INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY

MIS 213
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Cummings
Office: CI 2051
Office Hours: 9:00 – 11:00 and 2:00 – 4:00 T, TH
Course 9:00 – 11:00 W (or by appointment)
Information Phone: 962-3032 (office)
Email: [email protected]
Time: Section 007 – T 11:00 -12:15 (CI2005)
TH 11:00 -12:15 (CI1007)
Section 008 – T 12:30 -1:45 (CI2005)
TH 12:30 -1:45 (CI1007)

Course Overview
This course is designed to be a survey of information systems use in organizations and the information systems
technologies used to implement them. During this course you will learn to:

1. Apply information systems solutions to business problems in marketing, finance, accounting, operations, and strategy.
2. Understand the role of information systems in increasing personal and business productivity.
3. Identify how information systems can assist a firm in increasing its competitive advantage.
4. Understand information systems and concepts which include hardware, software, storage, and telecommunications
systems.
5. Understand the role of information systems in capturing and distributing organization knowledge and intelligence and
in enhancing management decision making.
6. Identify ethical, moral and legal issues related to the storage and dissemination of information and the use of information
systems.
7. Advanced skills in spreadsheet, database, and web based software applications.
8. Apply office software and database software to the solution of management problems typically encountered at various
levels of the organization.

Textbook and Materials

Required textbook
 Introduction to Information Systems, Fourth Edition (Rainer & Cegielski - ISBN 9781118129401)
 Hands-on Tutorial and Cases (MIS.213- Yellow Cover)

A USB Flash Drive is recommended for this course.

Software
We use MS Access MS Excel and Web Expressions, all available in the CSB-computer labs. Please, note that we cannot provide
personal copies of Office, including Excel. However, students can access these programs through TealWare. We do not routinely
support Macs.

Workspace and Help

The hands-on assignments can be completed in our computer labs (CIS 2055), as well as in the computer lab of the Cameron
School (CH 136). For questions, feel free to email me anytime ([email protected]), or stop by my office (CIS 2051) during
office hours. (Tutors for Access and Excel are available to you. They are in CIS 2055.)
Web-based course systems: Entropy
We use Entropy to manage class content, assignments, quizzes, and grades. It is essential that you are familiar with this system. It
is also your responsibility to make sure that you can access your Entropy account at any time.
Entropy is available at https://csbapp.uncw.edu/entropy/. This system requires a separate account registration. Log on with your
85-number and self-selected password. If you already have an Entropy account, you will be able to log in using your e-mail
address the first time.

You MUST have an Entropy account for this class.

Grading

Exams

Two exams will be given consisting of multiple choice, True/False, hands-on Application and short answer problems and
questions. Any exam grading disputes must be submitted in writing within one week of the results.

No make-up tests will be offered unless you have a proof that you had a legal or medical emergency (regular medical
appointments do not constitute an emergency). Dates for the exams are listed on the course schedule. The schedule is
tentative and as such these dates are subject to changes. The exams are not cumulative.

Projects

There will be 7 projects assigned during the semester (See Entropy for grade percentages). Each of these projects is an
individual effort. A soft copy of each project must be submitted via Entropy on the due date. Please make your name
and the assignment number the name of the document. For example, MyName_Project1.doc. There will be additional
details regarding the projects as the semester progresses.

Note: Emails sent before 5 pm (Monday through Friday) will usually be answered by the end of the same day. E-
mails sent after 5 pm (Monday through Friday) or on the weekend will not necessarily be answered the same day.

Please note that late work may be accepted with a 10% deduction per day (up to 3 business days after the deadline).
For example, if an assignment is due at 5:00 pm on a Wednesday, a 10% deduction will be given for any assignments
received after 5:00 pm on Wednesday. Late work will not be accepted after three days after the due date/time. Late
deduction will be given on all materials except in the case of legal or medical emergency. In these cases, late work will be
accepted without penalty.

Quizzes

Quizzes will be given over the course of the semester to monitor students’ understanding of the lab material. These will be
hands-on quizzes covering the topics we will be discussing during the Access and Excel labs. There will be 3 quizzes
given over the course of the semester.

Attendance and Participation

Given the amount of material to be covered in this course and the rather fast pace, it is important that students attend and
participate in class regularly. Attendance in combination with active participation during sessions will account for 5% of
the overall grade. To receive full credit, students must come to class prepared, on time, participate actively, and not leave
before class ends. Attendance will be randomly assessed, unannounced.

Once a grade for any project, quiz or assessment has been posted in Entropy, you will have up to a week to contest
that grade. After a week, the assignment will not be reviewed and the grade will not be changed.

MIS 213 – Syllabus – Page 2 of 4

 The distribution of the grades will be as follows.
Grading Assessment I 15%
Policy Assessment II 20%
Projects 45%
Participation 5%
Quizzes 15%
Grading will be based on the following grading scheme.
93-100 A 73-76 C
90-92 A- 70-72 C-
87-89 B+ 67-69 D+
83-86 B 63-66 D
80-82 B- 60-62 D-
77-79 C+ Below 60 F

Miscellaneous

Academic Dishonesty Offenses

In this course, we will follow the guidelines of the Academic Honor Code found in Section V of the Student Handbook. In
reference to MIS 213 in particular, please note that all of the following are considered cheating:
 Collaboration
 COPYING OF OTHERS’ FILES
 JOINTLY WORKING ON THE SAME BASE FILES (meaning two or more students work on the same
assignment on the same machine at the same time)
 PROVIDING YOUR FILES TO OTHER STUDENTS
 Handing in the work of others
 In addition, hands-on open book assignments permit the use of books and written notes, but not electronic files or
the use of student computers.
Cheating of any kind shall result in a grade of zero (0) on the test, assignment, project or quiz in question with a minimum
deduction of ONE LETTER GRADE for the class, and a note to the Office of the Dean of Students. The second instance
of cheating will result in the grade of an F for the class.

Disabilities
If you have a disability and need reasonable accommodation in this course, you should inform me of this fact in writing
within the first week of class or as soon as possible.
If you have not already done so, you must register with the Office of Disability Services in De Paolo Hall
(http://www.uncw.edu/disability/students/interested.html) and obtain an Accommodation Letter. Then, meet with me to
make mutually agreeable arrangements based on recommendations from the Accommodation Letter.
Computer Use
Please note, the use of computers in the classroom, be it the school’s computers or your own is a privilege, but not a given
right. In particular, the use of non-class related applications, including email, chat, social networking, games, or web-
browsing is not allowed during class, unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Failure to comply with this policy will
result in a reduced grade of class participation and may result in the loss of privilege to use a computer in class at all. In
addition, please, be considerate of your instructor and fellow students.

MIS 213 – Syllabus – Page 3 of 4

 Syllabus – Spring 2015 (Tentative Schedule)
Week Rm Date Topic Reading Critical Date
Syllabus & Course Overview
2005 1/13
1 Overview of Software and UNCW IT
1007 1/15 Introduction to IS Ch 1
2005 1/20 Introduction to Access & Data Mgmt Access
2
1007 1/22 Org Strategy, Competitive Adv., and IS Ch 2
2005 1/27 Access Tutorial – First Database Access
3
1007 1/29 Data and Knowledge Mgmt Ch 5
2005 2/3 Access Tutorial - Queries Access
4 Ethics and Privacy Ch 3
1007 2/5 Project 1 (Access Database Creation)
Protecting Your Information Assets TG5
2005 2/10 Access Tutorial - Reports/Forms Access
5 Information Security Ch 4
1007 2/12 Project 2 (Additional Queries)
Hardware and Software TG 1+2
2005 2/17 Quiz 1 - Access Skills Access
6
1007 2/19 Networks Ch 6
2005 2/24 Assessment Review / Project Workday Project 3 (Access Case)
7
1007 2/26 Assessment I Chapters 1 -6 & TG 1,2 & 5
2005 3/3 Introduction to Excel / Excel Refresher Excel
8
1007 3/5 E-Business and E-Commerce Ch 7
2005 3/10
9 Spring Break (No Classes)
1007 3/12
Scenario Manager Tutorial – Scenario
2005 3/17 Excel
10 Creation & Formatting in Excel
1007 3/19 Wireless and Mobile Ch 8 Project 4 (Excel Refresher)
2005 3/24 Business Week – Attend a Session
11 Web 2.0 and Social Networks Ch 9
1007 3/26 Project 5 (Scenario Case) Due
Emerging Types of Computing TG3
2005 3/31 Solver Tutorial – Setup/Running Solver Excel
12
1007 4/2 Easter Break (No Classes)
2005 4/7 Quiz 2 – Scenario Manager Excel
13 IS within the Organization Ch 10
1007 4/9
Acquiring IS and Applications Ch 13
2005 4/14 Project 7 – Decision Support Case WD Attend WITX for Extra Credit
14
1007 4/16 CRM & SCM Ch 11 Project 6 (Solver Case) Due
2005 4/21 Quiz 3 – Excel Solver Excel
15 Business Intelligence Ch 12
1007 4/23
Intelligent Systems TG4
16 2005 4/28 Assessment II Review Jeopardy Project 7 (Dec. Support) Due
Sec 007: May 5, 11:30 – 2:30 Chapters 7-13
17 1007
Sec 008: May 7, 11:30 – 2:30 TG 3 & 4

MIS 213 – Syllabus – Page 4 of 4