CPEN 371
Engineering Ethics
Spring 2008


Web Address http://www.pcs.cnu.edu/~lambert/Classes/Spring08/371/371.html
Instructor Dr. Lynn Lambert
Email lambert@pcs.cnu.edu
Office Gosnold 225
Phone 594-7826
Office Hours Monday, Wednesday 2:00-3:00PM
Tuesday, Thursday 11:00-noon
or by appointment
Texts: (required) A Gift of Fire, 2nd edition by Sarah Baase, Prentice Hall, 2003.
Prerequisite Engl 101 or 103H and 102 or 104H or English 123. CPSC 125.

Meeting Times

We will meet 1:00-1:50 one day a week for 14 weeks except 2 times noted on the syllabus as individual meetings when you will sign up to meet with me individually to talk about your writing. There will be no final exam for this class.
AVERAGE GRADE   AVERAGE GRADE   AVERAGE GRADE
92 - 100: A   80 - 81: B-   68 - 69: D+
90 - 91: A-   78 - 79: C+   62 - 67: D
88 - 89: B+   72 - 77: C    60 - 61: D-
82 - 87: B    70 - 71: C-   0 - 59: F

Grading

ITEM WEIGHT
Writing Center Report5%
Current Event Oral Report5%
Meeting with me 2 times10%
Class Attendance, In Class Writings and Reactions 20%
5 Reading Summaries20%
Research Paper40%

Writing Center Visit

You also must take one CPEN371 writing sample to the Writing Center for evaluation during the semester. I suggest that you do that with your rough draft for your paper. The writing center is located in Ratcliffe 110. Consultants can help you at any stage of the writing process, from invention, to development of ideas, to polishing a final draft. The Center is not a proofreading service, but consultants can help you to recognize and find grammar and punctuation errors in your work as well as provide assistance with global tasks. The Center is located at Ratcliffe 110; you can call for an appointment (594-7684) or drop in. For more information, look at their web site

Current Event Report

You will give a 2-3 minute summary of a current article. The schedule of presentations is here

Meeting with me

You will meet with me twice, once to discuss your outline, once to discuss your rough draft. On the weeks that we have individual meetings, the class will not meet as a group.

In class Writing and Summary reactions

On most days, you will either write in class about what you have read, or you will write a reaction to your peer's writing. Except in extreme circumstances, in class writings or reactions will not be accepted late.

Reading Summary

You will read parts of 5 chapters from your textbook. After each, you should write a 250-600 word summary of the assigned reading ensuring that you include all major points. Your summary will be evaluated by your peers and by me based on the writing reaction criteria. Except in extreme circumstances, reading summaries will not be accepted late. Bring 3 copies of your summary to class.

Research Paper

You will write a 1500 word research paper on a topic of your choosing. More specific details can be found on the research paper assignment web page

Spring 2008 Schedule of Topics

The table below contains all of your assignments for the semester. It is unlikely that I will add or delete any assignments. This course has multiple learning goals, especially
  1. Improving your writing, especially in an area related to your discipline, and especially to make your writing clear, concise, coherent, and convincing.
  2. Introducing you to the major ethical issues related to computing, and
  3. Giving you exposure to how current events relate to your discipline
Week Monday Date Wednesday Date Topic for Class Meeting Writing to complete before class Reading to do before class Writing to do in class
1 Jan 21 Jan 23 Syllabus, sign up for 2 non-meeting sessions, 10 rules for writing, Topics nothing nothing Topics for a Computer Ethics Class
2 Jan 28 Jan 30 Lecture on Ch10 Chapter10/1 summary Chapters 10 and 1: Pages 1-11 (to end of 1.2) and 401-411 (to end of 10.1) Peer Evaluation of  Chapter 10/1 Summary
3 Feb 4 Feb 6 Society Impact of Computing, Confused Words Topic due in email by  4:00PM with writing sharing permission nothing List +/-s to technological developments
4 Feb 11 Feb 13 Intellectual Property, Writing an Outline Ch 6 summary Ch 6, pages 235- 269 (skip 6.7) Peer Evaluation of Chapter 6 summary
5 Feb 18 Feb 20 Intellectual Property Outline to peers nothing Outline Peer Review
6 Feb 25 Feb 27 Privacy, Examples of Good Writing Chapter 2 summary. Ch 2 (pages 36- 61 to end of 2.3 and 78-81, section 2.6.2) Peer Evaluation of Chapter 2 summary
7 Mar 3 Mar 5 Privacy Outline to me nothing List 5 laws that protect privacy.
  Mar 10 Mar 12 Spring Break NO CLASSES  
8 Mar 17 Mar 19 Individual meetings to discuss outline. nothing nothing nothing
9 Mar 24 Mar 26 Discuss Rough Draft, Software reliability, commonly confused words Rough Draft to peers. Remember: go to the writing center to discuss rough draft. Ch 4 (pages 136-165, end of section 4.3) Peer Evaluation of Chapter 4 summary
10 Mar 31 Apr 2 Software reliability, peer evaluation of rough draft peer rough draft evaluation peer rough draft nothing
11 Apr 7 Apr 9 Chapter 5. Choose a case summary in Chap 10 (pp 419-431). chapter 5 summary. Rough draft to me Chapter 5 (pages 193-225) Peer Evaluation of Chapter 5 summary
12 Apr 14 Apr 16 Individual meetings to discuss rough draft. nothing nothing nothing
13 Apr 21 Apr 23 Discuss cases final draft to me Appendix A, 10.2, APS code of ethics (follow link) nothing
14 Apr 28 Apr 30 Discuss cases nothing nothingnothing

Catalog Description

This course covers contemporary ethical issues in science and engineering. A framework for professional activity is developed, which involves considerations and decision of social impact. Current examples will be studied, discussed, and reported: IEEE, ACM and APS code of ethics, software and hardware property, privacy, social implications of computers, responsibilities and liabilities, and computer crime. Satisfies Writing Intensive Requirement.

Disabilities

If you are disabled, I will be happy to provide you with necessary accommodations. By university policy, in order to receive accommodation your disability must be on record in the office of Disability Support Services. This office should have provided you with an accommodation letter. When requesting an accommodation, please bring me a copy of this letter for my records.

Honor Code

The CNU honor code states: On my honor, I will maintain the highest possible standards of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility. That means I will not lie, cheat, or steal and as a member of this academic community, I am committed to creating an environment of respect and mutual trust. The Honor Code will be strictly observed. Violation of the honor code may result in dismissal from the University. You must do your own work. Any ideas that are not your own MUST be footnoted. You may not plagiarize part or whole of anything written by somebody other than yourself. All written work must be your own. If you have any questions about the honor code, please consult your student handbook. YOU MAY NOT COPY WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION.

Late Policy

Because this is a participatory class, all assignments need to be on time. Each late part of a paper will receive a 15% penalty for each day (24 hour time period, not class meeting periods) that it is late. The summaries, summary reactions, outline and rough drafts for your peers, and your reactions to those may not be late since they will be used in class the day they are due. If you cannot attend a meeting with me, you must reschedule it on or before the day of your originally scheduled meeting.

Academic Success in this class

We want you to succeed at CNU; therefore I may notify the Academic Advising Center if you seem to be having problems with this course. Someone may contact you to help you determine what help you need to succeed. You will be sent a copy of the referral form. I invite you to see me at any time that I can be of assistance in helping you with course material.
page modified 1/14/08 by Lynn Lambert. This material may be used and modified in whole or in part as long the original author and URL are cited.