MARA 285

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Overview of research methods in the social sciences and their application to research about and within archives and
records centers. Research design, human subjects, quantitative and qualitative methods, model studies,
methodological critique and evaluation, data analysis and presentation.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Lectures, discussions, assignments, and rubrics will be posted to the Canvas course management system. Links to
additional materials will be provided in Canvas as well.
Total number of points is 100. Here is a brief summary of the assignments and points earned:

 Student Introduction post to discussion board - 2 points

 Discussion based on material covered - 2 points each X 9 = 18 points
 Protecting Human Research Participants Certification Course - 5 points (CLO #4, 6)
 Survey Questionnaire Group Project - 20 points (CLOs #2, 4, 5)
 Annotated Bibliography Assignment - 10 points (CLOs #1)
 Research Proposal: Topic Proposal Assignment - 5 points (CLO #2, 4)
 Research Proposal: Literature Review Assignment - 15 points (CLOs #1, 2, 3)
 Research Proposal: Final Research Proposal Assignment - 25 points (CLOs #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Note: For weeks with required discussion board postings, students should provide their initial post by Wednesday at
midnight (11:59 PM, Pacific Time), to leave ample time for follow-up discussion. Please participate early and actively
in the required discussions.
Details for all of the discussions and assignments will be provided in Canvas.
Assignments Due
Unless otherwise noted, each module begins on Monday (12:01 AM, Pacific Time) and ends on Sunday 11:59
PM, Pacific Time). Assignments will be due by midnight (11:59 PM, Pacific Time) on the due date.
Course Calendar

Modules/Weeks/Days Title (Readings) Assignments

Lecture Review
Introductions: August 24 -
Introductions
August 28 Discussion: Student Introductions

Lecture Review
Module 1: August 29 Investigation (Barnes
- September 4 chapter 1) Discussion

Lecture Review
Module 2: September 5 - Design (Barnes -
Assignment 1: Annotated Bibliography due September
September 11 chapter 2)
11.

Monday, September 5: Labor

Day - NO CLASS
 Lecture Review
Module 3: September 12 - Measurement (Barnes
September 18 - chapter 3) Discussion

Lecture Review
Module 4: September 19 - Indexes and Scales
September 25 (Barnes - chapter 4) Assignment 2: Topic Proposal due September 25.

Lecture Review
Module 5: September 26 - Sampling (Barnes -
October 2 chapter 5) Discussion

Assignment 3: Completion of Protecting Human

Assignment: October 3 - October Research Participants Certification Course - Upload a
See Assignments
9 copy of the completion certificate to Canvas in order to
receive credit. Due October 9.

Lecture Review
Module 6: October 10 - October Ethics (Barnes -
16 chapter 6) Discussion

Module 7: October 17 - October Experiments (Barnes -

Lecture Review
23 chapter 7)

Lecture Review
Module 8: October 24 - October Survey Research
30 (Barnes - chapter 8) Discussion

Lecture Reivew
Module 9: October 31 - Evaluation Research
November 6 (Barnes - chapter 9) Assignment 4: Literature Review due November 6.

Lecture Review
Module 10: November 7 - Field-Based Research
November 13 (Barnes - chapter 10) Discussion

Thursday, November 11:

Veteran's Day: NO CLASS

Lecture Review
Other Types of
Module 11: November 14 -
Research (Barnes - Assignment 5: Survey Questionnaire Group Project
November 20
chapter 11) due November 20.

Lecture Review
Research
Module 12: November 21 -
Dissemination Mini- Discussion due by midnight (11:59 PM, Pacific Time)
November 23
Module on Wednesday, November 23.

Thursday, November 24 and

Friday, November 25:
Thanksgiving - NO CLASS

Data Analyses: Lecture Review

Module 13: November 28 - Qualitative and
December 4 Quantitative (Barnes - Discussion
chapter 12)

Module 14: December 5 - Lecture Review

Course Wrap Up
December 12 (extended)
 Discussion
Assignment 6: Final Research Proposal due
December 12.

Please complete the SOTES (Student Opinion of

Teaching Effectiveness) by December 12.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Covers fundamental principles, processes, values and roles of research for professional application in information
organizations. Students will become critical consumers of research products. Emphasis will concentrate on
developing, planning, and producing a quality research proposal.
This section focuses on academic library research, discussing the topics and methods of research in the context of
academic libraries.
INFO 285 is required for all students who entered the MLIS program from Spring 2007.
Waiver Option: If a student has taken and passed a graduate-level research methods course AND completed a
thesis or dissertation as part of a previous graduate degree (as documented by an official transcript), the student can
petition the iSchool Graduate Advisor to waive the INFO 285 requirement. A waiver, if granted, does not reduce the
total units required for the MLIS degree.

INFO 285

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Course Format
This class is conducted online through Canvas.
Student Responsibilities

 As a student, you are expected to read and carefully consider all the readings, participate fully in all activities
and discussions during the class duration, as well as turning in assignments by the designated time.
 Due dates are not negotiable. If the instructor needs to change a due date, you will be notified as soon as
possible. Because due dates are not negotiable, procrastination should be avoided. If you employ
procrastination as a time management tool, this can limit your time in dealing with unexpected problems.
The instructor has the right not to accept late assignments or to add significant grade penalties. If you
foresee any difficulty in completing your assignment on time, you need to contact the instructor at least 36
hours before the due date to request extension. In addition, as the instructor schedules grading time for
assignments, students turning in late assignments may receive their assessment much later than the rest of
the class.
 If you do not understand assignments, readings, etc., it is your responsibility to inform the instructor. If you
are having difficulty, please contact me early so that we can resolve problems before your final grade is
unchangeable. You may also ask for help from your classmates through the various discussion methods.
You must complete all assignments to pass the course.

Assignments and Evaluation

  Research proposal (40%, corresponds with CLO#1, CLO#2, CLO#3, CLO#4)
Develop a research proposal as the final product of the class. In the proposal, students will identify and
formulate a research question related to academic libraries, provide a brief review of literature related to the
research problem, discuss the methodology to be employed in data collection and analysis, outline the
project completion schedule and provide correct APA style citations to sources cited in the proposal.
 Quantitative and qualitative research practice (35%, corresponds
with CLO#1, CLO#2, CLO#3, CLO#4)
o Quantitative research practice - students will practice conducting quantitative research using one or
more frequently used quantitative research methods in academic library research (group project,
20%).
o Qualitative research practice - students will practice conducting qualitative research using one or
more frequently used qualitative research methods in academic library research (15%)
 Research ethics training (5%, corresponds with CLO#4)
Complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online workshop titled: "Students conducting
no more than minimal risk research." Completion of this workshop is required by all San José State
University faculty and students intending to do research with living human subjects. The course can be
located at: https://www.citiprogram.org
 Class discussion (20%, corresponds with CLO#1, CLO#2, CLO#3, CLO#4)
Students are expected to participate in a series of class discussions. Students' individual contribution to the
discussion topics is as important as their responses to colleagues’ postings. Basically students will be
evaluated for their involvement in and intellectual contribution to the collaborative learning environment. Part
of the graduate education experience is to help you learn how to present information with support, and not
simply say “Well, I think that….” This also applies to agreeing with someone; the statement “I agree” should
be presented with support.

All assignments are must be turned in by 11:59 pm of the day they are due. Late submissions will be reduced
by 5% of the total points for the assignment for each day they are late.

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COURSE WORKLOAD EXPECTATIONS

Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of
forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture)
for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical
practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.
Instructional time may include but is not limited to:
Working on posted modules or lessons prepared by the instructor; discussion forum interactions with the instructor
and/or other students; making presentations and getting feedback from the instructor; attending office hours or other
synchronous sessions with the instructor.
Student time outside of class:
In any seven-day period, a student is expected to be academically engaged through submitting an academic
assignment; taking an exam or an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; building websites, blogs,
databases, social media presentations; attending a study group;contributing to an academic online discussion; writing
papers; reading articles; conducting research; engaging in small group work.

COURSE PREREQUISITES
INFO 200, INFO 202, INFO 204.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the difference between primary and secondary research.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental principles and processes of conducting research.
 3. Articulate the research method(s) covered in the course, appropriately apply them, and understand their
strengths and liabilities.
4. Understand appropriate data collection/analysis tools, and ethical concerns related to research.
5. Understand the difference between primary and secondary research.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental principles and processes of conducting research.
7. Articulate the research method(s) covered in the course, appropriately apply them, and understand their
strengths and liabilities.
8. Understand appropriate data collection/analysis tools, and ethical concerns related to research.

CORE COMPETENCIES
INFO 285 supports the following core competencies:

1. L Demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the ability to design a research
project, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature.