CS 105 Computer Ethics and Society, 1 unit
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Department of Computer Science
Course Description – Summer 2007
Section A01 Wednesday 7:00-10:05 p.m. Robinson
B104
Class Dates: 5/23-6/20 Final Exam: 6/22/07
Instructor: Michael Tompkins
Tel.
(703) 993-1530 Email:
Office
hours: After class in classroom and by appointment
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants -- Office Hours Available
upon Request
Section A01: Stephen Mouring, Email: smouring@gmu.edu (Office: TBD)
All Sections will use WebCT for
communications and for out-of-class discussion. Students are responsible
for checking WebCT on a regular basis. For WebCT link, click here.
FINAL EXAM DATE =>
Friday, June 22, 2007.
REQUIRED TEXT: Quinn, Michael J.,
"Ethics for the Information Age" 2nd Ed., Add. Wesley,
2006.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Legal, social, and ethical issues surrounding software development and computer
use. Professional conduct, social responsibility and rigorous standards for
software testing and reliability will be stressed. Issues such as liability,
intellectual property rights, privacy, security, and crime will be examined in
the context of computer use. Students are expected to be able to conduct
research on the Internet.
COURSE PREREQUISITE: Completion of at
least 12 credit hours.
CLASS SCHEDULE: See WebCT for assignment details and any class slides or
lecture notes.
1. Out-of-class Assignments (35%)
2. Quizzes (15%)
3. Instructor
Evaluation (incl. in-class assignments and class particip.)
(15%)
4. Final Exam (35%)
Instructor evaluation criteria may vary from section to
section. Any questions regarding late penalties or specific requirements
for your section should be addressed directly to your individual UTA or
instructor. If you email questions, please indicate your full name, class
section and reason for your message in the subject line of your email (e.g.
Smith, Bob / CS 105-005 / Assignment #1).
Note: *NO* assignments
will be accepted for credit after the final regular class session for your
section.
This class relies strongly on class participation.
Therefore, it is important that you attend class on a regular basis.
While you are welcome to attend an alternate lecture session if you miss your
own, please note that you may *not* rely on different sections to present the
same materials. Similarly, unless you obtain advance approval from your
instructor, you may not receive credit for class participation or other
in-class activities when attending a section other than your own.
** Unless otherwise specified, all papers and other written
assignments are to be individual efforts. Certain portions of
group assignments may require individual efforts as well. Be careful to follow
instructions regarding acceptable group efforts. Plagiarism is governed by the
GMU Honor Code and will not be tolerated. Instances of cheating and/or
plagiarism will be referred to the Honor Committee.
Assistance with Essay/Report Writing:
GMU New Century College: Online
Writing Guide
GMU Writing Center
Other helpful sites:
GMU Counseling Center
IMPORTANT NOTICE: None of the information presented in this
course should be considered specific legal advice. Each situation is unique and
requires individual attention. Students with individual legal concerns should
not rely on information obtained in this course in making any legal decisions.
Should you have a problem or concern requiring legal attention, you should seek
specific advice from an attorney of your choosing.