D R A F T

ISTM 190W Section 11 Writing in the Discipline: Information Technology CRN 95194 Spring 2008

Tuesdays/Thursdays, 3:55 – 5:00 PM Room: Duques 360Instructor: Professor E. J. Cherian Funger Hall Room 515M 2201 G Street, NW Office Phone (202) 994-8969 E-mail Cherian @gwu.eduOffice hours: Available daily; appointments for the convenience of students

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The uniqueness of this course is in the focus upon writing. There are a variety of writing assignments throughout the semester that will result in more than 20 deliverable papers. These include case studies, essays, critical journal article reviews, and two substantial research efforts. Students will work in groups, and as peer reviewers, as well as on individual writing assignments. A summary of these assignments is included below.

The discipline is information technology: IT includes the use of computer and communications technology to create and manage information. More specifically IT deals with creating, storing, processing, protecting, and transmitting information to solve problems and make decisions in a variety or organizational settings.

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of information technology and the way organizations use the technology. All organizations require information for problem solving and decision-making, and thus organizations adopt procedures and develop systems to acquire and organize information.

Students will also make oral class presentations of their work, both as individuals and in groups.

Students successfully completing this course should possess:

- an understanding of different forms of writing- an overall understanding of the role of information technology in modern organizations- an overview of various information systems used in enterprise management and decision making- an understanding of how the Internet and electronic commerce has changed business- the experience of planning and writing a formal research paper (perhaps for publication)- experience in writing and discussing case studies - the capacity to conduct a critical review of journal articles- improved writing skills in the IT field.

REQUIRED TEXT

Management Information Systems (2007), Laudon & Laudon, 10th edition, Pearson- Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ

The instructor will supplement this text with recent journal articles and other materials relevant to the assigned subject areas. In order to keep pace with advances in information systems technology, it is necessary to routinely scan the current literature for articles dealing with relevant technology topics. Students are encouraged to seek current articles related to class assignments. Some suggested sources are:

Journal of MISHarvard Business ReviewSloan Management ReviewInformation Systems ResearchJournal of Systems ManagementManagement ScienceInternational Journal of Electronic CommerceThe EconomistBusiness WeekFortuneThe Wall Street JournalThe New York Times

Only occasionally can a useful article can be found in trade publications such as; Information Week, Computerworld, Business 2.0, etc.

PRECEPTOR

This course is fortunate in having a student Preceptor assigned to assist students in their writing and research tasks. The preceptor’s role is to provide coaching, or feedback and suggestions for improvement of student writing, but does not include grading or formal evaluation. The preceptor’s tasks include:

- conferring or coaching individual students to help them formulate topics for papers and identify appropriate reference sources

- provide feedback on draft writings with a view toward improvement of the final product- being available to consult with students when there are questions about writing efforts.

Students are encouraged to engage the Preceptor’s assistance in all writing assignments, and are required to meet with her (schedule a specific time) for review on at least one assignment in the course.

Jennifer Lanza is the Preceptor assigned to this course. She will provide students her contact information.

CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT

There will be six short (mini) case study assignments in this course. Students are required to participate in class discussions concerning the cases and will be graded on their participation. Students are also required to submit a written response to each case – the preparation for the case discussion. Often questions, which accompany case studies, serve to provoke student thoughts and to guide one to issues raised in the case; merely answering the questions is not a valued response. Each written report should be no longer than one page long; typed, double-spaced, 12 pt font, no cover page, and are due the day of the case study assignment.

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There will also be two large (major) case study assignments in this course. Students will be grouped in two teams and each team will collectively prepare a written response to each major case study assignment. These case reviews are limited to five pages each, are due the day scheduled, and will be presented in class by each student team, with approximately 20 minutes for each team’s presentation..

Mini case study assignments not submitted the day of the class case study discussion are of no value without the presence of the student for discussion. Students who miss class on the day of a major case assignment & presentation may submit their written report for partial credit. Proper use of the English language is included in the grading of these assignments.

A brief guide to case study analysis is included as a Teaching Note appended to this course syllabus.

JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW

Students will be provided copies of two journal articles, “IT Doesn’t Matter”, by Nicholas G. Carr, and “Will you Survive the Services Revolution?” by Uday Karmarker. The assignment is to write a critical review of each article, defending your position for or against the author’s tenets, assertions and conclusions. Each critical review will be 3 - 5 pages in length (typed, double-spaced, 12 pt font, no cover page). Students are expected to prepare for this task by researching the subject, seeking other authors’ views on the issues, and by searching and reviewing other pertinent materials (at least three other sources).Students should review the Assessment Rubric (Teaching Note 1.7.08) for added guidance in the preparation and grading of these papers.

Students will present their work for peer review and class discussion in two individual teams; each team will have approximately 15 minutes to present their views regarding the issues raised in the article. One team will adopt a position of support for the author’s tenets and the other team will present an opposing/contraire view. And a rebuttal period (about 5 minutes for each team) will follow.

There is one final “mini” critical journal article review: students will prepare and discuss the article: “Feature Presentation.” Students are free to respond to this article in any written form they choose, without restriction on length of paper or writing form.

Grammar, composition, spelling, sentence structure and proper citations are included in the grading of all papers. Late papers are automatically down-graded.

STUDENT TEAM EFFORTS

The class will be divided into two teams. The major case study assignments, and critical journal article reviews, noted above, will be team efforts. Each team will meet, organize and present their response to the two major case efforts. Each student will prepare an individual paper for grading on each of the two cases.

The second team effort is the critical journal article review, outlined above. Again each team will prepare a response; team 1 will assume the Pro side of the article, IT Doesn’t Matter, and team 2 will assume the Con side of the argument of this article. For the second journal article review, Will you Survive the Services Revolution? teams will reverse positions for their presentations. Again, each student will prepare individual papers for these assignments. In team efforts it is important for all team members to participate equally.

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RESEARCH PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Students are required to independently prepare an original and thoughtful research paper on a topic related to this course. (See Teaching Note 1.1.08.) The purpose of the paper is three-fold; to demonstrate your ability to think and write critically, to plan and conduct a research effort related to information technology, and to be informative to the reader. Two copies of your paper will be submitted for grading; late papers are automatically downgraded. The paper should be no longer that 10 pages in length (typed, double-spaced, 12 pt font, no cover page) including the bibliography, footnotes and attachments if any.

The paper should include a Summary at the beginning (no more than one-half page long), a Conclusion at the end (no more than one-half page long), and a Bibliography/Reference section, no more than one page long. The body of the paper may be arranged any way you wish. If there is a hypothesis to your research, it should be stated in the summary and answered in the conclusion section. Students are expected to prepare for this task by researching the subject, seeking other authors’ views on the issues, and by searching and reviewing other pertinent materials (at least six other sources).

Students will first present an outline for review and approval, and subsequently a draft for review prior to the final paper due date. Grammar, composition, spelling, sentence structure and proper citations are included in the grading of papers. If you need additional guidance with English writing, please seek assistance from the GWU Writing Center.

If this is your first research/critical review paper or if you are unsure about handling reference sources and quotations, please refer to the attached teaching note concerning plagiarism. If there are issues of doubt during your writing process, ask your instructor to be sure. Also if you are unsure about the appropriate format, citations, references, etc. for a research paper, please consult an authoritative source such as one of the following:

Gibaldi, J. (1995) The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th Edition, New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Turabian, Kate L. (1996) A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Chicago, American Psychological Association.

__________ (1993) The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors and Publishers, 14th Edition, Chicago, University of Chicago.

At the end of your paper (after the conclusion section) the following signed statement should be printed and signed:

I certify that I am the author of this paper. signature_______________ student name/date.

Attached is a list of pertinent topics for your review and selection. Most of these topics are quite broad: it’s possible to prepare a number of papers of different titles within the topical area. Select a topic and inform the instructor of your choice in your outline submission. If none of the topics are of interest to you, propose a topic for the instructor’s approval. Then conduct your research to narrow the topical area into a title for your paper.

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SOME SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR RESEARCH PAPERS

What’s different about ethics in e-commerce?The federal government and electronic businessHow radio-frequency identification devices assist businessSoftware agents/robotsElectronic privacyHow does society (as a whole) gain from specific information technologies?Electronic commerce in a third-world countryThe value of distance learning versus classroom learningShould there be a sales tax on business-to-consumer electronic business?The impact of the U. S. Patriot Act upon individual privacyHow technology has affected learningOther?

EMPHASIS ON WRITING

The Instructor will ask students to write short essays on topics of his choice related to the weeks IT material; Writing Exercises. These Writing Exercises will be performed without preparation, and are essentially a short (10 minutes) essay in nature, and will be peer reviewed. Students are also required to meet individually with the instructor on different occasions during class periods (refer to the enclosed schedule) in order to obtain direct feedback on their writing efforts. In addition to these “required” mentoring sessions, students are encouraged to seek the instructor’s assistance, or the Preceptor’s assistance, in any issues of IT as well as writing assignments at any time during the semester.

Students will review the different forms of writing and structural issues associated with writing. (See the Teaching Note in this syllabus regarding forms of writing.)

EMPHASIS ON CLASS PARTICIPATION

All students are expected to participate in class discussions and group presentations. If you don’t participate (talk, present, comment, argue, etc.) your class participation grade will be a 0. If you are unable (absent) to participate on a scheduled presentation (other than mini-case studies), you can receive a reduced grade for your on-time submission without participation.

Class participation evaluation (15% of your final grade) includes: attendance, participation in class discussions, meeting with the Preceptor, and participation in team assignments.

THE WRITING BOOK

Each student is required to establish and maintain a “writing book”; a loose-leaf binder containing all papers written in this course, a historical trail of writing products. The books will be for each student’s own use as well as for the instructor to review in order to identify trends and improvements. By the end of the semester, students are expected to have 21 writing assignments in the Writing Book for review by the Instructor. See summary of assignments below.

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SUMMARY OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

Tues Jan 15 Writing Exercise No. 1Thur Jan 17 Writing Exercise No. 2Tues Jan 22 Writing Exercise No 3Thur Jan 24 Mini Case No. 1Thur Jan 31 Mini Case No. 2Tues Feb 12 Major Case No. 1 Nancy’s Specialty Foods Thur Feb 14 Mini Case No. 3Tues Feb 19 Research Paper Outline Thur Feb 21 Critical Journal Article Review: “IT Doesn’t Matter”Tues Feb 26 Writing Exercise No. 4 Thur Feb 28 First Quiz

Tues Mar 4 Mini Case No. 4Thur Mar 6 Mini Case No 5Tues Mar 11 Research Paper Draft Thur Mar 13 Major Case No. 2: Dell ComputersThur Mar 27 Critical Journal Article Review: “Can you Survive the Services Revolution?“ Thur Apr 10 Mini Case No. 6Tues Apr 15 Research Paper Final Writing Exercise No. 5 Thur Apr 17 Writing Exercise No. 6Tues Apr 22 Mini Cri tical Journal Article Review: “Feature Presentation”Thur Apr 24 Second Quiz Written Assignment Summary:

Writing exercises – 6Mini Case studies – 6Major case studies – 2Critical journal article reviews – 3Research paper - 3 (submissions)Quizzes - 2 -- Total 22

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Your instructor supports and enforces every aspect of the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity. The following is an extract from the Code of Academic Integrity:

"Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and without authorization and the fabrication of information. Examples of cheating include;- Using unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any exercise.

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- Fabrication or falsification of information.- Plagiarism - intentionally misrepresenting another's work, failure to paraphrase.- Forgery of academic documents.- Facilitating academic dishonesty."

The full code is at http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.htmlt.

BLACKBOARD

A Blackboard account has been established for this course. The instructor’s Power Point slides, course syllabus, and computer lab exercises are posted on Blackboard@gwu.edu. Students are encouraged to download these items for use.

EVALUATION

There will be two quizzes; each approximately one hour long, which will cover all text assignments, class handouts, and class discussions held during the first and second halves of the semester. Make-up quizzes will not be provided students who miss a quiz except in very special cases, and only prior to the scheduled quiz date.

Each student is responsible for identifying/obtaining materials and assignments that were covered during any missed class session. (Suggestion: find a classmate who can become your "friend" - with whom you can share notes and information in the event you miss a class session.)

Student grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D or F) will approximately consist of the following elements:

- Class participation 15%- Case study assignments- mini 10%

- major 10%- Writing Exercises/Writing Book 10%

- Research paper - outline 5% - draft 5% - final paper 10% - Critical review of journal articles 15%

- Quizzes 20%

Students are encouraged to work together, cooperatively, in all assignments and activities, except in taking quizzes.

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DRAFT ISTM 190W-11 Course Outline/Schedule Spring 2008

Session Assignment

Tues Jan15 Course Overview Student/Instructor Expectations Writing Exercise No. 1: What Makes Writing Hard?

Thur Jan 17 Forms of Writing The research paper Writing Exercise No. 2: What I Expect to Learn from this Course

Tues Jan 22 The Information Society Ch 1 Writing Exercise No 3: The Next Era?

Thur Jan 24 Introduction to Information Technology Ch 2 Mini Case No. 1: Can Information Systems Help . . . (page 77)

Tues Jan 29 Information Systems and Organizations Ch 3 Major Case Team formation; meetings

Thur Jan 31 Information Technology Infrastructure Ch 5- hardware- software

Mini Case No. 2: Merrill Lynch Connects . . . (page 219)

Tues Feb 5 Individual Student Meetings/Instructor Thur Feb 7 Team meetings: Case preparation Tues Feb 12 Major Case No. 1: Information Technology at COSCO Team Presentations

Thur Feb 14 Databases and Information Management Ch 6 Mini Case No. 3: Panasonic Creates . . . (page 257)

Tues Feb 19 Telecommunications and Enterprise Networks Ch 7 Research Paper Outline Due Thur Feb 21 Critical Journal Article Review: “IT Doesn’t Matter”; Pros and Cons Team Presentations

Tue Feb 26 The Internet and other networks Ch 7 Writing Exercise No. 4: My Internet

Thur Feb 28 First Quiz

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Tues Mar 4 Electronic Commerce Ch 10 Mini Case No. 4: Stonyfield Farm Blogs . . . (page 408) Thur Mar 6 Management Information Systems Ch 12 Mini Case No 5: Can Information Systems Make Your . . . (page 505)

Tues Mar 11 Decision Support Systems Ch 12 Research Paper Draft due

Thur Mar 13 Major Case No. 2: Infosys Consulting in 2006 Team Presentations

Tues/Thur Mar 18/20 Spring Break – No Classes

Tues mar 25 Individual Student Meetings/Instructor

Thur Mar 27 Critical Journal Article Review: “Can you Survive the Services . .“ Pros and Cons Team Presentations

Tues Apr 1 Team One students individually meet with Preceptor

Thur Apr 3 Team Two students individually meet with Preceptor

Tues Apr 8 Enterprise Applications Ch 9 Knowledge Management Ch 11

Thur Apr 10 Information Security Ch 8 Mini Case No. 6: A Stolen laptop . . . (page 348)

Tues Apr 15 Ethical & Social Issues in Information Systems Ch 4 Research Paper Final due Writing Exercise No. 5: My Ethical Dilemma

Thur Apr 17 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Ch 13 - Expert Systems Writing Exercise No. 6: How I would Use Artificial Intelligence

Tues Apr 22 Emerging Information Technologies Mini journal article critique: “Feature Presentation”

Thur Apr 24 Second Quiz Student Review

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Teaching Note: 7.2.00Some Notes On The Case Method *

Edward J. Cherian

There is no single approach to case teaching and learning any more than there is a single answer to a case study. The case method has proven to be a valuable learning technique and we use case discussions to accomplish what cases do better than other pedagogical methods.

The essence of case discussion is the airing of conflict between two or more opposing views. The best discussions include opposing views that are supportable and reasonable.

The case method depends upon the active and effective participation of all students. Students have the primary responsibility for learning, and have to accept and maintain ownership of the discussion.

Students should be committed to:

- Preparation; read and analyze the case beforehand- Presence; be present and prompt in order to participate- Participation; share your understanding and judgments with the class to advance the group's collective

skills and knowledge- Plan; have a plan of action for the protagonist in the case.

The instructor is responsible for preparation of material and for guiding the case discussion when and where it is necessary. The instructor is primarily a listener in the case discussion. The instructor may make summary and "off-line" comments that review and highlight the discussion, but such comments should only consist of a few minutes of lecture.

In writing a response to a case study, try to avoid re-stating the case. You can/should refer to facts in the case as you present your analysis. Do use the facts of the case to support your analysis, but don’t waste your time describing the case. Take the role of an “outside” consultant in presenting how you see the case; how you would have handled the situation; what decisions you would make, if any, that are different than those made in the case.

Lastly, learning is sometimes hard work but can also be an enjoyable experience with a bit of lightness and humor.

____________________ * Largely from Hints For Case Teaching, Benson P. Shapiro, Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 1984.

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Teaching Note: 11.4.98

PLAGIARISM*Edward J. Cherian

Plagiarism can be defined as copying or imitating the language, ideas, and thoughts of another author and passing off the same as one's original work. Plagiarism is a form of cheating; a false assumption of ownership, or intellectual theft.

During research and writing it is important to guard against the possibility of inadvertent plagiarism by keeping notes that distinguish your work and thoughts and the thoughts and material you gather from others. You may certainly use other persons' words and thoughts in your writing, but the borrowed material must not appear to be your creation.

Suppose for example, that you want to use the material in the following passage, which appears on page 625 of an essay by Wendy Martin in the book Columbia Literary History of the United States.

Some of Dickinson's most powerful poems express her firmly held conviction that life cannot be fully comprehended without an understanding of death.

If you write the following sentence without any documentation you commit plagiarism.

Emily Dickinson strongly believed that we cannot understand life fully unless we also comprehend death.

But you may present the material if you cite your source.

As Wendy Martin has suggested, Emily Dickinson strongly believed that we cannot understand life fully unless we also comprehend death (625).

Here the source is indicated, in accordance with the MLA style guide, by the name of the author and a page reference. The named author must also appear in the works-cited list or bibliography, which appears at the end of the paper.

In writing your paper, then, you must document everything you borrow - not only direct quotations and paraphrases but also information and ideas. Of course, common sense as well as ethics should determine what one documents. For example, you rarely need to give sources for familiar proverbs ("You can't judge a book by its cover"), or well-known quotations ("We shall overcome"), or common knowledge ("George Washington was the first president of the United States"). But you must indicate the source of any appropriated material that a reader might mistake for your own work.

If you have any doubts about whether or not you are committing plagiarism, cite your source(s).

In situations of doubt, ask your instructor if you are uncertain as to how to acknowledge sources or contributions.______________________* Largely from: Gibaldi, J. (1995) The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers . 4th Edition, New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

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Teaching Note: 11.1.07 Forms of Writing

ISTM 190 WID: Information TechnologyEdward J. Cherian

There are many different forms of writing, and many more different styles of writing. Here is a list of only some of the different forms of writing you may encounter in a lifetime:

- proposal - autobiography/memories- resume - critical journal article review- plan - book report- research paper - trip/observation report- essay (writing exercise) - directions/how to do something- business letter - thesis/dissertation- case study - poetry - fiction/fantasy - journal/diary- news report - memo

In this course we will use four (italicized) of the above: essay or writing exercise, case study, research paper, and critical journal article review.-------------

In addition, there are some structural issues to note in almost all forms of writing, specifically:

Paragraph: A group of sentences that speak to one idea. Six sentences are about the right length, and put together in a way that makes sense and relates to the main idea.

Introduction: This is a first impression offered to readers, in hopes it will interest them to read the entire paper. It often helps to write an introduction at the same time when you write a conclusion; tie them together.

Conclusion: A conclusion wraps up the argument or position offered in a paper and leaves the reader with the major thesis of the paper. It answers the question, Why are these ideas important? Don’t add more details or introduce new material in a conclusion.

Summary: A summary is a brief account of the main points of the paper. State the main ideas of the paper, together, in a logical way.------------

There are four basic modes, or categories, of writing:

Descriptive writing – writing to describe a person, place or event so as to detail a picture for the reader.

Expository writing – to provide information

Narrative writing – to describe an experience, or sequence of events in the form of a story.

Persuasive writing – to offer an opinion, with supporting evidence, and try to influence the reader’s way of thinking.

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Teaching Note 1.1.08Writing a Research Paper

Edward J. Cherian

1) General Guidance

The two most important things in writing a research paper are to: 1) choose a topic that is of sufficient interest to you that will engage you through the process, and 2) perform preliminary research to make sure that there is sufficient information from reputable sources to enable you to write a scholarly paper.

Print media are the most reliable and reputable sources. Students are encouraged to seek these research materials. If you focus your research on Web sites, try to again stay with print media sources; all the reputable ones have Web sites. Top level domain sites, e.g. .gov and .edu are the best; .com sites are inappropriate and the least reliable.

2) Format

A short paper – 10 pages or less – doesn’t necessarily require a separate title page. The title, author’s name, course, date, etc. can all be placed at the top of the first page of the paper.

A summary or abstract is required, but not both. Limit the summary to half a page. It should be written after the rest of the paper is completed. It should briefly summarize the paper and include, perhaps, a hypothesis or overall question, results, and one important finding or conclusion.

An introduction is not necessary in a short research paper, but may be included in the beginning of the body of the paper.

The body of the paper can be organized in many ways: - Describe the problem, issue(s), or hypothesis, the intent of the paper - Present data and /or findings - Present the views of experts from research sources – the sources cited in your bibliography, reference or works cited section - Discuss, summarize the results

Do not make unsupported assertions. This is the most common error made in research papers. Do not write; “most CIOs agree”, “several studies show”, “it is well known”. Be specific in referring to research

sources. Where possible go directly to the original sources, don’t use secondary sources to get facts since these sources may interpret incorrectly.

The conclusion is your analysis/logic of the facts/data/findings presented above. Do not introduce any new data or findings in this section.

Finally the last page should be the bibliography or reference section. Be sure to use one of the accepted/approved citation methods noted in the syllabus – and be consistent in the form used.

3) Using an Outline

It is usually valuable to use a numbering system to divide your paper. It allows the reader to easily see where you are taking her/him. For example:

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I. Summary II. The main body of the paper, to include findings, study results, discussion, etc. Use subheadings where appropriate, like: A. B. C. D. III. Conclusion IV. Bibliography

This format may already exist if you prepared an outline prior to writing your research paper.

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Teaching Note: 1.7.08ISTM 190 WID - Critical Journal Article Review - Assessment Rubric

Student Task Task Assessment Weighting 5 4 3 2 1 Excellent Good Adequate Poor Unacceptable

1. Provides support, or contradiction, for the journal article author’s tenets 20%

2. Student supports his/her facts and conclusions 15%

3. Correct use of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, spelling 15% 4. Uses strong and appropriate research references 15%

5. Uses proper citations and references 10% in paper

6. Has a logical paper organization and Structure 8%

7. Minimum repeat of article details 8%

8. Paper focused on the subject article 5% 9. Paper contains appropriate title, and notes Pro or Con position 2%

10. Paper appropriate specification length 2%

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