Oppaat: Guide for teachers: Information retrieval teaching

Contact information

The library's contact persons are:

Sörnäinen: Minna Meronen, minna.meronen@uniarts.fi

Töölö: Erkki Nurmi, erkki.nurmi@uniarts.fi

Kuopio: Anna Koponen, anna.koponen@uniarts.fi

Doctoral education: Harri Ollikainen harri.ollikainen@uniarts.fi

Other teaching/courses: lib@uniarts.fi

Orientation and the library

Library's Where to find the library and how to use it? is part of the Moodle online course, which is a compulsory part of the Uniarts Helsinki as a learning environment.

Library tours

Possibility to book library tours for new student groups from the library: lib@uniarts.fi.

General information about the lectures offered by the library

Information retrieval lectures provided by the library

The library provides instruction in information acquisition in three stages of general studies

Basics of information retrieval
Advanced information retrieval at Bachelors level
Advanced information retrieval at Master's level.

The courses are conducted for all academies as described below:

As a rule, lectures are carried out as contact teaching.
The information retrieval lectures are integrated as part of the courses, so the library does not monitor the performance of those participating in the lectures.
Courses that include a lecture information retrieval must have an indication in the implementation information that they contain the library's share.
The library's Moodle courses support learning. The same courses are available to all our clients on the shared learning platform of the higher education institutions DigiCampus.

Information retrieval for researchers

The library also provides lectures for researchers and doctoral researchers in areas such as information retrieval, open science and publishing, research data management and reference management. Read more about the library's services for researchers.

Other information retrieval instruction

It is also possible to receive instruction on information retrieval and sector-specific source materials from the library outside the curriculum. Please note that the content must, however, differ from the Information retrieval in the library, Information retrieval at Bachelors level and Master's level course in Information Retrieval lectures.

If there is a need for a course to receive instruction in information retrieval that is not included in the above lessons, please contact the library: lib@uniarts.fi.

Contents of lectures

Basics of information retrieval

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the study unit are able to:

independently retrieve material from the library's search service and master the basics of scientific information retrieval
search for scientific and relevant material in their field (e.g. sheet music, information about artists, plays)
identify reliable sources
locate both printed and electronic materials.

library's services and collections
using Arsca search service
information retrieval and using search terms
information retrieval techniques and implementation
source criticism and evaluating the reliability of information.

Completion methods

90 min. of contact teaching. Library's Moodle course supports learning. Instruction in information retrieval is included for students from all academies in the Open Campus compulsory communication studies (Textual skills 1).

The teachers of the language team are in contact with the library and arrange the teaching.

Advanced information retrieval at Bachelors level

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the study unit

knows the most important information sources of their field
is able to search materials systematically using different search techniques
Masters the process of source evaluation and information retrieval
is able to use scientific sources of information in their thesis

information retrieval as a process and as part of the thesis process
deepening the techniques of information retrieval and familiarising oneself with the most important sources of information in the field
special features of the library's electronic materials and databases
evaluating sources when writing a thesis and locating the sources
documenting the searches and a search diary as part of the thesis process

Completion methods

The teachers of the language team are in contact with the library and arrange the teaching.

Advanced information retrieval at Master's level

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the study unit

is able to make use of systematic information retrieval when doing a thesis
knows the basics of reference management and scientific publishing as well as the principles of open science
masters the source critique

systematic information retrieval (depending on the scope of the thesis, i.e. it is customizable)
mastering the search syntax
using AI to support information retrieval
reference management in brief (if necessary, the student can participate in a separate reference management training)
more advanced use of international databases and retrieval of research articles
source criticism and critical information literacy
basics of scientific publishing (including open schience and open publishing)
a research-oriented approach to information retrieval

Completion methods

90 min. of contact teaching. Library's Moodle course supports learning.

Academy of Fine Arts: Advanced information retrieval in the Master's phase is included in the Introduction to writing a Master of Fine Arts thesis course organised by the Academy.

Theatre Academy: Advanced information retrieval in the Master's phase is included in preparatory teaching (seminar, guidance, etc.).

Sibelius Academy: In the following degree programmes/majors, advanced information retrieval is included in the implementation of a master's degree seminar or other similar course: Music Technology, Church Music, Music Education, Global Music, Music Theory, Song Music and Opera, Arts Management.

In degree programs/majors where the curriculum does not include a master's seminar or other similar course, or written thesis, students are directed to do the Moodle course in the advanced information retrieval on Master's level. These include:

From the Degree Programme in Instrumental and Singing Studies in Classical Music, the following major subjects: piano, accordion, guitar, kantele, strings, wind instruments, percussion, harp, organ
Degree Programme in Composing and Music Theory: Major in Composing.

Who is/are in contact with the library:
KuvA: coordinators / teachers.
TeaK: coordinators.
SibA: The seminar instructors are in direct contact with the library's contact person to arrange the teaching. Teachers responsible for the descriptions of course implementations should ensure that the description states that the course includes the library's lecture.