Theory and Methodology in Information Science

Code:

CINF035

Acronym:

TMCI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Information Science

Instance: 2014/2015 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences
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	49	Plano Oficial a partir de 2008/2009	2	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

To introduce students to the core or nucleus of Degree in Information Science through a proper understanding of the nature of this science in the wider context of the Humanities and Social Sciences, and its epistemological evolution that is happening in the network environment of Information Era. Provide students with the theoretical assumption of the matrix of the programme and at the same time, make them aware that the IS is an applied social science, i.e., has a clear and applicational vocation, enriching itselvf through a permanent interdisciplinary dynamics.

Learning outcomes and competences

Skills: Acquire operational and essential concepts of IS, dominate the understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge generated by IS. Distinguish the evolutionary  and integrated perspective, which is taught and developed at the University of Oporto, from the cumulative or fragmented IS that is taught in many countries of the world. Learn the Quadripolar Method, a method proposed in 1974 for General and Applied Social Sciences and articulate it with the more practical requirements of modeling and to know how to use it in research contexts. Integrate knowledge of other core and complementary courses in the theoretical-methodological matrix inherent to an information scientist.

Results: It is expected that there is a maturity in the reflection process, acquisition of abstract knowledge and the ability to relate different types of information, both theoretical and practical, so that once in the labor market the students know to harmonize the reserach capacity and the critical attitude (scientific) with the instrumental need of solving problems.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Not applicable

Program

Communication Sciences and Information - genesis, profile and evolution of an interdiscipline in the field of Social Sciences

1. Central epistemological and methodological issues in the social sciences in general and in particular to the CIC

2. From professional practice to scientific training 2.1 Brief retrospective of technical and professional activities related to libraries and archives 2.2 Analysis of a previous distinction: the difference between professional activity and scientific knowledge

3. From Document to Information 
 3.1 Genesis and nuances of basic operational concepts 3.2 Conceptual distinction between Documentation and Information 
 
3.3 Information and its varied polysemy today 
 3.3.1 Information, language and speech 
 3.3.2 Information, knowledge and communication 3.3.3 Information, document and information and communication technologies (ICT)

4. The  epistemological debate 
 4.1 From Paul Otlet to Harol Borko: the crisis of classical library science to boldly programmatic Information Science 4.2 Is Information Science a Science? Different positions and perspectives 4.2.1 The cumulative or fragmented perspective 4.2.2 The evolutionary perspective 
 4.3 The issue of Object - document or information? 4.3.1 The properties of Information 4.3.2 The (im)possibility of Information Science be an interdiscipline 4.3.2.1 The Pluri, interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity in the study of information 
 4.3.3 Rebuilding the Object of Information Science from a phenomenological referent and the notion of problem 4.3.4 The info-communicational phenomenon/process 4.3.5 The search of a method in comparison with the existing methodological proposals 4.3.5.1 Scientific methodologies and Quadripolar Method typical of Qualitative Research 4.3.5.2 Theories and models in the theoretical pole 
 4.3.5.2.1 Structuralism and Constructivism 4.3.2.5.2. Systemic theory and  thinking 
 4.3.5.2.3 Theory of Situations and Info-Sense 
 
4.3.5.2.4  Theory of Psychological Information 4.3.5.2.5 Communication Theories 4.3.5.2.6 Different theoretical and practical applications (models)

5. A R&D open programme

6. Information Science is a necessary response to the Information Age and the Internet Galaxy where we are?

Mandatory literature

MUCCHIELLI, Alex ; Les Sciences de l’information et de la communication, Paris: Hachette Livre, 2006
Fernand Terrou; L'information, Presses Universitaires de France-PUF, 1995. ISBN: 2-13-045018-0
Mirian de Albuquerque Aquino (org.); O Campo da ciência da informação: génese, conexões e especificidades, UFPB-Editora Universitária, 2002. ISBN: 85-237-0336-5
Isaac Epstein; Teoria da informação, Editora Ática S.A., 1988
Bruno Lussato; Informação, comunicação e sistemas: teoria da imprinting e elementos para uma teoria da informação psicológica, Dinalivro, 1995. ISBN: 972-576-085-9
Anthony Debons; Information science. In ALA world encyclopedia of library and information services, American Library Association, 1986. ISBN: 0-8389-0427-0
Michelle Lessard-Hébert; Gabriel Goyette; Gérard Boutin; Investigação qualitativa: fundamentos e práticas, Instituto Piaget, 1994. ISBN: 972-9295-75-1
Armando Malheiro da Silva; Fernanda Ribeiro; Das "ciências" documentais à ciência da informação : ensaio epistemológico para um novo modelo curricular, Edições Afrontamento, 2002. ISBN: 972-36-0622-4
Robert Escarpit; L'information et la communication, Librairie Hachette, 1991. ISBN: 2010168194
Lena Vania Ribeiro Pinheiro (org.); Ciência da Informação, Ciências Sociais e Interdisciplinaridade, Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 1999
Robert Boure (éd.); Les Origines des sciences de l'information et dela communication: regards croisés, Presses Univeristaires du Septentrion, 2002. ISBN: 2-85939-745-0
Jose Antonio Frias; Ana Belén Rios Hilario; Metodologías de investigación en información y documentación, Ediciones Universidad Salamanca, 2004. ISBN: 84-7800-563-3
Jaime Robredo; Da Ciência da Informação revisitada aos Sistemas Humanos de Informação, Thesaurus Editora; SSRR Informações, 2003. ISBN: 85-7062-381-X
Paul Otlet; El Tratado de documentación: el libro sobre el libro: teoria y práctica, Universidad de Murcia, 1996. ISBN: 84-7684-766-1
José López Yepes (coord.); Manual de información y documentación, Ediciones Pirámide S.A. , 1996. ISBN: 84-368-0968-8
Emilio Delgado López-Cózar; La investigación en biblioteconomia y documentación, Ediciones Trea, 2002. ISBN: 84-9704-041-4
Yves-François Le Coadic; A Ciência da Informação, Briquet de Lemos Livros, 1996. ISBN: 85-85637-08-0
Blanca Rodríguez Bravo; El documento: entre la tradición y la renovación, Ediciones Trea, 2002. ISBN: 84-9704-052-X
António Miranda; Ciência da informação: teoria e metodologia de uma área em expansão, Thesaurus Editora; SSRR Informações, 2003. ISBN: 85-7062-374-7
Keith Devlin; Info-Senso: como transformar informação em conhecimento, Livros do Brasil-Lisboa, 2000. ISBN: 972-38-1733-0
Armando Malheiro da Silva; Fernanda Ribeiro; A Informação: da compreensão do fenómeno e construção do objecto científico, CETAC.COM; Edições Afrontamento, 2006. ISBN: 978-972-36-0859-5

Complementary Bibliography

Kevin J. McGarry; Da Documentação à Informação: um contexto em evolução, Editorial Presença, 1984
Fernando Ilharco; Filosofia da informação: uma introdução à informação como fundação da acção, da comunicação e da decisão, Universidade Católica Editora, 2003. ISBN: 972-54-0068-2
Edgar Morin (dir.); A Religação dos saberes: o desafio do século XXI: jornadas temáticas idealizadas e dirigidas por..., Bertrand Brasil, 2002. ISBN: 85-286-0841-7
Thomas Khun; A estrutura das revoluções científicas, Editora Perspectiva, 2000. ISBN: 85-273-0111-3
Guy Tiberghien (dir.); Dictionnaire des sciences cognitives, Armand Colin, 2002. ISBN: 2-200-26247-7
Philippe Cabin (coord.); La communication: état des savoirs, Sciences Humaines Éditions, 1998. ISBN: 2-912601-03-7
Anthony Wilden; Comunicação. In Enciclopédia Einaudi, vol. 34 Comunicação-Cognição, Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, 2001. ISBN: 972-27-0923-2
Brian Vickery; Alina Vickery; Information science in theory and practice, Bowker-Saur, 1987. ISBN: 0-408-10684-0
José Lopez Yepes; Diccionario enciclopédico de ciencias de la documentación, Editorial Sintesis, [2004]. ISBN: 84-9756-258-5; 84-9756-258-6
Jose Antonio Moreiro Gonzalez; Conceptos introductorios al estudio de la información documental, Editora da Universidade Federal da Bahia; Fondo Editorial de la Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú, 2005. ISBN: 85-232-0353-2
Isabel Vaz Ponce de Leão et al.; Dicionário de ciências da comunicação, Porto Editora, 2000. ISBN: 972-0-05274-0
Abraham A. Moles; Théorie de l'information et perception esthétique, Flammarion, 1958
Armand Mattelart; Michèle Mattelart; História das teorias da comunicação, Campo das Letras Editores, 2002. ISBN: 972-610-002-X
Luciano Floridi; The Blackwell guide to the philosophy of computing and information, Blackwell Publishing, 2004. ISBN: 0-631-22918-3
Emilia Curras; La información en sus nuevos aspectos: ciencias de la documentación, Paraninfo, 1988. ISBN: 84-283-1600-7
J. Teixeira Coelho Netto; Introdução à teoria da informação estética, Editora Vozes, 1973
Ramón Alberch Fugueras; José Ramón Cruz Mundet; La aventura de la información: de los manuscritos del mar muerto al imperio Gates, Alianza Editorial, 2004. ISBN: 84-206-5736-0
Bernard Miège; O pensamento comunicacional, Editora Vozes, 2000. ISBN: 85-326.2296-8
Anthony Wilden; Informação. In Enciclopédia Einaudi, vol. 34 Comunicação-Cognição, Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, 2001. ISBN: 972-27-0923-2
Yves-François Le Coadic; Usages et usagers de l'information, ADBS Éditions; Nathan, 1997. ISBN: 2-09-190366-3
Serge Cacaly (dir.); Dictionnaire encyclopédique de l'information et de la documentation, Éditions Nathan, 1997. ISBN: 2-09-190528-3
Bernard Lamizet; Ahmed Silem (dir.); Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences de l'information et de la communication, Elipses-Édition Marketing S.A., 1997. ISBN: 2-7298-4766-9
Sylvie Leclerc-Reynaud; Pour une documentation créative: l'apport de la philosophie de Raymond Ruyer, ADBS Éditions, 2006. ISBN: 2-84365-085-2
Enrique Molina Campos; Teoría de la biblioteconomia, Universidad de Granada, 1995. ISBN: 84-338-2116-4
Robert Escarpit; L'écrit et la communication, Presses Universitaires de France-PUF, 1978
SABOR, Josefa E. ; Methodes d’enseignement de la bibliothéconomie. Avec une étude préliminaire de Ricardo Nassif, Paris: UNESCO, 1969
Yves-François Le Coadic; Le besoin d'information: formulation, négociation, diagnostic, ADBS Éditions, 1998. ISBN: 2-84365-016-X
SILVA, Armando Malheiro da et al.; Ciência da Informação e Sistemas de Informação: (re)exame de uma relação disciplinar, Prisma.Com, Porto, 6 (Jul.), 2006
Dorothy B. Lilley; Ronald W. Trice; A History of Information Science, Academic Press, 1989. ISBN: 0-12-450060-9
D. J. Foskett et al.; Ciência da informação ou informática?, Calunga, 1980
Pertti Vakkari; Blaise Cronin; International conference on conceptions of library and information science: historical, empirical and theoretical perspectives: proceedings, Finland, 1991, Taylor Graham, 1992. ISBN: 0-947568-52-2
J. Teixeira Coelho Netto; Semiótica, informação e comunicação: diagrama da teoria do signo, Editora Perspectiva, 2003. ISBN: 85-273-0170-9
J. Teixeira Coelho Netto; Semiótica, informação e comunicação: diagrama da teoria do signo, Editora Perspectiva, 2003. ISBN: 85-273-0170-9
Lena Vania Ribeiro Pinheiro (org.); Ciência da Informação, Ciências Sociais e Interdisciplinaridade, Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia, 1999

Teaching methods and learning activities

Expositive method in theoretical-practical classes, constantly questioning students and motivating them to dialogue and discussion of some texts from the reading list.

keywords

Humanities > Information science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Participação presencial	10,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	60,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Trabalho de investigação	44,00
Total:	160,00

Calculation formula of final grade

Presentation of an assignement done during the semester, with a score of 40% The final examination has a score of 60%.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Internship work/project

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Working students are not exempted from presenting all assessment components.

Classification improvement

Students can improve their final mark by redrafting or presenting a new version of the assignment and repeating the final exam.