Information Sources and Reference Services

Code:

CINF010

Acronym:

FISR

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Information Science

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Informatics Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor of Arts in Information Science

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CINF	39	Study plan	2	-	6	41	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To provide students with the necessary skills to respond to different information needs, promoting contact with information sources - general, scientific and technical - developing their ability to think critically throughout the reference process.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course, students should be able to develop and apply a research strategy to respond to information needs, demonstrating: (i) critical thinking in the analysis and exploration of information needs and in the evaluation of research products and information sources; (ii) ability to conduct efficient information searches, with domain of technological products used in retrieval, organization and evaluation of information sources; (iii) ability to evaluate the content of information sources and assess their potential value for decision making and problems solving; (iv) ability to interpret the positioning of reference services in different sectors of activity and project their evolution

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. The age of (mis) information and the role of the information professional

1.1 The evolution of the brain and the different meanings and uses of information.

1.2 From analogic to digital: the role of information
professional in information sources management.

2. Information and communication protocols

2.1 Types of information sources (IS).

2.2 Analysis of information needs a nd exploration of IS available. 

2.3 Management of bibliographic references in science and technology.

 3. Search, retrieval and organization of information.

3.1 Search for information on the Web

3.2 Search for structured information.

3.3 The use of Artificiall Intelligence tools to support information searching.

3.4 Development and implementation of a search strategy.

4. Quality of IS.

4.1 Evaluation, selection and production of IS.

4.2 Evaluation of information sources in science and technology: Impact factor journals.

 5. Models of information and reference services.

Mandatory literature

G. G. Chowdhury, Sudatta Chowdhury; Information sources and searching on the World Wide Web. ISBN: 1-85604-394-0
Eugénio Campos Ferreira, Eloy Rodrigues; Fontes de informação em ambiente. ISBN: 972-8426-58-5
White, A. C. & Kamal, E. D; E-metrics for Library and Information Professionals: How to Use Data for Managing and Evaluating Electronic Resource Collections, Facet Publishing, 2005
Silva, A. & Ribeiro, F. ; Recursos de informação: serviços e utilizadores, Universidade Aberta, 2010
Hirsh, S.; Information Services Today, Rowman & Littlefield, 2022. ISBN: 978-1-5381-5670-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

Presentation in theoretical classes supported by projections and explored in discussion of questions. The practical component focuses on exercises of information sources retrieval, analysis, evaluation and selection, including a group work of development of a search strategy..

Software

Mendeley
FreeMind

keywords

Humanities > Information science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Participação presencial	10,00
Trabalho escrito	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	51,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Trabalho de investigação	70,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

 

Minimum grade in the DE = 8
Minimum grade in the EX = 8

Calculation formula of final grade

DE= 40% Work of information search strategy (evaluated in 3 distinct phases) + 10% performance in classes
Final mark= 50% DE + 50% EX

DE - Distributed Evaluation
EX - Exam

Examinations or Special Assignments

The evaluation component 'Work' includes two reports in group work, with three participants per group. Members of the same group may be graded differently.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Working students and all other exceptions are not exempted from submission of all assessment elements, following the assessment rules as regular students.

Classification improvement

Students may improve their mark by:
- Repeating the exam (theoretical component);
- Presenting a new report (practical component).