MINF 2201: Extra Credit

Extra Credit - Civic Duty Paper

MINF 2201: Microcomputer Application Specific Instructions.

All guidelines must be followed and documentation present in order for students to receive any extra credit points.

There are 2 types of Civic Duty assignments students may complete for extra credit:

NONPROFIT-RELATED CIVIC DUTY:	CAREER-RELATED CIVIC DUTY:
• Volunteer hours completed with an approved nonprofit organization. • May NOT be paid or student's current employer.	• Volunteer hours completed with an approved business/organization related to your designated major or career choice. • May NOT be paid or student's current employer.
LIST OF APPROVED NONPROFITS: - Augusta University Literacy Center - American Red Cross - Augusta Care Pregnancy Center - Augusta Mini Theatre - Camp Tanglewood - Golden Harvest Food Bank - Garden City Rescue Mission - Mercy Ministries - Salvation Army - Others should be approved by Professor Schmidt BEFORE beginning volunteer work.	LIST OF APPROVED COMPANIES: - Elm Croft Assisted Living - Georgia Bank and Trust - Lamar Elementary School - Milton Ruben Auto Group - Wells Fargo Financial - Others should be approved by Professor Schmidt BEFORE beginning volunteer work.

Civic Duty Policies:

Each student may complete ONE of EACH TYPE of Civic Duty experience (the same location cannot be used for both papers).
0-100 extra credit points will be awarded for each paper based on adherance to ALL guidelines listed below (i.e. up to 200 allowed).
Extra credit points will be added to overall course points earned.
ALL extra credit is due ExACTLY 2 WEEKS prior to the last day of classes for the semester.

Civic Duty Requirements:

10 hours volunteer work.
4-5 page paper depicting the use/importance of microcomputer applications to the organization/industry for which the volunteer hours were completed (minimum of 4 Full pages is required for review).
Volunteer Documentation Log (completed and signed).
Formal letter written and signed by the supervisor.
Student Information Sheet (completed)
NOTE: All extra credit points are derived from the paper. However, proof of the volunteer hours is required in order for the the paper to be evaluated by the professor.

Civic Duty Paper Guidelines:

*** Deviation from these Guidelines will negatively affect the awardance of extra credit points! ***

CIVIC DUTY ASSIGNMENTS ARE VOLUNTEER BASED EXPERIENCES:

Students choose location. (Organizations must come from predetermined list above unless approved by Professor Schmidt)
The Career Advisor in the Hull College of Business CAP Center can assist with locating a career oriented location upon request.
10 hours of volunteer work is required.
A formal letter documenting time worked must be provided by the supervisor.
The dates and times worked along with the supervisor's name, contact phone number, and signature are required.
A template for documentation of hours and signatures of supervisor is provided on this webpage, but any form may be used.

PAPER REQUIREMENTS:

Formatting and Semantics:
- 4-5 content pages.
- Double spaced.
- Times New Roman 12 point font.
- Follow outline provided.
- Use correct grammar.
- Writing should be at a level beyond high school.
Content:
- No more than 1-2 paragraphs describing the volunteer location and experience.
- Majority of content should be related to experience with microcomputer applications and concepts/terms covered in the course. Ideas include but are not limited to the bullet points below. [Headings are provided in the Paper Outline below. Please delete/ add/modify as needed to best describe your experience and knowledge obtained.]
  - Discuss importance of microcomputer applications to the organization/industry (sales, customer happiness, taxes, human resources, etc.)
  - Discuss the various types of micrcomputer applications used in the business or industry (course software or industry specific)
  - Discuss how advances in microcomputer applications affect this organization/industry.
  - Discuss student's specific experience or observations of the microcomputer applications from the experience.
  - Describe any value added to the business via the students knowledge of microcomputer applications learned this semester.
  - Discuss the effect of sudden restricted access to the currently used microcomputer applications. What could cause such a circumstance?
  - Discuss network solutions, harware and software considerations made by the business.
  - Discuss the impact of social networks to the business (sales, customer perspective, hiring, etc.).
- Bold and Underline all microcomputer application names and all course concepts/ terminology that should be evaluated for extra credit.
  - The following terms DO NOT count as relevant terms for this assignment: computer, technology, systems, microcomputer application, or any other generic terms without depth and relevance to a specific circumstance or business practice.

PAPER EVALUATION:

On average 5 points will be awarded for verified volunteer hours and timely submission of civic duty paper.
The remaining 95 points will be awarded based on adherance to guidelines including (and listed in order of importance):
1. Content showing an experience worthy of extra credit and knowledge gained surrounding the importance and utilization of various microcomputer applications in the business world.
2. Collegiate level writing and grammar.
3. Correct formatting
PAPERS WILL NOT BE EVALUATED IF:
- Volunteer documentation is absent.
- Less than 10 hours of documented volunteer work is provided.
- Volunteer work cannot be confirmed through 3 or less phone calls by the professor.
- The work is paid and not truly volunteer.
- The work is for a current employer.
- Upon scanning the paper, the professor does not see any utilization of course terminology or content pertaining to microcomputer applications.
- Upon scanning the paper, ANY or ALL Civic Duty Extra Credit Guidelines are not adhered to (as defined on this webpage and the Course Syllabus).

PAPER SUBMISSION:

Print Civic Duty Paper.
Staple: 1) Student Information Sheet 2) all pages of the paper and 3) Volunteer Documentation.
Slide under Professor Schmidt's office door PRIOR to the deadline (i.e. 2 weeks before last day of classes).

*** REMINDER: Rewrites, do-overs, corrections, etc. are NEVER allowed for extra credit. Please be sure to follow ALL Guidelines prior to turning in your projects!

Downloads:

Civic Duty Paper Outline: Meets formatting requirements and contains paper headings. (Content headings can be altered as needed by the student.)

Student Information Sheet: Contains Student's Name, Course, Semester, Expected Grade, Name of Organization, Type of Civic Duty Experience, Name of Supervisor, Supervisor's Contact Number, Summary Statement of Experience Worth, and additional comments.

Documentation Form: Form that students may use to log volunteer hours and obtain supervisor signatures. (NOTE: This does NOT replace the formal letter required from the supervisor.)

Example Papers:

PLEASE NOTE:

Use these papers only as decent examples of economic content.
Their length, spacing, and location requirements MAY differ from the current requirements.
They did NOT all earn 90+ points. (They did all earn at least 50 points.)