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Assignments:

Assignments will be evaluated based on:

• The quality of your argument,
• The quality of the sources you use to support your argument
• How well you connect your assignment to the topics we are discussing in class,
• The quality of your writing / speech.

Many assignments in this course are written assignments. It is expected that you write in clear, formal, academic language. If you need help with your writing skills, please let me know early in the semester. You can contact the University Writing and Speaking Tutorial service for support.

1. Weekly reflections (blog posts) (25 points)
-- due each Monday
These are brief summaries/comments about the text you just read for the class. The writing comments are due by Monday at midnight and should be around three paragraphs. You should write a one paragraph summary for each text, and then connect them together, commenting on the authors's arguments in another paragraph. This last paragraph should also show connections to other readings in the course and to events outside the course.

Blog posts will be graded according to the following criteria:

• 2. The student (a) provides a clear and objective summary of both texts main ideas, and (b) connects both texts main topics with previous classes and readings, and personal observations (For this part, you may address the following question: why is this text relevant to understand the topic Internet and Society?)
• 1.5. The student (a) provides a clear and objective summary of one of the texts, and (b) connects at least one of the texts main topics with previous classes and readings, and personal observations, but fails to do that for both texts. It can be also the case that the student does not clearly and consistently connects both texts with previous classes / readings and personal observations.
• 1. The student (a) identified some main ideas in both of the texts, but did not address them adequately, (b) did not provide a clear summary of the texts, or (c) did not satisfactorily connect the texts ideas with previous classes, readings and personal observations.
• 0. The student (a) did not summarize the texts and did not connect it to past classes, or (b) posted after the deadline. Late posts will automatically receive a 0*.
• 2.5. If you write an outstanding blog post, you'll get an extra credit.

*If you have an excused absence, you can still get credit to your blog post if you post it within one week of the absence. You are excused from posting if you are presenting to the class. Blog post grades are available at the course grade book in the course locker.

Each class a student will be asked to read their blog post. You can also volunteer to read it. So, you should bring a print out of your blog post to class.

In order to be added as a blog user, you register at the NCSU WolfBlogs at: http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/. After you register, send an email to the T.A. (rfu2@ncsu.edu) with the subject "COM477" containing: your name, your section, your email and your unity username. Then you will receive an email from me asking you to joing the class blog. After joining the blog, follow the instructions below to post comments.

Instructions to post comments:
1. Go to: http://blogs.lib.ncsu.edu/editor/yourWebsites.do?method=edit
2. Login with your University username and password.
3. Click on "new entry" at the right hand side of the blog name.
4. Give a title to your post: the title should be the last name of the text's author, e.g., Abbatte.
5. Assign a category to your post (This should be your name).
6. Write your post (you can resize the text book by dragging the lower right hand corner).
7. Sign your post with your name.
8. Click "Post to Weblog".
10. To view your post, click on "COM487001S10" on the top of the page.
11. If you wish to re-edit it, click on "Edit" below your post, which will take you back to the post interface. Make your changes and click "Post to Weblog" again.

NOTE: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ASSIGN A "CATEGORY" TO YOUR POST. FAILURE TO DO THAT WILL **NOT** ASSIGN THE POST TO YOU AND YOU MIGHT NOT GET CREDIT FOR IT.

Model for blog post

2. Research presentation (15 points)
-- once a semester
Each week, three students will be responsible for bringing each a popular press article about the topic addressed in that week for presentation and class discussion. Presentations and questions should reflect critical engagement/analysis with the topic. Presentations shouldn't simply be a recitation of findings ("here is what the article says") but should also show some analysis. Think about what is at stake in what you have found. What is interesting about the article? Why does it matter? Is it accurate? Does it contradicts or supports the class readings? The group will also bring about 6 discussion questions that connect the article to the texts assigned for that week in order to engage the class in a class discussion.

Each student will have 10 minutes for:

1. Providing the class with a hand out that summarizes the article, including the main author's arguments and quotes (you can also use power point, if you like).
2. Summarizing the article.
3. Explaining why that article was chosen (relevance of the article)
4. Connecting the article with the class topic

The last 40 minutes of class will be dedicated to class discussion. The group then is responsible for leading class discussion and engaging the students in a conversation.

In order to get full credit for the assigned the students should:

• Email two options of articles and the questions one week in advace the professor and the TA.
• Follow the professor's / TA's feedback, in case the students needs to find a new article or re-work on the discussion questions.
  

The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria:

• The quality of your article (if the article is from a trustworthy popular press source)
• The quality of your summary / hand-out
• The quality of the group's discussion questions (how well they relate to the week's readings).
• The quality of your presentation (connection to the class readings, and highlighting relevance of the article)
• Students gave article + questions to instructor/TA one week in advance.
• Students followed the professor's feedback, in case he / she needs to find a new article or re-work on the discussion questions.
• Students led class discussion (giving active feedback to students and engaging the class)

Here's a useful resource that explains what a popular press article is: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/faq/faq.php?id=42

Download discussion grading rubric

3. Mid-term and Final Exams (20 and 25 points respectively)
-- due 03.04 and 05.06
The mid-term and final exams are individual take home essays. You will have one week to complete the exams. The purpose of the exams is for you to demonstrate that you have understood the major issues addressed in the course and that you can articulate an insightful, well-supported position on one of those issues.

You should be prepared to answer any of the questions based on your class notes, slides, class readings, and outside sources. Your answers should present a clear, well-structured text, incorporating information, facts, or quotations from the course readings and from your lecture notes, research sources, and blog postings. You are required to use at least two quotes or facts from the course readings and at least one quote or fact from any other outside sources in each question. This is the minimal requirement, however; if you are aiming for an “A,” don’t settle for the minimum. All source material must be properly indicated using quotation marks (if it is a quote) and credited using proper parenthetical references.

When your turn in your completed exam, you will also turn in copies of all the sources you used (not including course readings).

Directions for the exams:

• Each answer should be about two to three pages long.
• For each answer, you should cite at least 2 texts used in class and 1 outside source reference.
• Cite your sources at the end of each question as a references list.
• Sources and in-text citations should be formatted according to the APA style.
• Attach copy of all the external sources you used to your essay (not including course readings).

Your answers will be evaluated based on:

• the substance of your research, that is:
• how you answer the questions in adequate detail;
• the quality of the sources you use to support your argument;
• how well you connect your assignment to the topics we are discussing in class;
• the correct citation of sources according to the APA style;
• the correct number of sources;
• the adequate length of the answer;
• the quality of your writing.

Model for correct answer

4. Participation (10 points)

Participation entails not only attending the class but coming prepared having done all the readings, having made an honest attempt at understanding the author’s argument, and bringing reading notes and questions you’d like to ask. Participation grades will be given according to the following criteria:

This part of the participation grade will be given according to the following criteria:
A+ (10.0) Outstanding participation. Student meets and exceeds all criteria for “A” participation.
A (9.5) Student is well prepared, attentive, always responds when called upon and                                     volunteers often with pertinent answers or questions.
B (8.5) Student is usually prepared, responds when called on and volunteers on                                                 occasion.
C (7.5) Student shows evidence of being unprepared on occasion, has trouble                                                 when called on and does not volunteer often.
D (6.5) Student is unprepared, inattentive, never volunteers, or comes to class late.
F (0) Student exhibits a lack of concern for the class, sleeps in class, or disturbs                                     the class.

5. Final Class Discussion (5 points)

In the last week fo classes, each student will be asked to bring an article (popular press or scholarly) to class that relates to one of the topics we studied, and speak 5 minutes about her/his perspectives on the course and on the future of the Internet related to that topic. Suggested structure:

1. Choose your favorite topic during the the course and look for an article that addresses this topic.
2. Bring it to class and talk about current uses of the Internet within the context of your topic.
3. Talk about how you foressee future uses of the Internet within the context of your topics.

In order to get full credit the student must:

• Bring a good quality article.
• Be capable of clearly connecting the article with topics studied in class.

Grades will be giving in a 0-5 scale, in which:

• 0 = student didn't present
• 1 = student failed to summarize the text AND connect to class topics
• 2 = student failed to summarize the text OR connect to class topics
• 3 = student provided a satisfactory summary + connection to class, but failed to contextualize the presentation on the future uses of the internet.
• 4 = student provided a good summary + connection to class + contextualized the topic within issues dealing with the future of the internet
• 5 = student did all of the above (number 4), plus exceed expectations.