Module Identifier DS31620  
Module Title INFORMATION RETRIEVAL  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Allen E Foster  
Semester Available all semesters  
Other staff Ms Tanya C Rogers  
Course delivery Lecture   2 Hours. One introductory lecture/seminar of 2 hours provided at study school, the remainder to be taught entirely through distance learning materials  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Report of 2,500 words - weighted 50%.   
Semester Assessment Essay of 2,500 words - weighted 50%.   

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:







Brief description

Effective Information Retrieval is at the heart of the 'rnformation society?. Beginning with the student'r experience of Internet search engines and library OPACs the course progresses through the surface level user experience through successive layers into the underlying tools and principles of IR systems. Students will develop a working knowledge of the principles of information retrieval in the information age and generate a view of how information retrieval will develop in the future.

Content

The course will address a range of content linked to the learning outcomes. Primarily content will revolve around

Module Skills

Problem_solving A core element of information seeking is the ability to solve an information problem by identifying the core issues, identifying possible remedies and finding a solution.  
Research skills A core element of information seeking is the ability to solve an information problem by identifying the core issues, identifying possible remedies and finding a solution.  
Communication Individual coursework in report format will include the presentation of information and the critical assessment of the process of obtaining that information. The report will develop presentation, evaluation and written communication skills.  
Improving own Learning and Performance Encourages development within the principles of open learning.  
Information Technology Information technology will be used as a tool on the module; but the information technology itself is secondary to the information literacy skills that will be developed. All coursework is to be word-processed.  
Personal Development and Career planning As part of a CILIP accredited course the module offers opportunities for development in a number of information related careers.  
Subject Specific Skills Evaluation and some practice of the principles and information retrieval systems, indexing methods (e.g. online information retrieval systems, different methods of indexing, evaluation of performance of information retrieval systems, non-traditional multimedia information retrieval, IR research)  

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6