Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spring Semester, 2005

MIT 6.805/6.806/STS085: Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier

Week of class on Sept. 8

There is a pre-semester writing assignment that must be completed handed in before 5PM on Wednesday, September 7. No one will be admitted to the class without having turned in the assignment.

The class web page for each week (this is the page for week 1), will list readings to do in preparation for class. You should do the assigned readings before you come to class and be prepared to discuss them. In class, we will call on you and ask you to answer questions about the readings and to contribute to the discussion. The quality of class participation is a factor in grades.

This week's class overview and required class preparation

We'll start the semester with an overall look at internet regulation and the interplay between law and technology. Then we'll give an overview of the structure of law, and we'll practice briefing judicial opinions.

To do before class

Do the reading and the search exercises described on the sample case brief page.

To do after class

Register for the writing rotisserie after class. There will be a writing assignment posted Friday at noon for which the system will notify you by email. The the first part of the assignment is due Sunday night. The second part is due Wednesday.

Remember that the weekly readings are to be done before lecture. Check out next week's reading assignments, linked from the class web site calendar, a couple of days before class.