Title: Discussion Questions, Integrity AND MORE!
Course: IN 2001 Principle of Information Assurance

Welcome once again!  It's time to buckle up and enjoy the ride.  This class is going to be fast paced simply because we are squeezing an entire semester's worth of work into 8 weeks.  I will not be as "demanding" of the split between posts, but remember this:  In order to achieve full points for the discussion questions you must post three or more times on the discussion.  I have found that it is difficult to have a discussion if nobody discusses anything.  I do read the discussions but don't always comment on them.  I want you to be involved and I want you to carry the discussions with your classmates.  If someone says something you don't agree with, call them out. That is called peer review.  Support your argument with resources.  Facts carry more weight than opinions but opinions are very important when supported by facts. (I hope that makes sense to you.)

Each discussion question has a RUBRIC available.  Many of the assignments also have a RUBRIC. Follow these to maximize your score. I try to follow them very closely.

If you see an error or omission in content, please bring that to my attention.  If you don't understand something, please ask for clarification.  Please don't procrastinate. This class is short so don't fall behind and discover you have missed deadlines and can't recover.

So far we are off to a good start.  I hope to have everything graded by Sunday so you will have some additional feedback as to what I am expecting.

One last thing:  Cite your references.  Many of the submissions are automatically evaluated by TURN IT IN.  This is a service that checks content for plagiarism.  If I read something and I am suspicious or curious, I will manually submit it to the service for evaluation.  I will not tolerate plagiarism in this class.  IF you obtained information from a cite, give credit to the cite.  Do not use other people's work as your own.  In this industry credibility is paramount. Integrity is important.  If you do not have the trust of your employer, your coworkers/peers and others in the industry, you may find yourself without the respect you desire. You may find yourself unable to obtain some of the best jobs in the industry!

In Law Enforcement an officer takes an oath of integrity and ethical behavior.  Officers take an oath to tell the truth when testifying.  Officers that are investigated for failing to uphold their oath can be flagged under a federal ruling called "Gigglio." You can look it up, but in essence it means the officer is not allowed to testify in certain courts because of his/her past performance. Imagine how that can limit your career.  Imagine what it would be like if your employer didn't trust your word, your judgement or your reports.  Integrity, honesty, ethics.  Guard them.  As your instructor it is my responsibility to protect the Intellectual Property of others so I remind you to review the syllabus and be sure you comply with the academic standards set forth.

In this industry you cannot know everything.  People that say they do simply don't know what it is they don't know.   Don't be one of those persons.  Teamwork, education, collaboration and communication are key elements.  Knowing where to find the information is crucial.  Being able to phone a friend is crucial.  giving credit where credit is due is crucial as well. It also shows respect and that's what separates the average from the best!

Please reply to this announcement so that I know you read and understand what I am saying.

Brett