LIS 417: Subject Cataloging and Classification

Email is always the best way to contact me. Please include LIS 417 in the subject line of the email to ensure that it grabs my attention. When I email you, I will use your official simmons.edu address. To avoid missing important messages, ensure you check your Simmons email regularly or forward it to an account that you do check regularly.

At a minimum, students are expected to:

• Attend each class session.
• Be prepared for class.
• Read the required materials.
• Watch the required video materials.
• Participate in in-class exercises.
• Complete all homework assignments on time.
• Participate fully in group or partnered activities.
• Check e-mail regularly.
• Participate in the class's Moodle site.
• Make every effort to master the material.

Attendance is expected each week, and roll will be taken. Attendance accounts for 5% of your grade. Please arrive on time; habitual tardiness and more than one unexcused absence will lower your attendance grade.

Although attendance is important for understanding the course material, absences are sometimes unavoidable. Absences due to religious observance, work obligations, illness, or family emergencies are excused. Students must notify the instructor by email before the start of class for an absence to be excused.

Assignments reflect the ideas and activities addressed in readings, lectures, videos, and exercises. They cover both conceptual and practical aspects of subject cataloging. The following guidelines apply to all assignments:

• Start Early: Begin assignments well in advance of the deadline to allow sufficient time for completing the work and for reviewing it with your partner(s).

• Review Your Class Notes: While working on assignments, review your notes from lectures, readings, videos, and other course materials. Important information is often shared during class and may not be repeated elsewhere, so relying solely on the assignment prompt is risky.

• Seek Clarification: If questions arise, you and your partner(s) should discuss them first. If you are still unsure how to proceed, contact your instructor via email. Do not wait until one or two nights before the due date to ask questions; doing so substantially decreases the likelihood that your message will be received and answered before the deadline.

• Review Your Work: Ensure that your submission is complete. Missing or incomplete answers will result in lost points. Review the assignment instructions to confirm that you have addressed all required components.

• Due Dates: Assignments are typically due 2–3 weeks after they are distributed, but always consult the syllabus calendar for specific due dates.

You are expected to complete every assignment successfully during the semester. There are no make-up or extra-credit assignments in this course. Failure to submit an assignment will result in a zero (0%) for that assignment. All assignments must be attempted and submitted in order to pass the course. As a result, failure to submit any assignment will prevent you from passing the course.

All assignments must be completed and submitted by email by 9:00 am on the due date. Unless otherwise specified, files must be submitted in Microsoft Word format (.docx) only. PDFs, Google Docs links, and other file formats will not be accepted. Please use the following file-naming convention:

Last-Name1-Last-Name2-LIS417-Assignment-Name.docx

Last names should be in alphabetical order. For example, when two partners submit the first written assignment, the file name should resemble the following:

Adams-Shin-LIS417-LCSH1.docx

Graded assignments are typically returned within two weeks of submission. Due to time constraints, graded assignments will not be reviewed during class time; you will receive extensive feedback on your submitted assignments. And I am happy to meet with you outside of class to discuss your work.

Throughout the term you will be working individually, in pairs, and in groups. Some assignments have randomly assigned partners. For others, you will be asked to find a partner yourself (there is a "Find a Partner" discussion board in Moodle).

Each partner is expected to work on every component of the assignment individually, then collaborate to resolve issues and determine the final answers. (Partners may also collaborate in real time.) Only one final version will be submitted. Students should not form larger groups unless explicitly assigned. All partners are equally responsible for the content of the submitted assignment.

To help ensure successful partnerships, students should do the following:

• Set Expectations: Establish a clear plan, including a shared schedule and internal deadlines.
• Be Responsive: Communicate regularly and respond promptly to messages.
• Check In: Monitor progress and ensure tasks remain on track and deadlines are met.

If problems arise within a partnership, students should take the following steps:

• Document Communications: Keep records of messages, responses, and individual contributions.
• Inform the Instructor: Contact the instructor for guidance as soon as issues emerge.
• Be Prepared to Work Independently: If a partner remains unresponsive, students may be required to complete and submit the assignment individually.

Based on documented evidence and individual circumstances, the instructor may apply a penalty of up to 20 percent to the uncooperative partner’s assignment. In short, professionalism is expected, and nonsense, shenanigans, or problems that could have been avoided through basic communication and effort will not be tolerated.

Meeting deadlines is a fundamental expectation of this course and of the profession. Deadlines in the workplace are consequential; missing deadlines can have an impact on your livelihood. In this class, all assignments are to be completed and submitted on time. Late assignments will not be accepted. There are no extensions, no make-up work, and no exceptions. This is an advanced course; you are expected to have your work done on time. If you do not complete or turn in an assignment on the due date, you will receive a zero for that assignment. As you will be working with partners for much of the semester, your habits can affect others as well. Please stay on top of the work.

Students who experience serious illness, a medical emergency, the death of an immediate family member, extreme hardship, or other unusual circumstances may request an incomplete from the instructor. To be considered eligible, students must be performing at a passing level at the time the request is made. Requests for incompletes must be coordinated with the SLIS MS Program Director.

If an incomplete is approved, all outstanding work must be completed before the first week of the following term (for example, an incomplete taken in the spring semester must be completed before summer classes begin). If the incomplete is not finished by the stated deadline, zeros will be recorded for all outstanding assignments.

This course uses Zoom as its classroom. students are expected to maintain respect for our shared learning space. Activities that would be inappropriate in an on-campus classroom are also inappropriate in a Zoom-based classroom. Students are expected to attend synchronous sessions at the scheduled time. Students should join class from a safe, private environment conducive to learning, where they can focus, participate in discussions, and take notes. Distractions such as driving or running errands during class time must be avoided.

Reliable internet access and appropriate computing equipment are essential. Students who experience technical issues should contact Simmons Technology for assistance. Many in-class activities require opening multiple windows and using information tools with varying levels of accessibility and adaptive design. Smartphones and other small-screen devices are not adequate for completing these activities.

I typically do not record Zoom class sessions. If a student knows in advance that they will be absent, they may request that the instructor record the session for later viewing.

Students are not required to be on camera for the entire class session. Students are expected to be on camera at the beginning and end of class, as well as during discussions and exercises. Cameras may be turned off during lectures.

Unless otherwise specified, the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, GPT-based applications, or other text-generation software) is prohibited for all course assignments and discussion board posts. This policy is intended to promote meaningful engagement with course materials and to ensure that you develop the essential knowledge and competencies required for professional success in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field.

You are expected to submit work that you and your partner(s) have created independently, without assistance from AI. This requirement ensures that you fully internalize the concepts, tools, and skills critical to your academic and professional development. Although generative AI will likely be part of future LIS workplaces, overreliance on these tools during your education can hinder learning and weaken your ability to apply key concepts effectively.

Such reliance also reduces your capacity to critically evaluate the accuracy, appropriateness, and potential bias of AI-generated content—skills that are increasingly vital in our field. Developing this expertise requires a strong grasp of underlying concepts and methods, enabling you to recognize when AI outputs are incomplete, biased, misleading, or simply incorrect.

Why this matters: The purpose of this course is not only to earn a grade, but to help you develop competencies essential to your career. Using AI to complete assignments deprives you of the opportunity to genuinely learn and practice the skills required in the LIS profession.

If you are uncertain whether a tool or use case falls under this prohibition, you are expected to seek clarification from the instructor before submitting your work.

You can access the SLIS Student Handbook for more information about various SLIS policies.

For information regarding these Simmons University policies on Academic Integrity, Accessibility Services, Sexual Harassment Policy, and more, please see the Syllabus Policies website.

• Changes to the Syllabus: This syllabus is not a contract. The instructor reserves the right to alter the course requirements, schedule, and/or assignments based on new materials, class discussions, or other legitimate pedagogical objectives. Students will be given notice of relevant changes in class or via email.

• Digital Student Products: Any digital work produced in this course and maintained on a Simmons server will be erased 90 days after the end of the course. In some cases, a 30-day extension is available with the permission of the SLIS Tech Manager. SLIS Students are ultimately responsible for preserving the longevity of their digital coursework. You can do this most effectively by using the resources that are made available from SLIS Tech or SLIS faculty.

• Copying of Student Products: Unless the student indicates otherwise by email to the instructor, the instructor may be collecting copies of student work for use in the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or the COA accreditation processes. Student names will be removed from the student work prior to use.

• Land Acknowledgment: Simmons SLIS acknowledges that the land on which we study and work is the rightful heritage of Indigenous Peoples, including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Pocumtuc, Nonotuck, and Nipmuck peoples. We honor their stewardship of this land and strive to remain accountable to their needs.