Session	Date	Topics	Reading Assignments
1	9/1	Course Overview Introduction to online information retrieval Online Information Industry.	Walker & Janes, Chapter 1
2	9/8	Database Structure Search Process: Presearch Interview and Search Tactics Boolean Operators	Walker & Janes, 2, 5-6 (p.55-106). Labworkbook, Chapter 3 (p. 3_1 - 3_10). Tenopir, C. (May 1, 2001). Why I Still Teach Dialog. Library Journal.   Distributed: Dialog Assignment1 -- Boolean operators Dialog ID and password
3	9/15	Working with Dialog: Basic Commands and Search Planning	Labworkbook Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Distributed: Dialog Assignment 2 Due: Assignment 1 Distribute Client Search Project; Assign Clients
4	9/22	Working with Dialog: Searching Database Indexes	Labworkbook Chapter 3 (3_10-3_20) and Chapter 5 (5_1-5_9).   Distributed: Dialog Assignment 3 Due: Assignment 2
5	9/29	Working with Dialog: Word Proximity Searching and Fulltext Databases Visitor Presentation from Dialog	Labworkbook Chapter 4 Walker & Janes Chapter 8 Distributed: Dialog Assignment 4 Due: Dialog Assignment 3
6	10/6	Working with Dialog: Database Indexes and Vocabulary	Labworkbook, Chapter 3 (3_20-3_27) & Chapter 7 Walker & Janes, Chapter 7 Distributed: Dialog Assignment 5 Due: Dialog Assignment 4
7	10/13	Working with Dialog: Displaying, Customizing Search Results	Labworkbook, Chapter 6 and Chapter 9 Walker & Janes, Chapter 9 Distributed: Dialog Assignment 6 Due: Dialog Assignment 5
8	10/20	Working with Dialog: Meta Search -- DialIndex (411) and SearchSave	Labworkbook, Chapter 8 Walker & Janes, Chapter 10 Distributed: Dialog Assignment 7 Due: Dialog Assignment 6
9	10/27	Electronic Indexes and Databases Presentation by Cate Canevari, Head of VCU Libraries Education and User Services	Distributed: System Comparison Project
10	11/3	Lexis/Nexis Classic, Academic Universe and nexis.com	Basch, R. (1999). Bridging the Browser Gap: LEXIS-NEXIS Universe Learning Nexis Distributed: Nexis Assignment Due: Dialog Assignment 7
11	11/10	Introduction to Factiva.com Possible Visitor Presentation from Factiva	Factiva Inside-out: Chapter 1-3 Distributed: Factiva Assignment Due: Nexis assignment
12	11/17	Web Searching: Search Engines	Tyner, R. Sink or Swim: Internet Search Tools & Techniques Cohen, L. Searching the Internet: Recommended Sites and Search Techniques Distributed: Web Search Exercise Due: Factiva Assignment Client Search Project Discussion
/	11/24	No class: Thanksgiving Recess
13	12/1	Web Searching: Subject Directories and Meta Search Engines	Due: Web Search Assignment
14	12/8	Client Search Project Presentation Course Summary & Evaluation
/	12/15	System Comparision Project Due at 6pm, posted to WebCT