MIST 2090: Introduction to Information Systems in Business
Course Syllabus: Fall Semester 2007
http://terry.blackboard.com (note the “.com”)
University of Georgia – Terry College of Business – MIS Department
CONTACT INFORMATION AND OFFICE HOURS:
2090: T-TH - 9:30am – SLC 171
2090: T-TH - 11:00am – Fine Arts 300
Dr. Jay Aronson
Dr. Craig Piercy
Office: Brooks Hall Room 307
E-mail: mist2090@uga.edu
Office: 542-0991; Fax: 583-0037
Office: Brooks Hall Room 309
E-mail: mist2090@uga.edu
Office 542-3589; Fax: 583-0037
Office Hours: Always check the website for updates
Office Hours: Always check the website for updates
Tuesday: 2:15pm-4:00pm
Thursday: 2:15pm-4:00pm
Tuesday: 3:30pm-4:30pm
Wednesday: 10:00-11:30am
Wednesday: 1:30-3:00pm
Other Days and Times by
Appointment or Drop-in if
door is open
Other Days and Times by
Appointment or Drop-in if
door is open
2090: T-TH - 2:00pm – Sanford 213
2190H: T-TH – 3:30pm – Sanford 204
Dr. Mark Huber
TA Coordinator
Office: Brooks Hall Room 308
E-mail: mist2090@uga.edu
Office 706-542-3594; Fax: 706-583-0037
Office: Brooks Hall Room G11
Office Hours: Always check the website for updates
Tuesday: 11:00am-12:00pm
Wednesday: 10:00-11:30am
Wednesday: 5:00-6:30pm
Thursday: 11:00am-12:00pm
Other Days and Times
by Appointment or
Drop-in if door is open
How to Contact Us – send an e-mail to mist2090@uga.edu
Visit us during office hours. Office hours are first come first serve. Appointments may be made for times other than office
hours, however, faculty have meetings and other responsibilities that may limit the time available for appointments.
Contacting us via the Course E-mail: If you have a question or need to contact a course instructor or TA regarding lecture or
lab, please use the Course E-Mail address. In the SUBJECT field of your e-mail, you must BE SURE TO SPECIFY THE LAST
NAME of your PROFESSOR or TA and a meaningful subject. In addition, please put your name in the message. Class-related
e-mails are considered business correspondence. Additional rules for course e-mails will be discussed in class.
Contacting an individual instructor or TA directly via E-mail: If you email your instructor or TA directly In the SUBJECT
field of your e-mail, please START it with “MIST2090” and include a meaningful subject. In addition, put your name in the
message. Remember, this is a form of business correspondence.
Virtual Office Hours: During the week (M-F), we regularly respond to e-mails sent to the Course E-Mail address. If you have
a general question about class or a project, please e-mail us (see above). We will try to respond within 48 hours (not including
weekends).
Telephone: Please use the telephone for medical or family emergencies only. Often times when your call is not answered, it is
because we have students in our office at the time of your call.
COURSE Blackboard:http://terry.blackboard.com
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It is your responsibility to check the blackboard site, prior to each lecture class and lab, for the most up-to-date
information. The lecture and lab schedule, course slides, the weekly lab lessons, and your grades will be posted to this site.
Also, changes to the syllabus, the course schedule, lecture topics, etc., will be posted to this site.
The URL is: http://terry.blackboard.com.
You should be automatically entered into this system using your UGA MyID. If you were previously in a course that used the
Blackboard system, then login as before. If this is your first time to use Blackboard, check your UGA email for instructions on
how to login. If you have trouble accessing Blackboard, please contact the Terry OIT at: help@terry.uga.edu
COURSE PHILOSOPHY:
Lecture
Information systems and related information technologies (IS/IT) are a part of a broader socio-technical system and their impacts
on people and processes extend well beyond organizational boundaries. Periodically, we will explore some of the more subjective
and debatable issues associated with IS/IT and you may discover that there are no “right answers.” Accordingly, critical thinking
is an important part of this course and is essential to your analysis and understanding of important issues associated with the uses
and abuses of IS/IT. Personally engaged, active learning is the key to your success in the course and in the “wired” and global
21st century business environment.
Labs
Computer software changes at a breakneck pace. Just when you think that you have mastered an application, the software
developer brings out a new version. The new version may be similar but there will be changes that you will have to learn in order
to remain productive. In today’s business environment your individual efforts and study may be the only way you can learn how
to use new versions of software applications. The labs for MIST 2090/2190H will help you master the essentials of Microsoft
Office 2003 Professional (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Access). We will present and demonstrate key concepts in class; the
TAs will reinforce those concepts in Lab and help you to accomplish the exercises. You will have to spend extra time on the
computer, in addition to your scheduled lab period, to finish the exercises and the projects. The lab practical is how, through
individual effort, you demonstrate your mastery of the essentials of MS Office 2003 Professional.
MS Word/Web Team Project: As an UGA student and as a business professional, you will work in teams. This semester, for
the WORD/WEB project ONLY, you will be assigned to a three-person team in lab. As a member of this team you will
accomplish the WORD/WEB project ONLY using MS Word and web applications. You may work with each other on this
project only and you will submit one project per team. You will learn more about this project and about Academic Honesty, as it
relates to all projects, in class and in Lab.
NOTE: Projects will not be accepted more than 12 hours after they are due. Late projects incur a 50% penalty. At the
discretion of your professor, exceptions to this rule may be made for extended illness (e.g., five days or more) or other
extenuating circumstances beyond your control.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of MIST 2090 is for students to learn how information systems and technologies are applied in modern
organizations and society. Students will gain an understanding of the management of IS and IT and their use by diverse
individuals, groups, and organizations.
Specifically, we have the following objectives for you as a student in this course:
1. To develop an appreciation of the importance of information as global, societal and organizational resources and to develop
an appreciation for the issues surrounding the management of data/information.
2. To gain an understanding of the nature and impact of information systems and related technologies upon organizations in
general and the decision process in particular.
3. To understand how and why organizations use teams to accomplish tasks and create business value, to develop an
understanding of team development, to demonstrate the ability to be a productive member of a project team.
4. To develop computer skills through hands on experience using several personal computer software packages and Internet
services.
5. To enhance critical thinking skills through problem solving and to enhance your ability to present your ideas.
6. To become familiar with current trends in IS/IT, especially e-business/e-commerce and to understand the implications of
these trends on people and organizations.
Some of the topics we will cover in class will include:
 The importance of information, and information systems in a global business environment
 Teams, team development, and the role of teams in organizations
 Hardware and Software
 Different types of information systems available to organizations
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Problem solving through process and data modeling
Development and implementation of information systems to create business value
E-business/E-commerce
Security issues concerning information systems
Lab topics will include:
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Lab projects and how to submit them
The Windows computing environment
The Internet and the World Wide Web
Solving business challenges using MS Office 2003 Professional (PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Access)
REQUIRED TEXTS and OTHER MATERIALS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Information Systems: Creating Business Value by Huber, Piercy, and McKeown, 2008, ISBN: 0-471-26582-9.
Lab Manual: The instructors will make Lab information available via the course website.
Some form of portable secondary storage, e.g., USB flash drive (a.k.a.”thumb drive, USB key), DVD, CD, floppy disks, etc.,
that you can use to back up your data files (i.e., making personal back-up copies of your projects).
Access to your own UGA e-mail account or other e-mail account (e.g. Yahoo, G-mail, Hotmail, etc.).
COURSE POLICIES:
1.
Responsibility for Course Materials: It is your responsibility to monitor the class website and check your email on a daily
basis. You are responsible for all material covered in class. If you are absent, you are responsible for obtaining the
information you missed. To the maximum extent possible, class outlines, additional course materials, and announcements
will be posted to the class web site. In addition, important announcements are often posted to the course web site and
emailed. You must ensure that your email account that Blackboard uses is one that you check daily.
2.
Classroom Behavior: We expect you to participate in class activities in a mature and appropriate manner. Disruptive or
otherwise unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated and students will be asked to leave the classroom. Disruptive students
may be “disenrolled” from the course at the instructor’s discretion. This policy is not meant to stifle honest and frank
academic discussions. Unacceptable behaviors include but are not limited to: reading newspaper or other non-course related
material, working crossword puzzles, excessive talking, cell phone ringing, playing games on PDAs or other electronic
devices, etc.
3.
Academic Honesty: “’A Culture of Honesty’ is the University of Georgia’s policy about academic honesty. … Every student
who enrolls at the University agrees to be bound by the policy. Each student has a responsibility to read the policy [a copy is
located at http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/ahpd.htm ] and comply with it. It’s no defense to a charge of academic
dishonesty to say ‘I didn’t know that was prohibited.’ … Students must perform all of their academic work without
plagiarizing, cheating, lying, tampering, stealing, receiving assistance from others (unless the faculty member authorizes that
assistance) or using sources to assist in that work (without giving fair attribution). [Source: “A Culture of Honesty at the
University of Georgia.” A pamphlet published by the UGA Office of the Vice President for Instruction].
Important! You are NOT to receive ANY outside assistance on the computing projects other than from a MIST 2090
Teaching Assistant, Dr. Aronson, Dr. Huber, or Dr. Piercy without prior approval from your instructor. On project #4 ONLY,
you will work as a member of a three-person team to complete the Word/Web project. This project will consist of a team
component and an individual component. For the team component of this project only, you will be permitted to receive assistance
from your two Word/Web project team members. In fairness to the students who are academically honest, any student found
violating the academic honor code will be reported to the Office of the Vice President for Instruction’s Academic Honesty Office.
Your MS Word/Web projects must be the result of the efforts of the three individuals assigned to your Lab Team. If an
individual does not contribute to a team project, he or she will receive a grade of zero (0) for the project. Taking credit
for work not done is a violation of the UGA Academic Honesty policy.
4.
File Security: You are responsible for the reasonable security of your individual files. This can affect you in two ways:
First, you should keep backup copies of your work (you are required to own media on which you back up your work).
If technical problems make a submitted copy unreadable, you will be required to submit a backup to have the project
graded. Additionally, penalties in grading may also be taken depending on the nature of the problem. If you have no backup
copy or your backup copy is unusable, you earn a grade of zero (0) for that assignment.
Second, with regard to Academic Honesty, you must take reasonable precautions to ensure that others cannot copy your files
and submit them as their own. This means that, among other things: you should not allow other students to borrow your project
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files; you should use good password procedures for your accounts; and you should not leave copies of your files on the hard
drives or desktops of shared computers. If you allow others to use your personal computer or if you use another computer to
complete a project, be sure that you open and use only those project files that you created. NOTE: At the instructor’s
discretion and as a part of the UGA Academic Honesty process, if an academic dishonesty case arises due to a student’s lack of
file security penalties may be assessed.
5.
Assigned seating: We may create a seating chart after drop/add is over. This will help to learn your name and to take
attendance, if necessary. If a seating chart is created, then you should sit in your assigned seat each class period and you
must sit in your assigned seat on test days. If we have assigned seating, anyone not in his or her assigned seat on test day
will receive a score of zero (0%) for the test.
6. Attendance: We may not take attendance on a daily basis. Instead, lecture attendance may be taken at random or assessed
based on in-class quizzes. Quizzes may be announced or unannounced at the discretion of the instructor (most will be
unannounced). At these times, you must be present the entire class session for your quiz to be counted. As far as we are
concerned, you are an adult and it is your decision whether or not you attend class. However, your decision not to attend a
class may have negative consequences. For example, we may conduct in-class quizzes/exercises that are part of your quiz
grade; failure to come to class may negatively impact your quiz grade and/or overall grade. You will be given the
opportunity to make up missed attendance quizzes by attending one or more Society for Information Systems speakers’
presentations (evening meetings – outside of class). This will be discussed in more detail in class.
7. Changes to Due Dates: The scheduled due dates for assignments, additional labs, and project activities are subject to change;
changes will be discussed in class and posted to the class web site. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of
any such changes.
8. Course Email: You will find the course e-mail address listed above and on the Blackboard site. Be sure to include your
instructor or TAs last name in the subject of your e-mail as we may be working with email from several sections. Also
include a meaningful subject in the subject line, and put your name in the message. The course email address should be used
for all correspondence related to the course, however, please DO NOT submit projects through the course e-mail
address; they will not be graded. Assignments will be accepted only if submitted through the Blackboard system. It is
a good idea to save a personal copy of all correspondence sent to the course email account and the replies that you receive
from your professor, the TA Coordinator, or your TA. If you email your instructor or TA directly, you MUST include in the
subject line “MIST 2090” and a meaningful subject, and put your name in the message. Your e-mails to us should be
considered a form of business correspondence.
9. Make-up Exams: We will hold one joint make-up exam for each of the major exams this semester. These include the
midterm, lab practical and final. For the lab practical and final exam, if you know ahead of time that you have a conflict with
the exam notify your lecture instructor. Those with valid, documented reasons (as determined by your lecture instructor) may
be rescheduled to an alternative time. If you miss an exam for an unexpected, valid, documented reason (as determined by
your lecture instructor) you will be directed to the joint make-up session.
10. Grade Discussion: It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his or her own grades. Grades will be posted to the course
Blackboard site. As each component of your grade is posted for the first time, an announcement may be made in lecture and
in lab. However it is your responsibility to check the website. IMPORTANT: Notification of intent to discuss any grade
must be received, via the course e-mail address, within one week of the grade postings. Requests for test/project grade
changes received after this time period may not be considered.
11. Course Buddy: This suggested idea may seem a little unusual but has proved effective in class performance and learning.
Identify at least two class members to be your course buddies. Exchange complete contact information with them. You
should be able to rely on your course buddies if you miss class or come late. They should pick up any material passed out
(except for graded materials), give you copies of their notes, including announcements made in class, and discuss with you
what we did that day. This applies if you are late for class as well. So, get with your course buddies if you are late or miss
class. This is important because you should not simply wait to connect with your Instructor, nor should you expect him or her
to replicate the class for you.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION:
The evaluation of work in the course is based on performance in three major areas over the semester.
First, a midterm and a final exam will be given during the semester. Exams may cover the concepts discussed in class,
developed in the assigned readings and web site visits, and covered in Lab. Make-up exams will be given at the discretion of
the professor. Students must provide proper documentation, e.g. a note signed by a health professional. In all instances, your
professor must be advised of these extraordinary circumstances within twenty-four hours (use the telephone) of the
applicable test or exam or you may forfeit the opportunity to make up a test or the Final Exam.
Second, a comprehensive lab practical (hands-on exam) will be given near the end of the semester in your regularly
scheduled lab period. This exam will cover all topics covered in lab, your computer projects and readings in the lab texts.
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Items on the exam may present new situations that require you to extrapolate from concepts covered during the semester. A
topic list will be posted to the class web site prior to the practical.
Third, four computer projects will be assigned. The computer projects will provide the student with an opportunity to
learn and integrate the basic features of Microsoft (MS) Windows and MS Office XP Professional (PowerPoint, Excel,
Word, and Access). The Terry College of Business Undergraduate Computer Lab is located in Caldwell Hall, Room 108.
Another student lab is located in 306 Caldwell (Note – this is a lab classroom and is only available to you when another
UGA class is not in session. Do not use the room or any other lab classroom when another class is in session). You may
prepare your projects on any computer as long as you use MS Office XP Professional software. Do not submit projects using
non-Windows-based operating systems.

Projects must be created using MS Office 2003 software.
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Students will submit all projects by posting them to the course Blackboard site as otherwise specified by the instructor.
Your course instructor reserves the right to change this requirement. Projects must be MS Office XP Professional files –
Prior or non-Windows-based versions of MS Office files (e.g., Office 97 or Office versions for the Macintosh) will not
be accepted.

NOTE: Projects will not be accepted more than 12 hours after they are due. Late projects incur a 50% penalty.
At the discretion of your professor, exceptions to this rule may be made for extended illness (e.g., five days or more) or
other extenuating circumstances beyond your control.
Fourth, a number of unannounced and/announced quizzes will be given in class and in lab. Quiz activities will vary and
may include, but are not limited to, assessments, surveys, participation in research activities, etc. You must be present for the
entire class or lab period for that day’s quiz results to count. Three quizzes can be made up by attending an SMIS meeting
and signing the attendance sheet. Also, quizzes can be excused and made up for cases of documented extended illness or
medical or family emergencies.
Fifth, participation is expected. To get the most out of this class will require attendance and active participation by each
individual. There will be opportunities for in-class group discussion on current computer-related issues.
The course requirements will be weighted as
follows:
Midterm Exam
24%
Final Exam
34%
Lab Practical
15%
Quizzes and Assignments
10%
Student Information Sheet
1%
Excel/PowerPoint Project
6%
Access Project
6%
Résumé/WWW Project
4%
TOTAL
100%
Rounding Point (see note below)
1 point
Final Average
Your Grades
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
____1_____
__________
Grades will be assigned as follows:
A
93.00% and above
A–
90.00% - 92.99%
B+
87.00% - 89.99%
B
83.00% - 86.99%
B–
80.00% - 82.99%
C+
77.00% - 79.99%
C
73.00% - 76.99%
C70.00% - 72.99%
D
60.00% - 69.99%
F
below 60.00%
Note on Rounding: The cutoff points for determining the final grade are strictly enforced. We will calculate the final grades to 2
significant digits. If, after your grade is calculated, your final points sum up to 88.99, we will add one rounding point to your
score. Your grade (89.99) would be B+ for the course. If after your grade is calculated your final points sum up to 89.00, we will
add one rounding point to your score. Your grade (90.00) would be A- for the course. (This is actually preferable to rounding
since it gives you the opportunity for 1 point as opposed to the 0.5 points maximum that you would get if grades were rounded).
IMPORTANT NOTES:

The Lab syllabus and information concerning each of the projects will be presented in separate documents and will be
posted to Blackboard approximately one week prior to the first lab class.
ASSIGNMENT/STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS: - Back-up all your work.
 Do not wait until the last minute to do your work. Lines for the computers can get long when assignments are due start on the day the assignment is given.
 Work Individually - Contact your lecture class instructor or a TA if you have questions. You can also
contact Ms. Debbie Bell (dbell@uga.edu) if you have questions concerning academic honesty.
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 Locate and use Campus EITS computer labs, especially the SLC Labs.
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