Introdution to
CGS 2100 Micrcomputer Applications for Business and Economics

Course Basics

  • 1 online syllabus quiz
  • 4 turn-in MS Office Assignments
  • 2 Exams (must be taken on FSU Tallahassee campus)

Course Basics

  • All lecture materials are online (you have access as long as you buy the required textbooks)
  • Lecture attendance required
  • First day attendance requirement satisfied by taking a survey online through BlackBoard (I see that several people have already succeeded with this.)

Topics

  • Concepts
    • Understanding computers, the internet, web resources, ethics in information technology, application software, system software, computer hardware, networking, managing digital data and devices, security issues, protecting data and devices

Topics

  • Skills
    • Microsoft Office
    • Word: word processing and document preparation
    • Excel: spreadsheets and numeric analysis
    • Powerpoint: creating presentations

Required Textbooks

  • Required Course Textbooks:
  • Textbook 1 (hard copy or eBook) : Technology in Action, Introductory, 9th Edition, Evans, Martin, Poatsy, Prentice Hall, ISBN 9780132838733

Required Textbooks

  • Textbook 2 (hard copy or eBook): Go! With Microsoft Office 2010 Volume 1, Gaskin, Ferrett, Vargas, McLellan, Custom PHIT for Florida State University CGS 2100,
  • Purchasing at university bookstores: use ISBN 1256837512 for bundled package, sold at a much reduced rate compared to buying these two books alone
  • Purchasing bundled eBook: go to course web site link for Book Publisher Contents

Assignments

  • There are four turn-in Microsoft Office assignments
  • MS Word
  • MS Word
  • Excel
  • PowerPoint
  • The 2nd MS Word Assignment is used as the FSU "Computer Competency Component" capstone assignment

Assignments continued

  • Due on a Friday by midnight
  • Late penalties: 50 point late penalty. No assignment accepted after 3 days late (Monday by midnight).
  • Last possible day to turn in any assignments (only with pre-approved extension): Monday, November 11.
  • All assignments will be graded using MS Office 2010 on a PC running Windows, so make sure that your assignment works on this platform.

Assignments continued

  • Files that were saved in earlier formats that do not open will receive a zero.
  • You may lose points if you saved the file under an older format and it will open but some features are missing.
  • You may work on and submit files in MS Office 2010 (PC) or MS Office 2011 (Mac) format. Be sure to verify that any files produced on a Mac open and work correctly in the current Windows office platform.

Assignments continued

  • Assignments must be submitted through Blackboard following instructions provided in the course handout on submissions; provided on course web site
  • All questions about grades on all graded work in this course must be reported to YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TA within 7 days of the grade posting; weekends do count
  • Every student will be assigned an Administrative TA who will be your contact for grading inquiries, extension inquiries, etc.; information will be on Blackboard site

Submitting Assignments

  • Make sure you have a good internet connection
  • Use latest Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari versions
  • I don't recommend using other browsers (e.g. Google Chrome); Blackboard does not always work correctly or consistently with all browsers
  • Make sure you save your work properly.

Submitting Assignments

  • Close the application before submitting any files (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Select the correct file to upload. Be sure it's the right file!
  • In order to submit the assignment you must hit the Submit button.
  • You are required to check your submission after you submit to make sure your work actually did submit to Blackboard correctly!
  • Read and carefully follow all of the handout instructions on submitting and verifying an assignment submission under Assignments on the course Blackboard site.

Common mistakes on
submitting assignments

  • Submitting them close to the deadlines.
  • There are MANY students in this class and Blackboard can easily get overloaded. Submit your assignments early.
  • Using a browser other than Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari
  • Using a slow or unreliable internet connection
  • Not saving the file properly

Common mistakes on
submitting assignments

  • Submitting the wrong file
  • Putting spaces, extra characters, or special characters in the file name
  • Not closing the application before submitting (file is still locked)
  • Hitting Save as Draft button instead of Submit
  • Not waiting for the submission to complete before closing the browser.
BE SURE YOU READ THE REQUIRED HANDOUT "INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING AND STORING ASSIGNMENTS" AND FOLLOW THOSE INSTRUCTIONS.

Computer Competency
Requirement

For this course the University requires that a single assignment or test be reported to assess skills for the Computer Competency requirement.

The MS Word Assignment #1 has been designated as that "capstone" assignment.

Concept Exams

  • There are two concept exams
  • Examination times must be pre-scheduled (more info later)
  • ALL EXAMS ARE TAKEN AT THE UNIVERSITY TESTING CENTER, UNIVERSITY CENTER C, 1ST FLOOR
  • Both exams cannot be scheduled at the same time
  • Look for the link to reserve an exam on your Blackboard site

Concept Exams

  • Exam Session 1 offered during Week 8
  • Exam Session 2 offered during Week 15
  • Exams are 50 minutes long
  • Exam questions are all taken from the required concepts textbook

Concept Exams

  • You must bring a valid FSU Identification card
  • TURN OFF all cell phones and other devices during exams
  • A valid documented excuse is required for missing an exam and avoiding a 20 point penalty

Grades

650 total points available:

  • 50 Syllabus Quiz
  • 100 Exam 1 (concepts)
  • 100 Exam 2 (concepts)
  • 400 MS Office Assignments (skills; 100 each)

Use the following table to calculate your letter grade based upon the number of points you have earned.

Points Grade
602 - 650 A
585 - 601 A-
569 - 584 B+
537 - 568 B
520 - 536 B-
Points Grade
504 - 519 C+
472 - 503 C
455 - 471 C-
439 - 454 D+
407 - 438 D
390 - 406 D-
0 - 389 F
  • Grades for each assignment should be posted within 14 working days after the due date of the assignment.
  • You have 7 days after the grades have been posted for any graded item to review your grade. After that, all grades are final.

Help

  • Help
  • Online Help via email: 2100help@cs.fsu.edu
  • In-Person Help at HELP DESK: MCH 302
  • All General Purpose Computer labs contain PC and MAC computers and have the appropriate MS Office software

Help

  • Do not email the Course Director for assignment help. The Course Director will only remind you to send such emails to 2100help@cs.fsu.edu
  • For questions about your assignment grades or assignment extensions, you must email your specific Administrative TA; details to be provided later on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the books both required?
  • Yes. Test questions will come from the concepts book. You will need the skills book to do the MS Office assignments.
  • It is nearly impossible to do well on course exams if you do not read and carefully study the correct required concepts textbook.

FAQ continued

Can I use a MAC computer for this class?

Yes, all assignments can be completed on a PC or a MAC. PCs that you can use are located in one of three General Purpose Computer labs on campus (MCH 315, Strozier, or the Student Union). Be sure to verify that any MAC files do open and work correctly on the course Windows platform.

More Frequently
Asked Questions

Can I still submit assignments using previous versions of MS Office?

No. This can and will cause you to lose points.

FAQ continued

Should I email the Course Director or a TA to make sure an assignment was received properly?

No. With so many students this is unmanageable. To ensure your assignment was submitted properly you must go back to the link where you submitted and check to see if the file is there, and check the file submission yourself. Right click on the file, download it using a name different from the original file name, and then try to open it. Be sure it opens properly in the required application. If it doesn't, you can still resubmit in Blackboard version 9, keeping in mind that course policies and due deadlines always apply.

Still More Frequently
Asked Questions

I can see the tests in Blackboard, does that mean I can take them anytime I want?

No.

How many points total
are there in the class?

650, divided into the following categories:

  • 50 points syllabus quiz
  • 200 points for the concepts exams (100 points each)
  • 400 for the MS Office skills assignments (100 points each)

Even More Questions?

I am in the web based section or I have a hard time making it to campus all the time, can I take both exams at one time?

No. Physical attendance for the exams on particular dates is required.
My computer/internet connection crashed right before midnight the assignment was due, can I get a break on the late penalty?

No. There is plenty of time to complete all assignments. If you wait until the last moment to work on the assignment then you leave yourself no room for error. You can also do all work at the campus computing sites; you don't even need to own a computer.

Bad things do happen, so plan ahead.

A few last
questions

I may not get the final course grade I need, can I do some "extra credit" to bring it up?

No. All students in this class have the same opportunities for course work to earn points.

I am in an on-campus section. Is attendance required?

As a matter of FSU policy, yes. However, when you have turned in all assignments and taken both exams you need no longer attend class. There is no final exam.

Some tips for doing
well in this course

Attend class. Classes are designed to help you do well in this course.

Don't procrastinate.

More tips for doing
well in this course

After the due date, heavy penalties are assessed.

Verify your assignments to make sure they were uploaded to Blackboard correctly.

More tips for doing
well in this course

MAC users: Upload your files to a Windows PC and check them using MS Office 2010. There can be differences. Your work is graded on a PC. Do not use MS Office 2008. If you do choose to use 2013, then verify that your assignment in detail appears as it should. Your assignments will be graded using 2010.

Things to do now

  • Read the Course Syllabus and be sure you understand all of its contents.
  • Read the Course Calendar and start planning your work.
  • Check the schedule of due dates and plan ahead.
  • Be sure you buy the correct textbooks: use the provided syllabus information: full title and ISBN numbers!

Things to do now

  • Start on the required textbook reading assignments.
  • Be sure to submit the 1st Day Attendance Quiz by the deadline.
  • Be sure to complete the Syllabus Quiz by the deadline.