COM 309 Term Paper and PowerPoint Presentation Guidelines and Rubrics   In this course, you are required to complete a term paper. Since we cannot hope to cover all aspects of this field in fine detail, this represents an opportunity to customize what you learn in order to meet your own interests or specific educational needs. For example, if your employer is thinking about installing a wireless hotspot, this is your opportunity to become an expert. Alternatively, if you have always thought that computer cryptography sounded interesting, this is your opportunity to gather facts and form an opinion.  Your topic should be related to computer networks or digital communication networks and also be interesting to you, personally. Your topic must be pre-approved by the instructor. No two students may select the same topic, so selection will be first-come, first-served. Sample topics might include ATM, BLOGs, Bluetooth, Cyber-stalking, Data Encryption Standard, Denial of Service Attacks, Digital Signatures, E-mail Fraud, Ethernet, Fiber Optics, HDTV, Evolution of HTML, Feistel Ciphers, Hash Functions, History of the Internet, iSCS, Man in the Middle Fraud, Online Banking, Online Privacy, Online Retail, the “Paperless Office”, Password Quality, PGP, Phishing, Public Key Cryptography, Routing Algorithms, Secure Financial Transactions on the Web, Social Conventions on the Web, Spam, Structure of TCP/IP Packets, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), VOIP (Voice over IP) Telephony, Telephone Cells, Web Filters, Wireless Hotspots, and Wireless Networking.  The term paper will be created in four stages: (1) proposal with annotated bibliography; (2) first draft; (3) final draft; and (4) PowerPoint presentation. The PowerPoint presentation will consist of 10-15 slides on the paper topic and will be posted to the Doc Sharing section for peers to review. Please note that the entire project is worth 25% of the class grade, with each individual stage being weighted as follows: (1) proposal with annotated bibliography – 5%; (2) first draft – 5%; (3) final draft – 10%; and (4) PowerPoint Presentation – 5%. The first draft will be returned with instructions for correcting problems for the final draft. Please note that this is a development process: the bibliography from the proposal will become the “works cited” section of the paper, and the final draft will simply be a revision of the first draft.   The annotated bibliography, first draft, and final draft will be submitted via the Dropbox. (The Dropbox basket is linked to Turnitin.) The PowerPoint Presentation will also be submitted to the Dropbox. In addition, the PowerPoint Presentation will be uploaded to Doc Sharing as a PowerPoint slideshow. Each component of the term paper must be written to high standards, with correct grammar, spelling, and appropriate usage.   The paper will be eight (8) to ten (10) pages in length, not including the “works cited” section. You must use APA formatting, including the use of proper citations. At least seven (7) reputable sources will be cited, and at least three (3) of those will be non-electronic, print sources. The citation of online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia is prohibited; however, other reputable online sources such as homepages of software or hardware manufacturers are fine and will probably prove useful for very current information as long the appropriate citations are included. Visit Saint Leo’s online library resources for assistance with APA formatting.  Due Dates:  Module 1: Topic must be selected and approved by the instructor. Module 2: Proposal and annotated bibliography is due. (Do not begin before you receive                   approval from your instructor for your topic.  Module 3: Continue working on Term Paper draft and PowerPoint Presentation Module 4: Continue working on Term Paper draft and PowerPoint Presentation Module 5: Submit your Term Paper draft. Continue working on the PowerPoint Presentation Module 6: Continue working on the PowerPoint Presentation. After you receive feedback from                    the instructor on the Term Paper Draft, begin final revision for the Term Paper Module 7: Final Term Paper and PowerPoint Presentation must be submitted. Also, upload                    PowerPoint Presentation for classmates to view  Proposal and Annotated Bibliography Guidelines:   The research paper proposal should be typed using the APA style format. The proposal and final paper will be evaluated based on how extensively the student develop the issue and demonstrates depth and understanding of the subject. The Term Paper should show scholarly quality by demonstrating acceptable college level standards with respect to form and substance. The student should present the subject in a clear and concise manner. Points will be deducted for typographical, spelling, or grammatical errors. The format of the prospectus is as follows:   Title: It must tell the reader the specific focus of the paper.  Topic: Describe your personal interest. Show why the reader should be interested as well. What drew  you to select this particular topic? Any personal or professional experiences that influenced your choice? Any biases you feel you may bring to the research topic as you begin? How can you address these biases?   Importance: What is the significance of your work? You must address the daunting questions: Why should others care? So what? Why is this research a worthy enterprise?   Literature Review/Background: Indicate what you have read and what you have not yet read. Indicate why you think sources are promising and relevant, what they contain or what you think they contain. It must include how will you structure your final paper. What will be some of the sections and subsections of your investigation? What is your strategy for the way your paper will proceed? You should describe what plan you will use in the text of your paper as background. A good research paper would include:  ­ Tables (optional) ­ Figures (optional)   Definition of terms: Define any technical term that is essential to the reader understanding the research paper.    Annotated Bibliography: The annotated bibliography section contains a complete listing of every pertinent work that has been personally reviewed by you in the process of completing your research paper. You must discuss the relationship of the literature you have reviewed to your topic. Search the web for additional information on how to prepare an annotated bibliography and review the sample provided in the drop box area. 12 annotated bibliographies are required. In addition, explain how you found your resources. Provide keyword searches and database navigation so that other students may benefit from your strategies. Your completed annotated bibliography should be 500-750 words.