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Internet Tools & Research Techniques is a four week online course offered during fall, winter and spring quarters. It begins on Monday of the fourth week of the quarter and runs through the seventh week. Students must complete 18 required assignments.
For this course there are no class meetings. The Internet is our classroom and net.TUTOR, a Web-based tutorial program, is our electronic textbook. We use a secure course Web site to communicate and distribute online assignments. Please read this page carefully for important information about the course and the secure course Web site. You may wish to print it for future reference.
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Course Goals
The purpose of this course is threefold:
- To help you learn to use the Web browser, e-mail and online discussion tools effectively for a variety of academic tasks.
- To develop the skills needed to do online research, using the Internet and library databases.
- To teach or reinforce the skills needed to be successful in future online courses or traditional courses with online segments.
Student Requirements
Because of the unique nature of this online course, students must have:
- Some prior experience using computers and the World Wide Web, as well as a desire to improve these skills. Students should have mastered these basic computing/Web browsing skills before beginning the course:
- how to use a mouse
- how to highlight, copy and paste text
- how to use the scroll bar
- how to return to previous Web pages
- how to select items in pull-down lists
- how to toggle (move) between two Web browser windows
- how to close new Web browser windows
If any of these tasks are unfamiliar, click on the links above and read more about them now.
- An activated OSU Internet account, in order to connect to the secure course Web site and complete assignments.
- Regular access to an Internet-connected computer with a Web browser that is compatible with Carmen (OSU course management software), either at home or on campus. It is important to use one of the recommended Web browsers for this course AND to set it up correctly. Failing to do so may cause errors in your assignments, lost points and a lower grade. See Carmen: Info for Students for details.
- Ability to follow written directions. You will be working independently to complete the course assignments and must rely on written instructions.
- A commitment to visit the course Web site and read your OSU e-mail regularly, at least several times each week.
You may also want to look at Are You Ready for Distance Learning?. These characteristics will help you in online courses at Ohio State.
Course Materials
Your primary textbook (or "e-text") for this course is net.TUTOR, a free program of interactive, Web-based tutorials designed by The Ohio State University Libraries.
The Web address of net.TUTOR is http://liblearn.osu.edu/tutor/
Assignments
All assignments are found within the secure course Web site. Each week, a group of new asssignments will become available for completion. All are due at the end of the four week course.
Because we are compressing a ten week course into four weeks, students should expect to spend between 8-10 hours each week completing assignments.
Types of Assignments:
- Course Communication Assignment:
During the first week, students are encouraged to complete a communication assignment (extra credit). - Required Readings:
Specific net.TUTOR tutorials will be assigned each week. Be sure to read every page of these tutorials and try suggested activities along the way. - Tests:
Tutorials are accompanied by online tests, which will also be assigned on a weekly basis. These tests are scored automatically, so you will know your grade immediately. You may take tests only once, so be sure to study the tutorials before taking the associated tests. - Online Worksheets and Exercises:
The third weekly task will involve completion of online worksheets, as well as several other online exercises, which provide practice for the skills learned in the tutorials. They are completed and submitted using the Web browser. The worksheets and exercises are also scored automatically, like the tests. You can submit each assignment once. - Capstone Assignment:
During the fourth week of class, you will complete this online assignment requiring you to use the searching and evaluation skills you learned during previous weeks. This assignment will be graded by course instructors.
Topical Focus of Assignments
- Week One: Using Internet tools (Web browser, e-mail, online discussion) and course management software effectively.
- Week Two: Search techniques and Web search sources -- Web directories, search engines, specialized databases (the "invisible Web").
- Week Three: Research skills -- selecting the right research tool, evaluating Web sites, incorporating Web sources into your research.
- Week Four: Capstone assignment focuses on searching skills and evaluation of a particular Web site.
Grading Scale
Points are awarded on the following basis:
18 Required Assignments = 200 points
| 9 online tests associated with the net.TUTOR tutorials | 90 points maximum |
| 6 online worksheets, 10 points each | 60 points maximum |
| 2 online exercises, 5 points each | 10 points maximum |
| Capstone assignment | 40 points maximum |
Students must complete all required assignments. A penalty of up to 20 points may be deducted from the final point total for failing to complete all required assignments.
Extra-Credit Assignment = 10 points
An optional assignment is available during the first week of the course. Extra credit points are added to the total points earned and count toward your final course grade.
How Course Grade is Calculated
The course grade is based on the total point value accumulated for completing assignments. The chart below shows letter grades, associated point values and percentages.
| Grade | Points | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| A | 185 - 200 points and above | 93 percent and above |
| A- | 179 - 184 points | 90 - 92 percent |
| B+ | 173 - 178 points | 87 - 89 percent |
| B | 165 - 172 points | 83 - 86 percent |
| B- | 159 - 164 points | 80 - 82 percent |
| C+ | 153 - 158 points | 77 - 79 percent |
| C | 145 - 152 points | 73 - 76 percent |
| C- | 139 - 144 points | 70 - 72 percent |
| D+ | 133 - 138 points | 67 - 69 percent |
| D | 120 - 132 points | 60 - 66 percent |
| E | 119 points and below | 59 percent and below |
How to Succeed:
- Visit the course Web site regularly. Be sure to read announcements posted on the site.
- Spend some time each week working on assignments. Since this is a four week course (and the work of ten weeks is compressed into four), you really need to stay on track.
- Get in touch with the instructor by e-mail, telephone or in person if you have any questions or concerns as you work through the course. Information on how to contact your instructor can be found in the "Get Help" section of the course Web site. We want to make this a good experience for you and will work with you to solve any problems.
Secure Course Web Site
This course uses software called Carmen, which is also used by many other courses at Ohio State. To connect to the ARTS&SCI 120 secure course Web site, you must first connect to the computer running Carmen, then identify yourself (login) by supplying your OSU Internet username and password. If you are listed on the roster for a course, you will be permitted to view it.
Logging In to Carmen:
- Go to the Carmen Login page
Type this address in the browser location space and press ENTER or RETURN: http://carmen.osu.edu - Type your OSU Internet user name: lastname.#
- Type your OSU Internet password (the one you use for OSU e-mail, Web registration, etc.).
- View your personal Carmen home page
All of your OSU courses that use Carmen will be listed there. - Course link
Click on the title, ARTS&SCI 120, Internet Tools and Research Techniques, to view the course home page. You may need to click on the plus sign (+) next to the current quarter to expand the listing and see your courses.
Help with Carmen Log-in Problems
For help with login problems, contact the OSU Technology Support Center:
- Call 614-688-HELP (4357): Monday - Friday 7 AM to 10 PM; Sunday 4 - 10 PM
- Fill out the Carmen Help Form: http://8help.osu.edu/forms/carmenhelp.php
Course Web Site Organization
The secure course Web site includes the following major sections:
| Course Home | This is the first page you will view after clicking on the course title in Carmen. It includes news and announcements as well as a course calendar. |
| Content | This major section of the course site includes general course information (including the course syllabus) and links to all course assignments. There is a separate section for each of the four weeks. |
| Discussions | This link provides access to the course discussion forums, which may be read by everyone enrolled in the class. |
| Survey | This is a link to the course evaluation, available during the final week. |
| Grades | This is a complete list of your grades on all assignments. |
| Glossary | Here you can browse a dictionary of key technical terms used in the course readings and also search for particular words. |
| Classlist | You will go here to communicate with instructors and other students using e-mail or the paging (instant messaging) tool. |
Academic Integrity
The instructors expect each student to act with integrity and honesty. Students are expected to submit their own work on all assignments in this course. Ohio State University has an established Code of Student Conduct, which all students are expected to be familiar with. Any violations will be dealt with in accordance with established procedures. This means that an offense will be reported to the University Committee on Academic Misconduct for investigation and disposal. Penalties may range from an "E" in the course to dismissal from the University.
More information:
Communication Policy
The course discussion forums are for course-related purposes only. Personal conversations not related to this course should be conducted privately. Failure to observe this policy may result in disciplinary action.
All electronic communications conducted in the course of this class are bound by the same principles of respect, professionalism, and concern as any other interactions in the University's classrooms or offices.
Derogatory or inappropriate comments regarding race, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation are unacceptable and subject to disciplinary action, as they would be if they occurred in the physical classroom.
If you feel that these principles have been compromised in some way, please discuss this privately with your instructor.
Getting Help
Frequently asked questions and answers (also called a FAQ) are available on the course Web site. Look here first if you don't understand something.
Effective communication is critical to success in an online class. You will be responsible for initiating contact and for being persistent when you need additional help.
If the FAQ doesn't provide the help you need, you may:
- Send e-mail to the instructor.
- Telephone the instructor.
- Visit the instructor (or the teaching assistant working with your instructor). Drop in during office hours or make an appointment for one-to-one help with the course.
Students who feel they may need an accomodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor as soon as possible. We rely on the Office for Disability Services for assistance in verifying the need for accomodations and developing accomodation strategies. If you have not previously contacted the Office for Disability Services, we encourage you to do so:
- Telephone: 614-292-3307
- TDD: 614-292-0901