GENERAL INFORMATION

Instructor
Dr. Aditi Mukherjee
Department of Information Systems & Operations
Warrington College of Business Administration, University of Florida
360 Stuzin Hall, PO Box 117169, Gainesville, FL 32611
352-392-0648

352-392-0301

aditimukherjee @ ufl . edu

The subject line of your email should contain ISM3013, otherwise it may end up in my junk email and you may not
get a response in a timely manner.
http://blog.warrington.ufl.edu/aditi-mukherjee/
Class Times & Location
All class meetings with be held in Stuzin 104.
All tests & exams will be conducted in the CSE Circa Lab Testing Area.
All office hours will be held in 360 Stuzin Hall
Class Times:
Section IS Lecture IT Lab
O13H Monday 1:55 to 3:50 PM Wednesday 1:55 to 3:30 PM
1218 This class will be recorded and available to view online Wednesday 4:05 to 5:30 PM
0130 Monday 4:05 to 5:30 PM
Test & Exams: See the Exam Sign-Up for date and time.
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday: noon to 1:30pm
Class Website: Sakai
 All information and materials pertaining to this course will be made available through the course website
on the Sakai Website.
 Please note that this is an eco-friendly class that is nearly paperless. All materials relevant to this class will
be made available on the
course website.
 It is recommended that all students familiarize themselves on the use of Sakai using all resources available
to students.
REQUIRED MATERIALS

Text Books
The three textbooks listed below are required for this course. Tests, quizzes and projects will be based on these books.
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions regarding the textbook requirements.

All the textbooks will be available as a discount package under the ISBN 9781118522240 . A discounted copy of this bundle
can be obtained from thepublisher's website directly. Certification Vouchers will have to be bought separately and are not
included in this bundle.
 Management Information Systems 13ed
Kenneth C. Laudon, Jane P. Laudon
2014 Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0133130789
This a required textbook.
NOTE: Older versions of this textbook may be used at the student's risk.

 Exploring: Microsoft Excel 2013, Comprehensive

Mary Anne Poatsy, Keith Mulbery, Jason Davidson, Robert Grauer
2014 Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0133412180
This a required textbook

 Exploring: Microsoft Access 2013, Comprehensive

Mary Anne Poatsy, Cynthia Krebs, Eric Cameron, Jerri Williams, Robert Grauer
2014 Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0133412202
This a required textbook
REQUIRED MATERIALS (Continued)

Other
A major component of you course grade are the Microsoft Office Specialist Exams for 2013. These exams are administered
through the Certiport software and in order to take these exams, you require the Certification vouchers listed below. In
addition, it is strongly recommended that you use one of the practice exams listed below. Please read the Frequently
Asked Questions regarding the certification requirements.

 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) 2013 Vouchers with Retake Option. Students have to purchase one voucher for
Excel and one voucher for Access.
 Practice Test: It is strongly recommended that students use GMetrix SMS before they take the actual Certification
Exam. Students have to purchase one practice test for Excel and one practice test for Access.

Computers
You will need a laptop computer in the lab classes. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions regarding the computer
requirements.

 A laptop computer that has the capability of running Microsoft Excel and Access 2013, and wireless access to the
Internet.
 Mac computers will not be supported in this class. If you choose to use a Mac computer, please make sure that
you are able to use all the features of Microsoft Excel and Access 2013 on it. Mac computers with Office 2008 or
2011 for Macs will NOT suffice. Students with Mac may encounter additional expenses in obtaining Windows and
Office 2013. Assistance for Mac laptops is available at the UF Computing Help Desk. The instructor or teaching
assistants cannot help you with any Mac-related issues.

Software
The following software is required for this class. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions regarding the software
requirements and please ensure that you have Microsoft Excel 2013 available during the first week of class.

 Microsoft Excel 2013

Microsoft Office 2013 (which includes Microsoft Excel) for Students can be obtained from the UF Computing Help
Desk or the UF Bookstore. Please make sure that you purchase Microsoft Office 2013 regardless of whether you
have a MAC or a PC. You may show the help desk staff this document to ensure that the correct software is
installed.
 Microsoft Access 2013
Microsoft Access 2013 is available for free from MSDNAA Website for all students registered in an ISM course.
Students receive an email with the username and password.
COURSE GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Tomorrow's managers and leaders, in any functional area of an organization, must have a reasonable awareness of the
trends and use of information technology (IT) and information systems (IS). One does not have to be a technology specialist
to have an appreciation for the significant and evolving role of information in today's organizations. The purpose of this
introductory course is to instill an understanding of the role of information systems in the business environment at a
strategic, operational and personal level. There are two main components of this course: (1) the Information Systems (IS)
Concepts module, and (2) the Information Technology (IT) skills module. The specific goals and skills that we expect students
to develop by the end of the course are:
IS Concepts
(1) To understand basic information technology terminology, infrastructure and security issues.
(2) To understand how information systems can be used for enabling, problem solving, and decision making.
(3) To understand how information systems can be leveraged for individual, business unit, and organizational goals.
IT Skills
(1) Problem solving skills using Microsoft Office.
(2) A certifiable-proficiency in Microsoft Excel 2013 and Microsoft Access 2013.
(3) Completion of the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) exams for Excel (Exam 77-420) and Access (Exam 77-424).
Further details on MOS Can be found here.
The main goal in this class is to facilitate the students' learning the most about Information Systems. That means helping the
students reach their full potential for the semester, not only in the course material, but also in mastering the software skills
they develop. To accomplish these goals, the students are expected to read assigned material prior to coming to class,
complete quizzes and projects and on time, and regularly attend and participate in class. If problems develop during the
semester, students are encouraged to discuss the issues with the instructor before they become extreme.

TEACHING METHODS
Two credit hours will be spent on each of the components of this course.
IS Concepts
The IS Concepts component of the course will be taught by primarily using class lectures. It is strongly recommended that
the students review the textbook chapters specified on the schedule before hand, as well as the review questions and
problems at the end of each chapter. Additional resources are available on the textbook companion website that can aid
self-study and the understanding of the material. These include additional slide-decks for each chapters, problems and
podcasts by the authors. Students are encouraged to make use of these materials to further their understanding of the
subject matter. The material covered in this portion of the class will be assessed with weekly quizzes and three tests, all of
which are described in greater detail in the Grade Composition section of this syllabus.
IT Skills
The IT skills will be taught using a combination of pedagogical methods. Video tutorials and detailed notes for all the skills
required to get certified will be posted on the class website. Students are expected to review these materials prior to
coming to class. During class time, these skills and additional concepts will be reinforced through hands-on projects. The
students are also strongly encouraged to review all examples covered in class and practice projects in the textbook and
additional test-preparation options available to them (including, but not limited to, the GMetrix or Certiprep software).
The materials covered in this portion of the class will be assessed by in-class Projects and the MOS Certification Exams, all
of which are described in greater detail in the Grade Composition section of this syllabus.
GRADE COMPOSITION (Continued)
The grades for this course will be distributed as follows: 50% of the grade will be used to cover the IS concepts and 50% of
the grades will cover the project assignments, practice exercises and the Microsoft Certification Exams for Excel and Access.
The detailed breakup of the grade composition is described below:

IS Concepts : 50% IT Skills : 50%

IS Quizzes: 5% IT Project: 30%
Test 1: 15% MOS Exam 77-420 (Excel 2013): 10%
Test 2: 15% MOS Exam 77-424 (Access 2013): 10%
Test 3: 15%

The class grades will be assigned using the University of Florida's grading scale described in the table below. For more
information, please refer to the University of Florida Grading Policy. A user friendly Excel file is available for the purpose of
determining course grades during of the semester.

Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade Score Grade
[93-100] A [85-88] B+ [74-76] C+ [64-66] D+ [0-56] E
[89-92] A- [80-85] B [70-73] C [60-63] D
[77-79] B- [67-69] C- [57-59] D-

Grading Policy
All scores will be posted on the gradebook on the course website in Sakai within one day of the submission. Class averages
and performance will be made available on the gradebook as well. If you have any questions regarding your grade, if you
notice that you have not been assigned a grade, or if you wish to request a re-grade of any component (quiz, tests or
projects), the request has to be made within one week after the grade is posted. It is therefore you responsibility to check
the gradebook frequently and bring any issues regarding your grade to the instructor's notice. Given the size of the class,
and the speed with which the course progresses, any request beyond this deadline cannot be considered. Please do not
expect a response from the instructor if you have questions regarding grades that were posted more than one week ago.

A. IS Quizzes (5%)
Date, Time & Location: Each week, there will be a timed 20 minute online quiz on the course website on Sakai. Quizzes
will be released on Mondays at 4pm and are due on Fridays by 8pm. You will be allowed only one attempt for each quiz
that has to be completed before the due date.
Materials & Instructions: This quiz will comprise of 10 questions that will be based on the information provided in the
class lecture, the text book chapter and any additional assigned readings. Please review all these materials before
beginning the quiz. The quiz must be individual work only and must be done independently. You may use any and all
materials available to you for these quizzes.
Quiz Scores will be posted on the gradebook on the course website in Sakai immediately after students complete the
quiz.
Quiz Extensions: Late submissions cannot be accepted under any circumstances graded, and no extensions will be given.
Answers and additional quiz questions will be made available for review shortly after the quiz deadline and after the
answers are revealed, no further quiz grades can be accepted.
GRADE COMPOSITION (Continued)

B. Tests (45%)
There will be three tests for this course based only on the IS topics (not Excel and Access), each worth 15% of your grade.
Date, Time & Location: The dates, times and the details of the material covered on each test are provided on
the calendar on course website on Sakai. The tests will be administered in the CSE Circa Lab Testing Area. The tests will be
conducted in multiple time slots (each time slot can have 50 students) and students can sign up for their preferred time
slot using the sign-up sheet on the Sakai website. Sign-up will become available three weeks prior to the test date and
close one week prior to the test date. If you fail to sign-up for a time slot, you will be assigned an available time slot that
may not be changed at a later date. The tests will typically last 30 minutes, but please allow for an additional 15 minutes
for setup and sign-out. It is imperative for all students to arrive promptly at the assigned time. Tardy students will not be
allowed to take the test.
Materials & Instructions: The tests are not comprehensive and will be comprised of multiple-choice, true/false, and
sentence completion questions. Questions on the test will be based on the material covered in the class lectures, the
assigned readings and the quiz questions. No written materials or electronic devices will be permitted during the exam.
Please make sure that all such materials are stowed away. If you are found accessing any materials other than your Gator1
card, you will be asked to leave the premises and receive no credit for the exam.
Test Scores will be posted on the gradebook on the course website in Sakai immediately after all students complete the
test.
Makeup Tests: No makeup tests will be provided for this course, unless it is due to a University of Florida sanctioned
excuse. Proper documentation will have to be provided in support, clearly indicating: (a) the name of the student, (b) the
reason for absence and (c) the dates of the absence. Please inform the instructor at least one week prior to the scheduled
test for a reschedule date. In case of a medical emergency, you please inform the instructor within one week after the test.
Requests made after one week of the test date will not be honored.

C. IT Projects (30%)
Date, Time & Location: A new IT project will be assigned for every lab session. This IT project will be completed by groups
or teams of two students, and will be graded during the class time as well. Students will be required to form groups of two
themselves, groups of three students may work under explicit permission of the instructor. Group members may change in
every class or remain the students. Individual projects will not be accepted unless done so with the explicit prior
permission of the instructor.
Materials: The IT projects will be based on materials and videos that were assigned for the week. Each project will
comprise of four to six mini-projects that will reinforce the new skills introduced during the week and prepare you for the
certification exam. The detailed instructions for the projects will be posted on the assignments section on the course
website on Sakai. You are encouraged to consult with the instructor or teaching assistants if you have any questions or
clarifications.
Project Grades: Projects will be graded by the instructor or the teaching assistants during class time only, and both group
members are required to be in the class at the time when the project is graded. Only one copy of the projects will be
graded and an equal grade will be assigned to both students in the group. The scores will be posted on the gradebook on
the course website in Sakai as they are graded.
Project Extensions: No extensions will be provided for any of the IT projects this course, unless it is due to a University of
Florida sanctioned excuse. Proper documentation will have to be provided in support and the project will have to be
graded in person during office hours within one week of the deadline.
GRADE COMPOSITION (Continued)

D. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Exams for Excel and Access (20%)
A major component of this class is the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification for Excel and Access.
Date, Time & Location: The exact date and time of the certification exams can be found on the calendar on the course
website on Sakai. The exams will be administered in the CSE Circa LabTesting Area and exams will be conducted in multiple
time slots (each time slot can have 50 students) and students can sign up for their preferred time slot using the sign-up
sheet on the Sakai website. Sign-up will become available three weeks prior to the exam date and close one week prior to
the exam date. If you fail to sign-up for a time slot, you will be assigned an available time slot that may not be changed at a
later date. The certification exams are typically last 50 minutes, but please allow an additional 15 minutes for registration
and sign-in. It is imperative for all students to arrive promptly at the assigned time. Tardy students will not be allowed to
take the exam.
Materials: The exams will cover all the skills learned in the class. For a complete list of topics that will be learned in the
class, please refer to Appendix A in the appropriate Excel or Access textbook. No written materials or electronic devices
will be permitted during the exam. Please make sure that all such materials are stowed away. If you are found accessing
any materials other than your Gator1 card or vouchers, you will be asked to leave the premises and receive no credit for
the exam.
Scoring: The certification exam is scored out of 1000 points which will count towards 10% of your final grade for this
course. The passing score for Excel is 700/1000 points and for Access it is 700/1000 points. If you do not pass on the first
attempt, there will be a second attempt (retake) scheduled the following week. There is only one retake offered for each
certification exam. The table on the right will be used to convert the 1000 points of the certification exam score to the 10
points for your class grade. There is a two point penalty for not passing the certification test on the first attempt.
Certification Scores will be posted on the gradebook on the course website in Sakai by the day after the certification exam.
Makeup Exams: No makeup tests will be provided for this course, unless it is due to a University of Florida sanctioned
excuse. Proper documentation will have to be provided in support, clearly indicating: (a) the name of the student, (b) the
reason for absence and (c) the dates of the absence. Please inform the instructor at least one week prior to the scheduled
test for a reschedule date. In case of a medical emergency, you please inform the instructor within one week after the test.
Requests made after one week of the test date will not be honored. Please note, the second attempt or certification retake
exam is meant only for those students who failed to pass on their first attempt.
CLASS POLICIES
A. Class Attendance, Participation and Discipline
A1. Attendance: Class sessions provide useful information in addition to the textbook and other reading materials,
which by themselves are not likely to be sufficient to do well in the course. Attendance is not required for; however,
if you miss a class, you will be responsible for all information that is provided, the materials that are discussed during
class and all in-class assignments and quizzes. No extensions will be made available for those who do not attend the
lectures or break out sessions. The IT projects will only be graded during class time, so if you miss the class you will
not get another opportunity to get your projects graded.
A2. Participation: Student participation in class discussions is crucial because it introduces alternative viewpoints and
helps clarify concepts for the class as a whole. I expect highest level of participation during the entire semester. You
should complete the assigned readings before coming to class. I will expect you to be ready with answers to
questions related to the readings.
A3. Discipline: I expect you to maintain the decorum of the class at all times. As with any other group activity, please be
acutely aware that your actions in class may have negative externalities that can collectively affect the performance
of the entire group. Students are expected to respect the rights of their classmates and should never exhibit any
behavior that is disruptive to the learning experience of anyone.
A4. Punctuality: Students who attend classes are expected to arrive in class on time. If you must arrive late or leave
early, please refrain from attending that class. It is disruptive to both other students as well as your fellow students.
Please make every effort to come in on tome and stay for the duration of the class. If you have pressing
engagements that require you to arrive late or leave early, please devote the entire class period to the that
engagement and do not disrupt the class. Important announcements are typically made at the beginning of the
classes and will not be repeated for the benefit of late comers.
A5. Laptop Policy: Students should refrain from using their laptops during class time for activities that are not directly
related to the materials being discussed in class. These activities include, but are not limited to, instant messaging,
web surfing, game playing, online shopping, social networking etc. If you have an urgent need to engage in these
activities, you are welcome to skip class and pursue these activities outside the class. If you are found engaging in
such activities, you will be asked to leave the class and not receive any credit for the quizzes or projects
administered during that class.
A6. Cell Phones: Placing and receiving phone calls and text messages in class is disruptive and discourteous to your
fellow students and to the course instructor and teaching assistants are expected to turn your cell phones off and
stow them away during class. If texting and phone calls are your priority, please feel free to devote the entire class
time to these activities outside of the class room. Accessing a cell phone during exams and tests will be construed as
a violation of academic honesty.
B. Honors Policy
You are expected to follow the University of Florida's Academic Honesty and Conduct Codes when working on
assessments, quizzes, assignments, projects, tests, and exams. One point worth emphasizing: plagiarism in any form
is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We will be following the ISOM Department policy regarding
cheating: "For any academic class activity, students must follow the University of Florida Student Honor Code. Any
violation of the honor code will automatically result in a grade of E (Fail) for this course and further sanctions that
may include a suspension or expulsion from the University through the Dean of Students Office. All incidents will be
reported to Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution at the University of Florida." You are expected to read and be
aware of the contents of the University's honor code.
CLASS POLICIES (Continued)

C. Teaching Policies
This course will follow all teaching policies outlined by the University of Florida. Please review this website for an updated
list of UF teaching policies regarding academic honesty, student illness, religious holidays, accommodating students with
disabilities and others are available at this website.
D. Students with Disabilities
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students
Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when
requesting accommodation. The instructor needs to be informed of any accommodation requirements at the beginning of
the semester in order to make the suitable accommodations.
E. Communication
To schedule an appointment at any other time than my regular office hours, please send me e-mail at aditimukherjee @
ufl .edu, but not through the Sakai system. All emails must have ISM3013 in the subject field to ensure delivery into my
mailbox and not spam filtered. Most of my communication that is meant for the entire class will be through the occasional
emails to the mailing list, which will come into your Gatorlink mailbox, so do log in to the system regularly. Further, make
sure that you are not over quota with your Gatorlink mailbox, since in such cases you will not be aware of the latest emails
pertaining to this class.
F. Office Hours
I will be available at my office during the office hours. You do not need to make an appointment to attend office hours.
Please make use of office hours as a resource to improve your understanding of the subject material. To make efficient
use of office hours, please come prepared with a list of questions during office hours. It is a time for answering specific
questions, not for a private lecture on topics we already covered in class or to complete class projects.