Fact, Fiction and Fraud in the Digital Age: Assessment

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SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS

FOR MORE INFORMATION REFER TO THE ORANGE HANDOUT "ASSESSMENT SECURITY".


CLASS PAPER (10% of total assessment)

Length: 10 minutes, 500-1000 words for all students.
Due date: due class given.

Focus of class paper

You are required to give a 10 minute talk on an aspect of the lecture topic in the week chosen, based on selected readings from the tutorial/laboratory reading list OR present your findings of the tutorial exercise in some weeks (speak to the tutors beforehand).

Requirements

MARKS WILL BE DEDUCTED IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE.

Assessment


RESEARCH PAPER (50% of total assessment)

Length: 2000 words for 12.5 pt students; 3000 words for 16.7 pt students.
Due date: Monday 4 October 2004.

Focus of research paper

You are required to undertake a critical analysis of an aspect of the digital age which particularly interests you. Below are some suggested topics - you may choose one of them or form your own.

Suggested topics

  1. What impact is the WWW having on information in traditional media? Discuss and analyse.
    (Think about what radio was like before the Web and SMS. If you don't know, do some research or ask someone who was there!)

  2. Why do basic research principles seem to 'go out the window' on the Web? What markers are required to distinguish fact, fraud and fiction?

  3. How are rumours and myths promulgated on the Web? Track and analyse the history of a world wide rumour. (See the sources for Lecture 3 for some possible starting points)

  4. Every day people are making decisions based on information on the Web. What impact does this have for the delivery of government information over the Web? Where do the obligations for government and the citizen lie?

  5. Restriction versus freedom. Can/Does Internet legislation work? Comment on the Australian experience.

  6. What legislation is necessary for the effective utilisation of digital information in a particular domain, e.g. government, business, etc? What are the implications and what obligations does it place on the providers/suppliers/producers and their 'customers'?

  7. Scholarly publishing on the Web. Select a discipline and analyse the impact of digital publication in that area. What is the balance between traditional and electronic publication? What factors are promoting/hindering the uptake of Web publishing?

  8. Recordkeeping in the network environment. Thirteen functional requirements for recordkeeping have been identified (see the Pittsburgh Project Report - Lecture 5). Does any IT system meet these requirements? Can any IT system maintain compliance over time?

  9. Topic of your choice - As a suggestion you may like to look at the Higher Education and IT supplements of The Australian and/or The Age and select an issue to analyse and explore.

Requirements

The research paper is the major piece of assessment for this subject. It should demonstrate your ability to undertake research, i.e. to find, select and reference sources to support your arguments. It should also reflect your engagement with the issues raised in the lectures, tutorials and labs. You are required to analyse material and construct an argument rather than just write a descriptive piece. Your essay must be fully referenced and include a bibliography.

You should provide an indication of the topic you will be covering by the end of week 3 (i.e. by Friday 13 August 2004). Time will be set aside in the tutorial in week 2 and 3 to discuss the paper. Once you have decided on your topic, you should send an email to tfac@austehc.unimelb.edu.au with the details of what you propose to do. This will helps us identify any projects that may be over ambitious. Note: All emails with attachments will be deleted, unread.

Assessment

MARKS WILL BE DEDUCTED IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE.


PROJECT (40% of total assessment)

Length: 1500 - 2000 words for all students.
Due date: Monday 8 November 2004.

Focus of project

You are an information consultant and are required to submit an expression of interest for the design and construction of a subject gateway in <insert your domain here>. Alternatively you may submit an expression of interest for the redesign of an existing gateway or for an organisation's intranet. The gateway will cover both online and print, primary and secondary resources in the selected domain.

Requirements

Your Expression of Interest must be for a subject gateway and should:

The project will be discussed in the tutorials from week 9. You should email tfac@austehc.unimelb.edu.au by Friday 18 October with details of the subject gateway you wish to work on. All emails with attachments will be deleted, unread.

For more details of the requirements for the project, see http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/teaching/tfac/course/projectassessment.htm

Assessment

MARKS WILL BE DEDUCTED IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW ANY OF THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE.


Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre on AustehcWeb, 2000 - 2004
Comments, questions, corrections and additions: tfac@austehc.unimelb.edu.au
Updated: 22 July 2004
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/teaching/tfac/assessment.htm

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