theorywatch

I handed back the LIS 5033 essays on “how much information do we need?” and was struck by the variety of approaches taken to this (admittedly highly ambiguous) question, in which everyone had to define “information,” “we,” and “need” and make at least some use of the “how much information is there” project data from Lyman and Varian (if only to dismiss its value to the way they were interpreting the prompt.)

Some great syntheses of readings from within the class and from other classes, some pragmatic approaches to measurement and management, a few highly idiosyncratic “takes” on the question, a couple of very creative ones that really would have benefited from having more time and space than the assignment allowed, one or two that made me laugh, and the rest fairly conventional “five paragraph essays” that should serve as good exercises in how to do these.

At least I don’t make people do these as group writing projects (because I need more information about them than that!)

library school