173 Internet Resources: Reviews and Discussions

Overview of the Internet Resources assignment:

You will receive 2 grades for this assignment in each module:  The written review (50%) and your participation in the discussion forum (50%).

1. Using the Internet search engine of your choice (for example, Google), locate an article, YouTube video, Ted Talk, MERLOT learning object etc. on a topic introduced in the textbook that is relevant to the current module.
2. Write a review of the resource article:  include an overview of the main point(s) and your thoughts on the information
3. Submit your review to the turnitin drop box for an Originality Analysis and my evaluation.
4. Revise and resubmit your review if needed.  (Note – resubmits take 24 hours to process and are not accepted after the module discussions end.)
5. Your website review is graded within the turnitin drop box using the rubric (see below).  You can see my feedback by accessing the graded rubric.
6. Paste your final review into the Discussion Forum for class discussion.  To receive full credit, you must submit your review within the first 3 days that the module is active.
7. Discuss your review – and at least 2 others – in the Discussion Forum.
8. Your grade on this discussion forum depends upon the quantity and quality of your posts.
9. Stude the grading rubrics carefully so that you are aware of how your work will be graded.

The purpose of this assignment is for each student to locate a Internet resource that contains valid information relevant to the issues we will be discussing in this module, write an original review and analysis essay about the content of the resource, and then lead a class discussion on the issue.

Begin this assignment by looking over the textbook chapters assigned for the current module and selecting a topic that interests you.  Then use Google – or the Internet search engine of your choice – to find a “good” resource dealing with that issue.  Finally, write a review of the resource and submit it for grading (to the turnitin drop box) and discussion (to the discussion forum.. (By “good” I mean one that seems to you to provide unbiased information on the issue).  After you submit the review to the turnitin dropbox (and, if needed, revise and resubmit) post it in the discussion forum for class discussion.

Follow these instructions carefully. Once your assignment has been evaluated, you will not be permitted to make revisions.

Detailed Instructions:

Step 1 – Write an original review of the Internet resource – minimum 500 original* words. See the definition of “original words” below.  Include the original word count at the end of your review.

Step 2 – Submit your review to the turnitin dropbox. This will  generate an “Originality Report” which will:

• indicate all non-original content in your review,
• show the earliest web source for this content, and
  
• display the total number of words in your review. 

I will evaluate your review in the turnitin dropbox using the rubric below.

Step 3 – submit your review to the discussion forum.  The discussion of the Internet resources continues until the module ends.  Review the grading rubric carefully so you can earn the forum grade you want.

*Definition of “Original Words”:

This assignment has a “minimum of 500 original words” requirement. The turnitin service that is used at Herkimer County Community College analyzes your assignment and determines the % of your content that is essentially the same as content that already exists on the Internet.  This “similar content” – EVEN IF YOU DID NOT COPY IT FROM THE WEB / EVEN IF YOU MADE IT UP YOURSELF – does not count as your “original words.”

Determine the number of original words from your turnitin Originality Reports using the following calculation:

Original Words = Word Count minus Similarity Index %.

Example 1:

• Total word count = 600 (If your word processing application does not have a “word count” feature, use http://wordcounttool.com.)
• If your Similarity Index is 10%, then the calculation would be
• 600 – 10%, or 600 – 60 = 540 original words.

Include this number at the end of your review as follows: (original words = 540)

Example 2:

• Total word count = 600
• If your Similarity Index is 20%, then the calculation would be
• 600 – 20%, or 600 – 120 = 480 original words.

Include this number at the end of your review as follows: (original words = 480)

Step 3 – Use the turn-it-in Originality Report to edit (if needed) and resubmit your website review. All content identified by turnitin as non-original must either be re-written in your own words, or enclosed in quotes and cited with the source identified by turnitin. You may submit your assignment to the turnitin dropbox as many times as necessary. Please note: your first submission to the turn-it-in drop box is usually analyzed within a few minutes. Subsequent submissions take about 24 hours.

Step 4 – Once your review has been edited and complies with all of the requirements, paste it into the Web Review Discussion Forum (for class discussion). This assignment is due before the end of the 2nd. day, but will be accepted late with a penalty (see rubric below).

Step 5 – Discuss the Website Article Reviews in the Website Discussion Forum.

1. Use the Create Thread button to submit your web review for class discussion. (Copy it from the turn-it-in drop box and paste it into the discussion forum as a New Post.) 
2. Facilitate the discussion of your website review in the same manner as the student led chapter discussions. When other students respond to your posting, respond back to them. Your job is to facilitate a discussion which explores the issues in the website and relates them to the textbook.
3. Read and discuss the Reviews submitted by at least 2 other students. Be an active participant in these threads. You may participate in as many review discussions as you want to – but the minimum is 2.
   

The Internet Resource Review Grading Rubric: