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Essay #1 – Write a short essay (300 words) about some topic related to computing and/or the Internet that interests you and has social or ethical implications. Describe the background; then identify the social or ethical issues, problems, or questions that you think are important. Don't make your essay be just an argument for one point of view. Express your views, but first explain what the issues are, and why there is a problem or a controversy.
When turning in the essay, make sure you also turn in this grade sheet, with the honor code signed.
Essay #2 – Over the next two months, collect news articles, from print and electronic sources, on (1) benefits and valuable applications of computers and (2) failures and/or problems caused by computer systems. Collect at least five articles in each group. Mark the source and date on each article—they should be published within this time period. (Turn them in with your paper.) Write a short commentary for each of the two categories, indicating how they relate to the themes discussed in Section 1.2.2. Follow each commentary with article summaries for that category. Papers are to be no more than 1000 words, and they should be written within four pages, double-spaced. The gradesheet for this assignment is available here.
Resume/Cover Letter. Note: Each section must download the gradesheet for this assignment. Mr. Wheaton's session, click here, Dr. McCrickard's section, click here. (See Ms. Watford's talk.)
Term paper – The term paper is a three-tiered assignment with due dates spread across the semester. The detailed spec for it is here.
Assigned Presentations