Part One: Canvas Quiz
This assignment will consist of two parts. The first part consists of a
Canvas quiz in which you rank your agreement with several statements
related to various course concepts. You completed this quiz during the first
day of class, but you can retake it to revise your answers.
Part Two: Reflection Paper
For the second portion, you will write a 1-2 page reflection paper after
reviewing your responses. Your paper should use single spacing, 1-inch
margins, and no larger than 12-point font. You will submit your paper by
uploading a PDF version to Canvas.
To begin your paper, review your Canvas quiz responses and select a few
(recommended 3-5, but no actual limits) statements or topics that seem
the most important to you. Note that these do not necessarily have to
be statements with which you strongly agree or disagree. You might, in
fact, have a moderate or uncertain opinion on the matter, while also
feeling like the issue is very important. After identifying these
statements or topics, you should consider questions such as (but not
limited to) the following:
- Why do I feel this issue is important? Why should I or someone
else care about it?
- What factors are important to consider in relation to this topic?
What other information might I need to consider that could have an
impact on my response?
- What personal values or principles helped to shape my response to
this statement? What values might others have about it that are not
as important to me?
Use these questions to guide your reflection, but do not simply
write answers to them as your paper. That is, I do not want
to read responses like the following:
I think software patents are really important, because they stifle
innovation. I should also consider how they might be good and look into
examples where they have supported novel work. My disagreement arises
from the fact that I really value new and innovative thinking.
Rather, as you consider these questions, look for common themes or
contradictions that stand out; for instance, is there a value that
always drives you while another may be important in some circumstances
but not others. Do not be afraid to admit to such inconsistencies. Recall
the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin
of little minds."
Part Three: Reflection Revision
Near the end of the semester, you will review your quiz answers and
initial submission and consider how your views have evolved over the
semester. The formatting requirements will be the same as above. For
brevity, you do not need to repeat your original responses; just explain
how your views have shifted (or not).
For each of the topics you discuss, you must identify a minimum of
two readings, incidents, or other factual basis from course material and
explain what impact these had on your views. You will submit your paper by
uploading a PDF version to Canvas.
Submission and Grading
This assignment will generally be graded on completion rather than
correctness; that is, do not do background research into these topics to
ensure that your technical, legal, or ethical knowledge is correct. You
will earn 1 point for completing the Canvas quiz and an additional 3
points for each paper. (I.e., submitting the paper without doing the
Canvas quiz will earn 0 points.) Submissions that do not adhere to the
specified requirements (such as insufficient length or formatting) will be
given 1 point. To get the full 3 points, your submission should show a
clear effort to find themes and inconsistencies. Submissions that meet
requirements while focusing on individual points without identifying
consistent values will be given 2 points.
