Paper 1: Period Paper

Goal: Write a paper that describes important computing topics and issues during a one year period.

Action:

Pick a year between 1967 and 1989 (but not 1970, 1971, 1972, 1985, 1987, 1988) and write a paper that describes what were the important topics and issues in computing during that year. One primary resource, which you must use, is the trade magazine Datamation, which is on microfilm in the library and is also available in printed form at the RPI library, to which you have access if you want to travel there. You may also need to consult other sources, such as references from the course reading. You should pay attention to computer hardware, including peripheral devices like printers, terminals and modems and software such as commercial programs, programming languages and, during the later years, hobbist or home-office software. Articles, editorials, and reports in Datamation will all help you to learn what was happening in the computer industry then. You should also pay attention to advertisements, which help to show what manufacturers considered important and what they thought the popular views of computers were.

You should provide a broader historical context for your discussion by describing what was going on in the world, which you can learn from news magazines such as Time or Newsweek.

Your paper should be well-organized; you will have to decide how best to tell the story. It might be appropriate to organize it by types of computers and their hardware and software, or by important developments in hardware and software separately. Some years will have particularly significant events that may provide the focus of the paper.

Note an outline for your paper is due one week before the due date.

Deliverables:

1. An outline of your paper is due in hard copy at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 18th. You should also submit an electronic copy (Word or PDF) on Blackboard through "Send File" in the digital dropbox.

2. Bring THREE hard copies of your paper to class on Tuesday, January 25th. You should hand in one of the copies to me at the beginning of class. You should also submit an electronic copy (Word or PDF) on Blackboard through "Send File" in the digital dropbox.

3. You will be given two of your peers' papers to review. Please bring the hard copy of the paper, with your comments, to class on Tuesday, February 1st. Sign your comments with your first and last name.

4. Hand in a hard copy of your revision, your peers' reviews of your paper and my review of your paper at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 8th. You should also submit an electronic copy of your revision (Word or PDF) on Blackboard through "Send File" in the digital dropbox.

NOTE: You will receive one grade for your paper which is based on your outline, your first submission, your revisions and your comments on your peers' papers.

Syllabus