Courses in Information Studies

C IST 250/250U Social and Community Informatics (3)
This course examines information technology from a social and community informatics perspective. Through appropriate readings in the field of information science, as well as in-class discussions, a field study observation, and community service project, students explore emerging technologies that have implications on individual identity, society, and policy development.

C IST 402 History of Recorded Information (3)
An introduction to the history of how human beings have created, maintained, and preserved information for personal, official, and cultural purposes. Topics include the development of writing, record keeping, and libraries; the emergence of printing and the history of the book; the evolution of record keeping by organizations, government, and individuals; and the impact of different technologies on the development of print and digital culture.

C IST 433 Information Storage and Retrieval (3)
An introduction to current practices in information retrieval. Topics covered include key concepts in information storage and retrieval, the document and query structure, matching mechanisms and formal retrieval models, output presentation, and the evaluation of system effectiveness. Includes an investigation of the inner workings of retrieval systems and search engines.