FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT
\nASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
\nILR260 Final Research Project:
\nExplore an ethical or social issue surrounding some aspect of
\ninformation technology in an analytical research paper.
\nDUE:
\nLast day of the course.
\nOVERVIEW:
\nYou will develop your Research Project in a series of clearly defined, manageable
\nsteps over the duration of the course.
\nOne of our course objectives in ILR260 is to \u201cexplore ethical and social issues
\nsurrounding information technology,\u201d and your research project\u2014pieces of which
\nDefinitions of \u201cinformation technology\u201d (noun)
\n\u2026the study or use of systems (especially computers and telecommunications)
\nfor storing, retrieving, and sending information.
\n[https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=information+technology]
\n\u2026the technology involving the development, maintenance, and use of computer
\nsystems, software, and networks for the processing and distribution of data.
\n[https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/information%20technology]
\n\u2026the development, implementation, and maintenance of computer hardware
\nand software systems to organize and communicate information electronically.
\n[https:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/information-technology?s=t]
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n2
\nyou will share with classmates\u2014will serve this objective and become part of the
\ncontent of the course.
\nOften students will select projects that relate to their academic majors or current
\njobs, but this is not a formal requirement. The most important thing is to pursue a
\nresearch question that genuinely interests you. Information technology now
\ntouches just about every area of life. The point of your paper will be to craft a
\nresponse, however preliminary, to a real question about some aspect of
\ninformation technology.
\nA \u201creal\u201d question is one that has no single, straightforward answer and that will
\nrequire you, in addressing the question, to draw upon and synthesize information
\nfrom a variety of sources. Another way of saying this is that you will be addressing
\na significant issue in your research project; an issue is any claim or statement that
\nis called into question. A significant issue is one that might be considered
\ncontroversial; that is, reasonable arguments may be advanced for opposing or
\nalternative positions on this issue. While you will not be presenting an argument for
\none position or another, it is helpful to keep this in mind while deciding on and
\nresearching your question.
\nQuestions that lend themselves to simple explanatory or \u201chow-to\u201d answers (for
\nexample, \u201cWhat is Twitter?\u201d or \u201cHow can people protect their computers from
\nhackers?\u201d) will not work for this assignment. Neither will questions that have
\nobvious or commonly known answers. Think about it this way: there should be a
\nworthwhile purpose for taking the time and effort to research and write about it.
\nQuestions that will work for this assignment appear near the end of this document.
\nChoose one of these for your Research Project. Don\u2019t worry if a classmate selects
\nthe same question. Each of you will inevitably turn up different kinds of sources
\nand produce very different final projects.
\nIf none of the questions interest you\u2026
\nThere should be at least one question on the list that interests you or that you can
\nmodify so it does interest you. But if you\u2019d like, you may propose a question not
\nincluded on the list. Make sure the question you are proposing addresses an ethical
\nor social issue related to information technology. Also make sure it is not overly
\nbroad. Ask yourself:
\n* Could an entire book potentially be written on this question? If so, the question is
\ntoo broad for a short research paper.
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n3
\n* Does the question contain multiple components? If so, select one component to
\nfocus on in your paper. (Hint: If your question includes a comma, it is probably too
\nbroad.)
\nAs you develop the project, keep in mind that our focus in ILR260 is inquiry, rather
\nthan argumentation. Argumentation is a worthy area of study and is a focus of
\nother courses you may take at the university. In your ILR260 research project,
\nhowever, your primary goal is to explore your research question with depth and
\nsophistication rather than to persuade an audience of a particular viewpoint. While
\nyou will need to propose some sort of answer to your question in the final version
\nof your project, that answer may be tentative. It may, for example, point in the
\ndirection of further questions and further research. It may identify contradictions in
\nyour research that are at this time irresolvable. Again, in writing this paper, focus
\non exploring, interpreting, and synthesizing ideas rather than on \u201cdefending\u201d a
\nthesis.
\nKeep in mind, too, that you will carry out your research using published
\ninformation and opinions. You should not try to do primary research of your own,
\nsuch as surveys or experiments. This kind of research is specialized, varies from
\none discipline to the next, and is beyond the scope of ILR260.
\nAs you progress through each stage of the project, you might find it helpful to
\nkeep in mind that the skills you are practicing have applications well beyond this
\ncourse, and also beyond the academy. Whether you are writing a college paper or a
\nworkplace report, or simply explaining something to another person, you will want
\nto be able to connect ideas in logical ways, to illustrate those ideas with clear
\nexplanations and examples, and to explain the nature of any sources you\u2019ve
\nconsulted.
\nEXAMPLE
\nPlease see the Sample Annotated Paper in APA Style for an example of correct APA
\nformatting of an academic research paper. [Note: This APA-annotated sample paper
\nis not an example of a research project completed in ILR260; however, there is
\nsuch a sample student paper available in Module 3 Course Resources.]
\nCOMPONENTS OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT
\n1. Final Research Project Introduction (due end of Module 1)
\n2. Library Research Report (due end of Module 2)
\n3. Rough Draft of Research Project (due end of Module 3)
\n4. Final Research Project (due end of Module 4)
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n4
\nFINAL DRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
\nLENGTH
\n900-1200 words (not including title page and references list)
\nFORMAT
\nPlease use APA Style. (If you are majoring in English, you may use MLA instead.)
\nYour final project will not include an abstract (but if you would like help with how
\nto write an abstract for future reference, please see the document, \u201cHow to Write a
\nResearch Abstract\u201d in the Library Research Guide for Module 1).
\nAUDIENCE
\nAddress your paper to a general audience. Your ILR260 classmates have a wide
\nrange of backgrounds and academic interests; assume this kind of broad
\nreadership when you write your research project. Assume that your readers are not
\nspecialists in your topic area. Ideas must be fully explained and made accessible to
\na general readership.
\nSOURCES
\nYour research should emphasize peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles from
\nthe NU library\u2019s databases. (Be assured that the database search skills you develop
\nwill have applications beyond NU.) Reference as many journals or articles as
\nneeded in order to substantively explore your research question, but no fewer than
\n4. For additional guidance, see the source-selection criteria included in the Module
\n2 Library Research Report assignment.
\nA table of the grading criteria appears in the final section of this document; the
\nGrading Rubric for the Final Research Project that will be used to evaluate your
\nwork is located in Module 1 and Module 4 Course Resources.
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n5
\nILR260 RESEARCH QUESTIONS: Topic Selection List
\nLaw and Society
\n1. Do people still need public libraries?
\n2. What is the future of the United States Postal Service?
\n3. What is the future of predictive policing?
\n4. How is the dark web challenging law enforcement?
\n5. What is the future of military robots?
\n6. What are the most significant repercussions of a possible nationwide cyber-terrorist
\nattack?
\n7. What is the future of facial recognition technology?
\n8. Should humans use identity chips?
\n9. What is the future of cryptocurrencies?
\nMedia and Culture
\n10.Can competitors challenge Big Tech\u2019s market dominance (Apple, Amazon, Google,
\nMeta, Microsoft)?
\n11.Does video-game violence, or media portrayals of violence in general, desensitize
\npeople to real-life violence?
\nHealth and Healthcare
\n12.Can therapists effectively deliver psychotherapy over the internet?
\n13.How will sociable robots change caregiving?
\n14.How effective is virtual reality therapy in the treatment of _______? (choose a focus\u2013
\nfor example, PTSD or phobias)
\n15.How do electronic medical records affect the quality of patient care?
\n16.How does social media use affect school performance?
\n17.Do fitness trackers improve health?
\nInterpersonal Communication \/ Relationships
\n18.How does online infidelity affect relationships?
\n19.Is face-to-face communication still necessary for forming bonds with others?
\n20.Does texting or using social media lessen our in-person communication abilities?
\n21.Should we be concerned about people forming emotional attachments to robots?
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n6
\nEducation and Parenting
\n22.How does extensive internet use affect the lives of young people?
\n23.What should be the role of schools in preventing cyberbullying?
\n24.Does internet pornography affect the sexual attitudes and behaviors of adolescents?
\n25.Should parents use surveillance technology to monitor their children?
\n26.Will online learning ever replace traditional models of education?
\nWork
\n27.How will\/does [identify specific information technology] change [identify specific
\noccupation]?
\n28.Should telecommuting become the norm for people with desk jobs?
\n29.Should employers use social media profiles in hiring decisions?
\nThe Ethics of Technology and Information Media
\n30.Considering the abuse of manual labor in some foreign markets, at whose expense
\ndoes this technology empower me?
\n31.How does the use of technology affect our treatment of others in the online space?
\n32.Does technology automate or outsource labor or responsibilities that are better
\nserved by the \u201chuman touch\u201d?
\n33.What possibilities for action does technology open up (or foreclose)? Is it good that
\nthese actions are now possible (or no longer possible?)
\n34.How does the use of technology shape my vision of a good life?
\n35.Does using technology require people to think more critically?
\nGrading Rubric
\n[Note: Points will be deducted for deviations from assignment requirements\/specifications.
\nGreater deviations will result in greater deductions. Per course policy, scores of 50% and
\nhigher are reserved for submissions that attempt to meet assignment
\nrequirements\/specifications. Rubric starts on next page\u2026]
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n7
\nA B C D F
\nFocus is clear,
\nspecific, and
\nsustained.
\nFocus is clear and
\nsustained focus.
\nFocus is basically
\nclear; some content
\nmay deviate from
\nstated focus.
\nFocus is unclear
\nand\/or unsustained.
\nLacks focus; lacks
\ncoherence.
\nApproach is
\nsophisticated.
\nApproach is
\nappropriate to
\ncollege-level research
\nwriting and to the
\nILR260 project
\nspecifically.
\nApproach is
\nsomewhat simplistic
\nand\/or somewhat too
\nbroad.
\nApproach is overly
\nsimplistic and\/or
\noverly broad.
\nApproach is
\ninappropriate to
\ncollege-level writing
\nand\/or the
\nassignment
\nSource selection
\nmeets assignment
\nrequirements;
\nsources are strong
\nand skillfully chosen
\nfor direct relevance
\nand for the
\nsubstance and
\ncomplexity they
\nbring to the inquiry.
\nSource selection
\nmeets assignment
\nrequirements;
\nsources are strong
\nand relevant to the
\ninquiry.
\nSources meet
\nassignment
\nrequirements. A
\nsmall percentage of
\nthe sources may
\nexhibit problems
\nsuch as insufficient
\ncurrency, relevancy,
\nor depth.
\nSource selection
\nsuggests attempt to
\nmeet assignment
\nrequirements, but a
\nsignificant
\npercentage of
\nsources exhibit
\nproblems such as
\ninsufficient currency,
\nrelevancy, or depth.
\nSources mostly do not
\nmeet assignment
\nrequirements. Many
\nsource-selection
\nproblems.
\nSource identification
\n(Who?) is precise and
\nsmoothly handled.
\nSource identification
\n(Who?) is
\ncompetently handled.
\nSource identification
\n(Who?) may be
\nimprecise or
\nawkward in places.
\nSource identification
\n(Who?) is imprecise
\nor awkward, and
\noccasionally missing.
\nSource identification
\n(Who?) is mostly
\nmissing, or is mostly
\nincorrect.
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n8
\nExplanation of
\nsource content
\n(What? How? So
\nWhat?) is complete,
\naccurate, and
\nconcise.
\nExplanation of
\nsource content
\n(What? How? So
\nWhat?) is complete
\nand accurate.
\nExplanation of
\nsource content
\n(What? How? So
\nWhat?) is sufficiently
\nwell-developed and
\nsufficiently accurate.
\nSome source content
\n(What? How? So
\nWhat?) is
\nmisrepresented or is
\nnot sufficiently well\u0002explained.
\nMost source content
\n(What? How? So What?)
\nis misrepresented or
\nis not sufficiently well\u0002explained.
\nStrong source
\nintegration; research
\nproject
\ndemonstrates
\nsophisticated sense
\nof when to use a
\ndirect quote versus a
\nparaphrase versus a
\nsummary, and of
\nhow to incorporate
\nsource material into
\nsentences and
\nparagraphs.
\nGood source
\nintegration; research
\nproject demonstrates
\na good
\nunderstanding
\noverall of when to
\nuse a direct quote
\nversus a paraphrase
\nversus a summary,
\nand of how to
\nincorporate source
\nmaterial into
\nsentences and
\nparagraphs.
\nUneven source
\nintegration. For
\nexample, occasional
\nexcess use of direct
\nquoting, or
\nincorporation of
\nsources in ways that
\nare occasionally
\nunclear or that make
\nthe material difficult
\nto understand.
\nPoor source
\nintegration. Overall,
\nresearch project
\ndemonstrates an
\ninadequate
\nunderstanding of
\nwhen to use a direct
\nquote versus a
\nparaphrase versus a
\nsummary, and of
\nhow to incorporate
\nsource material into
\nsentences and
\nparagraphs.
\nSources are not
\nincorporated
\neffectively in most or
\nall of the research
\nproject.
\nStrong synthesis;
\nresearch project
\nmakes a
\ncontribution to
\nknowledge.
\nGood synthesis of
\nideas.
\nSynthesis is present,
\nbut underdeveloped,
\nor may take form of
\nan overly simplistic
\nstructure (such as a
\npros-and-cons
\nsummary).
\nMinimal synthesis. Compiles rather than
\nsynthesizes.
\nStrong organization. Good organization. Some problems with
\norganization.
\nPoor organization. Minimal organization.
\nClear and well\u0002crafted transitions.
\nClear transitions. Some transitions are
\nunclear, or ill-fitting.
\nMost transitions are
\nunclear, or ill-fitting.
\nWeak or lacking
\ntransitions
\nthroughout.
\nStrong conclusion. Good conclusion. Some problems with
\nthe conclusion (for
\nexample, overly
\nabrupt, or not well\u0002Significant problems
\nwith the conclusion.
\nInadequate
\nconclusion.
\nILR260 Final Research Project Instructions
\n9
\naligned with the body
\nof the project).
\nConfidence in use of
\nStandard English,
\nlanguage reflects a
\npracticed and\/or
\nrefined
\nunderstanding of
\nsyntax and usage.
\nConveys a good
\nunderstanding of
\nStandard English; the
\nwriter is clear in
\nhis\/her attempt to
\narticulate main
\npoints, but may
\ndemonstrate
\nmoments of \u201cflat\u201d or
\nunrefined language.
\nPresence of sentence\u0002level errors and
\nawkwardness of
\nexpression, but not
\nof such frequency
\nand severity as to
\nsignificantly impede
\nunderstanding.
\nAwkward expression
\nand sentence-level
\nerrors occur
\nfrequently, often
\nimpeding
\nunderstanding.
\nAwkward expression
\nand sentence-level
\nerrors occur
\nthroughout the
\nresearch project and
\nsignificantly impede
\nunderstanding.
\nAdheres to APA Style
\n(MLA for
\narts\/humanities
\nmajors).
\nAdheres to APA Style
\n(MLA for
\narts\/humanities
\nmajors); occasional
\ncitation errors are
\nminor and at level of
\npresentation. The
\nerrors would not
\nprevent a reader
\nfrom being able to
\nconnect in-text and
\nreferences list, or
\nfrom being able to
\nindependently track
\ndown the references;
\nthey would be
\nunlikely to detract
\nfrom the author\u2019s
\ncredibility.
\nEvidence of attempt
\nto adhere to APA
\nStyle (MLA for
\narts\/humanities
\nmajors), but with
\nsome errors in
\npresentation and
\ncontent that might
\ndetract from the
\nauthor\u2019s credibility or
\nprevent readers from
\nbeing able to
\nunderstand or locate
\nsources.
\nInsufficient
\nadherence to APA
\nStyle (MLA for
\narts\/humanities
\nmajors);
\nsignificant\/communi
\ncation-impeding
\nerrors in
\npresentation and
\ncontent
\nMajor deviations from
\nAPA or MLA Style. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS ILR260 Final Research Project: Explore an ethical or social issue surrounding some aspect of information technology in an analytical research paper. DUE: Last day of the course. OVERVIEW: You will develop your Research Project in a series of clearly defined, manageable steps over the duration of the course. One […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"disciplines":[234],"paper_types":[],"tagged":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions\/19422"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/questions"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions\/19422\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"disciplines","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/disciplines?post=19422"},{"taxonomy":"paper_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper_types?post=19422"},{"taxonomy":"tagged","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodacademic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tagged?post=19422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}