BUSI2151
Information Systems
Undergraduate Programmes 2023/24
SUMMATIVE ASSIGNMENT
Part A: Critical Thinking Essay (80%)
In the form of a short essay, this assignment requires you to respond to one of the
statements below.
1. Surveillance has changed the nature of information systems in business and
society. Critically discuss this statement with appropriate examples.
2. Information systems will work in an ethical way with and for society. Critically
discuss this statement with appropriate examples.
3. Information systems play a strategic role in businesses today. Critically
discuss this statement with appropriate examples.
Overall word limit: 1750
Part B: 2-Minute Vlog (20%)
You are going to produce a 2-minute video, proposing to Durham University:
i) A novel information system that should be offered to enhance students’
learning experiences and its desired functionalities, and
ii) what the Computing and Information Services (CIS) and the project team
should do to ensure the successful information system implementation
among stakeholders and potential end users.
You can produce the video with any devices and software you have access to and
are familiar with, including but not limited to your mobile phones or laptops and their
video making programmes, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, Zoom,
and TikTok. You can choose whether you will show up in the video or to show
contents only. However, you are not allowed to use computer generated voice,
unless permission is obtained. The video should be submitted in the file format of
MP4.
Overall length limit: 2 minutes
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BUSI2151
Information Systems
Undergraduate Programmes 2023/24
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Your completed assignment must be uploaded to Learn Ultra
no later than 12:00 midday on 8
th
January 2024.
The assignment should be submitting using one of the following file
types: .doc, docx or .pdf (Essay)
AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3 or M4V (Vlog)
A penalty will be applied for work uploaded after 12:00 midday as detailed in
the Student Information Hub. You must leave sufficient time to fully complete
the upload process before the deadline and check that you have received a
receipt. At peak periods, it can take up to 30 minutes for a receipt to be
generated.
Assignments should be typed, using 1.5 spacing and an easy-to-read 12-point font.
Assignments and dissertations/business projects must not exceed the word count
indicated
in the module handbook/assessment brief.
The word count should:
Include all the text, including title, preface, introduction, in-text citations,
quotations, footnotes and any other items not specifically excluded below.
Exclude diagrams, tables (including tables/lists of contents and figures),
equations, executive summary/abstract, acknowledgements, declaration,
bibliography/list of references and appendices. However, it is not appropriate to
use diagrams or tables merely as a way of circumventing the word limit. If a
student uses a table or figure as a means of presenting his/her own words, then
this is included in the word count.
Examiners will stop reading once the word limit has been reached, and work beyond
this point will not be assessed. Checks of word counts will be carried out on
submitted work, including any assignments or dissertations/business projects that
appear to be clearly over-length. Checks may take place manually and/or with the
aid of the word count provided via an electronic submission. Where a student has
intentionally misrepresented their word count, the School may treat this as an
offence under Section IV of the General Regulations of the University. Extreme
cases may be viewed as dishonest practice under Section IV, 5 (a) (x) of the General
Regulations.
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BUSI2151
Information Systems
Undergraduate Programmes 2023/24
Very occasionally it may be appropriate to present, in an appendix, material which
does not properly belong in the main body of the assessment but which some
students wish to provide for the sake of completeness. Any appendices will not have
a role in the assessment – examiners are under no obligation to read appendices and
they do not form part of the word count. Material that students wish to be assessed
should always be included in the main body of the text.
Guidance on referencing can be found on Durham University website and in the
Student Information Hub.
MARKING GUIDELINES
Performance in the summative assessment for this module is judged against the
following criteria:
Relevance to question(s)
Organisation, structure and presentation
Depth of understanding
Analysis and discussion
Use of sources and referencing
Overall conclusions
PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION
Students suspected of plagiarism, either of published work or the work of other
students, or of collusion will be dealt with according to School and University
guidelines.
END OF ASSESSMENT
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