Category Archives: Course News

Quiz for Next Tuesday

Next Tuesday, we’ll take about half the class to do a quiz that is essentially a dry run for the final exam. You’ll be given a recent news article by me that you’ll have to write about in a way that connects it up with the themes and lessons in The Filter Bubble. Like the final exam, this is an open book, open notes situation. The only source of information you may not refer to or draw upon is whatever your neighbor in class is doing on the quiz or exam (your work should be your own).

Please bring your book to class on Tuesday. You’ll want to have it, I’m sure.

The Last Two Homework Assignments

In the “Homework” box on the “Assignments” tab of the course website, you’ll now find details about the last two homework assignments. Homework #4 is due Thursday, May 9, and asks you to do some work on the 25th Street Plaza project wiki and write about it on the blog. Homework #5 asks you reflect back on what you learned this semester and write about it on the blog. Please follow the assignment guidelines as they are delineated on the course website.

Reading for Tuesday, April 30

Just a reminder that tomorrow you should have read the following for class:

Lievrouw, Leah A. “Information Society, Description of.” Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. Ed. Jorge Reina Schement. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 430-437. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Web. 25 Apr. 2013.

Discussing the Reading for Tomorrow (April 25)

Just a reminder that for class tomorrow you should have read the encyclopedia entry on “Information.” If you need a copy of it again, you can find it in the Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Schement, Jorge Reina. “Information.” Encyclopedia of Communication and Information. Ed. Jorge Reina Schement. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 421-426. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 24 Apr. 2013.

Homework #2 on the Final Chapter in the Filter Bubble

Due April 25 (by the start of class)

Consider the suggestions that Pariser makes in the final chapter (8) of his book about ways that we can address the problems of the filter bubble. Then, on the course blog, write a long post (1-2 pages) in which you identify what you think is the strongest idea and the weakest idea that he has for combatting the filter bubble and the excesses of personalization. Fully explain and defend the two ideas you select and use quoted material from the book as part of your argument. You will be graded on the quality of your defense, the creativity in your writing, and the polish you put into your writing (i.e., you don’t want to lose points on this because of typos or grammar and spelling errors).

First Homework Assignment for the Class

In the “Homework” box on the “Assignments” page of the course website, you’ll now see a description of the first homework assignment (due Feb. 26). Some important things to note:

  • You must use Google Drive (also known as Google Documents) to create a document where you’ll write your essay
  • After you’ve written the essay in Google Drive, you’ll need to share it with me using my Gmail address (Google has instructions about how to share)
  • Look in your Baruch email account for a message from me that has my Gmail address
  • Don’t come to class on February 26 telling me you couldn’t figure out how to share the document with me; contact me in advance of the class if you are having problems.

Always Add a Category for Your Blog Posts

When composing a blog post, you must always select one of the “Categories” on the right side of the screen.

Categories in the course blog

This will help ease navigation of the site and allow you to easily find all posts on a given category. If you’ve already published a post without a category, you can go back into the Dashboard for the blog, add the category for the post, and then click the “Update” button.

Here are all the blog posts that are currently “Uncategorized” that need to be updated with  a category.

Textbook for LIB 3040 Is on Reserve

The book we’ll be reading for class this semester, Eli Pariser’s The Filter Bubble, is on reserve in the library. You can borrow it for two hours at a time. Stop by the circulation desk, give the staff the course number (LIB 3040) and the name of the book, and if it’s available they’ll check it out to you.

Since we’ll be using the book in class a lot, you’ll need to buy your own copy. Used copies can probably be found via the usual online sources. Although ideally you’ll get the paperback edition, the hardcover edition is fine as well.

Bonus tip!!!