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Course Description

INFO 527, Representing and Organising Information in Context, examines how we organise information and design retrieval systems so that users can readily find information in them.

The course includes an overview of the following components of information organisation:

• Cataloguing, indexing, abstracting, and classification.
• Metadata structures, functions, and schemes.
• Access points and controlled vocabularies.
• Retrieval tools such as catalogues, indexes, records systems and finding aids.
• Design and evaluation of databases and information retrieval systems.
• Relationship between information organisation and knowledge management.

Introduction to INFO 527

Information resources come in a variety of formats, and are found in a diverse range of settings. Whether it is information in books, maps, scores, sound recordings, pictures, or electronic resources held by a library, in records relating to an historical event held in an archive, or in plans for a new commercial venture held in the records centre of a local business, information mangers need to establish a system to link the user with the desired information. It is not sufficient simply to provide users with access to a store of documents or other items -- some method of enabling users to find material relating to a particular topic or concept must also be provided. Piles of books stacked in a warehouse, or the large number of resources available on the Internet, are not useful to users unless the material can be accessed in a way that allows them to retrieve relevant information appropriate to their needs.

This is not a straightforward task, and a number of potential problems arise. First, people searching for information may describe the concepts they are looking for using different language than that used by the authors of those documents. Second, the language used by the authors of those documents to describe the concepts may change over time. Third, people may in fact be searching for information that is not text-based -- it may be visual or aural. Fourth, we need information retrieval systems that meet the requirements of users in particular types of environments, such as libraries, archives, and corporate records centres. And fifth, the systems must be able to store large amounts of information, and quickly retrieve the most appropriate information for a particular request.

While INFO 527 will consider a range of information environments, the information retrieval tools we shall examine are those found primarily in libraries, archives, and information centres. These tools are:

1. Library catalogues, indexes, bibliographies, records systems, and archival finding aids.
2. Classification systems, which group together information on the same topic (INFO 546 Bibliographic Organisation, the elective course that follows on from this one, examines the Dewey Decimal Classification scheme in more detail).
3. Controlled vocabularies, such as thesauri and subject headings schemes, which structure and standardise the terminology used to describe subject concepts (INFO 546 provides further hands-on experience with the Library of Congress Subject Headings).
4. Text-based databases and retrieval systems, which enable us to store and retrieve documentary information efficiently.
5. Image and sound databases and retrieval systems, which focus on concepts such as spatial relations, colours, textures, and audio frequencies as cues for retrieval.
6. Internet search engines and filtering systems, which 'index' millions of electronic documents available from remote sites.
7. Newer developments in information retrieval, such the Semantic Web (also known as linked data) and knowledge management.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the INFO 527 course, students should be able to:

1. Explain the need for different types of information retrieval systems in different contexts, in particular the relationships between a type of information environment, the users' information requirements, and the nature of the information resource involved.
2. Describe a model of information retrieval, and outline common measures of evaluation and effectiveness for a text-based information retrieval system.
3. Articulate the theory and functions of descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata in an information retrieval system.
4. Articulate the theory and functions of subject retrieval metadata, including controlled vocabulary systems such as classification schemes, subject headings lists, and thesauri, in an information retrieval system.
5. Explain the theory and practice of constructing indexes and abstracts, selecting appropriate index terms and distinguishing between different types of abstracts.
6. Use appropriate design principles to create a database application for information retrieval.
7. Discuss issues in the provision of intellectual access to information involving newer forms of information retrieval systems.
8. Describe the relationship between knowledge management systems and information retrieval systems in private sector and public organisations.

Practical Work

As part of this course you will need to use resources on the Internet, as well as selected databases and online services. Access to these services is possible from the School's computer laboratories and from Victoria University Library. Open learning students will require access to the Internet to use these databases, and will also need to authenticate some databases using their student username and password. For more on this, see the Information Studies Community on Blackboard.

For the second assignment in INFO 527 you may use a database application, DB/Textworks, to create a small-scale information retrieval system. DB/Textworks is used in a number of information centres, and you will have access to a demonstration version.

Schedule (tbc)

INFO 527 will be held in the first trimester (March-June) of the 2012 academic year. There will be no classes during the mid-term break (9-22 April).

• Internal students
  The weekly seminars will be held on Wednesday (from 1.40-3.30 p.m.) in Rutherford House, GO3. Additional tutorial sessions may be scheduled to introduce you to DB/Textworks.
• Distance students
  The weekly Internet conference sessions will be held on Wednesday from 5.00-6.30 p.m. A practical session for DB/Textworks may be arranged with interested groups.
• Distance students (within Auckland)
  Sessions for Auckland students will be delivered by a mixture of audioconferencing during Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 on Thursday, 6.45-8.15 p.m.; and face-to-face teaching with classes on Saturday, 10 March, 10.30 a.m.-2.00 p.m. (covers Modules 1 and 2); Saturday, 5 May, 10.30 a.m.-2.00 p.m. (covers Modules 7 and 8).

Week	Topic	Text chapter
1	Organising information for retrieval	1
2	Evaluating information retrieval systems	-
3	Retrieval tools	2 & 3
4	Metadata: fundamentals	5
5	Databases and system design	6
6	Metadata: schemas and description	4 & 7
7	Metadata: access and authority control	8
8	Subject analysis and vocabulary control	9 & 10
9	Categorisation and arrangement	11
10	Information retrieval on the Web	-
11	Information architecture	-
12	Knowledge management, and image retrieval	-

Assessment (taken from 2011)

This course will be internally assessed. For all further details, including breakdown of marks, requirements, and submission details, you should refer to the 'Assessment' section on Blackboard.

Assignment	Date due	Value	Length
1. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a retrieval system	tbc	40%	2000 words approx.
2. Proposal for a retrieval system	tbc	50%	2000 words approx.
3. Participation	n/a	10%	see Blackboard

Prescribed Text

Taylor, A. G. and Joudrey, D. N. (2009). The organization of information. (3rd ed.) Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.

The recommended text is available from Vic Books, PO Box 12-337 (or c/- Students' Union Building), Wellington, ph. (04) 463 5515 or freephone 0800 370 370, fax (04) 471 2124, email vuwtexts@vicbooks.co.nz. It is also possible to order texts through the Vic Books' online book ordering service. You can use any of these methods to place an order.