Internet Research Syllabus

AT 248: Internet Research

This course refines the knowledge of how to conduct searches of the World Wide Web and dealing with tools such as directories and search engines. Students will be able to navigate the web and critically assess the quality of material found there.
Credits 4
Course Objectives

Course Objectives: When the course is completed you will:

  • effectively use the Internet as a core research tool
  • demonstrate an understanding of different search techniques
  • demonstrate research integrity
  • be a discriminating consumer of Internet information

General Education Objectives: When the course is completed you will be able to:

  • have the general education background necessary to become competent entry-level employees.
  • employ critical thinking skills for problem-solving and creative expression.
  • demonstrate effective communication skills.
  • utilize technological resources to research and interpret information ethically.
  • acquire a desire for life-long learning.
Instructional Materials

There is no formal textbook for student usage. The instructor will provide all information needed for completing the course.

Course Policies

I will respond to messages received between Monday 8 AM and Friday 1 PM within 24 hours. Messages received after 1 PM Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, I will respond to no later than Monday.

All information for this course, lecture notes, definitions for research, search engine lists, directory lists, direct site lists for real application projects and activities, quizzes and tests will be posted by Monday, 8:00 AM EST (EDST) for that week.

Attendance: The Federal Government has established a guideline to determine attendance for online students.Attendance must be measured by an assignment to be graded, quiz (test), or SCORM EVERY week. Forums will not be accepted as a graded assignment for Title IV purposes. Assignments turned in offline or through e-mail cannot be accepted for Title IV purposes.To maintain active status of this class, your attendance is vital. You are expected to follow the due dates indicated in the course room for all activities.Each weekly assignment / quiz / test will open at 8:00 a.m. Monday and must be turned in before 11:59 p.m. EST (EDST) on Sunday of same week in order for you to NOT be counted absent.

Meaning, your attendance for Electronic Research will be based on either your fully-completed assignment or fully-completed quiz/test for that week. (Assignment or Test to be counted for attendance will be posted in the Weekly Outline.) Failure to fully complete all assigned work or fully-completed quiz/test will result in an absence for that week. Should you have three (3) absences you will be dropped from the class even if you have passing grades.

 

ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED THROUGH THE STUDENT PROGRAM “CANVAS.”
Assignments attached to email will not be accepted.
(Refer to Attendance Guideline established by Federal Government for online students.)

ONLY ONE UPLOAD PER ASSIGNMENT—Be sure to upload the proper folder for the week’s assignment. Failure to upload the proper folder will result in a zero grade for that week and attendance will be submitted as absent.

Grading: The total points for lesson assignments, quizzes, and tests may vary. Failure to take the Final Exam results in a failing grade for the class.The final grade for the Quarter will be determined as follows:

20% -- Lesson Assignments and Forums

80% -- Quizzes, Tests, Attendance and Final Exam

No late submissions are accepted. No make-ups are permitted for this class. No extra credit is available. As this course has a deadline for submissions, it is best not to wait until the last minute to complete the assignments.

Grade Scale:

Letter Grade Percentage
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 59-below
Student Expectations
Course Outline

(tentative and subject to change)

Week

Subject Matter

Assignment

One

Introduction.

Internet terms and definitions.

Research terms.

Quiz 1 on terms.

Two

Search Engine and Directory Research project.

Research search engines and directories.

Three

Internet Explorer and keyboard shortcuts.

Editing results with Microsoft Word; print screens; and Locations project.

Keyboard shortcuts.

Research project for print screens and locations.

Quiz 2

Four

Read material on Net Etiquette, Hoaxes, and Urban Legends.

Research Medical Office Project application.

Complete project/activity from direct sites.

Quiz 3 on reading material.

Five

Introduction to ChatGPT: Understanding AI in Modern Internet Usage.

Explore ChatGPT capabilities, potential uses in research and everyday internet interactions. Reflective quiz on understanding ChatGPT.

Six

Research Internet history; write term paper on information. (Final exam questions created from this researched material.)

Midterm

Term Paper

Seven

Research Salary Comparisons, City Crime Comparisons, and Travel Scenario.

Locate salaries, crime reports for cities, complete comparisons.

Eight

Research Spyware and Anti-spyware

Research and answer questions pertaining to Spyware and Anti-spyware.

Nine

Examine and research new IP sites.

Compilation of questions from the projects researched this quarter.

Complete IP sites assignment.

Compilation of questions from previous projects.

Ten

Research on Job Offers and Travel Expenses

Research questions and provide appropriate responses to questions.

Eleven

Final Exam

Comprehensive

Communication

Emails will be responded to no later than 48 hours or by the end of business on Monday for mail received over the weekend.

College Policies

Academic Honesty Policy
The college has a firm policy against academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism. Students guilty of academic dishonesty will be administratively dropped from the course with a grade of ‘F’ and subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension and dismissal. 

Please refer to the Academic Honesty Policy for detailed information.

Late Assignment Policy

Meeting deadlines, being dependable, and applying appropriate time management are all foundational elements of professional behavior. These same attributes are also required while participating in college courses because the skills, knowledge, and student learning outcomes must be obtained in a specific order and within a certain amount of time.

We at HJC understand that sometimes students encounter circumstances that make it difficult to always meet the required course deadlines. This Late Work Policy is in place to accommodate that. In all circumstances, whenever possible, contact your instructor when you anticipate that you will be submitting work late.

The deadlines for most courses typically follow the pattern below, but it is your responsibility to confirm this and be aware if there are any assignments that may have different deadlines for one reason or another.

The first post in each Discussion Board is usually due on the Wednesday night of each module/week.

Most other assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday evening of each module/week.

  • All assignments must be submitted by the required due date.
  • Missing assignments due to absence must be submitted within 1 week of return.
  • Late submissions of assignments will result in a reduction of 10% of the total points possible per day (e.g., 1 day late = -10%, 2 days late = 20%, etc.) up to one week. Anything over 1 week late will result in a grade of 0.
  • To receive full credit for late work, students must provide documentation for an excused absence, or it will be subject to the same treatment as any other late work. Documentation examples include court documents, hospitalization, etc.

Instructors may also choose to deduct less points at their discretion.

If for some reason a student temporarily loses the ability to connect to Canvas due to technical issues it is the student’s obligation to submit assignments by the original due dates. Temporary remedies can be connecting via a public WiFi spot, using school facilities to connect, or use of private networks through friends and family.

In extreme cases, when none of these solutions are available, the student may contact their instructors through other means and ask permission to submit their work directly, in a method that can be received by the instructor. Under no circumstances can methods of delivery outside of Canvas be used without explicit instructor permission. (If this ever happens the instructor should somehow note it).

Minimum Technology Requirements

Having access to a reliable desktop or laptop is required for HJC online courses. This requirement ensures students have the essential technologies to complete online courses successfully. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets may be utilized as additional tools to assist with completing online courses.

Online video conferences and calls are often the best way for instructors to assist students in many situations. A web camera and microphone are necessary for successful online conferences. 

Safari and Chrome: Office 365 is designed to work with the current version of the Safari and Chrome browsers. Microsoft Edge: Office 365 is designed to work with the latest version of the Microsoft Edge browser.

Internet Explorer: Office 365 is designed to work with Internet Explorer 11. We recommend that you upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 if you are using an earlier version. Office might continue to work with versions of Internet Explorer other than Internet Explorer 11, but Office can’t provide any guarantees.

Firefox: Most Office 365 apps are designed to work with the current version of Firefox.

Some courses may have additional technology requirements beyond those listed here. Additional requirements will be listed in your Canvas course room.

Basic Office 365 apps are free and available to students with their HJC Outlook account. For additional questions and help with the required technologies, please contact help@hjc.edu

Minimum Technical Skills Requirements

 To complete online courses successfully, you must be able to perform the following basic technical skills before starting the class

  • Use the learning management system, Canvas
  • Use HJC email with attachments
  • Download, save, and upload files in Canvas

For additional questions regarding the required technologies, please contact help@hjc.edu

Technology Support
To be a successful online learner, certain technologies are necessary.  Please keep in mind that certain classes may have additional technical requirements. You should be able to find additional technical requirements in your syllabus or your canvas course room. If you have any questions about the technology requirement, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or support@hjc.edu

Accessibility Information
Huntington Junior College is committed to full compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For additional information, please access accessibility policy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or pjustice@hjc.edu if you have any additional questions.

Copyright Policy
As an institution of higher education, Huntington Junior College strongly believes in intellectual property. As such, Huntington Junior College respects intellectual property and has made it a priority to ensure all employees and students respect the copyrights of others. If you have any questions about our copyright policy, please access the copyright policy

Privacy Policy
The college understands the importance of protecting your information and privacy. Our Privacy Policy provides additional information on the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act. 

Third party privacy policies:

Zoom

VitalSource

Labyrinth Learning

Canvas

McGraw-Hill

Cengage

Pearson

Poptential

YouTube

Canva

Archive.org

Quizizz

Other Student Success Services
Please access Student Success page for other student success services information, such as financial aid, lab hours, parking, library, transcripts, and career services on the college

If you need to speak with a person regarding any college policies and guidelines, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the college at 304-697-7550 

This information is standard for each course but specifics may vary based on the delivery method of the course you are taking. Please follow the information provided by your instructor.

This syllabus is subject to change.