computer history assignments

EMIS 1305: Computing Technology: Historical and Ethical Perspectives

History Paper Assignment Fall 2020

1 of 4

Read all the instructions before beginning the paper.

Requirements: • Use Microsoft Word 2016/2019.

• Complete the assignment Information Tools – Finding the Right Stuff. Completing this assignment first is necessary to correctly complete the history paper.

• Write a 2-3-page paper with the following requirements; ▪ Name the file StudentLastName-History-Paper. ▪ Choose 3 academic/scholarly sources related to your topic. ▪ With the information from all sources, respond to the following statements; (enter the number then the

response) 1. Identify and explain the historical technological development(s), event(s), or the figure's contribution(s).

Explain how the technology works. 2. Summarize the major social and or ethical changes that took place in a defined historical period.

(I.e. purpose of the technological development, what problems did it address and/or create, effectiveness,

legal issues, environmental effects etc.)

Example Paper Format:

Word Title/Cover page with Subject Title, Date, Lecture section (EMIS 80#), Student name 1. Response to statement 1 with information from all 3 sources. 2. Response to statement 2 with information from all 3 sources. Citations/Bibliography using Word reference feature.

Sources • 3 scholarly/academic sources from various media formats (books, journals, articles, etc.).

• Every source should be cited using Word reference feature MLA style.

• The class textbook MindTap - Technology for Success Computer Concepts cannot be used as one of the sources. It can be used as a starting point for your information.

• Complete a Website Evaluation Form for every Website source. This will assist in deciding whether the website is academic/scholarly.

Grading will be based upon the quality of your analysis and how clearly the information is presented in the written form.

Topics selection • Choose a topic from the topics listed in this assignment sheet.

• If you choose one of the major figures (person) in computing, discuss his/her contribution and the impact of

the contribution on the field of computing.

• If you have a topic in mind that is not on the list, you will need professor approval.

EMIS 1305: Computing Technology: Historical and Ethical Perspectives

History Paper Assignment Fall 2020

2 of 4

Submit the following; All submissions must be completed using Word 2016/2019.

• StudentLastName-Information-Right-Stuff.

• StudentLastName-History-Paper.

• Web site evaluation form for each website source used.

Submissions are due by Friday /25/2020 pm via Canvas. Late submissions are subject to penalty 20 pts per day (including weekends). Paper Format - Word 2016/2019 document named StudentLastName-History-Paper, - 2-3 pages (minimum 2 full pages), - 1” margins top and bottom,

.8 margins left and right, - Times New Roman 12pt, - Line spacing set to 1.5 (spacing before – 0 pt., spacing after – 0 pt.), - Use complete sentences in responding to statements, - Page numbers at bottom center of the page, do not show on title page, - Title/Cover page – choose one of title page options from Word - Citations/bibliography page (Word reference feature with MLA style) NOTE: The Title page and the citations/bibliography page do not count as one of the 2-3 pages.

EMIS 1305: Computing Technology: Historical and Ethical Perspectives

History Paper Assignment Fall 2020

3 of 4

Topics 1. The main contributions of early civilizations to modern computing. (Babylonians, Egyptians, Greek and

Romans, Islamic scholars, the Indians and Chinese)

2. Discuss major changes that occurred to the definition of ‘computer’ from late 1800s through WWII.

3. The evolution and contributions to the computing field of major technology companies from the time it was

founded until today. (IBM, Motorola, Microsoft, Apple, Digital Research Inc., Intel, HP)

4. Development of mobile technology from radio in 1940s until today’s technologies.

5. Discuss the origins, components, and significance of the fundamental architecture underlying modern

computers - von Neumann architecture - and its major changes since mid-1940s through today.

6. The importance of early computers before and during WWII developed in the United States, Britain,

Germany, and Australia. (i.e. motivation for faster methods of computation, 1940-1956)

7. Major changes to the design of computers from 1950s-1970s.

8. Development of the personal computer, 1970s-1990s, and its impact on society.

9. Fundamental changes in the computing field and its impact on society in the 1980s and 1990s.

10. Development of the Internet (starting 1930s) and its key constituents.

11. Development of the World Wide Web as a revolutionary milestone in computing.

12. The five generations of programming languages and their impact on society, 1930-today.

13. Discuss intellectual property rights through the development of computing technology.

14. Government legislation through the development of computing technology.

15. The development of cryptography in the field of computing technology.

16. The development of artificial intelligence in the field of computing technology.

17. Discuss the development of robots and the applicability to artificial intelligence.

18. Discuss the distinct differences in the first 4 generations of computers. Explain the 5th generation of

computers; how is its distinction different, what impact has it and will it make on peoples’ business and

social lives.

19. The history of technology in sports.

20. The history of technology in aviation.

21. The history of technology in business automation. occurring

22.

23. Richard Stallman

24. Ed Yourdan

25. Grace Murray Hopper

26. Donald Knuth

27. Rene Descartes

28. John McCarthy

EMIS 1305: Computing Technology: Historical and Ethical Perspectives

History Paper Assignment Fall 2020

4 of 4

Absent Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary

(0-11 Points) (12-13 Points) (14-15 Points) (16-17 Points) (18-20 points)

Summarize in your own

prose the major

changes that took place

over time in a defined

historical period for

chosen topic. Include

the impact of those

changes on society,

individuals, and

institutions.

Summary is not clear

and is not reflective of

any of the major

changes that took

place over a defined

historical period.

Does not identify any

social impact or

changes

Summary is mostly

written in the

student’s own words

and shows a basic

understanding of

some of the changes

that took place over a

defined historical

period. Does not

identify any social

changes/impact

Summary is in the

student’s own words

and shows an

understanding of

some of the major

changes that took

place over a defined

historical period.

Attempts to identify

the social

change/impact but is

vague or inaccurate.

Summary is in the

student’s own words

and shows a solid

understanding of the

major changes that

took place over a

defined historical

period. Identifies the

social changes/impact

with accurate but

incomplete pertinent

facts and information

Summary is concise, and

synthesizes, in the student’s own

words, information on the major

changes that took place over a

defined historical period.

Develops a clear, concise

description of the social

change/impact by detailing

pertinent facts and information

such as; what caused the change,

what is the change, what else was

going on during this time period

of the impact, how does the

change/impact affect the future

Explain the Technology Does not explain the

technology.

Names the

technology, but hardly

explains the

technology.

Attempts to explain

the technology, but is

misleading or

inaccurate.

Explains the

technology; accurate

details, but details are

either incomplete or

rambling.

Technology explanation Is both

concise and complete.

Identify the main

events, actors, and

evidence involved in a

defined historical

period for chosen topic

(Historical

Technological

Development, Event, or

Figure's Contribution

from WWII – present).

Student is unfamiliar

with the main events,

actors, evidence

involved in a defined

historical period.

Student correctly

identifies only few of

the main events,

actors, evidence

involved in a defined

historical period.

Paper is comprised of

irrelevant,

superfluous

information regarding

the subject.

Student correctly

identifies some of the

main events, actors,

evidence involved in a

defined historical

period. Paper is

comprised of

rudimentary

information regarding

the subject.

Student correctly

identifies most of the

main events, actors,

evidence involved in a

defined historical

period. Paper is

comprised of relevant

information regarding

the subject but fails to

elaborate.

Student correctly identifies the

main events, actors, evidence

involved in a defined historical

period. Paper demonstrates full

knowledge (more than required)

regarding the subject with

explanations and elaboration

(0-5 Points) (6-7 Points) (8 Points) (9 Points) (10 points)

Information Right Stuff Did not Submit or 0-3

correct answers.

4-6 correct answers 7 correct answers 8 correct answers 9-10 Answers Correct

Information Literacy (0-1 Points) (2 Points) (3 Points) (4 Points) (5 points)

Organization Paper cannot be

understood because

there is no sequence

of information/events

Difficult to follow

because paper jumps

around

There is no sequence

to follow; paragraphs

are not connected to

each other.

Paper is written in a

logical sequence and

easy to follow

Paper is written in a logical

interesting sequence which is

easy to follow

Evaluate the 3-4 sources

From Various Media

Formats (academic and

scholarly)

No Sources are used

for the paper.

Sources are invalid or

irrelevant to the

subject. More than 4

sources.

1 academic/scholarly

source with quality

information regarding

the subject

2 academic/scholarly

sources with quality

information regarding

the subject

3 academic/scholarly sources

with quality information

regarding the subject

Mechanics (0-1 Points) (2 Points) (3 Points) (4 Points) (5 points)

Paper has >4

spelling/grammar

errors

Paper has 4

spelling/grammar

errors

Paper has 3

misspellings/grammar

errors

Paper has 1-2

misspellings and/or

grammatical errors

Paper has 0

misspellings/grammar errors

Paper does not follow

the specified format

Paper correctly follows the

specified format.

Did not use Word

Reference Feature for

citations/bibliography

Used Word Reference Feature for

citations/bibliography

More than 4 pages or

less than 1 page

Length of the paper is

1 page

Length of the paper is

1-1 ¼ pages

Length of the paper is

approximately 1 ¾

pages

Correct length of paper, 2 full

pages -3 pages

Accomplishment Level /

Requirements