Web reports are due on the day indicated on the syllabus. They require
that you read the web pages linked to the assigned topic and follow any
relevant links until you feel you understand the subject matter. You should
take notes as you cull information from the sites you visit and form an
opinion about what you've discovered. What did you find most interesting?
What did you like or dislike about what you learned? Was there anything
that particularly surprised you, and why did you find it unusual? Did you
find another person's opinion particularly in conflict or in agreement
with yours?
For your first four reports, you will write up your ideas in 2-3 typed
(double-spaced) pages. These reports are not formal papers, but you should
try to organize the material in a way that will both interest the reader
and make your opinion clear. Your report should let me know what you have
learned, as well as how you feel about it. The written web reports will
be graded on the basis of content and thought more than on formal organization
and style, though my comments may address these writing issues.
The written reports will also serve as practice writing, which will
allow you to identify and obviate any major problems before you begin writing
your major paper. Note: Do not copy and paste any text from a website,
even if you plan to modify it in your report. EVEN IF YOU MODIFY COPIED
MATERIAL, YOU HAVE PLAGIARIZED IT.
Once you have begun writing your term paper, the written reports will
be replaced by oral reports. There will be three days designated for oral
reports; each person will give one report in the semester. For the oral
reports you should organize your notes and bring them to class. (Be careful:
"organizing your notes" may involve creating an outline.) The
purpose of these reports is to get the day's discussion going. You should
plan to speak for about 5 or 6 minutes. The oral reports will also be good
practice in public speaking, so work on focussing your report on the relevant
material and expressing yourself clearly.