23 Internet Resources: Reviews and Discussions

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

Overview:  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 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 dropbox (and, if needed, revise and resubmit) post it in the discussion forum for class discussion.

Detailed Instructions for the Internet Resource assignment:

Submit one Internet Resource Review for each Module.  You will receive 2 grades for this assignment:  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, a YouTube video, a Ted Talk, a MERLOT learning object etc. on a topic introduced in the assigned textbook chapters for the current module.
2. Write a review of the resource article. Include: 1) an overview of the main point(s), 2) the most important thing you learned from the resource, and 3) your overall opinion of the resource.
3. To earn full credit, your review must contain a minimum of 750 original words.*
4. Submit your review to the drop box for an Originality Analysis.
5. Revise and resubmit your review if needed.
6. Your website review is graded within the drop box using the rubric (see below).  You can see my feedback by accessing the graded rubric.
7. Paste your final review into the Discussion Forum for class discussion.  To receive full credit, you must submit your review for discussion on the first day that the module is active.
8. Discuss your review – and at least 2 others – in the Discussion Forum.
9. Your grade on this discussion forum depends upon the quantity and quality of your posts. 
10. Study the grading rubrics below carefully so that you are aware of how your work will be graded.

*Definition of “Original Words”:

The assignment dropbox analyzes your assignment and highlights plagiarized or “essentially the same” passages 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.”  

Correct all of these issues before you submit your review to the class for discussion.

After you have submitted your review to the discussion forum:

1. 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 you have presented in your review and relates them to the textbook.
2. 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.
3. I will evaluate a maximum of 3 discussion posts submitted to the same discussion forum during any 24 hour period.  For example, if you submit 3 discussion posts to the same Internet Resource forum between noon and 1:00 pm, you should wait until 1:00 pm the following day to submit your next post.  This rule is designed to give other students a chance to respond to your posts, so that you can then reply back to them.   This also means that if you wait until the last day and submit lots of posts, I will only evaluate the first 3 you submit.

You will earn an A+ (100%) grade on the Internet Resource discussion forum if you:

• Submit your review to the Discussion Forum on the module start date.
• Submit 10 acceptable reply posts (Posts that comply with both of the Cardinal Rules.)
• Participate in the forum on 10 different days while the forum is active.
• Remember that you won’t get credit for more than 3 posts submitted during any 24 hour period.

The Internet Resource Review Grading Rubric: