Appendix B
Assignment: How Computers Work
Purpose of Assignment:
The readings for Week 1 cover the major types of computer software used in business. This assignment tests your understanding of how computers and software work by outlining different types of computer software and their purpose. This knowledge is vital to success in many career paths.
Resource:
Essentials of Management Information Systems,
Chapter 4 I.T. Infrastructure: Hardware and Software
• section 4.1 Computer Hardware
• section 4.2 Computer Software
Instructions:
Answer the essay questions as if you are explaining the information presented in sections 4.1 and 4.2 of Chapter 4 to a person who is new to using computers.
State your major points clearly and organize them logically. Support your points with specific details, examples, or analysis. Quotations must only be included if needed to support your own major points. Your explanations need to be comprehensive, accurate, and persuasive. Paragraph transitions need to be logical, and sentences clear and concise.
Link theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry practice, and use the vocabulary of the theory correctly.
If you must include a quotation, it must be brief—no more than 20 words—and only one or two quotations should be included in each essay. Quotations (more than two words) taken from the textbook or elsewhere must be put within quotation marks and your source cited, e.g., (Laudon and Laudon, 2013, p. xxx) and a full reference listing on the last page.
Each essay answer is worth 25 points and must be 300 to 500 words in length.
Each essay will be scored as follows:
| Mechanics, readability and style |4 |
| Length |4 |
| Content and development |17 |
| |25 |
1 Hardware (25 point essay,...