Term Paper
Due by 12:00 pm on Thursday, November 30, 2017
This term paper will be approximately ten double-spaced pages in length (standard 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper,
standard 1-inch margins, 12 point font). It will be based around a particular theme in the depiction
of computing as illustrated by the comparison of three films (two films selected from those
presented in class in weeks 1-11 of the course and a third film selected in consultation with the
course instructor). This term paper
will be broken into four numbered sections with the following titles and contents:
- Statement of Paper Theme (1/2 page): State the theme in the depiction of computing on which your term
paper is based. Possible themes include but are not limited to:
- Depictions of Strong AI (underlying technologies, purpose in life, moral stances (if any))
- Depictions of military computing.
- Depictions of medical computing.
- Depictions of computing professionals.
- Depictions of hackers.
- Depictions of women in computing.
- Summaries of Chosen Films (2 page total / 2/3 page per film): Summarize the plots of the films
in one or two paragraphs for each film.
- Accuracy of Depiction of Computing in Chosen Films (3 pages total / 1 page per film)):
Summarize the accuracy of each film relative to the paper theme, both for
when the film was made and today, When there are inaccuracies, please
discuss why these inaccuracies might have occurred, e.g., technical
incompetence, dramatic licence.
- Comparison of Chosen Films (3 pages): Compare and contrast how each of the films treats the
paper's chosen theme in the depiction of computing. Once this is done, feel free to compare wrt
other aspects of the films excluding personal thoughts (see below).
- Personal Thoughts on Chosen Films (1/2 - 1 page): Discuss briefly what you thought of the films
as a group.
The above page lengths refer to the total amount / length of text in each section excluding
pictures or tables.
The following information must be included in a block at the top of the first page:
Computer Science 1401 (Fall 2017)
Term Paper
PAPER THEME
NAMES OF FILMS AND YEARS RELEASED
YOUR NAME AND MUN STUDENT NUMBER
Feel free to cite the course notes or other sources to back up your statements in
the commentary (with all references to these sources given consistently in full detail
in a standard format, e.g., APA, IEEE, in a "References" section at the end of the paper).
Note that additional marks
up to 10% of the term paper's mark value (i.e., 3.0% course mark) can be obtained
by intelligently citing sources in addition to the course notes; these marks will be given
at the discretion of the instructor.
Submission
Please hand in a paper copy of your term paper to the course instructor by the
due date. Computer typeset papers are preferred. Handwritten papers will
be accepted, with the understanding that if the instructor finds the paper difficult
to read, it will be returned to be re-written. The marks associated with various aspects
of the commentary are described in the commentary evaluation scheme.
- October 24, 4:05pm
Term paper description posted.
Created: October 24, 2017
Last Modified: October 26, 2017