INF 1001H

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION IN SOCIETY

FALL 2023
Prof. Michel Mersereau
Thursdays, 6:00-9:00 pm
BL 224

Contact: m.mersereau@utoronto.ca

Please use email address for communication. Response time for

emails is generally within 48 hours except on weekends.

Office hours: Open office hours will be scheduled, and announced, periodically
throughout semester related to specific assignments; also available
via individual appointment in-person at BL 711 or via Zoom.

Teaching Asst: Sara Al Hajj Ibrahim

sara.alhajjibrahim@mail.utoronto.ca

Arun Jacob
arun.jacob@mail.utoronto.ca

Statement of Acknowledgement of Traditional Land

I (we) would like to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For
thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and
most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today this meeting place is still the home
to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the
opportunity to work on this land.
http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/Assets/Provost+Digital+Assets/TRC_FinalReport.pdf

See also, the Faculty of Information’s Commitment to the Findings and Call for Action of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission (approved at the Feb. 4, 2016 Faculty Council):
https://ischool.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/iSchools-TRC-Commitment.pdf

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
INF 1001 is a required core course for the Critical Information Policy Studies (CIPS)
concentration and the General Program Pathway. This course provides an introduction to

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the ways that information and information processes shape and are shaped by society. In
particular, it examines the social, institutional, political, legal, and economic roles of
information and knowledge in public life, including how forms of new media, new
distribution channels and new delivery systems are affecting traditional means of creating
and disseminating information. We also discuss changes that stem from developments in
the information environment at the individual, organizational and societal level. Focal issues
include: the politics, ethics, and values of information; information as an economic
phenomenon; the institutional structure of knowledge and cultural production; and the role
of information professionals in all of these activities. The intent is to provide opportunity
for students to:

• take a thematic approach to understanding the nature and role of information in

both private and public spheres;
• create a contextual framework within which to analyze the major social issues and
developments associated with information creation, dissemination and use; and
• consider the various perspectives that characterize current policy discussions on
those issues as well as alternative interpretations to conventional wisdom.

The course will also allow students to:

• gain an appreciation of the myriad issues surrounding the ownership, uses, social
impact, and policy implications of information and communication technologies,
both historically and contemporaneously;
• acquire knowledge of current trends and controversies in critical information policy
studies; and
• develop research capacity in critical information policy studies through 1) research
and analysis of a variety of secondary source materials (scholarly, policy,
mainstream media and alternative/independent media) related to a specific topic of
their choice; and 2) written work which demonstrates a clearly enunciated and
developed comprehension of the material.

COURSE STRUCTURE
For Fall 2023, the mode of instruction will be two (2) contact hours per week consisting of
in-person lectures. Class time will be comprised of approximately one hour of lecture
followed by one hour of group based work and open discussion, as well as writing exercises
focused on the weekly discussion questions.

COURSE TECHNOLOGIES
Laptops in class: Participation for this course will be based on in-class discussions of weekly
themes. Students will be provided with a discussion question prompt each week, and will
be provided time to write and post their responses to Quercus during class. It is advisable
that students come to lecture with a laptop or other device capable of connecting to the
internet to facilitate this activity. If a student encounters a challenge in accessing a device,
please consult with me so that we may make a suitable arrangement.

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Quercus: Quercus is the proprietary course management software system supported by the
University of Toronto. In this course, Quercus will be used primarily as an information
repository and clearinghouse for course reading materials and course management by the
professor and TAs. Each student is required to have a university- issued email address
(@utoronto.ca) linked to Quercus. Please be sure to check Quercus periodically for new
materials, announcements, updates and other important information. For assistance in
accessing course material on Quercus go to https://q.utoronto.ca/

Zoom:
Zoom will be used as one mode for office hours.

Course Readings
Required readings are available on Quercus through the Library Reading List. This item can
be found in the main menu on Quercus. All other course readings are available through UTL
journals and e-books, and external websites.

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 1001 - WEEKLY GUIDE FALL 2023

WEEK THEME READINGS ASSIGNMENTS

(WPC): Weekly Policy Case

Week 1: Introduction to Course No readings
September
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Week 2: From the Information Society Webster, Frank. Theories of the In-class discussion
September to the Data Society Information Society. Edited by John Urry. response
14 Third. London: Routledge, 2007. Chapter
Current Controversy: Public- 9, Information and postmodernity.
Private-Partnerships: PayIt
Plantin, Jean Christophe, Carl Lagoze, Paul
N. Edwards, and Christian Sandvig.
“Infrastructure Studies Meet Platform
Studies in the Age of Google and
Facebook.” New Media and Society 20,
no. 1 (2018): 293–310.

(WPC): EX23.2 - Innovative Partnership to

Accelerate Digital Services with Payments
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2021.EX23.2

Suggested Readings:

Pew Research Center. (2022, June 30). The

Metaverse in 2040.
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2
022/06/30/the-metaverse-in-2040/

Week 3: Knowledge Production 1:
September Ownership & Control
21
Current Controversy: Data for
Equity, Data as Public Good
Winseck, D. “Growth and Upheaval in the In-class discussion
Network Media Economy in Canada, 1984- response
2019,” 2022, 1984–2021.
https://ir.library.carleton.ca/pub/27999/.
Chapter 5: Traditional and Digital
Audiovisual Media (AVM) Services: From
Ad- Supported Content Media to Fast
Growing Subscription-based Digital Media.

Valverde, and Alexandra Flynn. “Smart

Cities in Canada: Digital Dreams,
Corporate Designs Edited by Mariana” 58,
no. 3 (2021): 727–37.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?
abstract_id=3966552.

(WPC): EX18.6 - Data for Equity Strategy:

Supporting Equitable Services, Equity
Priorities, Performance Measurement and
Accountability

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 https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2020.EX18.6

Suggested Readings:

CIRA (Canadian Internet Registration

Authority) (2021). Unconnected: Funding
Shortfalls, Policy Imbalances and How
They Are Contributing to Canada’s Digital
Underdevelopment.
https://www.cira.ca/resources/state-
internet/report/unconnected

Week 4: Knowledge Production 2: A Hamilton, Michelle A. “‘Anyone Not on

September Different Kind of Fish the List Might as Well Be Dead’: Aboriginal
28 Peoples and the Censuses of Canada 1851
Current Controversy: – 1916.” Journal of the Canadian Historical
Indigenous Data Governance Association 18, no. 1 (2007): 22.

Kukutai, Tahu; Taylor, John. “Data

Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples:
Current Practice and Future Needs.” In
Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Toward an
Agenda, 5–24. Auckland: ANU Press, 2016.

Performance Measures and Data Unit -

Strategic Policy and Planning Division.
“Indigenous Data Governance: Rapid
Literature Review.” Toronto, 2022.

Quill, Norman. “The Moons of Winter.” In

The Moons of Winter and Other Stories, 3.
Winnipeg: University of Manitoba, 1990.

(WPC): AA17.5 - Data for Equity Strategy:

Development of the City of Toronto's
Indigenous Data Governance Framework
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2022.AA17.5

Suggested Readings:

University of Alberta Faculty of Native

Studies. “Killing the Indian in the Child.” In
Indigenous Canada: Looking Forward /
Looking Back, 33, 2022.

Week 5: Access and Digital Inclusion Stratton, Caroline. “Planning to Maintain Annotated
October 5 the Status Quo? A Comparative Study of bibliography due
Digital Equity Plans of Four Large US this week
Cities.” The Journal of Community

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Current Controversy: Digital Informatics 17 (2021): 46–71.
Rights https://doi.org/10.15353/joci.v17i.3576.

Digital Future Society. “Beyond Digital

Access as a Human Right in Cities:
Proposing an Integrated, Multi-
Dimensional Approach.” Barcelona, 2023.

Lane, Lottie. “Private Providers of

Essential Public Services and de Jure
Responsibility for Human Rights.” In
Socio-Economic Human Rights in Essential
Public Services Provision, edited by Hallo
De Wolf Antenor, Brigit C A Toebes, and
Marlies Hesselman, 22. New York:
Routledge, 2017.

(WPC): EX32.1 - ConnectTO Program

Update
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2022.EX32.1

Suggested Readings:

UN General Assembly, Human Rights

Council. (2022, May 13). 50th Session.
Internet Shutdowns: Trends, Causes, Legal
Implications and Impacts on a Range of
Human Rights. LINK

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Week 6 Digital Citizenship & Literacy Tandoc, Edson C., Zheng Wei Lim, and In-class discussion
October Richard Ling. “Defining ‘Fake News’: A response
12 Current Controversy: Typology of Scholarly Definitions.” Digital
Mis/Disinformation Journalism 6, no. 2 (2018): 137–53.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2017.1
360143.

Pickard, Victor. “Unseeing Propaganda:

How Communication Scholars Learned to
Love Commercial Media” 2, no. April
(2021): 1–9.

(WPC): HL4.3 - Addressing Vaccine

Hesitancy
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2019.HL4.3

Suggested Readings:

Canada, House of Commons. (2018).

Democracy Under Threat: Risks and
Solutions in the Era of Disinformation and
Data Monopoly. Report of the Standing
Committee on Access to Information,
Privacy, and Ethics. 42nd Parliament, 1st
Session, December.
https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentV
iewer/en/42-1/ETHI/report-17/

Week 7: Privacy & Surveillance Pasquale, Frank. The Black Box Society: In-class discussion
October The Secret Algorithms That Control response
19 Current Controversy: Money and Information. Cambridge, MA,
Regulation of Bots in the USA: Harvard University Press, 2015.
Public Domain Chapter 2, Digital reputation in an era of
runaway data

Andrejevic, Mark. “The Work of Being

Watched: Interactive Media and the
Exploitation of Self-Disclosure.” Critical
Studies in Media Communication 19, no. 2
(2002): 230–48.
https://doi.org/10.1080/07393180216561
.

(WPC): IE26.12 - Automated Micro-Utility

Devices - Accessibility Feedback
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2021.IE26.12

Suggested Readings:

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 Sarah Myers West. (2019). Data
Capitalism: Redefining the Logics of
Surveillance and Privacy. Business &
Society 58(1) 20–41.

Week 8: AI & Cybernetics Noble, Safiya U. “Introduction - The Power Briefing note due
October of Algorithms.” In Algorithms of this week
26 Current Controversy: Oppression, 64–109. New York: New York
Regulating IOT University Press, 2020.

Foerster, Heinz Von. “Cybernetics of

Cybernetics.” Review Literature And Arts
Of The Americas 8 (1979): 5–8.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00219436840210
0104.

(WPC): EX31.7 - City of Toronto Digital

Infrastructure Strategic Framework: A new
principles-based approach for the
planning and use of technology and data
in Toronto
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2022.EX31.7

Suggested Readings:

Ana Brandusescu. (2021, March). Artificial

Intelligence Policy and Funding in Canada:
Public Investments, Private Interests.
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on
Montreal, McGill University.
https://www.mcgill.ca/centre-
montreal/files/centre-montreal/ai-policy-
and-funding-in-canada_executive-
summary_engfra.pdf

Karen Hao. (2022). Artificial Intelligence is

Creating a New Colonial World Order, in
AI Colonialism series. MIT Technology
Review, April 19.
https://www.technologyreview.com/supe
rtopic/ai-colonialism-supertopic/

Week 9: Data Ethics Zimmer, Michael. “‘But the Data Is Already In-class discussion
November Public’: On the Ethics of Research in response
2 Current Controversy: Facebook.” Ethics and Information
AI in the Public Domain Technology 12, no. 4 (June 4, 2010): 313–
25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-010-
9227-5.

Gangadharan, Seeta Peña. “The Downside

of Digital Inclusion: Expectations and

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 Experiences of Privacy and Surveillance
among Marginal Internet Users.” New
Media & Society, 2015.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448156140
53.

(WPC): GL11.4 - Review of Enhanced

Security Measures at Toronto City Hall
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2020.GL11.4

Suggested Readings:

Angela Chen. (2019). Regulating or

Breaking Up Big Tech: An Antitrust
Explainer. Technology Review, June 5.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2019
/06/05/135080/big-tech-breakup-
regulation-antitrust-apple-amazon-
google-facebook-doj-ftc-policy/

November Reading Week, No Class

6-10:
Week 10: Platforms Kesselring, Sven, Malene Freudendal- In-class discussion
November Pedersen, and Dennis Zuev. “Sharing response
16 Current Controversy: Mobilities and the Mobile Risk Society.”
Regulating the Sharing Sharing Mobilities, 2020, 1–16.
Economy https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429489242-
1.

Srnicek, Nick. Platform Capitalism.

Cambridge: Polity Press, 2017. Chapter 2,
Platform Capitalism.

(WPC): LS23.1 - Licensing and Registration

Regulations for Short-Term Rentals
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2017.LS23.1

Suggested Readings:

Lina M. Khan. (2018). Chapter 4:

Amazon— An Infrastructure Service and
Its Challenge to Current Antitrust Law. In
Martin Moore and Damian Tambini (Eds.),
Digital Dominance: The Power of Google,
Amazon, Facebook, and Apple (pp. 98-
129). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
LINK

Siva Vaidhyanathan. (2011). Introduction,

The Gospel of Google (pp. 12-19) in The

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 Googlization of Everything (And Why We
Should Worry). Berkeley: University of
California Press. LINK

Week 11: Digital Labour Shepherd, Tamara. “Gendering the

November Commodity Audience in Social Media.” Council report due
23 Current Controversy: The Routledge Companion to Media & this week
Regulating UBER Gender, no. 11282 (2015).
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203066911.
ch14.

Huws, Ursula. “The Hassle of Housework:

Digitalisation and the Commodification of
Domestic Labour.” Feminist Review 123,
no. 1 (2019): 8–23.
https://doi.org/10.1177/01417789198797
25.

(WPC): LS10.3 - A New Vehicle-for-Hire

Bylaw to Regulate Toronto's Ground
Transportation Industry
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2016.LS10.3

Suggested Readings:

Nick Dyer-Witheford. (2015). Chapter 4,

Silicon (pp. 60-80) in Cyber-Proletariat:
Global Labour in the Digital Vortex.
Toronto: Between the Lines Press and
London: Pluto Press. LINK
Week 12: Conclusion to Course
November
30

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 INF 1001 ASSIGNMENTS for 2023

ASSIGNMENT DUE DATE WEIGHT Relation to Course Learning

Outcomes
Assignment 1: Weeks 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 15% CLO 1, CLO 3
Weekly Discussion 10. 6 discussion
Responses responses drafted in-
class (due by end of
class)
Assignment 2: October 5 by 20% CLO 1, CLO 2
Annotated midnight via Quercus
Bibliography for
Briefing Note
Assignment 3: October 26 by 30% CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4
Briefing Note midnight via Quercus
Assignment 4: November 23 by 35% CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4
Council Report midnight via Quercus

Course Learning Outcomes and Articulation of How Assignments and Activities Assess
Attainment of Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course students will:

• CLO1: Develop an appreciation of the myriad issues surrounding the ownership,

uses, social impact, and policy implications of information and communication
technologies, both historically and contemporaneously;
• CLO 2: Construct a contextual framework in order to analyze the major social issues
and developments associated with information creation, dissemination and use;
• CLO 3: Become conversant with current trends in critical information policy studies;
• CLO 4: Articulate in a professional capacity trends and issues in critical information
policy studies.

These learning outcomes will be demonstrated through assignments that particularly aim
to develop research and writing capacity in critical information policy studies through:

• Research and analysis of a variety of secondary source materials (scholarly, policy,

mainstream media and alternative/independent media) related to a specific topic of
their choice (annotated bibliography, briefing note, council report).
• Oral and written work which demonstrates a clearly enunciated and developed
comprehension of the material (weekly discussion responses, annotated
bibliography, briefing note, council report).

Relationship of Course Objectives to MI Program Outcomes

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The course aligns with various Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) of the MI (see
http://current.ischool.utoronto.ca/studies/learning-outcomes). Issues covered in the
course will allow students to become “conversant with fundamental concepts, theories,
practices, and the diverse horizons of information disciplines”, so that they “can respond to
changing information practices and needs of society” (SLO 1); the course will allow them to
develop social responsibility as information professionals through the development of
“knowledge and values appropriate to their future exercise of economic, cultural, and/or
social leadership” (SLO 2). Assignments will allow “students [to] develop the ability to
contribute through research and publication, to the continuous expansion and critical
assessment of the body of knowledge underlying the information”(SLO 3); “develop an
understanding of the development of theory concerning information, where it is found, and
how it is used” (SLO 4), and provide students the ability to “continue in life-long intellectual
growth beyond graduation” (SLO 6).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS

Every effort will be made to return assignments within 2-weeks from the date of submission.
If there is a delay in returning assignments because of unforeseen circumstances, the class
will be notified.

Rubrics for each assignment will be available on Quercus.

ASSIGNMENT 1: WEEKLY IN-CLASS DISCUSSION RESPONSES

During the final hour of class each week, students will engage in open discussion regarding
the week’s theme with particular attention paid to the relevancy of the readings to the
weekly policy case. Students will be provided with a discussion question prompt during class
to facilitate writing a 100-200 word response for posting to the course Quercus page.
Students will receive one free pass without penalty for the in-class discussion responses,
please email the evening before class (if possible) to request your free pass. Responses will
be graded on the extent to which they incorporate and synthesize content from our in-class
discussions, with a point scale of 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5.

Requirements:
Length: 100-200 (max!) words
Due: Day of lecture by end of class
Overall grade weight: 15% (2.5% per response)

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STUDENT WORKGROUPS FOR ASSIGNMENTS 3 AND 4

Students have been randomly assigned to workgroups for assignments 3 and 4. Each
workgroup will be assigned one of the policy topics listed below with recommended
sources. Both the Briefing Note (assignment 3) and the Staff Report (assignment 4) will be
completed as a collaborative undertaking by the work group, and individual student grades
will be based on the documents produced by the group. It is strongly recommended that
you initiate contact with your group peers by the second week of the course. The feedback
your group will receive from assignment 3 (Briefing Note) will assist in finalizing your policy
recommendations for assignment 4 (Staff Report).

Workgroup Policy Topics and recommended sources:

• Governing AI use in the public realm

o Government of Canada. (2018). Inclusion in AI Development and
Deployment: Creating Applications that Address Key Socio-economic
Challenges and Serve all Members of Society Positively, draft discussion
paper for the December 6th, 2018, G7 Multistakeholder Conference on
Artificial Intelligence in Montreal, Canada.
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/133.nsf/vwapj/1_Discussion_Paper_-
_AI_for_Society_EN.pdf/$FILE/1_Discussion_Paper_-
_AI_for_Society_EN.pdf
o Montréal Declaration for Responsible AI https://www.montrealdeclaration-
responsibleai.com/
o Government of Canada. (2019). Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence.
https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-
government/digital-government-innovations/responsible-use-ai.html
Ben Green. (2021). The Contestation of Tech Ethics: A Sociotechnical
Approach to Technology Ethics in Practice. Journal of Social Computing
2(3), September. DOI: 10.23919/JSC.2021.0018. And in The Digital
Humanist, February 25, 2022,
https://thedigitalhumanist.org/category/technology/
Dylan Baker & Alex Hanna. (2022, June 7). AI ethics are in danger. Funding
independent research could help. Stanford Social Innovation Review.
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/ai_ethics_are_in_danger_funding_independ
ent_research_could_help

• Digital access as statutory right

o Nour Abdelaal & Sam Andrey (2022, January). Overcoming Digital Divides
Series: What We Heard and Recommendations.
https://www.ryersonleadlab.com/overcoming-digital-divides-what-we-
heard
o Mersereau, Michel. “Constructing Household Routines with the Internet -
Assessing the Role of the Internet in Normalizing Household Productivity.”

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 Journal of Community Informatics 18, no. 1 (2022): 61–87.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15353/joci.v18i1.4679.
o Hambly, Helen, David Worden, and William Gilliam. “COVID-19 and Internet
Access: The Pandemic Experience in Rural Canada,” no. March (2021).
o ConnectTO Program Update https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2022.EX32.1
o Digital Future Society. “Beyond Digital Access as a Human Right in Cities:
Proposing an Integrated, Multi-Dimensional Approach.” Barcelona, 2023.
o Lane, Lottie. “Private Providers of Essential Public Services and de Jure
Responsibility for Human Rights.” In Socio-Economic Human Rights in
Essential Public Services Provision, edited by Hallo De Wolf Antenor, Brigit C
A Toebes, and Marlies Hesselman, 22. New York: Routledge, 2017.
o ConnectTO Program Update https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-
item.do?item=2022.EX32.1

• Regulating Short-Term rentals

o Licensing and Registration Regulations for Short-Term Rentals
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2017.LS23.1
o Valentin, Maxence. “Regulating Short-Term Rental Housing: Evidence from
New Orleans.” Real Estate Economics 49, no. 1 (2021): 152–86.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6229.12330.
o Jamasi, Zohra. “Regulating Airbnb and the Short-Term Rental Market,” no.
June (2017).
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/
Ontario Office/2017/06/Regulating Airbnb and the Short-Term Rental
Market_FINAL.pdf.
o Zwick, Austin, and Zachary Spicer. “Mobilizing the Platform Economy:
Regulating Short-Term Rentals in Toronto.” In The Platform Economy and
the Smart City : Technology and the Transformation of Urban Policy, 2021.

• Governing the use of sensors and IOT based surveillance in the public realm
o Zwick, Austin, and Zachary Spicer. “Mobilizing the Platform Economy:
Regulating Short-Term Rentals in Toronto.” In The Platform Economy and the
Smart City : Technology and the Transformation of Urban Policy, 2021.
https://ezproxy.taylors.edu.my/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/lo
gin.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xww&AN=3044612&site=ehost-
live&scope=site.
o City of Toronto Digital Infrastructure Strategic Framework: A new principles-
based approach for the planning and use of technology and data in Toronto
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2022.EX31.7
o Surveillance Studies Centre. (2022, May 18). Beyond Big Data Surveillance:
Freedom and Fairness – A Report for All Canadians.
https://www.surveillance-studies.ca/news/beyond-big-data-surveillance-
report-released

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 o Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2021). Projecting Our Values
into Laws: Laying the Foundation for Responsible Innovation, December 9.
2020-2021 Annual Report to Parliament on the Privacy Act and the Personal
Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/opc-actions-and-
decisions/ar_index/202021/ar_202021/
o UN Human Rights Council, Office of the High Commissioner. (2019, October
16). Right to Privacy: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to
Privacy, A/HRC/40/63. https://undocs.org/A/HRC/40/63

ASSIGNMENT 2: Annotated Bibliography For Briefing Note

Students will write an annotated bibliography that will be useful, and feed into, Assignment
3 (Briefing Note) and Assignment 4 (Staff Report). The bibliography is written as an
individual assignment, but its focus will align with the policy topic assigned to the student's
workgroup. It is strongly recommended that students refer to the weekly policy case for
their selection, with particular attention paid to the background materials associated with
the council decision at-hand. This exercise is intended prepare students for Assignment 3.

Literature comprising an annotated bibliography can include a combination of scholarly

books, journal articles, book chapters, industry reports, policy reports, legislation, legal
cases, and news reports.

An annotated bibliography provides a full bibliographic citation, and 1-3 paragraphs that
provide both a description and an evaluation of the source. An excellent guide is Deborah
Kent, Writing an Annotated Bibliography, http://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-
writing/annotated-bibliography/

Requirements:
Length: 5 (minimum) to 7 (maximum) sources (excluding those found in the weekly policy
case)
Due: October 6 by midnight via Quercus
Overall grade weight: 20%

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ASSIGNMENT 3: Briefing Note (Workgroup Assignment)

One of the key areas of distinction between the elected and administrative domains of
government policymaking is found in the processes that policy practitioners use to research
and develop the policy recommendations that elected officials ultimately vote on.

A briefing note is a document developed by policy staff at the initial or early stages of a
formal policy recommendation. While briefing notes can vary in scope and structure, there
are four primary elements that are common to all: a briefing note clarifies the central and
key issues under consideration (the issue), provides any relevant decisions made by elected
officials on that issue (background), summarizes the research undertaken by staff to date
(findings), and identifies the next steps that staff will undertake to finalize a formal report
(next steps/implementation).

This assignment builds off the annotated bibliographies developed your workgroup peers
in assignment 2. As a group, you will begin to narrow down preliminary policy
recommendations from the broader themes associated with the annotated bibliographies
produced by each group member. Primary sources for this assignment must include those
associated with the assigned policy topics, and may also include any of the scholarly sources
reviewed for assignment 2. The structure of the briefing note will be as follows:

1. The Issue
2. Background
3. Findings
4. Next Steps

A detailed guide to conduct this assignment with examples will be posted on Quercus and
discussed in class!

Requirements:
Length: 1000-1250 words maximum (not including references)
Due: October 27 by midnight via Quercus
Overall grade weight: 30%

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ASSIGNMENT 4: Staff Report (Workgroup Assignment)

The primary intersection between the elected and administrative domains of government
is the drafting and delivery of a final staff report for action that, if approved by vote of the
elected body, becomes formal policy, regulation, or law. This document provides a more
detailed and thorough analysis of the key policy issues at hand, a more comprehensive
report on the research undertaken by staff inclusive of any consultations with implicated
communities or constituencies, and clearly defined policy actions recommended by staff.

This assignment requires that workgroups assume a clear and critically framed policy
position as the basis for their final policy recommendations. You will summarize the key
policy issue, present your recommendations using clear language and with references to
any existing regulations, codes or by-laws implicated in their scope (changes, amendments,
etc.), identify any and all prior direction provided by elected officials on the issue, and
present the results of your analysis and research. Primary sources for this assignment must
include those associated with the assigned policy topic, and may also include any of the
scholarly sources reviewed for assignments 2 and 3.

The staff reports associated with the weekly policy cases are excellent resources to assist
you in drafting this assignment, though the structure of the staff report for our course will
be limited to the following sections:

1. Background/summary of policy issue

2. Recommendations for action
3. Decision history
4. Research & analysis inclusive of jurisdictional scan

A detailed guide to conduct this assignment with examples will be posted on Quercus and
discussed in class!

Requirements:
Length: 1500-1750 words, excluding references
Due: November 24 by midnight via Quercus
Overall grade weight: 35%

GUIDELINES FOR INF 1001 ASSIGNMENTS

Citations
Citations should be complete, consistent throughout an assignment, and in a style suited to
the topic. Please note: All references, notes, and citations to publications, web sites, e-
resources, manuscripts, and records must be full and complete. It is the students’

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responsibility to ensure accuracy and completeness. A citation style guide can be found
here: https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/c.php?g=251103&p=1741147

Format
For written assignments: Typed, double space, 12-point font, one-inch margins, page
numbers in the upper or lower right-hand corner, name, student ID, and date flush left on
the first page (no cover sheets, please). Total word count should be indicated at the end of
the assignment.

All written assignments for this course must be submitted on Quercus. Use Word and if
no access to the MS Suite, PDF. Name your file as:

yourlastname-first letter of first name_1001_a#:

for instance: lastname_1001_a3.docx

Assignment Extensions
Please see Late Assignments, below, in Course Policies.

INF 1001 COURSE POLICIES

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Toronto is committed to equity, human rights and respect for diversity.
All members of the learning environment in this course should strive to create an
atmosphere of mutual respect where all members of our community can express
themselves, engage with each other, and respect one another’s differences. U of T does not
condone discrimination or harassment against any persons or communities.

Academic integrity
Please consult the University’s site on Academic Integrity. The Faculty of Information has a
zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism as defined in section B.I.1.(d) of the University’s Code
of Behaviour on Academic Matters (PDF). You should acquaint yourself with the Code.
Please review the material in Cite it Right and if you require further clarification, consult the
site How Not to Plagiarize (PDF).

Cite it Right covers relevant parts of the U of T Code of Behaviour on Academic

Matters (1995). It is expected that all Faculty of Information students take the Cite it Right
workshop and the online quiz. Completion of the online Cite it Right quiz should be made
prior to the second week of classes as the workshop is now interactive. To review and
complete the workshop, visit the Orientation e-Workshops on the Virtual Inforum.

Grading
Please consult the Faculty of Information’s:

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 • Grade Interpretation Guidelines: https://ischool.utoronto.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2016/11/grade-interpretation.pdf
• The University Assessment and Grading Practices Policy:
http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Assets/Governing+Council+Digital+Asse
ts/Policies/PDF/grading.pdf
• The Guidelines on the Use of INC, SDF, & WDR:
https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/policies-guidelines/inc-sdf-wdr/

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the University Assessment and Grading
Practices Policy. Please refer to the grading policy on the governing council website.

Attendance:
Regular attendance in class is a graded portion of this course. Part of your grade is based on
participation with in-class activities. Students are permitted one free pass without academic
penalty for in-class discussion questions. Please email me the evening before to use this
pass. If you miss a class it is your responsibility to find out what you missed from your fellow
students.

Late Assignments
Extensions for assignments are granted at the discretion of the professor, ideally before the
assignment is due, unless there are extenuating circumstances and you are not able to
communicate with me ahead of time. Please e-mail me if you know ahead of time that you
need a short extension (generally, 3-5 days maximum). Reasonable circumstances for
requesting an extension include unforeseen personal illness, family illness or crisis,
childcare/eldercare responsibilities, and other extenuating situations that are particularly
exacerbated by the pandemic.

It is important that you keep me apprised of any delays in receiving your coursework! I
strive for a 2-week turnaround (maximum) to return marked assignments from the due-
date; however, if you have received an extension or your assignments or if they are late, I
reserve the right to return your assignment at a later date. Some assignments are iterative
in nature (e.g., annotated bibliography leading to the policy brief/essay) so it is ideal that
you complete the assignment on time, in order to give you timely feedback. Note that
relevant accommodations outlined in a Letter of Accommodation will be respected.

Last Date to Drop the Course Without Academic Penalty: November 6, 2023. All efforts
will be made to return Assignment 2 by that deadline, if the assignment is turned in on time.

Absence Declaration Tool: Students should use the Absence Declaration tool on
ACORN (ACORN Help > Profile & Settings) to declare an absence if they require
consideration for missed academic work; students are responsible for contacting instructors
to request the academic consideration they are seeking; students should record each day
of their absence as soon as it begins, up until the day before they return to classes or other
academic activities.

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All students will be able to indicate an absence once per term, for a total of 7 consecutive
calendar days, via the ACORN Absence Declaration Tool. No additional documentation is
required. Students should not assume that their submission automatically initiates the
process of academic consideration. It is the student’s responsibility to contact their
instructors directly to arrange for academic consideration.

Once the academic term is over, any student work that has not been completed and
requires more time must be a petition to student services with proper
documentation. The Absence Declaration may not be used for coursework extensions
beyond the end of term. The Verification of Illness or injury (VOI) is also in use.

Details regarding the ACORN Absence Declaration can be found on the University
Registrar’s Office here.

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Accommodations
Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. If you have a
disability or a health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to
approach Student Services and/or the Accessibility Services Office
http://www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/as as soon as possible. The Accessibility Services staff
are available by appointment to assess needs, provide referrals and arrange appropriate
accommodations. The sooner you let us know your needs, the quicker we can assist you in
achieving your learning goals in this course.
To book an appointment with an Accessibility Advisor, please connect with the Accessibility
Services front desk via email at accessibility.services@utoronto.ca or call (416) 978-8060.
Consultation appointments are available to discuss any questions about the Accessibility
Services registration process and/or potential accommodation support. The on-location
Accessibility Advisor at the Faculty of Information is Michael Mercer.

Academic Dates
https://ischool.utoronto.ca/current-students/academic-resources/academic-calendar/

Student Behaviour
All students registered at the University of Toronto are still required to conduct themselves
in a respectful manner whilst undertaking studies online. The Code of Student Conduct
applies and will be enforced regardless of the physical location where students are
undertaking their studies. Offenses against other persons will not be tolerated whether
committed in person or online.

Writing Support
As stated in the Faculty of Information’s Grade Interpretation Guidelines, “work that is not
well written and grammatically correct will not generally be considered eligible for a grade
in the A range, regardless of its quality in other respects.” With this in mind, please make
use of the writing support provided to graduate students by the SGS Graduate Centre for
Academic Communication. The services are designed to target the needs of both native and
non-native speakers and all programs are free. Please consult the current workshop
schedule https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/resources-supports/gcac/ for more information.

Information about Faculty of Information iSkills and co-curricular Workshops

The following workshop series are exclusively available to the Faculty of Information
community. Faculty of Information professors, Inforum librarians, current students, alumni,
and a collective of professionals and academics from each program and concentration, work
together to create these unique rosters. Together with the MMSt and MI curricula, these
academic, professional, and technical iSkills workshops provide a robust information and
heritage graduate educational experience.

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In an effort to ensure your success at the Faculty of Information, key information and skills
that all Faculty of Information students must possess, regardless of program or
concentration, are covered in these orientation workshops.

Masking
The University’s mask requirements have been lifted as of July 1, 2023. Some members of
our community may choose to continue to wear a mask. We ask everyone to respect each
other’s decisions, comfort levels and health needs. Mask requirements may be reinstated
at short notice in the event public health guidance or recommendations change. I would
feel more comfortable if students and I both wore a medical-grade mask in instructional
spaces and in meetings during office hours, if you are able.

The University’s COVID-19 Information page is at: COVID-19 Information - Environmental

Health & Safety (utoronto.ca). Information about masks can be found here:
https://www.utoronto.ca/utogether/masks

Statement on Copyright: Please be advised that the intellectual property rights in the
material referred to on this syllabus, and posted on the course site, may belong to the
course instructor or other persons. You are not authorized to reproduce or distribute such
material, in any form or medium, without the prior consent of the intellectual property
owner. Violation of intellectual property rights may be a violation of the law and University
of Toronto policies and may entail significant repercussions for the person found to have
engaged in such act. If you have any questions regarding your right to use the material in a
manner other than as set forth in the syllabus, please speak to your instructor.

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