CS199: Information Security for the Information age, a freshman seminar Syllabus.

Instructor: John F. Santore
Phone: 508-531-2226
Office: Hart 220
E-Mail:jsantore@bridgew.edu
Instructor Web Page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jsantore/
Course Web Page: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jsantore/Fall2005/cs199/
Office Hours:  Mon 10-11am, Tues 5-6pm, Thurs 10-11am, Fri 9-10am

I also will take appointments if you cannot make my other office hours, however, I generally have meetings and work prepared for a day or two ahead so plan on about 48 hours from the time I get your request

Course Description:
This course will introduce many of the hazards to privacy and information security that the the widespread use of the internet age has made possible. In CS199, you will also learn the techniques for writing effectively about technical subjects. On the technical side, we will consider how the ubiquitious nature of networked devices has created a new set of challenges that many people are not yet aware of. These include hacking, social engineering, viruses, spam and spyware among others. In our outsourcing oriented society, good communication skills are essentual for the jobs of the future. One must understand the difference between fact and opinion; one must also be able to present facts and opinions in a cohesive recommendation and know when each is useful. The writing techniques that you learn here will be a part of your ability to express yourself clearly.

Textbook: The text for this class will be Keys to Great Writing by Stephen Wilbers

Class meetings:

This class will meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:20 pm - 1:35 pm.

Class Requirements and grading:

In this class, your grade will be based on your performance in the following areas.

Writing (drafts and final papers): 60%
Exams: 30%
Participation/Homeworks/Quizzes etc: 10%

• The writing portion: This course is designated as a writing intensive course. You will write three longer papers and several shorter papers. You will be required to hand in drafts of the longer papers which will also be graded. The 60% of your grade can be further broken down as follows:
• One 4 page paper and its early drafts: 15%
• A second 4 page paper and drafts: 15%
• A final 7 page paper and drafts: 20%
• Short single page papers and other shorter writing throughout the semester: 10%
  
• The exam portion of your grade: This course focuses on writing, however, we will still learn a good deal about computer that can also be evaluated by traditional exams and so there will be a midterm and a final in this course, each worth 15% of your final grade.
• Everything else. This is a small class and I'll expect class participation. You will be expected to read and keep abreast of technical news as well as discussing any truely newsworthy items. From time to time homeworks and quizzes may also be given.

Students with special needs:

Anyone who has special needs should contact me in the first week of classes so that reasonable accommodations can be agreed on. You should also go to the academic achievement center and get the official letter to give me.

Writing Requirements:
When writing for this class, there will be certian minimum formatting requirements.

Your instructor remembers his first semester of college and how it seemed so much easier to write a paper on a computer just by playing with the formatting. To encourage you to avoid this mistake, I will provide the following formatting guidelines for all writing done for this class

• All writing must be double spaced; this facilitates comments and correction.
  
• All writing must be in either 10 or 12 point fonts (times new roman, Century Schoolbook or similar sized fonts). The use of multiple fonts in when quoting or showing code is encouraged and will be discussed in class.
• Margins around the page should be either 2cm or 1 inch, whichever is more convienient for you.
  

Academic Integrity:

See http://www.bridgew.edu/Handbook/PoliciesProcedures/academicmisconduct.cfm for a complete description of the academic integrity procedure at here at BSC.

Academic integrity will be taken very seriously in this class. All individual work must be your own. If you cheat or otherwise represent the work of others as your own. You will receive an F for the course.

Guidelines for proper academic integrity:

Standards for in-class behavior:
You are all adults and are expected to act as adults in this class. While questions are encouraged in this class, if a particular line of questioning is taking us too far afield, I will ask the student to come by my office hours or to see me after class.

Cell phones, pagers, electronic organizers and other devises should be silenced while in class. If you work of EMS or something similar, please turn your cell phones/ pagers etc to vibrate mode so that you are not disrupting others in the class.

In the unlikely case of trouble makers in the class, those who are simply attempting to disrupt the class will be asked to stop; those who will not, will be referred to the college for appropriate action.

The tentitive schedule for the semester is below. We will interupt this schedule to discuss any breaking security news as it happens.

* indicates a week with only one class meeting
*& Senior convocation week, we may lose one class (wednesday) to this event.