BSAD145 Current Literature Journals (CLJ)

Because information technology is very dynamic and steadily evolving, textbooks dealing with current IT issues and practices tend to go out of date very quickly. Rather than perceiving time-fragility as an insurmountable problem, we will use it as an opportunity for a critical thinking exercise. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information available through IT industry periodicals published on the World Wide Web.

Each week you will be responsible for scanning current literature to bring the chapter material up-to-date. Each student must select:

• one of three publications that the class will scan together and
• a second publication that you will scan on your own (or with no more than one other student).

Email your choices to the BSAD145 listserv. In the event of duplicates, the earlier choices will be approved. Choose early. The approved choices will be added to the "approved Web Journal Sign-up" (see below). The first CLJ will be due the any time the week before the second Monday. See the class schedule for details.

Though in general your choice of Web sources is not limited, your personal choice of journal should be used as the primary source of weekly journal entries. You may also base CLJ entries on the shared readings (CIO, CW or IW), but please limit these to no more than half your postings -- lest we have duplicates. You may also choose sources that you have not selected for scanning as long as others have not already chosen them. Points will be deducted for duplicate articles. The intent is to obtain a variety of view points from a variety of publications that are relevant both to the material being covered and to your personal interests.

You are expected to post a minimum of one timely journal entry each week to BSAD145 with the subject heading CLJ followed by the week number, source and article title, for example:

Subject: CLJ #1 CIO 99/12/7 "Why Does Everyone Hate The IS Department?"

Each journal entry should:

1. Include the full URL at the top of your email so everyone can easily see the complete article;
2. Illustrate the application of critical thinking to the material being scanned;
3. Specify and explain a relationship to textbook or supplementary reading materials; and
4. Demonstrate your efforts to read and understand the material in your publications.

NOTE: Your current literature journal will count 10% of your final course grade. In view of the journal entry requirements presented above, the grade will determined as follows:

Points
0-6	Basic (understanding, timeliness, following directions, etc.).
0-2	Significance & relevance to recent, current, or imminent studies.
0-2	Analysis, critical thinking, commentary & writing quality.

Tip: As you scan journals, keep your semester research paper in mind. Journal articles are usually the best source for ideas for research paper topics...

Approved Web Journal Sign Up