School of Information and Library Science
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

INLS 105, Information Ethics
Fall 2003

Syllabus

Course description / Textbook and readings / Assignments and evaluation / Discussion forum

Schedule / Assignments / Discussion Forum (INLS105-001, 105) / Send Email to the Class / Class Roster

Class meetings: Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00-3:15; 208 Caldwell Hall

Course Description

Overview. The intention of this course is to introduce students to the variety of ethical issues they will need to address as information professionals. After a brief overview of ethical theories and their application to moral issues, as well as ethical codes of conduct for the information professions, the class will focus on particular issues that are most salient to information professionals, such as information/data as intellectual property, software as intellectual property, data integrity/accuracy, software accuracy, privacy, access to information/censorship, access to information technology, effects of computerization on the work environment (job displacement, deskilling, ergonomic issues, electronic monitoring), effects of computer-mediated communication on understandings of identity and relationships, and effects of computerization on democracy and government.

Rationale and relationship to the current curriculum. Many of the courses in the SILS curriculum briefly address ethical issues, such as censorship, intellectual property rights, the effects of systems design, and others. By focusing entirely on ethics, this course will enable the participants to develop their skills in reasoning about such issues.

Textbook and Readings

Rachels, J. (2003). The Elements of Moral Philosophy. 4th edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

The text will be available at UNC Student Stores. Additional readings will be available as noted in the class schedule. These readings will be selected by the instructor and class participants.

Assignments and Evaluation

The final grade will be based on one major paper, a series of small assignments, and class participation:

• The major paper will be due at the end of the semester (noon, December 16). It may be an integrative literature review on a particular ethical issue/case, a review of a particular court case or set of cases with implications for information ethics, or a critical review of a current book related to topics discussed in the course. In each case, there will be intermediate deliverables due throughout the semester. (45%)
• Each student will be asked to develop one scenario describing an ethical dilemma. (15%)
• Each student will be asked to respond to two such scenarios. (10% each)
• Each student will be expected to participate actively throughout the semester, including the planning of one or more class sessions (20%).

Honor Code. The Honor Code, which prohibits giving or receiving unauthorized aid in the completion of assignments, is in effect in this class.

Library and Lab Resources. You will be using SILS library and lab resources during the course of the semester. Please remember that many of your fellow students also need to use the same material. Follow the proper checkout procedures and return materials promptly to be a good SILS citizen.

Discussion Forum

A Web-based forum is available for threaded discussion of topics related to the course. It is password-protected, to avoid the automatic indexing of our discussion by Web search engines; however, it is open to any person who wishes to participate (i.e., it is not restricted to members of this class). The user name is INLS105 and the password is 105.

Schedule / Assignments / Discussion Forum (INLS105-001, 105) / Send Email to the Class / Class Roster