Introduction:
As we’ve been learning so far in the summer, computer science and the innovations in this field have vast implications for society, on both a micro and macro scale. For this project, you will be working alone to write an exploratory piece on any computing- or technologically-related topic or innovation that interests you — this can be a theory, a program, an event (recent or historical), or an object.
Topics from past papers have included artificial intelligence (AI), Facebook, smart farming, the internet, the Tik Tok algorithm, robotic teachers, and online security. If you’re struggling to come up with a topic, consider something in computing that has changed the way you or someone you know does something. Do make sure to choose a relatively focused topic so you can keep to the page limit while still being thorough.
After you write and submit your essay, you’ll be asked to read and respond to three of your classmates’ essays.
Part 1: The Essay
Your essay should focus on a single topic/innovation and its impacts, and should include 3-4 paragraphs of at least three sentences. Please make sure that the bulk of this essay is your own thoughts, not quotations.
To guide your content, you should answer some of the following questions in each of the following categories:
PURPOSE & BACKGROUND:
What social issue was this innovation meant to address?
Does it resolve problems of a certain kind in a particular community?
Does it improve quality of life for a certain group of people?
What motivated the creation or development of the innovation?
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE IMPACTS:
What has happened as a result of this innovation, intentional or unintentional?
Are there any long-term or short-term concerns for this innovation that you’ve observed or would expect?
What major impact(s) or effect(s) has this innovation contributed to in society, economics, or a particular culture or subculture?
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS:
How might we understand or break down this innovation using levels of abstraction?
Does everyone who interacts with this innovation know everything about it?
How does this innovation relate to other innovations?
What algorithms are involved in this innovation?
DATA:
How is data collected as input relating to this innovation?
How is data calculated into output?
What is the output data used for?
How is data mutated in relation to this innovation?
Your paper should adhere to the following formatting guidelines:
Please use double-spaced 12-point font, Times New Roman (standardized to help the readers) and leave 1” margins
Include a title that includes the name of the innovation you’re writing about
The paper should be 2-3 pages long
Uses a minimum of three external sources with proper MLA format. If you’re unfamiliar, we recommend Purdue’s Online Writing Lab MLA guidelines!
At least three of the sources must be dated January 2016 or later
One source may be Wikipedia, if necessary
Last Completed Projects
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