Discussion Assignment

The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics for this module based on the course competencies covered.

For this assignment, make sure you post your initial response to the Discussion Area by the due date assigned.

To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use outside sources. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the module as possible. Respond to at least two of your classmates. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Complete your participation for this assignment through the end of the module.

Intellectual Property Rights

Using the Argosy University online library resources or the Internet, research intellectual property rights and guidelines on them.

Based on your research and readings, post answers to the following questions:

• How can you protect your IT product or service idea? What are the consequences if you do not take the legal procedure required to protect your IT product or service idea? Search and discuss if there is any difference between IT products and other products in terms of legal protection issues.

• It is a general rule that you should cite your reference sources when you are borrowing ideas from other authors. Why is this important and what are the consequences if you do not cite your reference sources? There are technical tools to help in detecting plagiarism. Can such tools be used to detect borrowed ideas? If yes, give examples.

• Can you use the research paper written by you for a previous class as a reference for your current research? Why or why not? Is this considered self-plagiarism? What is meant by self-plagiarism?

• As a desktop help desk support specialist, you discovered a new way to prevent hackers from breaking into company networks while working for a telecommunication company. Is it ethical for you to sell your discovery to an IT security company without the permission from your employer? Why or why not? How can employers protect their legal rights?