14.1: Assignment- Database Issues Discussion Forum
Assignment Objective
This assignment challenges you to think about questions related to current issues having no clear right or wrong answer. It also gives you practice understanding and clarifying arguments.
Directions
This assignment consists of a discussion regarding collecting information about people in medical databases.
Part A
- Visit the web site of an online medical database, for example Web MD . There are many others.
- Navigate through the different areas of the web site and locate and read the site’s privacy policy.
- Write an essay answering the following question: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of increased access to medical records?” Base your essay on what you learned from the web site, what you learned about databases in this course, and your own personal experience.
- Post the url you visited and your essay to the Database Issues class forum.
Part B
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Read the essays posted by others and respond to at least two by asking a question. (Choose classmates that have not already been asked questions by someone else, if any.) Your questions should be one of these three types:
- Clarification question – This kind of question helps the writer by asking him to clarify points that you think could be more fully explained. An example of clarification questions is, “You stated that personal information belongs to the individual. Can you explain what kinds of information you consider personal?”
- Hypothetical question – This kind of question helps the writer by asking her to test her argument by applying it to a situation that you specify. An example of a hypothetical question is, “Suppose somebody becomes gravely ill while traveling in a foreign country, and the doctors need immediate access to his medical history to save him. Would your proposal for information security allow the doctors to access his records?”
- Evidence question – When a writer states something as fact rather than personal opinion, his argument is stronger if he cites evidence that the fact is true. Facts can be evidenced, in approximate order of strongest evidence to weakest, (1) by citing trustworthy data, (2) by citing the opinions of experts, (3) by citing repeatable personal experience, or (4) by citing common opinion. This kind of question helps the writer by asking for evidence if he states something as fact but doesn’t cite evidence. An example of an evidence question is, “Can you cite evidence that the security breaches at hospitals led to thousands of cases of insurance fraud in the past two years?”
- Discussion is an exchange, not a lecture. Do not post your comments and then disappear. Participate regularly and solicit feedback from your peers.
CC licensed content, Original
- Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts. Authored by : Jim Shannon. Provided by : Extended Learning Institute of Northern Virginia Community College. Located at : http://www.nvcc.edu/eli/index.html . License : CC BY: Attribution