule and for further instructions on length, content, and approaches to take with your paper. Please see the website link Coursework Evaluation and Guidelines for Written Work on general ideas to guide your written work for this course.
Class discussions of readings
Active class participation requires contributions
to in-class discussions in the form of questions, answers, suggestions,
or comments in response to the readings and to the Reading Reaction
Paper presentations by your classmates. You should also
relate material from the lectures and previous readings and your
own experience.
This course emphasizes readings and writing in response to these readings. Your class participation grade reflects the quality and regularity of your involvement in discussion of these readings.
Note: there will be NO Reading Reaction Papers required for the Borges, Vickery, Miksa, Ranganathan, and Palmer readings. You still need to read and prepare for discussions in class of these readings.
Final Papers and presentations
For your Final Paper you may explore any topic or issue within classification
theory or research related to theory that you wish. The objective of
the paper is to give you the opportunity to explore a topic related to classification
theory that involves one or more actual schemes or systems and the principles
and problems covered in the course material. Possible topics include:
- an analysis of how a given subject is represented in a particular classification system or a comparison across two classification systems
- an interpretation of a set of classes in a major classification scheme
- an analysis of an interdisciplinary subject area in one or more classification schemes
Please see the website link Final Papers for
further ideas on topics and approaches.
The paper should be 2500-3000 words in length (about 8 - 10 double-spaced pages).
Final Paper abstract: Please
hand in to me a short abstract or outline (200-400 words) of your paper with
a provisional list of references in class on October 17 (Week 7).
In-class presentation: During
the last three weeks of the course, each class member will present the essence
of their paper during a class session. Please prepare to speak to the
class for about 10-15 minutes, then to answer questions and discuss your work
with the class for another 5-10 minutes. In order to clarify your ideas,
prepare either several PowerPoint slides or a handout with the major points
of your research for the class to follow.
Please see the website link Final Papers for specific instructions
and the Student Presentation Schedule for sign-up. Please see the website
link Coursework Evaluation and Guidelines for Written Work on
general ideas to guide your written work for this course.
Expectations for the Course:
My expectation is that you will prepare for and participate actively in the
course and:
- read the course readings critically
- consider the readings questions
- generate questions and comments of your own and contribute these to class discussions and apply them to your assignments
- respond to and engage with the contributions of the other students with consideration
- bring your own ideas and discoveries to class
- relate the class material to your own professional needs and growth
- provide me periodic feedback on the content and conduct of the course
From me, you may expect that I will facilitate and enthusiastically encourage all of the above. In addition, you may expect to receive comments on and evaluations of assignments (Reading Reaction Paper, Categorization Exercise, Final Paper abstract, and Final Paper) in a timely fashion (within a week most times).
Guidelines for written work for this course: Please see the website page Coursework Evaluation and Guidelines for Written Work on general ideas to guide your written work for this course, including your Reading Reaction Paper, Categorization Exercise, and Final Paper.
Late assignments:
Reading Reaction Papers and Categorization Exercises are due on the dates indicated
unless prior arrangements have been made with me. Please let me know
by email at least 24 hours in advance of the due date if you are unable to
submit your assignment, and we’ll work it out. Otherwise, you
may lose significant credit for these assignments.
Note: It is extremely important that you have your Reading Reaction Paper prepared by the date of the class discussion of your chosen reading. Otherwise, students will not be able to respond to your paper and ideas in the reading discussion.
2nd Note: The Final Paper cannot be accepted after the due date of December 5th.
Evaluation: All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site. In addition, please see the website link Coursework Evaluation and Guidelines for Written Work and the instructions for each assignment for specific evaluation criteria.
Attendance: The
calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students
in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials,
seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments
may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably
absent because of illness or disability should report to their
instructors on return to classes.”
The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered
with the Disability Resource Centre. The University accommodates students whose
religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or
completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know
in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any
accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity
athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume
they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor
before the drop date.
Academic Dishonesty : Please review the UBC Calendar "Academic regulations" for the University policy on cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty: http://www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,959. Also visit and review the contents of these two resources: Plagiarism Resource Centre: For Students and Plagiarism Avoided: Taking Responsibility For Your Work for useful information on avoiding plagiarism and on correct documentation. Students are held responsible for knowing and following all University regulations regarding academic dishonesty. If a student does not know how to properly cite a source or what constitutes proper use of a source it is the student's personal responsibility to obtain the needed information and to apply it within University guidelines and policies. Coursework Evaluation and Guidelines for Written Work and the instructions for each assignment for specific evaluation criteria.
Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.
Course Discussion List:
Each of you must sign-up for the class internet discussion list. From whatever
email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line
blank]:
address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
message-- subscribe l-518
end
This is the mechanism that we will use to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail or phone me directly.
