Syllabus

General

Make sure that you are on the class email list. Please send me email requesting to be added to the list if you are not on it. I'm assuming students check email every day. All critical announcements, changes to assignments, etc. will be distributed via email. Be sure to check the course web page for further information, handouts, assignment descriptions, and hints.

You will be given the opportunity to take a make-up quiz or exam only in cases of medical or personal emergencies, which must be verified. If such an emergency occurs, call me or leave a note (or phone message) with the department secretary as soon as possible. If you will be out of town when an exam is scheduled, I must be told in advance and may require you to take the exam early. Otherwise, if you miss a quiz or exam you will receive 0 points.

You are responsible for all information (handouts, announcements, notes, etc.) covered during class. You should ask fellow classmates for missed information, not the instructor or the T.A.

No incompletes will be given for poor performance in the course. An incomplete can only be given if there are extenuating circumstances and the student has at least a 'C' average in the course. No extra work or extra credit will be given.

If you feel that you deserve more points than you have been given on a quiz, assignment, or test, you must see the instructor about this within one week of the time the work in question is first returned to the class. After this deadline, no claims will be considered, justifiable or not.

Grading

Grades will be listed by code number. To find your code number, do the following: Take the last 4 digits of your SSN (e.g. 1359). Take the middle two digits as a number (e.g. 35) and add to the first and last digits (e.g. the 1 and 9 from 1359), giving in our example 35+1+9=45. This is your code number.

Letter grades are assigned on a curve at the end of the semester.

Discussion, Debate, or Paper

For each one of the three possibilities below you should select a topic related to one of the course scheduled topics. By the middle of the second week of class you must choose which of the 3 (discussion, debate, or paper) formats you will use, and which general topic you would like. Some topics fill up before others, so it will be first-come-first-served. You need to notify me of your choice via email, and I must approve your choice. You can change your topic later, subject to my approval.

See the course schedule as well as the course resources page for ideas.

• Leading Discussion
          Leading a discussion must be done with a partner. You will be graded out of a total of 25 points, on a scale of 0 to 5 for each of the areas shown below. You should:
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  1. Be interesting and thought provocative, engaging the class;
  2. Use visual aids effectively;
  3. Communicate verbally effectively;
  4. Be well-prepared, showing evidence of thorough research, understanding of the issues, and organization; Support presentation of your topic with relevant cases and background information;
  5. Understand and present the computer ethics related issues.
     

You will have a total of 25 minutes for your discussion. Take a look at a description by John Artz of applying the Socratic method to discussing computer ethics. Under the "Putting it Together" section, Artz describes the steps you should take in facilitating discussion, using the example of the topic of software piracy.

• Debate
          Debate should be done in a group of 4 students. Students should share the total of 20 minutes evenly (maximum ~ 5 minutes each), presenting views and rebuttals of opponents positions. You will be graded out of a total of 25 points, on a scale of 0 to 5 for each of the areas shown below. You should:
  1. Be interesting and thought provocative, engaging the class;
  2. Use visual aids effectively;
  3. Communicate verbally effectively, arguing convincingly;
  4. Be well-prepared, showing evidence of thorough research, understanding of the issues, and organization; Support your position with related cases and background information;
  5. Understand and present the computer ethics related issues.

Group members will be graded individually. You may want to take a look at the section on Analysing a Scenario found here.

• Paper
          Papers are done individually and should be 5 - 10 pages in length, excluding diagrams (12 point type, 1.25 inch margins left and right, 1 inch margins top and bottom). Turn in your paper using the turnin command as described below. You must turn in this paper before the class in which you are giving your presentation. The results of your investigation will additionally be presented to the class in a 7 minute talk. You will be graded out of a total of 25 points, on a scale of 0 to 5 for each of the areas shown below. You should:
  
  
  1. Be interesting and thought provocative, engaging the class;
  2. Use visual aids effectively for the verbal presentation;
  3. Communicate verbally effectively; Well written paper (grammar, punctuation, spelling);
  4. Be well-prepared, showing evidence of thorough research, understanding of the issues, and organization; Support presentation of your topic with related cases and background information;
  5. Understand and present the computer ethics related issues.

Quizzes

Pop quizzes will be given, usually at the beginning of class. Those who arrive late will have less time to finish the quiz, which will last less than 10 minutes. Quizzes will be based on previous lectures, assigned readings, and class discussion. No makeup quizzes will be given, but the lowest quiz grade will be dropped.

Position Papers

Position Papers will be graded on a scale of 0 to 3. A grade of 2 is considered average, and a 3 will only be given for work that shows unusual insight or extra thought, not just evidence of you having done the reading. Position papers will be written as html files and will be submitted via the turnin command as described below. These papers will be posted through the course web site for your classmates to read. No late papers will be accepted, but the lowest position paper grade will be dropped. All position papers must be turned in electronically an hour before class starts on the date due, at which point turnin will be disabled.

Using turnin

Position papers and class presentation papers must be turned in as nicely formatted html documents using the turnin command from your CS department computer account. See the Position Papers page for more details on this.

Class Participation

Discussion is a critically important component of this class. Class participation means being actively involved in discussions and asking questions, demonstrating you have read the material and thought about it ahead of time. After I have assigned readings or position papers I will choose members from the class to comment. I will keep track of who is prepared and who isn't. I will occasionally take attendance as part of your class participation grade.

Academic Dishonesty