INFS 6980 Dr. Jeff Clark BAS N360

Information Systems Practicum Fall 2013 INFS 6980 Dr. Jeff Clark BAS N360 898.2838 (O) 969.9091 (C) 896.7733 (H) [email protected]

Objectives: • Develop and demonstrate skills in theory construction. • Develop and demonstrate skills in evaluation theory and practice. • Develop and demonstrate a mastery of information systems literature. • Develop and demonstrate skills in information systems research and writing.

A Note of Interest: For Information Systems majors, this is the capstone course and requires a grade of “B” or higher (a grade “B-“ meets this requirement).

Required: The McKinsey Mind (Ethan M. Rasiel and Paul N. Friga, McGraw-Hill, 2001, ISBN 0-07-137429)

Useful: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition, American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.

Requirements: Discussion Vignettes (five @ up to 5 pts. each) 25% IS Literature Review Assessment Activity 5% IS Publications Activity 5% Research Possibilities Activity (three @ up to 1 pt. each) 3% IS Assessment Research Paper Proposal Presentation 3% IS Assessment Research Paper “Broad Topic” Literature Review 3% IS Assessment Research Paper 36% Read and Reflect – The McKinsey Mind 10% Class Contribution and Responsibility 10% 100%

Course Philosophy and Style: Discussions and examples, both in class and online, are often intended to be thought provoking, even challenging to established points of view, but they are not intended to project bias or prejudice. Open expression is very important in graduate education. You are encouraged to express your thoughts in person and on-line. Also, you are encouraged to speak with the professor privately if you have concerns in this regard.

This class is discovery oriented and student-driven. There may be times when the approach may appear to be inefficient to some students. Be patient; discovery involves exploration and even the occasional dead end.

Excerpt from The Chosen by the late Chaim Potok -- “Human beings do not live forever. We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity. So it may be asked what value is there to a human life. . . . I learned a long time ago, that a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But, the eye that blinks, that is something. A span of life is nothing. But, the man who lives the span, he is something. He can fill that tiny span with meaning, so its quality is immeasurable though its quantity may be insignificant. Do you understand what I am saying? A man

1 must fill his life with meaning; meaning is not automatically given to life. It is hard work to fill one's life with meaning.”

Later he says . . . Better I should have had no son at all than to have a brilliant son who had no soul.

Academic Honesty Policy: The essence of every student's work must always be original. Plagiarism detection software will be used. This does not preclude either shared learning experiences (when appropriate), or building on previous learning experiences. The student must disclose and receive explicit permission to move forward if the research paper is any way related to previous academic efforts. A student must provide a copy of applicable work if they choose to extend a previous learning experience. Violation of the policy on original work will result in an "F" for the entire class and a report to the MTSU office of Judicial Affairs.

Learning Disabilities: If you have a learning disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please make these needs known as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898-2783) with questions about such services.

Production/Writing Guidelines: All submitted work must conform to APA publication guidelines. The APA style guide (see above) is available for purchase at most bookstores. It is also available in the library. Several web sites also offer some unofficial APA style help.

Missed and Late Activities / Assignments: Late assignments are not accepted. Please make any special arrangements before the scheduled class activity (except in the case of an extreme emergency). Such arrangements must be based on very strong need. Submissions are due at the BEGINNING of the class period or at the time designated in the schedule.

Discussion Vignettes: Each student will submit five “discussion vignettes” based on assigned readings. Submit the vignettes through “D2L” as a “cut-and-paste” in the appropriate location under “Discussions” in “Discussion Vignettes.” Submit by 2 p.m. on the due date.

Each vignette is strictly limited to a total 175 words (not including identification). Please place only your 3 digit class identification number and the reading topic (for example, “6XX Balanced Scorecard”) at the beginning of your submission. Before class and after you have posted your vignette (and after most everyone else has posted their vignette) please review all of the submissions. Remember, all of the students in the class will be able to view your submission.

A successful discussion vignette is a provocative discussion vignette. It should represent the intellectual intersection between the student and the content of the reading. It may take many forms, including (but not limited to) exploration, extension, contention, suggestion, et al.

There are many ways to create an unsuccessful discussion vignette, but summarizing the reading material is the most prevalent unsuccessful approach. Personal experience "war stories" is another good way to create an unsuccessful discussion vignette.

IS Literature Review Assessment Activity: Each student will complete a brief written assessment of the literature review of a selected IS research article.

2 IS Publications Activity: Each student will complete an activity based on both academic and trade periodicals from the IS literature. The activity will be graded on both content and delivery.

Research Possibilities Activity: Each student will submit three research possibilities through “D2L” as a very brief “cut-and-paste” in the appropriate location under “Discussions” in “Research Paper Possibilities.” The submissions will be distributed to the entire class for discussion.

IS Assessment Research Paper Proposal Presentation: Each student will make a “brief” (strictly limited to two minutes maximum) in-class research proposal presentation (without PowerPoint). The presentation should clearly and concisely define the research proposal and defend both its potential contribution to the state-of-the-art and its appropriateness to the “assessment” perspective of this course. It should include evidence of the availability and preliminary examination of appropriate literature, and where applicable, proposed research “deliverables.” The presentation will be evaluated on content and delivery.

IS Assessment Research Paper “Broad Topic” Literature Review: Each student will demonstrate the availability of an appropriate literature stream to support their research paper with the submission of evidence conforming to APA style guidelines. The primary evaluation factor will be the suitability of the literature base as indicated by relevance, timeliness, coverage, and quality of the works included.

IS Assessment Research Paper: Each student will produce a significant, potentially publishable research paper on an approved IS assessment related topic. This paper should represent the student’s attempt to become an expert on the selected topic. Topics must be suitable to serious archival, academic research as reflected in a substantial literature foundation.

The paper must be at least 3,000 words and no more than 4,000 words, excluding end of paper exhibits, and references. It should include reference to at least twenty appropriate peer-reviewed sources. Please double-space and use 12 point Times New Roman font. It should not include a table of contents, cover page, or abstract.

The production of this paper will include a "Research Paper Proposal Presentation" and “Broad Topic Literature Review” (see above). The proposal presentation and literature should exhaustively define and defend the potential contribution of the paper, demonstrate the availability of an appropriate literature stream, and set forth clearly the means by which the work will proceed. Periodic work-in-progress reports will be required. They should include information about work status and both resolved and unresolved difficulties.

The paper is expected to meet very high standards in terms of content and delivery. Each student will be required to complete a “submission checklist” certifying their adherence to specific guidelines.

It will be carefully graded based on foundational coverage, managerial contribution, and delivery. The paper must be submitted electronically. For accreditation purposes, the paper will be maintained on file for at least five years.

3 Important note, there are two due dates – COMPLETED and corrected. Do not view these submissions as a draft submission and a final submission. You will be evaluated on the first submission. The second submission is a correction copy for archival purposes. Failure to submit with the necessary corrections means you have not completed the requirements for the course.

Read and Reflect Activity: Each student will read The McKinsey Mind and write a brief (500 words or less) reflection paper on items of personal interest and professional application.

Class Contribution and Responsibility: Each student will receive a grade based on contribution and responsibility to the class. The grade will be based on a variety of factors including contributions to class discussion and responsibility toward meeting class standards and deadlines.

Jennings A. Jones College of Business Vision Statement The Jennings A. Jones College of Business intends to become recognized by appropriate national publications, both popular and professional, as a premier college of business, first in the state of Tennessee and then in the region, at both the undergraduate and masters level. We also intend to be recognized by Tennessee business executives as the supplier of choice for education and training for corporate employees and executives.

Philosophies and Attributes The most important accomplishments of the university happen in the classrooms, in the research environments, and in the professional interactions. All other activities are designed to facilitate these important accomplishments.

We will strive for “Accessibility, Quality, and Value.” Accessibility means we use creative and innovative methods to make education available to all who meet the requirements for admission. Quality means we will continuously raise the academic bar to produce graduates who distinguish themselves in their chosen fields. Value means we will appropriately intersect accessibility and quality with cost.

Mission The Jennings A. Jones College of Business provides the intellectual foundation for our students’ success. We create a positive environment for quality teaching and learning while contributing to intellectual pursuits and serving Middle Tennessee and the broader business community. We will be responsive and accountable as we enhance accessibility, quality, and value to our constituents.

Simply stated, our job is to increase the scope and dissemination of the body of knowledge in our relevant disciplines.