Constructing Your Essay for Introduction to Computing Introduction How will you introduce your essay? You may start with a quote that will entice your reader to read further. If you start with a quote, you will need an in text citation. You may start with a sentence or two about computing (since this is a computing module) Tell your reader the aim of this assignment and how you intend to go about discussing or proving this aim. What else will you be telling your reader. No definitions here. Just describe in very general terms what you will be doing. (about 150 words) Main Body Define Actor Network Theory What type of theory is it? Who developed it? What does the term actant mean? Why is Actor Network Theory a suitable theory to study computing? Here you will need to include in text citation with your references properly laid out in your references section. The format you must follow is Harvard Referencing format. Apply Actor Network Theory to Computing Story 1 Don't retell your story. State your story in one sentence with in text citation. Include the news story in your references section using correct Harvard Referencing format. If your reader needs to read your story, he/she can look here. You must apply Actor Network Theory to your story now. To do this follow the instructions. Categorize your actants and state how they connect. For example Actant A, category, connects to and acts upon Actant B, category, and causes……. Repeat this in your own words for the main actants in your first story. State how management (the coordinated efforts of humans/technology in order to achieve goals efficiently) has been enhanced in the story. For example, has the software enhanced management of self? Has the software and hardware combined to enhance management of a business? Apply Actor Network Theory to Computing Story 2 Don't retell your story. State your story in one sentence with in text citation. Include the news story in your references section using correct Harvard Referencing format. If your reader needs to read your story, he/she can look here. You must apply Actor Network Theory to your story now. To do this follows the instructions. Categorize your actants and state how they connect. For example Actant A, category, connects to and acts upon Actant B, category, and causes……. Repeat this in your own words for the main actants in your first story. State how management (the coordinated efforts of humans/technology in order to achieve goals efficiently) has been enhanced in the story. For example, has the software enhanced management of self? Has the software and hardware combined to enhance management of a business? Contemporary Debate What are the theorists saying about computing in general? Choose one linking sentence so that you can move your reader away from the two computing stories in order to focus on the larger areas. For example, you may use a sentence that starts with 'In both (or one) of the computing stories, it could be argued that the human is being encouraged to upload more data online. The massive amounts of data uploaded is referred to as Big Data. Morozov (2013) warns about the dangers of allowing big business and governments access to this data….. Etc etc Note that I would start to write about privacy issues and algorithmic regulation. After being pessimistic about technology, I would want to show some optimism and contrast these views with the views of the techno-optimists. Also note that I would use key terms in my writing, like cognitive surplus, big data, algorithmic regulation etc. The key terms from this module can be found on GSM Learn > Introduction To Computing >Key Terms and Definitions > Key Terms! Limitations of Knowledge Do we really know the long term effect of computing? Is ANT a perfect theory? What problems did you encounter with it? Conclusion What did you learn? Did you prove the assignment task No new knowledge here - just a summary of your findings! (about 150 words) References Citations are listed in alphabetical order by the author's surname (last name). Sometimes, you will not be shown the author's surname. Below, I have given an example of a reference for a recent news story where the journalist's name was not show. Please do not put web addresses in the main body. All citations must be properly referenced. BBC (2016) Whatsapp adds end-to-end encryption. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35969739 (Accessed: 7 April 2016). When referencing a book, generally Harvard Referencing follows the following format: Last name, First Initial. (Year published). Title. City: Publisher, Page(s). Please use a Harvard Referencing tool which can be found online, if you are unsure. If you are using Word to write your assignment, this should 'do' the referencing for you. Bibliography A bibliogrpahy is a list of all the sources that you have used to write your essay whether referenced or not. Again, here you must follow the correct Harvard Referencing format. Please list these in alphabetical order according to the author's surname (last name). Appendix N.B. Please include four definitions of key terms from this module. One of these MUST be software. The other three can be any three terms of your choice. In your essay, you may have referred to an image or chart. Let's say that in the main body, you have written something like "Appendix A shows that there are many actants connected in order to achieve the aims of the assemblage. This essay will focus on just a few of those actants" Now in your Appendix section, you include the image that you have drawn. Give it the title, for example, "Appendix A: A mind map showing how the actants are connected in the assemblage" If you did not create the image/chart yourself, you will need to put a citation under the image/chart and include the original source in your references section.