Course Policies :: 67-344
Fall 2017
This page contains information on policies specific to the 67-344 course and applicable only for the Fall 2017 semester. For general Information Systems program policies, please choose the Department Policies link below. This section contains material on:
Grading
Thought Papers
Readings
Laptops & Phones
Concern for Students
Special Accommodations
Faculty
TA Information
Grades in this course are determined by student performance in four areas: three take-home examinations (worth 25% each), weekly thought papers (worth 15% total) and attendance, short in-class assignments, and quizzes (periodically; worth 10% total). Any grading curves, if deemed necessary, will be applied only to the final course score and not to individual assignments.
We will have small in-class assignments to do on a periodic basis. These assignments will not be announced in class before hand; since regular attendance is the norm, this should not be an issue. (FYI: attendance is taken until 5 minutes after class starts. After that time a student is considered absent. Students have two excused absences before any grade penalty is applied.) A major purpose of these in-class assignments is for both students and faculty to be certain that key concepts are understood and can be applied to basic problems. There will be no make-up for missed in-class assignments but you can be excused with prior permission.
A final note on etiquette and attendance: please avoid stepping out of class or leaving early. If there is an emergency and you cannot avoid leaving the classroom for a moment, go and come back discreetly, with a minimum of disruption to others. If exiting during class becomes a habit for a student, he/she may be docked points for attendance.
Exams are take-home assignments designed to be completed by individuals without the assistance of classmates or other students. During exam periods, students are not to discuss course content with other students or faculty outside of class or ask questions regarding course or exam materials to anyone other than the professor or TA. We have made a separate statement regarding the honesty and integrity policy in this course and require that students review this policy as soon as possible. The IS program consider academic integrity to be of great importance, we actively scan for cheating policy violations, and will take swift and appropriate measures against those who fail to abide by these standards.
Exams are tentatively scheduled for the following weeks:
Published: 10/5; Due: 10/12
Published: 11/2; Due: 11/9
Published: 11/30; Due: 12/8
Being able to deliver work products on-time is important in the world of information systems, and for that reason we will be firm on the deadlines associated with class assignments. For electronically submitted assignments, any project turned in after 3:00pm on the day it is due will receive an automatic 20 percent penalty. Assignments more than 24 hours late will not be accepted without a special exemption from Professor Heimann.
Regrades: Any questions or concerns about grading must be directed first to the TA overseeing exams (TBA) for resolution before it can be taken to the professor. An entire statement regarding regrading for IS courses in general can be found in the general policies section and will be implemented here. Do not labor under the mistaken impression that you somehow special and therefore are exempt from this policy! If (and only if) you have followed the policy and are unhappy with the way the TA has handled your matter, you are welcome to take your case to the faculty. The faculty will want the TA's input before making a final decision (to be sure that we are fully informed when making the final decision), however, so any attempt to bypass the TA will be futile. If you attempt to do an end run through the process, you will be sent back to discuss the matter with the TA. Prof. H also reserves the right to lower grades further if he believes the TA have been too generous in the grading the assignment in question. (This has happened in the past so be forewarned.)
To help students collect their thoughts in prior to class and to help them be prepared for class discussions, one page 'thought papers' will be assigned throughout the course. All papers are to be printed out and brought to class (turned in after class ends that day). Papers must use the writing template provided and must not exceed one page in length. All thought papers are graded on a credit/no credit basis, depending on whether students completed the paper and presented a reasonably coherent argument. Please read our posting on appropriate citations in thought papers; plagiarism will result in failing course grade and sent to the College for further action. If there are other problems with a student's paper, they are given a warning by the TA and instructions on how to improve future papers before any penalty is given. Students are allowed one missed paper with no penalty (students who complete all papers will get a little extra credit). There will be no weekly papers during exam weeks.
This year I am assigning a series of readings that will be available as pdf files. These selections come from the following sources (in case you want to read the entire book):
- Information Rules by Carl Shapiro and Hal Varian
- The Attention Economy by Thomas Davenport and John Beck
- Managerial Dilemmas by Gary Miller
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Psychology of Security by Bruce Schneier
- Knowledge Management: A Primer by Carl Frappaolo
Students are expected to have read through the assigned texts in advance of class so that they have a basic knowledge of what is being discussed in lecture on each day.
Because laptops, tablets, and cellphones can be a distraction to students in class (yourself and those around you) we will follow a policy similar to the MISM program and ban the use of laptops and similar electronic devices by students during class. There may be exceptions when you will need to do an exercise in class that requires a laptop -- you will be notified in advance if that is the case. Otherwise, please leave laptops in your book bags and turn all cellphones to silent mode prior to the start of class and leave them in your pockets or purses. (One exception: during exams all cellphones must be turned off and left on top of your desk; cell phones cannot be taken out of the room during exams and will remain in the room during any restroom breaks.)
Using mobile phones (even for texting purposes) in class is unprofessional behavior and forbidden in this course. Turn them on airplane mode while in class. Never answer a phone call in class. (Employers will leave you a message or call you back; they also want professionals who know when and when not to take calls.)
All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is often helpful.
If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings like anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.
If you have a disability and have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.
I maintain office hours that are run strictly on a first come, first served basis. However, I am available for appointments on other days and welcome students to stop in at other times without an appointment; if I am busy with something else at the moment then we will set up an appointment to talk at a more convenient time. Contact information is listed below:
- Professor Heimann
- Office: Porter 224A
- Phone: 8-8211
- Hours: Wed 1:30pm-3:00pm & Tues/Thur 10:00am-11:30am
Below is a list of the TAs this semester:
Instructor reserves the right to make modifications to materials in this syllabus during the term as circumstances warrant.