Topic and Thesis Proposal This week, you will select your topic of research for the Course Project. You will need to define the chosen topic, provide a brief description of the emergent technology, and write a thesis statement. Each proposal should include the following items. The name and a brief description of the emergent technology selected A thesis statement (Please note that a thesis sentence presents the central idea of the paper. It must always be a complete, grammatical sentence, it must be specific and brief, and it must express the point of view you are taking on the subject. This thesis statement will be included in the introduction of your final report.) Objectives This capstone course concludes with a research-based Course Project that starts during the first week of the session and continues throughout the duration of the course. It culminates with the submission of a formal, written report in Week 7. In addition to the final outcomes, students will also conduct a peer evaluation of another student’s project in order to provide feedback that enhances the work in a collaborative environment. For the project, each student will identify and explore an emerging technology. This will be a technology that may already exist but is drawing attention because of new applications, anticipated impacts, or potential controversies. Examples could include, but are in no way limited to, the following subjects. · Nanotechnology · Genetically modified organisms · Drones · Automatic cars · Remote or robotic surgery · Wireless electricity The student will address the historical, social, cultural, moral, and ethical issues presented by their selected technology. Guidelines The primary focus of this assignment is for the student to research and assess the issues associated with a specific emerging technology. It requires that students submit an APA-formatted, 10-page paper during Week 7 of the session. Students will also conduct a peer evaluation of another student’s work and must prepare a 5- to 10-page presentation communicating their thoughts on the work. Details on this assignment are discussed below, and detailed grading rubrics can be found on this LAS432 Course Project Details document . The paper must be well researched and utilize scholarly resources (refer to this  Week 7 APA Paper Template and the APA Guide tutorial found in the Writing and Research Help tab for help in this area). The final product should include the following components. · A title page, including the student’s name and DSI number · An abstract · A table of contents · An introduction, including a clearly defined thesis statement (roughly one page) (10 points) · An historical timeline that diagrams at least three predecessors to the emergent technology that includes a written assessment on how these technologies influenced the development of the current technology (roughly two pages) o Please note that the timeline should be a horizontal v ...

1. Topic and Thesis Proposal
This week, you will select your topic of research for the Course
Project. You will need to define the chosen topic, provide a
brief description of the emergent technology, and write a thesis
statement. Each proposal should include the following items.
The name and a brief description of the emergent technology
selected
A thesis statement (Please note that a thesis sentence presents
the central idea of the paper. It must always be a complete,
grammatical sentence, it must be specific and brief, and it must
express the point of view you are taking on the subject. This
thesis statement will be included in the introduction of your
final report.)
Objectives
This capstone course concludes with a research-based Course
Project that starts during the first week of the session and
continues throughout the duration of the course. It culminates
with the submission of a formal, written report in Week 7. In
addition to the final outcomes, students will also conduct a peer
evaluation of another student’s project in order to provide
feedback that enhances the work in a collaborative environment.
For the project, each student will identify and explore an
emerging technology. This will be a technology that may
already exist but is drawing attention because of new
applications, anticipated impacts, or potential controversies.
Examples could include, but are in no way limited to, the
following subjects.
·
Nanotechnology

2. ·
Genetically modified organisms
·
Drones
·
Automatic cars
·
Remote or robotic surgery
·
Wireless electricity
The student will address the historical, social, cultural, moral,
and ethical issues presented by their selected technology.
Guidelines
The primary focus of this assignment is for the student to
research and assess the issues associated with a specific
emerging technology. It requires that students submit an APA-
formatted, 10-page paper during Week 7 of the session.
Students will also conduct a peer evaluation of another
student’s work and must prepare a 5- to 10-page presentation
communicating their thoughts on the work. Details on this
assignment are discussed below, and detailed grading rubrics
can be found on this
LAS432 Course Project Details document
.

3. The paper must be well researched and utilize scholarly
resources (refer to this
Week 7 APA Paper Template
and the APA Guide tutorial found in the Writing and Research
Help tab for help in this area). The final product should include
the following components.
·
A title page, including the student’s name and DSI number
·
An abstract
·
A table of contents
·
An introduction, including a clearly defined thesis statement
(roughly one page) (10 points)
·
An historical timeline that diagrams at least three predecessors
to the emergent technology that includes a written assessment
on how these technologies influenced the development of the
current technology (roughly two pages)
o
Please note that the timeline should be a horizontal visual
component at the beginning of the section, and the written

4. assessment should take up a majority of the two pages.
·
An analysis of the technology’s influence on society
considering all of the following components (roughly four
pages)
o
Social
o
Cultural
o
Political
o
Economic
o
Environmental
·
An evaluation of the ethical considerations associated with the
technology in relation to its impact on humanity (roughly two
pages)
·

5. Concluding remarks that include predictions for the future of
humanity given the technology’s emergence (roughly one page)
·
In-text citations and a reference section in APA format
·
A one-page peer evaluation analysis detailing the following
information.
o
A copy of the Peer Evaluation Presentation Assessment form,
completed by a peer
o
The edits added or subtracted from the suggestions provided by
the collaboration
o
A description of the reasoning behind the changes
·
Appropriate statistical graphs or visual aids to support the paper
The Peer Evaluation Assessment and PowerPoint Presentation
will help to foster collaboration during the writing process as,
at times, others can see what you cannot. Because an audience
can react to aspects of your argument in ways you may not
anticipate, having the feedback of a peer can be invaluable.

6. The Peer Evaluation Assessment and PowerPoint Presentation
will allow a sense of collaboration in this Course Project.
Although it isn’t essential to incorporate every comment or
suggestion made by your peer, it is important that the student be
open to the process and look for the opportunities that others
will provide you as a means of improving your argument and
ultimately, your final grade.
For the Peer Evaluation Assessment and PowerPoint
Presentation, the student will read and respond to a fellow
student’s paper by completing a written assessment and creating
a PowerPoint presentation,
with audio
, that communicates a professional and considerate response.
This is a five-step process.
1.
All students must upload a draft of the entire paper to the team
area by Tuesday
.
2.
Students must download the
Peer Evaluation Presentation Assessment Form
.
3.
Students must read their peer's work and complete the Peer
Evaluation Presentation Assessment Form.
4.
Students must then create a PowerPoint presentation,

7. with audio
, to communicate their findings regarding the report (refer to
this
Peer Evaluation Presentation Template
for help in this area). The final product will assess the
communication style of the presenter and should include the
following components.
o
§
A title page
§
An introduction slide, outlining the purpose and flow of the
presentation
§
Format of the paper evaluation
§
Historical timeline and predecessor assessment evaluation
§
Analysis of impact evaluation
§
Ethical considerations evaluation

8. §
Concluding remarks
§
In-text citations and a references slide
§
Appropriate visual aids to support the presentation
5.
Lastly, these two components must be submitted to the Week 6
Peer Evaluation Assessment Presentation
Dropbox
and the Week 6 Peer Evaluation Presentation Assessment Form
Dropbox
for grading purposes and to the student whom they reviewed
for their improvement purposes by the end of the week.
Grading Rubrics
Specific grading rubrics for each deliverable are located in the
individual Weekly Assignment tabs.
Below is a breakdown of the weekly deliverables for the Course
Project, including their description and their overall point
allotment.
Deliverable
Points
Description
Week 1:

9. Topic and Thesis Proposal
30
The student will define the chosen topic, provide a brief
description of the emergent technology, and write a thesis
statement (refer to the tutorial on Thesis Statements found in
the Writing and Research Help tab for help on this assignment).
The proposal must then be submitted to the
Dropbox
by the end of the week.
Week 2:
Resource Review
50
The student will assemble at least five scholarly academic
references that will be used to write the paper (refer to the
tutorial on Scholarly References and Accessing Library
Databases found in the Writing and Research Help tab for help
on this assignment). Each student will list his or her references
using APA format and provide a brief explanation of each
resource indicating how that resource will be used. The focus
should be on the student's specific research assignment. For
details on this assignment and to see a brief example of what is
expected, please reference this
Week 2 Resource Review Assignment Details
document. Once complete, the review must be submitted to the
Dropbox
by the end of the week.
Week 3:
Historic Timeline and Predecessor Assessment Draft
90
The student will submit a draft of the Historical Timeline and
Predecessor Assessment. This portion of the Course Project will
include a historical timeline that diagrams at least three
predecessors to the emergent technology and a written
assessment explaining how these technologies influenced the
development of the current technology. The draft must be
submitted to the

10. Dropbox
and in doing so, will be run through
Turnitin.
Week 3:
Smarthinking Report
10
The student will submit a copy of the feedback provided by
Smarthinking in relation to the Historical Timeline and
Predecessor Assessment Draft to the
Dropbox
.
Week 4:
Analysis of Impact Draft
90
The student will submit the Analysis of Impact draft. This
portion of the Course Project provides an analysis of the
student's chosen technology's influence on society, considering
all of the following components: social, cultural, political,
economic, and environmental impacts.
The draft must be submitted to the
Dropbox
, and in doing so, will be run through
Turnitin
.
Week 4:
Smarthinking Report
10
The student will submit a copy of the feedback provided by
Smarthinking in relation to the Analysis of Impact Draft to the
Dropbox
.
Week 5:
Ethical Considerations Draft
90
The student will submit the Ethical Considerations Draft. This
portion of the Course Project will provide an evaluation of the

11. ethical considerations associated with the chosen technology in
relation to its impact on humanity.
The draft must be submitted to the
Dropbox
, and in doing so, will be run through
Turnitin
.
Week 5:
Smarthinking Report
10
The student will submit a copy of the feedback provided by
Smarthinking in relation to the Ethical Considerations Draft to
the
Dropbox
.
Week 6:
Peer Evaluation Assessment and PowerPoint Presentation
90
The student will read and respond to a fellow student's paper by
completing the
Peer Evaluation Presentation Assessment Form
(20 points) and create a PowerPoint presentation (70 points),
with audio
, to present the findings. A PowerPoint template has been
provided
here
.
These two components then must be submitted to the Week 6
Peer Evaluation Assessment Presentation
Dropbox
and the Week 6 Peer Evaluation Presentation Assessment Form
Dropbox
for grading purposes, and to the student whom they reviewed
for improvement purposes, by the end of the week.
Week 7:
Final Research Paper

12. 190
The student will submit the final draft of the research paper.
The paper is expected to be professional and written following
APA guidelines. An APA paper template is provided
here
for students unfamiliar with these requirements. The paper
must incorporate all of the required components of the
assignment.
The paper must be submitted to the
Dropbox
by the end of the week.
Week 7:
Smarthinking Report
10
The student will submit a copy of the feedback provided by
Smarthinking in relation to the Final Research Paper to the
Dropbox
.
Week 8:
Self-Assessment Form
50
The student will complete and submit the
Self-Assessment Form
to the
Dropbox
.
Total
720
Best Practices
Review the video tutorials found in the Writing and Research
Help tab (Course Home).
Communicate with your professor regularly if you have any

13. issues or questions.
Consider the following thoughts when working on the required
sections of your Impact Analysis.
·
Social
o
How has this technology been received, accepted, or rejected?
Why? Is it feared or favored? What is the attitude toward
change? How are the developers trying to sell the technology to
the general public? Look at attitudes, feelings (emotions),
behaviors, personality, and the ways humans change as a result
of this technology. What is being thought and why? Is the
human mind impacted? How? Are interactions between people
changing as a result? Who is included or excluded, and why?
Use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Piaget, or some other
theorist. What psychological needs are met by the technology
(e.g., cell phones once granted status and now promote a sense
of belonging or connectedness) or created by the technology?
Consumerism?
o
Look at groups and organizations that have arisen and prospered
because of this technology. Are these groups supportive or
antagonist, and why? (An example is genetically modified foods
[GMOs] and the backlash against the Monsanto corporation.
Another is cochlear implants, which allow the deaf to hear yet
reduce the deaf population that calls itself a community.) How
does the technology change society, or how does society change
in response to the technology? What factors in society led to the
development in the first place? What do class, gender roles,

14. race, norms, and so forth mean in this context? Who will benefit
from the technology, and who might be harmed (this might also
belong in ethics and morals section)? For example, prosthetics
enable people to participate more fully and actively in society
(some people are competing in triathlons and marathons), and
wars have brought about the need for advances in prosthetic
technology as casualties with missing limbs return home to the
United States. Look at the workplace, new companies, and/or
jobs created, jobs lost (or save this for the economics section).
Look at roles—subgroups and people’s interpersonal and
intrapersonal relationships. Consider crime, healthcare, and
schools. Surveillance cameras, for example, have recently been
installed in New York City, and the result has been a decrease
in the amount of crime, purse-snatching, pick pocketing, and the
like. Yet some fear the big brother effect of always being
watched and tracked and concerns over who will guard the
guards.
·
Cultural
o
This is a really important section. Consider the elements that
comprise the culture and subcultures. Compare the United
States' use of the technology with that of other nations around
the world. What is it about Americans that brings about
innovation, or has America declined in terms of technical
innovation, scientific research, and development? Look at
advertising for the technology, the use of celebrities or stars or
heroes, the applications (e.g., sports and nanotechnology), and
the values represented by the culture. What has priority and
why? An example: IBM was spelled out in xenon atoms. Why
were these letters chosen instead of something else? What new
words have been added to our vocabulary from this technology?

15. Horseless carriage
was used long before the term
automobile
.
Wireless
preceded
Wi-Fi
, and
webcasting
preceded
podcasting
.
Broadcast
was a term adapted from agriculture long before it was used for
radio and television.
o
How do musicians and artists react to the technology, use the
technology, or incorporate the technology in their artistic
productions? For example, fiber optic lighting has been used on
the stage and in parades (Disney) for costuming. The drama
term
in the limelight
, for example, was derived from a lens and lighting system used
in lighthouses. Look at literature—perhaps science fiction or
fantasy stories—that predate the technology (Jules Verne, for
example, wrote about submarines before they were actually
invented and used—though Leonardo da Vinci had sketched the
idea centuries before Verne). Are there any songs, short stories,
poems, plays, TV shows, or films that directly make reference
to the technology? Are there any related literary works that
apply? Is the artifact in a museum or will it be? Why? How does
the technology relate to concepts of beauty and novelty and
human creativity? How can people express their humanity
through this technology? For example, scientists experimenting

16. with nano made a “nano guitar” that actually played a tune,
though it was subthreshold for human hearing.
·
Political
o
Look at government policy, government intervention,
government involvement (support or lack of support, funding),
both nationally and internationally. Consider Congress, the
president, the Supreme Court (decisions), the rate of change,
liberalism, conservatism, legislation, litigation, and so on. What
political factors are at work in the progression or regression of
the technology (e.g., lobbyists, special interest groups, partisan
views, vocal advocates, or spokespersons)? For example: The
Americans with Disabilities Act was designed to prevent
discrimination and encourage accessibility to public facilities; it
impacted architects, companies, organizations, and persons with
disabilities through the installation of ramps (wider doors,
lower knobs and handles, larger restroom stalls, etc.), the use of
assistive devices in schools and in the workplace, hiring
practices and lawsuits against employers, and so on.
·
Economic
o
Consider production, consumption, costs, variables of supply
and demand, corporations, private enterprise, and the impact on
the nation’s economy (employment, displacement, and
outsourcing). Are certain industries impacted more than others?
Look up financial projections—expectations for growth, startup

17. companies, the stock exchange, and the like—anything related
to business and the U.S. and global economies. Who are the
chief players in the business environment, and what are their
roles? How much has been invested in research and
development? How will the price fluctuate? What economic
trends are to be observed? Who will make money from the
technology? Who is funding the research and development?
Who controls the purse strings, and why? Look at foundations
and charitable organizations, the outcomes, and the nature of
consumers. Be sure to use charts and tables and quantitative
data in this section. Tables, figures, data, and statistics must be
current, valid, and used appropriately.
·
Environmental
o
Consider such things as dangers to humans, the depletion of
resources, air and water pollution, discovery before inventions,
impact on wildlife and humans (health and safety), long-term
and short-term effects, waste disposal, and aesthetic
considerations (how the technology changes the landscape).
Look also at the positive effects (savings of raw materials or
fossil fuels, low environmental impact, and enhancement of the
environment). For example, some thought the Alaskan Pipeline
would impact the caribou population and its ability to migrate;
scientists discovered that the population actually increased and
was healthier because they had shade from the above-the-ground
pipe, fewer biting flies, and less physically stressed females.
Other negative examples: the spotted owl and deforestation in
Washington state, the snail darter and the dam, endangered
species and loss of habitats, extinction, over mining,
overproduction, pollution of ground water, landfills, toxic
wastes, stripping the soil of nutrients, over fishing, over

18. hunting, and over harvesting.
Practice makes perfect. Please be sure to practice your oral
presentation to ensure that you are comfortable with the
material and can stick to the time constraints.
Students will be recording their Week 6 presentation using the
audio function within PowerPoint. In order to do this, you will
need a computer microphone. Please plan ahead and be ready
for this step.