ISP 499z
Senior Seminar

Tuesdays, 7:15-10:05 pm
Digital Workshop 2 (Science Library)

Jennifer Powers
jjpowers@uamail.albany.edu

Schedule

Please note that this schedule is subject to change, so please check back!

Date In-class Topic In-class workshop Homework Assignment (due at start of class)
8/31

Introduction, expectations, assignments, books

What is information?
How do we get information?
Does how we get information affect the information we get?

 

Presentations

Memos

 . 
9/7

Memo (please read before class!)

"How to" presentations

PowerPoint

 

Resumes & Cover letters
Career Development Center

 

Write a 1 page paper on what you expect from this course. This paper will not be graded, but may affect your final grade if there is any doubt about your final grade at the end of the semester (ie, should you get a B- or a B?)

Be prepared to do a 5 minute presentation on "how to" do something. You may bring props if they will support your presentation.

Read ESL, "Introduction--The Seventh Sense"

Bring your resume in it's current form to class

Review 101 Great Resumes
9/14

Team 1:Artificial Intelligence

Reaction paper assignment on AI due

Final How To presentations

 

Read ESL, "The Tractable Apostrophe"

Find and write about a misuse of an apostrophe. This could be on a sign, on a menu, or someplace else. Write 1-2 paragraphs about the details of the mistake and what the correct word/words might be.
9/21

Team 2: Online Elections

Reaction paper assignment on Howard Dean due

 

 

Read ESL, "That'll Do, Comma"

Find and write about a misuse, overuse, or under use of a comma. This could be in a book, on a website, or someplace else. Write 1-2 paragraphs about the details of the mistake and what the correct use of the comma might be.
9/28

Team 3: Children Online

Reaction paper assignment on Children Online due

 

Read ESL, "Airs and Graces"

Write 1-2 paragraphs about a topic of your choosing to use semicolons and colons appropriately.
10/5

Team 4: Digital Millenium Copyright Act: Pros and Cons

Reaction paper assignment

 

Listen to the following audio clips from NPR online:

RIAA Moves Against Online Music Swappers

Movie Industry Targets Online Swappers

Music File Sharing

10/12

In-class interview exercise

 

 

Interviews
Career Development Center

Final paper specifications
Peer review requirements

Read ESL, "Cutting a Dash"

Write 1-2 paragraphs about a topic of your choosing to demonstrate your ability to use italic, question mark, exclamation point, dash, elipsis appropriately.

Find a job description you are interested in. Write a cover letter for that job. Turn the description and the cover letter in.

Bring 3 copies of your most current resume to class.

Bring 1 cover letter in its current form to class.

Read/review and bring to class Cover Letters! Cover Letters! Cover Letters!

Read How to Ensure Your Resume Produces Top Results and The Most Important Ten Seconds of Your Job Search

Read/review and bring to class 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions

Read What You Need to Know About What They Want to Hear
Don't Miss These Interview Tips
Thank-You Notes: An Integral Part of Your Career Design

Listen to the following audio clip:

Job Interviews Get Creative

10/19

Team 5: USA Patriot Act

Reaction paper assignment

 

 

  

Read ESL, "A Little Used Punctuation Mark"

Find and write about a misuse, overuse, or under use of a hyphen. This could be in an email, on a website, or someplace else. Write 1-2 paragraphs about the details of the mistake and what the correct use of the hyphen might be.

You must finalize your paper topic with me through email: jjpowers@nycap.rr.com

Listen to the following audio clips from NPR online:

ACLU Suit Challenges Patriot Act

An Interview with Attorney General Ashcroft

Review the ACLU's lawsuit that the US Patriot Act violates the 4th Amendment.
10/26

Team 6: Privacy Online

Reaction paper assignment

 

Read ESL, "Merely Conventional Signs"

Assignment on ESL to come.
11/2

Team 7: Online Gaming

Reaction paper assignment

 

Draft paper due--bring a hard copy of your draft paper to class.
11/9

Team 8: Hackers & Security

Reaction paper assignment

   Peer review due--bring your peer's paper with your notes to class.
11/16

no class

 . 

11/23

Guest Speaker

 

 

 . 

Peer review of cover letter and resume due
11/30

Final Presentations

 

 .  Final resume and cover letter due.
12/7

Final Presentations

 

 .  Final paper due--hand in your final paper and your peer reviewed copy.

 

Assignments

Please note: late assignments will have points deducted!

Team Presentation:

Each week, one or two teams will lead the class discussion. I will lead the first discussion. This means that your team will:

You will be graded on your presenation skills, your PowerPoint notes, the memo your team produces and your discussion participation (see below).

Draft and Final Paper Assignment/Peer Review Assignment:

You will select a topic relating to information science and do in-depth research on it. It may or may not be a topic we cover in class, but if we did cover it, you must examine a different angle or look more in-depth at it than we did in class. The final paper must be no less than 10 pages and no more than 12 pages, with standard formatting. You will present your research to the class at the end of the semester (specific dates to be determined). You will need to turn in a draft of your paper by November 2. That week, one of your classmates will peer review your paper (and you will review someone else's paper) and turn it back to you on November 9. The peer review will consist of positive and critical comments on the draft, as well as an attachment with your notes and comments to the writer. Your comments will be graded. The final paper and your draft with the peer review comments are due on December 7.

2-Page Reaction Papers :

You must write five 2-page reaction papers over the semester. I will give you a reaction question to consider for each topic we discuss. The paper is due at the *start* of class. Late papers will not be accepted. Career books and discussions also do not qualify. You can not use your team's presentation topic as one of your reaction papers.

Grammar Papers :

You must write five papers regarding the chapters in Eats, Shoots, & Leaves. The assignments are on the course outline above.

Grades

Participation in class discussions and debates = 10 points

Reaction papers = (5 * 4) = 20 points

Grammar papers = (5 * 2) = 10 points

Resume and cover letter = 5 points

Team presentation (oral presentation = 15, PowerPoint notes = 2.5 and memo = 2.5) = 20 points

Quiz = 10 points

Peer review comments = 5 points

Final paper (15) & presentation (5) = 20 points

Points will be deducted for unexcused absences, lateness, and early departures.

Related Links

If you come across additional useful websites, please email me the link and I will add to this list throughout the semester.

Online Elections

Hackers, Security, Privacy

DMCA, File sharing

USA Patriot Act

Artificial Intelligence

 

Last updated Monday, September 13, 2004