Week 5 Assignment

Order Description
Answer the following questions. Each answer must be a minimum of 300 words each.

1. Assess arguments for and against the use o biometric technologies for security, especially in airports and large stadiums. Should biometric technologies such as face-recognition programs and iris scanners be used in public places to catch criminals? In the post-September 11 world, there is much more support for these technologies than there was when biometrics were used at the Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001. Granted that such technologies can help the government to catch criminals and suspected terrorists, what kinds of issues do they raise from a civil liberties perspective? Compare the arguments for and against the use of biometric technologies in tracking down criminals to arguments we examined for and against computerized record matching in our discussion of privacy in Chapter 5. Do you support the use of biometrics in large, public gathering places? Defend your answer.
2. Recall the arguments we examined in Section 8.1.3 to show how the software industry has tried to make its case for strong legal protection for software. Has protection for proprietary software gone too far, as some critics suggest? If so, what are the implications for innovation and competition in the computer industry?

Recommended Resources:

Tavani, H.T. (2010). Ethics and technology: Controversies, questions and strategies in ethical computing (3rd ed.) Massachusetts, John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Willard, N. (2006). Cyber Bullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social Threats. Eugene OR: Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use

Week 5 Assignment
Survey Research Design

Using appropriate item development techniques, your task is to:
(1) Generate a narrow research question that can be ‘answered’ though a short series of closed ended survey questions or interview questions.
(2) Create:
a. an online survey using the course’s SurveyMonkey account (see below) that contains between 5 to 10 survey items. The survey should contain:
i. a brief introduction and a ‘thank you for participating’ at the end;
ii. 2 or 3 items to obtain background information about your respondents;
iii. 4 to 6 items Likert format items, e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree;
iv. 1 to 3 short answer open-ended items, e.g. “Where did you take the MTEL C&L test?”;
v. (see more information on page 14-15 in: http://s3.amazonaws.com/SurveyMonkeyFiles/SmartSurvey.pdf)
See also the ‘Help’ area on SurveyMonkey where there are sections on designing and analyzing surveys: http://help.surveymonkey.com/
b. Create an interview
i. a brief introduction and a ‘thank you for participating’ at the end;
ii. 5 to 7 inter-connected interview questions that could be use all by themselves in a telephone or SKYPE interview.
iii. the interview questions should be geared to obtaining more in-depth information from your interviewees regarding your research topic.
iv. for purposes of convenience, you can use SurveyMonkey to write-out your interview items. Thus in terms of SurveyMonkey terminology you would be creating an “interview survey”.

(3) The URL for SurveyMonkey is: https://www.surveymonkey.com

Rubric for Assignment #5a: Survey and Item Development

Needs Improvement
(B- or lower) Adequate
(B/B+) Proficient

(A-/A) Comments
Research Question:
• The wording of the research question(s) would make it difficult to obtain a clear answer through a survey or interview. • The research question(s) is capable of being answered through survey and/or interview questions.
• The research question is clearly and concisely worded. • The research question(s) is capable of being answered through survey and/or interview questions.
• The research question is clearly and concisely worded.
• The wording provides guidance for the development of survey and/or research questions.
Introduction and Closing to the Survey/Interview • Instructions are missing or unclear.
• There is no acknowledgement for participating. • Clear instructions are provided to the participant.
• The participant is acknowledged for her/his assistance with this project. • A clear and succinct rationale for the survey/interview is provided.
• Clear instructions are provided to the participant.
• The participant is acknowledged for her/his assistance with this project.
Survey:
Relevance of Items • Many or most of the items are extraneous or not geared to answering the research question. • Most of the items are directly connected to addressing the specific research question.
• ‘Extraneous’ questions are closely tied to the research question but aren’t immediately relevant. • Every item is directly connected to addressing the research question.
Survey:
Clarity of Questions • The wording of some or many of the items is not geared to the reading level and/or background knowledge of the target participant; and/or
• The wording of many of the items is ambiguous for the target participant. • For all items, the wording is geared to the reading level and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For most items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For most items, each one only contains a single concept or idea that the respondent needs to consider. • For all items, the wording is geared to the reading level and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For all items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For all items, each one only contains a single concept or idea that the respondent needs to consider.
Survey:
Response Options
• For most items, the response options are not appropriate for the wording of item. • For most items, the response options are appropriate for the wording of item. • For all items, the response options are appropriate for the wording of item.
• If the response options change across items, the layout of the survey makes this change obvious to the respondent.
Survey:
Sequence of Items • There is no apparent logic to the flow of the items. • Items follow a logical flow.
• If it is a long survey, items related to similar topics are grouped together. • Items follow a logical flow.
• If it is a long survey, items related to similar topics are grouped together.
• The item sequence is such that the items build upon one another to help the respondent consider more complex aspects of the topic.
Interview:
Relevance of Items • Many or most of the items are extraneous or not geared to answering the research question. • Most of the items are directly connected to addressing the specific research question.
• ‘Extraneous’ questions are closely tied to the research question but aren’t immediately relevant. • Every item is directly connected to addressing the research question.
Interview:
Clarity of Questions • The wording of some or many of the items is not geared to the vocabulary or background knowledge of the target participant; and/or
• The wording of many of the items is ambiguous for the target participant. • For all items, the wording is geared to the vocabulary and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For most items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For most complex questions, there is enough contextual information provided to help the participant respond to the focus of the question. • For all items, the wording is geared to the vocabulary and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For all items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For all complex questions, there is enough contextual information provided to help the participant respond to the focus of the question.
Interview:
Sequence of Items • There is no apparent logic to the flow of the interview. • The interview follows a logical flow.
• If it is a long interview, questions related to similar topics are grouped together. • The interview follows a logical flow.
• If it is a long interview, questions related to similar topics are grouped together. The interview sequence is such that the questions build upon one another to help the respondent consider more complex aspects of the topic.

Week 5 Assignment
Survey Research Design

Using appropriate item development techniques, your task is to:
(1) Generate a narrow research question that can be ‘answered’ though a short series of closed ended survey questions or interview questions.
(2) Create:
a. an online survey using the course’s SurveyMonkey account (see below) that contains between 5 to 10 survey items. The survey should contain:
i. a brief introduction and a ‘thank you for participating’ at the end;
ii. 2 or 3 items to obtain background information about your respondents;
iii. 4 to 6 items Likert format items, e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree;
iv. 1 to 3 short answer open-ended items, e.g. “Where did you take the MTEL C&L test?”;
v. (see more information on page 14-15 in: http://s3.amazonaws.com/SurveyMonkeyFiles/SmartSurvey.pdf)
See also the ‘Help’ area on SurveyMonkey where there are sections on designing and analyzing surveys: http://help.surveymonkey.com/
b. Create an interview
i. a brief introduction and a ‘thank you for participating’ at the end;
ii. 5 to 7 inter-connected interview questions that could be use all by themselves in a telephone or SKYPE interview.
iii. the interview questions should be geared to obtaining more in-depth information from your interviewees regarding your research topic.
iv. for purposes of convenience, you can use SurveyMonkey to write-out your interview items. Thus in terms of SurveyMonkey terminology you would be creating an “interview survey”.

(3) The URL for SurveyMonkey is: https://www.surveymonkey.com

Rubric for Assignment #5a: Survey and Item Development

Needs Improvement
(B- or lower) Adequate
(B/B+) Proficient

(A-/A) Comments
Research Question:
• The wording of the research question(s) would make it difficult to obtain a clear answer through a survey or interview. • The research question(s) is capable of being answered through survey and/or interview questions.
• The research question is clearly and concisely worded. • The research question(s) is capable of being answered through survey and/or interview questions.
• The research question is clearly and concisely worded.
• The wording provides guidance for the development of survey and/or research questions.
Introduction and Closing to the Survey/Interview • Instructions are missing or unclear.
• There is no acknowledgement for participating. • Clear instructions are provided to the participant.
• The participant is acknowledged for her/his assistance with this project. • A clear and succinct rationale for the survey/interview is provided.
• Clear instructions are provided to the participant.
• The participant is acknowledged for her/his assistance with this project.
Survey:
Relevance of Items • Many or most of the items are extraneous or not geared to answering the research question. • Most of the items are directly connected to addressing the specific research question.
• ‘Extraneous’ questions are closely tied to the research question but aren’t immediately relevant. • Every item is directly connected to addressing the research question.
Survey:
Clarity of Questions • The wording of some or many of the items is not geared to the reading level and/or background knowledge of the target participant; and/or
• The wording of many of the items is ambiguous for the target participant. • For all items, the wording is geared to the reading level and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For most items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For most items, each one only contains a single concept or idea that the respondent needs to consider. • For all items, the wording is geared to the reading level and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For all items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For all items, each one only contains a single concept or idea that the respondent needs to consider.
Survey:
Response Options
• For most items, the response options are not appropriate for the wording of item. • For most items, the response options are appropriate for the wording of item. • For all items, the response options are appropriate for the wording of item.
• If the response options change across items, the layout of the survey makes this change obvious to the respondent.
Survey:
Sequence of Items • There is no apparent logic to the flow of the items. • Items follow a logical flow.
• If it is a long survey, items related to similar topics are grouped together. • Items follow a logical flow.
• If it is a long survey, items related to similar topics are grouped together.
• The item sequence is such that the items build upon one another to help the respondent consider more complex aspects of the topic.
Interview:
Relevance of Items • Many or most of the items are extraneous or not geared to answering the research question. • Most of the items are directly connected to addressing the specific research question.
• ‘Extraneous’ questions are closely tied to the research question but aren’t immediately relevant. • Every item is directly connected to addressing the research question.
Interview:
Clarity of Questions • The wording of some or many of the items is not geared to the vocabulary or background knowledge of the target participant; and/or
• The wording of many of the items is ambiguous for the target participant. • For all items, the wording is geared to the vocabulary and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For most items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For most complex questions, there is enough contextual information provided to help the participant respond to the focus of the question. • For all items, the wording is geared to the vocabulary and background knowledge of the target participant.
• For all items, the wording is unambiguous to the target participant.
• For all complex questions, there is enough contextual information provided to help the participant respond to the focus of the question.
Interview:
Sequence of Items • There is no apparent logic to the flow of the interview. • The interview follows a logical flow.
• If it is a long interview, questions related to similar topics are grouped together. • The interview follows a logical flow.
• If it is a long interview, questions related to similar topics are grouped together. The interview sequence is such that the questions build upon one another to help the respondent consider more complex aspects of the topic.