Spring 2025 - CMPT 105W D200

Social Issues and Communication Strategies in Computing Science (3)

Class Number: 5342

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Mon, Wed, Fri, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
    Surrey

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This course teaches the fundamentals of informative and persuasive communication for professional engineers and computer scientists. A principal goal of this course is to assist students in thinking critically about various contemporary technical, social, and ethical issues. It focuses on communicating technical information clearly and concisely, managing issues of persuasion when communicating with diverse audiences, presentation skills, and teamwork. Students with credit for ENSC 102, ENSC 105W, MSE 101W or SEE 101W may not take CMPT 105W for further credit. Writing.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course teaches the fundamentals of informative and persuasive communication for professional engineers and computer scientists. A principal goal of this course is to assist students in thinking critically about various contemporary technical, social, and ethical issues. It focuses on communicating technical information clearly and concisely, managing issues of persuasion when communicating with diverse audiences, presentation skills, and teamwork. Students with credit for ENSC 102, ENSC 105W, MSE 101W or SEE 101W may not take CMPT 105W for further credit.

Topics

  • Inventing, organizing, and planning for writing
  • Drafting and research
  • Revising and editing
  • Layout of resumes and cover letters
  • Design for presentations
  • Conventions for referencing and organizing papers
  • Social responsibility in Computing: ethics, privacy, free speech, etc.

Grading

NOTES:

Informal and formal written Assignments, Participation, Tests/Quizzes, and possibly Presentations. A more detailed marking scheme will be provided in the first lecture.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Reference Books


Ethics for the Information Age, 9th Edition (eText Instant Access), Michael J. Quinn, Pearson, 2024, 9780138238759

REQUIRED READING:

Strategies for Engineering Communication
Steve Whitmore, Susan Stevenson
John Wiley and Sons
2002
ISBN: 9780471128175

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.