Book selection
You may choose a book that will be useful for your term paper, or you may choose an entirely different topic for the book report.
See Book list for a long list of suggested books.
Guidelines
Your book report should be roughly 1000 words.
Don't try to summarize the whole book. Give an overview of what it's about, then pick a few critical themes or issues and discuss how the author presents them. Analyze and comment; don't just summarize. Tell which points you think are valid and which you don't agree with, and why. Add your own examples, counterexamples, or arguments, if appropriate.
Some books on the book list are general evaluations of computers or technology. Some take one side (pro or anti-technology) and argue it strongly. Read critically. Think about and include counterarguments.
Book selection deadline
Turn in your book selection by the end of Week 3 (by e-mail). If you choose a book that is NOT on the list of suggested books, include the following information: title, author, date of publication, and a sentence or two on what it's about if not obvious from the title.
I will limit the number of people reading the same book, so if your first choice is a very popular one, you may have to choose another. You have a better chance of acceptance of your first choice if your selection is on time (or early).
Book report deadline
The book report is due the end of Week 7.
Warning
The campus library may have some of these books, but in many cases, only one copy. You can get some from Interlibrary Loan, which may take a week or more (and you may have to return them after only a week or two). Some of the books are available in local libraries or bookstores. Start early.