Essays for IS2000

Three essays should be written based on selections from the book "Beyond Calculation". The book is divided into three parts which roughly correspond to the 3 themes of the department: Foundations, Cognitive Processes, and Systems & Technology. Thus, the essays should focus on these themes as follows:

• Essay One (Due September 26). The theme is the "As We May Think" essay by Vannevar Bush
• Essay Two (Due October 24). The theme is "The web page and the user/reader". Base the paper on the essays
  • Banner Blindness: Web Searchers Often Miss "Obvious" Links.
  • Banner Blindness by Don Norman
  • How to Write for the Web.
  • You should look up at least two other references as well. You are expected to find the other references ON YOUR OWN.
• Essay Three (Due November 21). The theme is "Are computers overused?" You should read the book High Tech Heretic by Clifford Stoll. Your essay should state the main points raised in Stoll's book, and express an opinion -- your reaction to the points.

The essays should adhere to the following guidlines:

• Length: 6-9 pages (assuming 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing)
• The paper should be focused. That is, there should be a main point to the paper that you are trying to communicate to the reader. This should be defined in the first paragraph, and reinforced in the concluding paragraph.
• Try not to ramble. Don't stray too far from the main point.
• The use of external sources is encouraged (required in the second essay), but you must work on these papers independently. Evidence of collaborative work will be scrutinized carefully. Plagarism will result in an automatic failure on the paper, and in extreme case may lead to further action.
• Feel free to bring in knowledge from your own experience. It is perfectly fine to refer to a personal anecdote or to a situation at work, for example.