Information Ethics

INFM 718Q, Section 0101

Mondays 6:00 pm – 8:45 pm

Hornbake Building, South Wing, Room 4115

Instructor: Professor Kenneth R. Fleischmann, Ph.D.

Office: Hornbake Library Building, South Wing, Room 2118E

e-mail: kfleisch@umd.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 5-6, Tuesdays 3-3:30, and by appointment (or asynchronous via e-mail)

Course Description:

This case-based course introduces students to past, current, and future issues in information ethics, and encourages students to develop their own standpoint from which to address the diverse range of information ethics problems. Each week, students will confront a different information ethics issue by playing different roles within cases that encourage ethical problem-solving and reflection. Students will also propose, research, and write a research paper throughout the semester, for which they will receive detailed feedback and guidance, and at the end of the semester students will present the key findings from their research to the class.

 

Statement of Goals:

Upon successfully completing this course, each student will be able to:

 

Course Readings:

Quinn, Michael J. 2005. Ethics for the Information Age, Second Edition. Boston: Addison Wesley. ISBN: 0321375262.

Additional readings available on electronic reserve and via the WWW.

 

Letter Grades:

A+

97-100

B+

87-89

C+

77-79

D+

67-69

 

 

A

93-96

B

83-86

C

73-76

D

63-66

F

0-59

A-

90-92

B-

80-82

C-

70-72

D-

60-62

 

 

 

Grade Components:

50%     Attendance and Participation

10%     Research Paper Outline

10%     Research Paper Rough Draft

20%     Research Paper Final Paper

10%     Research Presentation

 

Case-Based Learning:

This course applies a case-based learning approach to information ethics. The cases used in this class provide opportunities to apply abstract theories and concepts learned in class to real-world scenarios, and create a safe environment for considering and resolving ethical dilemmas. During each regular class meeting (except presentation week), students will work together to solve an information ethics case.

 

Attendance Policy:

Because the vast majority of the learning in this class will occur within the classroom, students are required to attend class regularly. Attendance will be taken during each class period. Absences will only be excused in situations following university policy (illness, religious observances, participation in University activities at the request of university authorities, and compelling absences beyond the studentŐs control) with proper documentation and timely notification (prior to class for non-emergencies). Excessive tardiness may be considered as an unexcused absence.

Class Participation:

Class participation is a critical element of this course. The effectiveness of the course will be significantly impacted by the quality of your participation. Class participation is not merely attendance, but rather factors in your overall contributions to the collaborative learning environment, based on both the quantity and quality of your interactions in all aspects of the course. Participation in the cases is especially critical. Students are expected to complete all written and oral aspects of each case during the class period, and to be ready to discuss the process and outcome of their case with the class following the completion of each case. Preparation prior to the class period is also important. Students should come to class prepared to discuss important points from the required readings, as well as their perspectives on these readings. Students should strive for balance in their contributions, and student participation will not be based on who speaks the loudest or the longest, but on consistent participation of significant quantity and, most importantly, quality, including both written and oral aspects of class participation. Each week, you will get feedback about your class participation during the previous week.

 

Calculation of Attendance and Participation Grade:

Your attendance and class participation grade will be calculated by multiplying the numerical assessment of your class participation by the percentage of classes that you attend (with exceptions made for documented, university-recognized absences as noted above). Thus, by actively participating in each class, you will receive a full letter grade higher than if you were to skip half of the classes or to be half-awake for all of the classes.

 

Research Paper Outline:

Throughout the semester, students will work to develop a research paper on a topic related to information ethics. The topic of the research paper will be selected in consultation with the instructor. At the start of class for Week 3 (September 24, 2007), students are required to turn in an outline of the research paper, including the proposed title, an outline of the paper broken into 5-10 sections with a one-paragraph description of the goal of each section, and a list of at least 10 references of relevance to the paper, at least half of which must be peer-reviewed journal articles. Research paper outlines will be graded according to the following criteria: suitability and creativity of topic, development and coherence of outline, and appropriateness of references.

 

Research Paper Rough Draft:

By the start of class in Week 7 (October 29, 2007), students must complete a rough draft of their research paper. The rough draft must incorporate instructor feedback from the outline, must be at least 3,000 words in length, and must cite at least 20 references, at least half of which must be peer-reviewed journal articles. Research paper rough drafts will be graded according to the following criteria: quality of concepts and ideas, understanding of the relevant literature, and overall coherence and clarity of writing.

 

Research Paper Final Draft:
The final draft of the research paper will be due at the start of the class meeting during Week 13 (December 10, 2007). The final draft must incorporate instructor feedback from the outline and rough draft, must be between 5,000-6,000 words in length, and must cite at least 30 references, at least half of which must be peer-reviewed journal articles. Research paper final drafts will be graded according to the following criteria: quality of concepts and ideas, understanding of the relevant literature, development of a novel argument, incorporation of prior feedback, and overall coherence and clarity of writing.

 

Research Presentation:

During Week 13, students will make brief (10-15 minute) presentations of their research, and then answer questions from the instructor and other members of the class about their research. Students should create PowerPoint presentations and e-mail their presentations to the instructor at least one hour prior to the class meeting on Week 13. Research paper presentations will be graded according to the following criteria: quality of research, quality of visual presentation, and quality of oral presentation.

 

Academic Integrity:

Students are reminded that, as one of a small number of universities with a student-administered Code of Academic Integrity and an Honor Pledge, the University has absolute expectations for academic integrity from every student. The Code strictly prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents, and forging signatures. Instances of any suspected academic dishonesty will be reported and handled according to University policy and procedures. For a more detailed description of the University's definition of academic dishonesty, visit http://www.faculty.umd.edu/teach/integrity.html

 

The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.
 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

The University is committed to providing appropriate accommodations for students with documented disabilities. In order to ascertain what accommodations should be provided to facilitate your learning experience, please be sure to inform the instructor of your needs at the beginning of the semester. The instructor will then contact relevant parties such as the UniversityŐs Disability Support Services, who will make arrangements with you to determine and implement appropriate academic accommodations. For more information on the UniversityŐs policies, see http://www.faculty.umd.edu/teach/disabilities.html.

 

Emergency Preparedness:

Information about the status of the campus is available at http://www.umd.edu/emergencypreparedness/. If the campus is closed, please make sure to stay safe. Information about possible rescheduling of course activities will be provided via e-mail once the campus has reopened.

 

Syllabus Change Policy:

This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

 

Class Schedule:

 

September 10, 2007: Week 1: Introduction

 

September 17, 2007: Week 2: The Information Age

Quinn, Chapter 1

 

September 24, 2007: Week 3: Ethics (note: Outline Due)

Quinn, Chapter 2

 

October 1, 2007: Week 4: Professional Ethics

Quinn, Chapter 9

 

October 8, 2007: Week 5: Networking

Quinn, Chapter 3

 

October 15, 2007: Week 6: Intellectual Property

Quinn, Sections 4.1-4.5

 

October 29, 2007: Week 7: Stealing and Sharing (note: Rough Draft Due)

Quinn, Sections 4.6-4.10

 

November 5, 2007: Week 8: Privacy

Quinn, Chapter 5

 

November 12, 2007: Week 9: Security

Quinn, Chapter 6

 

November 19, 2007: Week 10: Reliability and Accountability

Quinn, Chapter 7

 

November 26, 2007: Week 11: Automation and Globalization

Quinn, Sections 8.1-8.3

 

December 3, 2007: Week 12: The Digital Divide

Quinn, Sections 8.4-8.7

 

December 10, 2007: Week 13: Class Presentations (note: Final Draft of Paper Due)