Your first step is to “conduct research” that will help you make a sound decision regarding the purchase of a new digital camera. You will need to use the Web in order to complete your research project. There are four (4) “Phases” to your assignment. If the announced deadline is not met for a specific Phase, points will not be recorded for that Phase.

Phase One—Preliminary Investigation Phase

First, do some broad research on the subject of “digital photography”. Briefly explain what it is (definition), what advantages there are to digital photography over “film” photography and how digital photography has developed over the past five or six years. You must use at least 3 Web sources for your research.

Second, develop a list of potential uses for a digital camera (a minimum of five). For example, you may want a digital camera to take family photos, to use digital photos in developing a web page, etc.

Third and most important, develop a list of factors that you will use to buy the camera itself. Your purpose during this step is to develop 8-10 criteria or rating factors that you will later use to rate three (3) possible cameras under consideration. For example, when you buy a new camera, one of your criteria may be cost. At this point, a smart decision maker would not be thinking at all about which specific camera to buy, but instead deciding on what criteria or factors he or she will use in evaluating each possible model (the possible models come later). For example, when you plan a vacation, one of your criteria may be nearness to the beach. So remember, you must first come up with the rating criteria before you decide on the camera itself. Criteria (rating factors) will be different for different people, but the criteria you choose should reflect your research and not someone else’s!!

Phase 1 Checklist – 100%
o Minimum One Page document in MS Word
o Background on “Digital Photography”
o (50% – definition, advantages over film, and advances in digital technology over the past 5 years.
o A “bullet” list of at least five (5) uses of a digital camera – (10%)
o A “bullet” list of at least eight (8) criteria to rate your camera – (15%)
o The URL of at least three (3) web sites you used in your research – (25%)

Phase Two—Weighting the Evaluation Criteria

First, based on the 8-10 criteria or rating factors you used in Phase 1 of your Research Project, decide what weight or importance each criterion should have, given your particular needs and purposes. Enter the criteria and their weights into an Excel workbook. The only requirement is that all the criteria weights must add up to 100%, and the weights should reflect the importance or ranking criteria you are assigning to each specific criterion. For example, cost may be the most important factor in your list. You might give it a “weight” of 40% while color may only get a weight of 5%.

Open Microsoft Excel 2010, Type the following information in the cells (blocks you see). Enter your own criteria and weights which should equal to 100. Please make sure that the weight is in a percentage format. For example 50% or .50.

DIGITAL CAMERA RATINGS
Report Produced by: put your name here

Criteria Weight
Criteria 1
Criteria 2
Criteria 3
Criteria 4
Criteria 5
Criteria 6
Criteria 7
Criteria 8

Overall Ratings 100%

Phase 2 Checklist – 100%
o Work completed using MS Excel – 25%
o Minimum 8 criteria – 25%
o Criteria total equals one hundred percent – 50%

NOTE: The instructor recommends that all students submit the work 1 day early from the assigned date to avoid any technical problems.

 
Phase Three—Gathering Specific Information+ Taking Notes:

First, using the 8-10 criteria or rating factors you used in Phases 1 and 2 of your Research Project, collect specific information on three (3) different digital cameras. Visit several different web sites where you can gather specific information about each of your three choices. The three cameras should at least have a majority of the criteria you would use if you were to purchase a camera. You must include the information taken from the web site(s) when you turn in Phase 3.

Use Excel and type your notes. A sample handout will be provided that shows how to setup your worksheet for phase III. This is a continuation of phase II, so you will have to open phase II and create a new sheet and rename it phase III

Phase 3 Checklist – 100%
o Inclusion of at least 6 web address- 25%
o Proper formatting of worksheet – 75% (sample provided)

NOTE: The instructor recommends that all students submit the work 1 day early from the assigned date to avoid any technical problems.

Phase Four—Putting Together the Final Project

Your completed spreadsheet will evaluate the three specific cameras you choose to research. It should be formatted like software assignment #1 with appropriate labels, values and formulas. You will also have to create a chart (column, pie, line, etc) that properly compares two or more characteristics from your phase III.

In addition, you will need to create a Word document in APA format. You should build upon phase I, and then present a detailed explanation for why you chose the camera you plan to purchase (use information from phase IV worksheet). You should discuss the choice you selected, the rating criteria selected and the rational for the ranking of the criteria in an essay of 1000 words minimum. You must cite information that you incorporated from phase I and phase III in the final phase (phase IV). You are presenting your final decision here and explaining all of the background for arriving at that decision. The ratings you assigned each camera should reflect your final decision.

In addition, you will create an appendix that documents four or more ethical issues associated with digital cameras or related technologies. Next, you will research two emerging technologies related to digital cameras. Finally you will highlight benefits and limitations of those emerging technologies.

Phase 4 Checklist – 100%
o Spreadsheet that is formatted similar to software assignment #1 with accurate and relevant data (50%) – a sample will be provided
o Word document in APA format that meets total number of words requirement, recommendation that supports data from spreadsheet, and appendix information (50%)