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Essay 1
Annotated Bibliography due: Wednesday, September 28, in class.
Essay Due: Friday, October 7, in class
Essay 1: Dealing with the Digital Divide
In class we discussed the global digital divide and whether it is worthwhile for the US to invest
money in alleviating this disparity. In this assignment you will write an essay to argue
for or against government policies aimed at reducing the digital disparities between developed
and undeveloped countries. You must pick one or the other position.
Research
Before you begin your essays, you should research this topic to add background and supporting
material for you essay. You must find at least 5 good sources to use as references (in addition
to your textbook).
Turn in your list of sources by the due date for references listed above.
Sections of your essay
Your essay must contain the following sections:
1. Introduction
The introduction should include a description of the question you are examining, what the
varying viewpoints are and why it is of interest to the reader.
2. Background
In the background section, you will describe the digital divide as it currently exists. You
should refer to the topics we have covered so far in class, such as the weightless economy and
media convergence, and what that means for populations in industrialized countries (with access
to the internet) and for those in developing countries.
3. Analysis
In this section you will make your argument for or against policies aimed at bridging the
digital divide. As you did in assignment 2, you need to state the arguments for the opposing
position, and then make your arguments for your own position. As with your background, use
your knowledge of the economics and convergence of information-based societies to support
your arguments. Support your arguments with the sources you have researched.
4. Conclusion
In this section you whould wrap up your argument and summarize the main conclusions you have drawn.
5. Annotated Bibliography
List your research sources. For each source, you must state how you found the source (e.g.
did you use the library databases, the textbook bibliography, etc) and why you believe it is
a good source to use.
Notes:
- Sections 2 and 3 will form the bulk of your essay. Sections 1 and 4 will be relatively
short.
- Your paper should be about 5 pages long, not including the bibliography.
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Constance Royden--croyden@mathcs.holycross.edu
MONT 112G--Computers and Society
Date Created: September 4, 2011
Last Modified: September 22, 2011
Page Expires: September 4, 2012
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