CIS 232 - MICROCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR BUSINESS I

 

Syllabus Preparation Dr. Suzanne Wagner Dr. Laurence Boxer January, 2006 Updated: January, 2008 Instructor Information Name: Dr. Laurence Boxer Office: Marian House Phone: 286-8447 (24 hour voice mail) Fax:286-8445 Email: boxer@niagara.edu Web site: http://faculty.niagara.edu/boxer Office Hours: http://faculty.niagara.edu/boxer/#teaching

Index Course Description Course Objectives Attendance Policy Student Performance Evaluation Grading Policies Other Expectations Textbook Bibliography Students with Learning Disabilities Counseling Services Approximate Semester Outline

Course Description

The course presents business related software for the microcomputer (PC). The main applications examined are spreadsheets, business graphics, databases, word processing, and presentation graphics.  Integration of these applications is also covered. Credit - one course unit - three semester hours

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Course Objectives

The course is intended to provide students with the tools and knowledge to use business related software packages in order to solve typical business problems and to provide students with the opportunity to prepare and present professional business documents and presentations.

Upon successful completion of the course, a student will be able to:

1.      Use a computer to access, organize and maintain data and information and to communicate data and information to others.

2.      Create professional business documents such as a research paper or report including appropriate formatting, data, references and graphics.

3.      Conduct financial and statistical analyses such as a cost/benefit analysis, an accounting ledger or payroll system including charts and graphics.

4.      Develop a formal business presentation including animation and graphics.

5.      Construct a database including multiple tables using relationships, forms, queries and reports.

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Student Performance Evaluation

The score contributed to your final grade in most components will be computed as the percentage of possible points you earned. However, attendance and participation will be graded with a more complex formula that will more closely resemble the way the professional world values attendance than a simple percentage of classes attended. This is because, for example, an 80% rating would help many students; but 80% attendance is so bad that it might well get you fired from a job. Instead, you'll earn 1 point for the first class you attend, 2 for the 2nd, and so on (k points for the k^th class attended). Your evaluation in this component of the grade will be your percentage of the possible points among those classes for which you are not excused. For example, if there are 32 classes, of which you have 2 excused absences, then your grade will be based on a possible 32 - 2 = 30 classes attended. The number of possible points would then be

Sometimes I offer extra-credit opportunities that are combined into the Attendance-and-Participation component of the grade.  If, for example, you have garnered 10 extra credit points and have attendance as discussed above, then your percentage in this component of the grade is

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Other Expectations

1.      Students should check Blackboard regularly for assignment instructions, announcements, etc.

2.      Each student should be capable of using e-mail and should maintain his/her preferred e-mail address in Blackboard.  If the instructor sends an e-mail message to a student, the student is expected to read it and, if appropriate, respond in a timely fashion.  A student who needs help using e-mail should seek help from the instructor early in the semester.

3.      Each student should be capable of using the World Wide Web. It is strongly recommended that the student know how to find information on the Web by using a search engine or the “Web index” or “classification” of a portal site.  A student who needs help in learning to find information on the Web should seek help from the instructor early in the semester, or see http://faculty.niagara.edu/boxer/essays/132/notes/WWW%20notes.doc or the textbook’s section on Web search engines.

4.      Students are expected to take notes and work examples with the instructor in class.  Students are expected to save their files.  This implies that for every class, you should have a disk or should know how to use your network space.

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Required Text

Microsoft Office 2007, Vol. 1, by Robert T. Grauer et al., Pearson Education/Prentice Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2008.

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Bibliography

1.      Access 2003 Bible by Prague, Cary N., Irwin, Michael R., Reardon, Jennifer.  Hoboken, NJ : Wiley Pub., c2004. Call #: QA76.9.D3 P72548 2004

2.      Microsoft Office 2003 : The Complete Reference by Kettell, Jennifer Ackerman., Hart-Davis, Guy., Simmons, Curt, 1968-Emeryville, CA : McGraw-Hill/Osborne, c2003.  Call #: HF5548.4.M525 K48x 2003

3.      Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Fast & Easy by Koers, Diane., ebrary, Inc. Boston : Premier Press, c2004. Call #:  Electronic book

4.      Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 Fast & Easy by Lowe, Lois (Lois Adams), ebrary, Inc., Boston, MA : Premier Press, c2004. Call #: Electronic book

(Note:  All references are from the Niagara University Library collection)

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Approximate Semester Outline

(The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the following.)

1. First several weeks:  MS Word (Word chapters 1-4), including many advanced features beginners don’t learn, and using the Web as a research tool.  2 homework assignments; a quiz at the end of this period

2. To about a week beyond midsemester: MS Excel (Excel chapters 1-4). 3 or 4 homework assignments; a quiz at the end of this period

3. To about 2 weeks short of the end of the semester: MS Access (Access chapters 1-4). 2 or 3 homework assignments

4. Last weeks of semester: MS PowerPoint (PowerPoint chapters 1-2).  One homework assignment, which will include making an oral presentation in class.

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