Advice for Information Retrieval ?

Last week I registered for the fall semester at SJSU. I registered for one of our core courses called “Information Retrieval”. I’ve been looking over some of the course materials to try and get an early handle on it. It looks like a much different type of course than I’ve been used to so far in the program, the others being more theory-based and general writing assignments. One of the course texts, without graphics, can be found online here. The other required text is more recent. I’ve ordered the Marchionini text and will order the Meadow one soon.

Anyway, I’m just wondering if anyone has taken this course, or one like it at your school, based on these texts and has any advice for me ? This looks to be a more project-based type course, so I want to get a headstart this summer before the course begins in late August.

This will probably be my last post for the next couple of weeks. I’m getting married on Saturday Hope you all had a nice 4th of July holiday….