Master of Information Systems...To obtain the Master of Information Systems degree, you have to...

Revised August 2020 https://mis-upou.net/article/mis-program-handbook

University of the Philippines Open University

Faculty of Information and Communication Studies

Master of Information Systems Program Handbook Academic Year 2020-2021

The information in this handbook was accurate at the time of publication. However, UPOU is a dynamic institution and must reserve the right to make changes in degree requirements, regulations, and procedures. Prepared by: Concepcion L. Khan | Program Chair Jeyneth Ann R. Mariano | Research Assistant Kathryna Marie M. Lopez | Research Assistant

Table of Contents General Information 2

A Word about Open and Distance Learning 3

The Master of Information Systems Program 4

Program Tracking 5

The Courses, Unit Load, Schedule of Offering, and Prerequisites

Core Courses 6

Elective Courses 7

Guidelines in Preparing the Information Systems Capstone

Project 10

Appendices

Appendix A: Academic Policies and Guidelines 21

Appendix B: Other Academic Policies and Guidelines 33

Appendix C: Academic Calendar 36

Appendix D: General Style Guide 38

Appendix E: List of Faculty 66

2 || MIS Program Handbook

General Information Welcome to the Master of Information Systems (MIS) Program! This handbook is created to guide you on your journey as an MIS graduate student. We hope that this

may help you to have a fruitful learning experience with the program.

The Master of Information Systems (MIS) program is designed to provide professionals in the Information Technology industry with advanced training in information systems without requiring them to take extended leaves from their

current posts.

After completing this program, you will be expected to be able to demonstrate in -depth understanding of technical concepts and ethical issues pertaining to information systems, and to undertake the proper design, implementation , and

maintenance of a production-grade information system.

To obtain the Master of Information Systems degree, you have to complete all the program requirements as indicated in this Program Handbook.

The following are the MIS Program point persons:

Assoc. Prof. Concepcion L. Khan Program Chair, Master of Information Systems [email protected]

Dr. Alexander G. Flor Dean, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies [email protected]

Asst. Prof. Joyce A. Manalo Faculty Secretary, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies [email protected]

Ms. Margaret S. Jarmin-Suarez Program Officer, Faculty of Information and Communication Studies [email protected]

MIS Program Handbook || 3

A Word about Open and Distance Learning Before proceeding, I would like to share with you a few thoughts about open learning. UPOU adopts a specific type of open learning which we call Open and

Distance Learning or ODeL. All courses under the MIS program are conducted online. However, there are certain activities in the program that requires face-to-face

interaction and, thus, your physical presence. As you may know, open learning is based upon educational philosophies that are

quite different from those of residential instruction. Open education believes that learning is a cooperative endeavor between the teacher and the learner, in fact, it

may adopt circumstances attendant to lifelong learning wherein you can take the teacher out of the equation and the student learns nevertheless. It believes that the main actor in the teacher-learning process is the learner not the teacher. The learner

takes the initiative and learns on his own terms. Thus, learning is not determined by a teacher but the learner himself. These philosophies make an open university, not

just the adoption of distance and eLearning delivery systems. Without these philosophies embedded in its pedagogy and assessment, an open university becomes a poor substitute of a residential campus.

However, UPOU operates within policies and guidelines set out by the University of

the Philippines, some of which may not be entirely consistent with open education. Thus, we are guided by semestral calendars and prerequisites. Nevertheless, UPOU is an open university and this carries some implications for you, the learner.

Firstly, the responsibility for learning falls squarely upon your shoulders. If you succeed, the credit belongs to you exclusively. If you fail, you have no one to blame

but yourself. However, this does not mean that learning should be an individual activity. You are fully encouraged to form support groups or online study groups

among yourselves, using social media. Secondly, it means that you require specific qualities in order to succeed. Paramount

among these qualities are discipline, focus, and determination. You should likewise possess an analytical or critical mind.

We realize that to many of you, this open learning style may pose a bit of a culture shock. Three decades of teacher-centered education at the primary, secondary and

higher education levels have made us dependent on a teacher who decides for us and who dictates out learning preferences. Please note that here at UPOU, we

recognize that learning decisions and preferences, including schedu ling, pacing, sequencing and focus, reside primarily upon the learner within limits set by the UP system. Thus, take the initiative.

There will be no “hand holding” from the dean, the secretary, the program chair nor

your professors. Consider further that you are under a masteral program where independent thought is the hallmark of progress. Celebrate your independence.

Dr. Alexander G. Flor

Dean, FICS


About the Master of Information Systems Program

The Master of Information Systems (MIS) Program of the University of the

Philippines Open University is designed for professionals in the Information

Technology industry who would like to develop advanced training in planning,

designing, implementing, and managing production-grade information systems.

The program requires students to seek depth in their education by requiring students

to undertake 18 units of Information Systems courses, passing the comprehensive

examination, and completing 4 units of Information Systems Capstone Project. The

program also requires students to seek breadth in their education by allowing them

to choose 9 units of elective courses that encourage exploration and broaden their

exposure from a variety of domain applications for systems development.

UPOU employs the distance education (DE) mode of teaching and learning. The key

features of DE as practiced at UPOU are:

• Students and teachers are physically separated from each other. They do not

meet face-to-face in a physical classroom.

• Students undertake guided independent study of carefully selected as well as

specially designed learning materials in various media—print, video, and

multimedia.

• Interaction between teachers and students, and among students, takes place

through online tutorials in a virtual classroom. Other forms of communication

between teacher and student are email, text, and videoconferencing.

• Final examinations are conducted either face-to-face at designated learning

centers, or online. All examinations are proctored.

MIS students who have completed 18 units of Information Systems major courses

with a general weighted average (GWA) of 2.00 or better and was able to complete a

satisfactory proposal presentation of their IS 295a project are qualified to take th e

comprehensive examination. After taking and passing the comprehensive exam,

students can now take IS 295b (Information System Project Implementation).

To graduate, a student must earn a total of 31 academic units and have a GWA of

2.00. Students who are unable to meet the grade requirement may apply to be

granted the Certificate of Completion of Studies in Information Systems.


Program Tracking Below is a sample curriculum for you to be able to complete the program in two years. Normally, you could take 1-3 subjects per semester depending on your

workload (part-time students can take 1-2 subjects per semester) but you should also keep in mind that the MIS Program has a maximum residency rule of 7 years.

FIRST YEAR

First Semester IS 201 Computer Ethics (3 units)

IS 214 Principles of Programming Languages (3 units) Elective Course (3 units)**

Second Semester

IS 215 Advanced Computer Systems (3 units) IS 226 Web Information Systems (3 units)

Elective Course (3 units)** SECOND YEAR

First Semester IS 238 Client/Server Computing (3 units) IS 272 Strategic Information Systems Development (3 units)

IS 295a Information System Project Proposal (2 units)

Second Semester IS 295b Information System Project Implementation (2 units)*

Elective Course (3 units)**

TOTAL: 31 Units

*Students must pass the Comprehensive Exam before registering to IS 295b.

**List of elective courses can be found on page 7 of this handbook. Do not choose electives you have

already previously taken and credited in any program. MIS students are not allowed to take PhD

courses as electives.


The Courses, Unit Load, Schedule of Offering, and Prerequisites

CORE COURSES IS 201 Computer Ethics (3 units)

Ethical issues confronting the computer professional. First Semester

Prerequisite: COI* IS 214 Principles of Programming Languages (3 units)

Formal language theory, principles, and techniques of compiler construction, programming language, design concepts; parallelism and formal semantics.

First Semester Prerequisite: COI*

IS 215 Advanced Computer Systems (3 units) Recent developments in computer architecture and computer systems.

Second Semester Prerequisite: CMSC 203 or COI*

IS 226 Web Information Systems (3 units) WWW programming, electronic commerce and online databases.

Second Semester Prerequisite: CMSC 208 and CMSC 209 or COI*

IS 238 Client/Server Computing (3 units) Client/server computing techniques, system design, software and applications.

First Semester Prerequisite: CMSC 205 or COI*

IS 272 Strategic Information Systems Development (3 units) Information engineering concepts and tools for strategic systems planning and

development. First Semester Prerequisite: CMSC 206 or COI*

IS 295a Information System Project Proposal (2 units)

Information System Design. First and Second Semesters Prerequisite: COI*

IS 295b Information System Project Implementation (2 units)

Information System Implementation. First and Second Semesters Prerequisite: COI *COI is given to all MIS students who will take any IS courses except for IS 295b


ELECTIVE COURSES

The MIS Program requires 9 units of elective courses to be chosen by students. Elective courses may be taken from other UPOU graduate programs like Diploma in

Computer Science, Master of Development Communication, Master of ASEAN Studies, and Master of Public Management.

Strategies in choosing your electives:

1. Prioritize the recommended courses provided by FICS. Check the course prerequisite and its semester offering.

2. Opt for courses which can address your IT weaknesses. Recommended

courses to take are available in the DCS program.

3. For practical purposes, align your elective courses to the nature of your work. This can also help in improving your GWA.

4. Choose courses which can supplement your undergraduate background. For example, if you take Devcom as your undergraduate course, you can take

Computer Science courses to further harness your skills.

5. Embrace your passion and interest. This is your time to explore and grow, make the most out of it.

The following are the recommended elective courses for MIS students. If you wish to enroll in other courses not included in the list, please seek approval first from your

Program Chair.

FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES (FICS) DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

CMSC 205 Data Communications and Networking (3 units)

Principles of data communications and computer networks First Semester Prerequisite: CMSC 203 or COI

CMSC 206 Database Management Systems (3 units)

Design and implementation of database management systems; relational database and query optimization; and future trends in database designs. First Semester

Prerequisite: COI

CMSC 207 Web Programming and Development (3 units) Developing applications using web-based technologies. Second Semester

Prerequisite: CMSC 202 or COI


CMSC 208 Introduction to Software Engineering (3 units) Principles and methods of designing, implementing, validating and maintaining

software systems Second Semester Prerequisite: COI

CMSC 209 Management Information Systems (3 units)

Fundamental concepts of planning, development and information processing implementation of MIS. Second Semester

MASTER OF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION

DEVC 202 Development Communication Concepts and Approaches (3 units) A survey course on development communication traditions, theories, principles, and

approaches. First Semester

DEVC 206 Print and Broadcast Media Production (3 units) The processes and techniques of print and radio broadcast development

communication materials production from conceptualization, design and preparation to utilization.

Second Semester DEVC 207 Multimedia Production (3 units)

Development Communication Materials. Second Semester

DEVC 208 Communication, Social Marketing and Social Mobilization (3 units) Application of communication, marketing and other social science paradigms,

strategies, concepts, principles and practices in promoting and mobilizing people for developmental programs, ideas and products.

First Semester DEVC 242 Communication and Media in the ASEAN context (3 units)

The role of communication programs, information and communications technologies, mass media and media systems in the development and evolution of the ASEAN.

First Semester DEVC 263 Communication of Scientific and Technical Information (3 units)

Retrieving, processing and interpreting scientific and technical information for the utilization of scientists, educators, and other knowledge linkers.

First Semester


FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (FMDS)

MASTER OF ASEAN STUDIES

ASEAN 201 ASEAN Studies I (3 units)

Introduction to the field of ASEAN studies: the region's geography, cultures, history, politics, economies and record of interactions; and selected current issues facing the

region. First Semester

ASEAN 202 ASEAN Studies II (3 units) ASEAN regionalism, regional order, regional integration and community building

through various theoretical perspectives. First Semester

ASEAN 203 The ASEAN Organization (3 units) The ASEAN as an organic entity established by the individual and collective will of

the member organizations. History, organizational, structural and functional changes and developments, influence of intra-ASEAN and extra-ASEAN factors and dynamics to the developments and organizational evolution.

First Semester

ASEAN 204 Comparative Study of the History, Culture and Religion of ASEAN Countries (3 units) Comparative study of the history, culture and religion of ASEAN countries.

First Semester

ASEAN 205 Comparative Study of Social, Economic and Political System of ASEAN Countries (3 units) Comparative study of social, economic and political system of ASEAN countries.

First Semester

ASEAN 206 Comparative Study of the Geography and Natural Resources of ASEAN Countries (3 units) Geography, characteristics, structure, function, resources and biodiversity of major

natural habitats of the ASEAN region including unique, bio-cultural landscapes and seascapes, its conservation and sustainable use of its resources.

First Semester MASTER OF PUBLIC MANAGEMENT

PM 201 Theory and Practice of Public Administration (3 units) Ideas, issues, and trends in the theory and practice of Public Administration and

national development. First Semester

PM 208 The Philippine Administrative System (3 units) Nature, processes and dynamics of the Philippine Administrative System and its role

in national development. First and Second Semesters

Prerequisite: PM 201

10 || MIS Program Handbook – IS 295 Project Guidelines

Guidelines in Preparing the Information Systems Capstone Project

Introduction

This document is designed to help you get started with your Information Systems

Application Project, one of the final requirements for you to earn your Master of Information Systems at UPOU. It is not exhaustive, as you can see, and in fact is a work-in-progress designed to grow and respond to your needs as you undertake IS

295. FICS also has a general style guide for formatting proposals that can be found in Appendix D.

To better prepare you for the work ahead, you first have to understand what graduate-level research is all about.

Graduate research is an academic activity whose distinguishing mark is "an original

contribution to knowledge" (Chinneck, 1999). The manuscripts you prepare and the resultant Information System you produce for a target clientele are proof of your original contribution to knowledge. In your case, contribution to knowledge may

come in the form of an incremental improvement in an area of kn owledge, or the application of known techniques in a new area. Failure to prove that you have indeed

made such a contribution generally leads to failure. Now that you have that in mind, you are now ready to move on.

IS 295 is divided into 2 major undertakings: 295a and 295b. In 295a you are

expected to come up with a project proposal that needs to be approved by your adviser and the Faculty of Information of Communication Studies before any subsequent work is started. Approval of your proposal does not necessarily mean

that your work already is an original contribution to knowledge as described above. You are just halfway through, and any approval at this point means that your initial

work shows innovative ideas and promise that may lead to that desired significant and original contribution.

IS 295b is where refinements to your original idea are done and where the actual information systems development takes place. This is the other half of the entire

course and therefore the amount of time, energy, and other resources you need to get the job done is also roughly half the total amount of time required. The expected output is a bug-free1 Information System that will be stored in the open-source

repository of researches and academic work of UP Open University.

The following section details the prescribed content of your project proposal. The outline is exhaustive insofar as the entire IS project is concerned, and it is expected that the same will be seen in your submitted proposal.

1 Presumption of Innocence also holds true in Computer Science and stated in the (recursive) corollary: Any

software released is bug-free unless proven otherwise, in the latter case, appropriate corrections need to be done to ensure that the software now becomes bug-free.

MIS Program Handbook – IS 295 Project Guidelines || 11

Project Proposal2

2 This is the proposed standard to be evaluated by the Faculty of Information and Communications Studies of

the University of the Philippines – Open University.

Your project proposal should be representative of your ideas and the project of you are proposing. The following guidelines specify what you are to include in your proposal and suggest how you might present them.

Cover Page

The cover page should contain the following:

• Title (subtitle Optional)

• Name of Project Proponent

• Date Submitted

Disclaimer The following disclaimer should appear on the page following the cover:

“This project is submitted to the Faculty of Information and Communication

Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Information Systems at the University of the Philippines – Open University, Los Baños, Laguna. It is the product of my own work except where indicated

in the text. The project report or any portion thereof including the source code or any section may be freely copied and distributed provided that the source is

acknowledged.” Acceptance Sheet

The acceptance sheet should contain the following:

• Introductory paragraph

This project proposal entitled “<Insert the Title of the Proposed Project Here.>” submitted to the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies,

University of the Philippines – Open University, Los Baños, Laguna in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Information Systems is hereby accepted.

• Signature of Adviser

• Date

• Signature of the Dean

• Date


Abstract

This section gives an overall view of your project in not more than 250 words. The contents must mention the following:

• Rationale

• Problem

• Methodology

• Results

• Application/Implication

•

I. The Problem Domain

This chapter should be able to elaborate on the following sections in not more than 900 words:

A. Statement of the Problem

1. What your project will address

B. Background and Objectives of the Project

1. What initiated the project. Could be:

a. Current relevant institutional gaps

b. Improvements/enhancements to the current running systems

c. Requests by users/clientele for systems development initiative

C. Significance and Scope of the Project

D. Documentation of Existence and Seriousness of the Problem

1. Documentation of current system/s (if any)

2. Problem/s identified with the existing systems

3. Process models of existing systems contributing to the problem

4. Data models of these existing systems

5. Data (or any form of statistics) that may be relevant to prove existence and seriousness of the identified problems

II. Review of Existing Alternatives

This chapter should be able to present the following in not more than 600 words:

• Description of how users/clientele currently cope with the problem.

• Assess the best available resources for addressing the problem.

• Describe how you propose to take advantage of existing and current best

practices in your project.


III. Approach to be taken in this subject

This chapter should be able to present the following in not more than 900 words:

A. Theoretical Framework

1. Information Systems theories you intend to use

2. Systems design principles you intend to use. These include relevant process and data models

B. Rationale for the framework

1. How it fits the problem domain and goes beyond the existing alternatives

C. Technologies you plan to consider or use

1. Why these technologies are appropriate

2. What they add to the most promising existing alternative

IV. Project Plan

This chapter should contain the following sufficient detail within 1200 words:

A. Concept

1. Description of the design as you currently envision it 2. Process model, data model, and other schematics to visually present your

concept.

3. List of key features of the proposed design with brief explanation and rationale for each feature.

B. Methods

1. Brief description of the methods you will use to develop the project. Include all important steps you have taken and plan to take such as:

a. Design studies

b. Review of existing systems

c. Literature review

d. Assessment of existing alternatives

e. Production of prototypes3

f. Tryouts of prototypes with users

g. Development of assessment instruments

h. Analysis of assessment data

i. Revision of prototypes

j. Preparation of final project documentation/report

3 May be taken in the context of any preliminary design / proof of concept that is intended to orient the user/clientele of what outputs are expected from the project.


C. Plan for user testing and project assessment

1. How will you determine if the problem identified has been successfully addressed?

2. What questions do you plan to focus on answering?

3. What kinds of evidence will you collect?

4. What methods of inquiry will you use to collect this evidence?

What users, occasions, treatments, and outcomes will you study?

5. How will you analyze and interpret your findings?

D. Plan for collaboration (For collaborative projects only)

1. How will the work and responsibilities by divided?

2. How will individual contributions be integrated into the group product?

V. References This chapter contains the list of articles, books, and websites that will be useful to

this project.

VI. Appendices This chapter contains any material that impedes the smooth development of your

presentation, but which is important to justify the initiation and the subsequent results of the project.

A. Deliverables and Milestones

1. Proposal

2. Prototype

3. User testing and assessment plans

4. Report of results from user testing and project assessment

5. Suggestions for revisions of the prototype for the next version

B. Budget

C. Qualifications 1. Knowledge, skill, and experience you bring to this project.

2. Brief summary of accomplishments that shows your preparation for

undertaking this project.

3. Learning agenda: Knowledge, skill, and experience you plan to gain during your work on this project.

4. Educational background

D. Contributors / Collaborators

1. Others who will bring additional knowledge, skill, and experience to the

project.


E. Resources

1. List of resources needed for the project, including access to technology, project sites, testing environment, materials, and others.

Style and Layout of Project Proposal This is scientific work and therefore all writing involved must follow a “dissertation-

style” of writing. Following are some general tips that may be of help to you:

• Always keep the reader's background in mind (Chinneck, 1999). Put in mind the expected audience and stakeholders of your project. The expected ones

are your professors, and your target clientele. Once you have the mental picture, imagine that you are explaining your ideas directly to that person or to the group.

• Dissertation-style writing is not designed to be entertaining, nor is it a story.

Avoid flowery rhetoric and/or lengthy philosophical discourses. Go straight to the point.

• Writing must be clear and unambiguous.

• Write using the third person's point of view. Only in the preface (if any) is a

first person's point of view allowed.

• Terms must be consistent throughout the document. Do not use two or more terms to refer to the same idea. You will end up confusing which would result

to outright rejection of your proposal.

• Information presented in figures/tables/graphs must have preceding introductory paragraphs. Following the figure/table/graph, make sure that you

discuss it.

• Figures/Tables/Graphs where no discussions can be made, or the inclusion of which may derail the flow of discussion must be relocated to another section

or may be placed in the Appendices.

• Terse sentences are encouraged rather than long expository once.

• Avoid phrases like “Clearly, this is the case…”, “Obviously, it follows that...”, et cetera which imply that if the readers do not understand, then they must be

stupid (Paraphrased from Chinneck, 1999).

• Stay away from getting your opinions on paper. Make sure that literature or the solution you have presented should substantiate whatever claims you

make.

• Logical organizations. The structure and flow of your manuscript is very important. Remember, each paragraph begins with a topic sentence and the

entire content of the paragraph must relate to this topic. Paragraphs must follow a logical sequence.

• Before submitting your work, in any form, to your adviser for perusal or for

approval, make sure that it has been edited for any grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, or any composition-related shortcomings. You may also


subject it to professional scrutiny by somebody who is from the ICT industry to check for proper word/term usage.

Final Project Documentation

The chapters of the project proposal constitute the first chapters of the final project documentation. Insert an Acknowledgment page before the Abstract and a Table of

Contents after the Abstract.

Rewrite the chapters in your proposal from future tense to past tense and insert the following chapters before References.

1. Results and Discussions (Do not include User Interface or System Design; it should be discussed in the Design Studies section of the project proposal)

2. Conclusions 3. Recommendations (Contains suggestions for further research)

Include any additional references that helped you complete the project to your existing list. (You may also do some editing of your document to streamline the

presentation of ideas and substantiate the weaker spots.) For the Appendices, insert the following:

1. Complete program listing

• The program listing must be complete such that compilation of the source

code would lead to fully functional computerized system

• Any 3rd party tools embedded or used in the development of the computerized system must be fully and completely documented.

2. Technical reference

• Final system specifications

o Hardware

o Operating Systems

o Programming Language

o Server applications used

• Maintenance plan for the software system

o List of the location and content of all relevant files and instructions for installing, compiling, and configuring the software

o Dependencies on hardware and software systems should be described

3. User manual

• User manual must empower the intended users/clientele to use the system with minimal to no technical support.

• Screen shots must be captured and embedded in the document to

facilitate faster assimilation of the inner workings of the system.


4. Tables and figures

• Verbose enough to impede the smooth flow of discussions in the main

body of the project documentation. Journal Format

Follow the SigConf format provided by ACM. You can download it at the resources

section of the MIS website. Assessment Guidelines

The following guidelines are adopted from the General Guidelines and Dissertation

Guidelines to Masters Dissertation of the University of Skovde, Sweden. (http://www.ida.his.se/ida/kurser/dissertation/)

General Assessment Criteria

The following are overall minimum requirements for passing IS 295.

• There must be evidence of the student's ability to relate the subject matter of

the Information Systems Project to the existing body of knowledge in the field;

• There must be evidence that the student has undertaken an individual systematic research on

• Information Systems theories and other relevant Information and

Communications

• Technologies leading to a working Information System that addresses the identified organizational gaps;

• There must be evidence that the student has performed an individual formal

systems analysis and design, and subsequent development of a computerized Information System.

• There must be a satisfactory level of literary presentation.

Specific Assessment Criteria

The following are specific evaluation criteria (used where appropriate):

1. Understanding

• The extent to which the basic issues and arguments relating to a topic have been grasped and placed in the general context of the chosen field.

• The field should be clearly within the areas covered by the Master of

Information Systems program, or in some clearly defined overlap.

• Selection of appropriate Information and Communications Technologies

that support the identified solutions to identified organizational gaps or problem areas.


2. Coverage

• Inclusion of the appropriate material and exclusion of the irrelevant

material so that:

o The research context of the project is clearly located;

o Previous problems and solutions to the problems raised are adequately described at a detailed as well as general level.

3. Organization

• Conformance to the prescribed documentation format.

• Referencing which makes clear which elements are attributable to the

work of others and which are attributable to the student.

4. Reading Base

• Evidence of focused reading.

• Evidence of exhaustive background study leading to project initiation.

5. Use of English

• Good, clear, accurate English expression.

6. Judgment

• Capacity to arrive at reasoned and principled conclusions, both when analyzing the problem and when presenting solutions.

7. Synthesis

• The capacity to bring together a variety of ideas and research and

development outputs to form them into a coherent research and development project manuscript.

8. Insight

• The capacity to make meaningful and novel contributions based on

information gathered.

• The capacity to enter and take on board the point of view of other people as well as generate hypothetical points of view.

9. Critical Analysis

• The capacity to exercise judgment and insight to arrive at independent,

sustainable solutions.

10. Software System Accuracy

• The software system has matched the needs of the intended users/clientele reflected in the preliminary analysis and system design.

• The software system has outstanding passing results in

unit/integration/systems tests.

11. Software System Reliability

• The software system produced must work the first time every time within a

guaranteed reliability period and within the prescribed operating environment.


• Disaster control and recovery procedures, and underlying mechanisms must be incorporated in the software system design and associated

documentation.

The preceding 11 evaluation criteria are characteristics of persons able to pursue independent academic Information Systems development initiatives. That being said, therefore, all of the identified evaluation criteria are of independent and equal

importance, and are rated as either S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory). For you to pass, you need to exhibit sweeping satisfactory performance.

About Proprietary Ownership of Results

The results of the Master's Project are public domain. This means that anyone who

requests to see the project results, in general, will be allowed to do so. This can be a problem for a student who completes a Master's Project for an organization that wishes the results to remain proprietary.

If you happen to fall into the category just described, it is encouraged to discuss and

settle the issue prior to committing to the project. If the project results will contain software or concepts that an organization will claim as proprietary, then the project is not an acceptable Master's Project. Any settlements facilitating the continuance of

the project should be reflected in an official documen t and included in the appendices.

References

Chinneck, J.W. (1999). How to Organize Your Thesis. http://www.sce.carleton.ca/faculty/chinneck/thesis.htm

General Guidelines and Dissertation Guidelines to Masters Dissertation. (2003).

http://www.ida.his.se/ida/kurser/disseratation/

Guidelines for LDT Master's Project Proposals. (2001).

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/ldt/docs/masters_template.pdf Guidelines for Project Judging. (2003).

http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/academics/masters/final_project/guidelines.html

Hints for Research Students. http://www.virtosphere.de/schillo/research/tips.html

Kaufman, R. (2003). Writing a Successful Proposal. http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Orchestra/5108/cap22.html

Keoford, P.E.

Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, U.S.A.: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Levine, S.J. Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation.

http://www.LearnerAssociates.net


Librero, F., Suva, M.M., and Tirol, M.S.C. (2002). Dev Com 204: Communication

Research and Evaluation. University of the Philippines – Open University.

Master's Project Guidelines: Guidelines for Computer Science Masters Projects. http://www.cs.rpi.edu/grad/MSProj.html

Msc.I.T Project Guidelines 2001. http://nick.dcs.qmul.ac.uk/~ohearn/MScIT_Projects/

Rudestam, K.E. and Newton, R.R. (1992). Surviving Your Dissertation: A

Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process. U.S.A.: Sage Publications,

Inc.

Writing the Research Proposal. http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/rgendron/proposals.html

MIS Program Handbook – Academic Policies and Guidelines || 21

Appendix A

ACADEMIC POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

*Approved during the 1st University Council Meeting of the University of the Philippines Open University held on May 12, 1995 at the College of Mass Communication Auditorium, University of the

Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

I. ADMISSION

A. Admission

No student shall be denied admission to the University system by reason of age, sex, nationality, religious belief, or political affiliation.

Any person seeking admission into a program must satisfy the minimum

admission requirements specified in the program applied for. Relevant working experience may be considered in lieu of the minimum admission requirements by the Program Admission committee.

All other applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements specified in

the program may be admitted as non-degree students. A student may transfer to the UPOU from another constituent university of

vice-versa subject to his/her fulfillment of the requirements for admission as a transfer student by the university to which he/she is transferring.

Admission Requirements

Applicants who have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Diploma in Computer Science, or other IT-related courses with a general weighted

average (GWA) of 2.00 or better are qualified for admission. All other applicants must satisfy the following qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in any field from any recognized institution with

a GWA of 2.00 or better;

• Proficiency in at least one programming language; and

• Two years work experience related to Information Systems development.

Applicants who do not satisfy the above requirements will be advised to apply to the Diploma in Computer Science program.

B. Deferment of Admission

An applicant is granted admission for a specific semester/term. If, for some reason, the applicant cannot enter the University in the term applied for,

he/she may request deferment of admission to a later term.

22 || MIS Program Handbook – Academic Policies and Guidelines

The request for deferment should be made not later than one month after the

start of the term to which the student is first admitted. The start of the term refers to the first day of classes as stated in the official university calendar.

Deferment of admission may be granted for a maximum of 12 months from the original term of admission. Applicants who wish to activate their deferred

admission should write the University at least two months before the beginning of the term in which they wish to register or at least two months

before the end of the 12-month period of deferment to confirm their resignation in the coming term. Failure to do so will mean having to re-apply for admission.

II. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A. Waiver of Prerequisites/Consent of Instructor (COI)

Courses approved by the University Council as prerequisites to other cou rses may not be waived.

However, in meritorious cases, a student who has previously enrolled and fully attended a course that is a prerequisite to another course may be

allowed to enroll and attend the latter course for credit without having passed or earned credit for the prerequisite course.

A waiver may also be granted when the student is graduating within one year from the time of application and it is determined by the Program Adviser from

the student’s academic record that he/she is most likely to pass the higher course. Waivers must be signed by the Dean and presented to the Office of

the University Registrar as proof of permission to enroll in a course requiring a prerequisite.

COI is given to all MIS students who will take any IS courses except for IS 295b.

III. GRADING SYSTEM

Both regular and non-degree students will receive numerical grades.

The performance of students shall be rated at the end of each semester in accordance with the following grading system:

1.0 Excellent

1.5 Very Good 2.0 Good

2.5 Satisfactory 3.0 Passed 4.0 Conditional

5.0 Failed DRP Dropped

EXT Extended


Grades of 1.25, 1.75, 2.25, and 2.75 may also be given but in no case shall they be more detailed than in multiples of 0.25.

For courses not requiring numerical grades, the following marks shall be

given: S Satisfactory

U Unsatisfactory

A. The EXT (Extended) Mark

To remove a grade of EXT (extended) in a course, a student has a

maximum period of one year from the end of the term to complete all the requirements of the course. The student need not re-enroll the course

during this period of completion The removal of a grade of EXT may entail submission of assignments,

taking examinations, and other work that the course faculty may require.

An EXT entry in the official grade sheet should be accompanied by a notation under Remarks indicating the specific work the student needs to accomplish in order to earn a grade. The student shall be given a final

grade based on his/her overall performance.

A student who is unable to complete the requirements of a course may be dropped with or without a grade of 5.0 or marked EXT (extended) depending on certain conditions:

1. A student who has not done any work and has no valid

excuse for his/her delinquency shall be given a grade of 5.0 at the end of the term.

2. A student whose class standing throughout the semester is PASSING, but fails to take the final examination or fails to

complete other requirements of the course due to illness or other valid reasons may be given an EXT.

3. A student who has not done any work but presents a valid

written excuse before three-fourths (3/4) of the term has elapsed shall be marked EXT. if the excuse is submitted after three-fourths (3/4) of the term has elapsed, a grade of 5.0

shall be given.

4. A student who has done any amount of work for the course and which work is passing shall be marked EXT with or

without presentation of a valid excuse.

5. A student who has done work which is failing by who is able to present a valid written excuse before three-fourths (3/4) of

the term has elapsed may be marked EXT or may be advised to drop the course. If the excuse is valid but is presented only after three-fourths of the term has elapsed, the student shall

be given a grade of 5.0 at the end of the term.


6. If a student fails to complete/remove an EXT within the prescribed time, the student may earn credit for the course

only be repeating and passing it.

7. A grade of EXT may be given only once for a course per registration.

B. Dropping of Courses

A student may, with the consent of the instructor and the Faculty Dean, drop a course by filling out the prescribed form before three-fourths (3.4) of

the semester/term has elapsed, and not later. The registration privilege of a student who drops a course without the approval of the dean may be curtailed or entirely withdrawn. Since the student need to maintain a GWA

of 2.00 or better, it is recommended to ask for an early evaluation from the FIC or drop the course if the student feels that he/she is bound to fail the

course. A grade of 5.00 may heavily affect their academic standing. Students may apply for dropping of courses through the Learning Centers.

If a course is dropped after the middle or the term, the faculty member

concerned shall indicate in the prescribed form the class standing of the student at the time of dropping as either Passing or Failing solely for administrative guidance.

C. Leave of Absence

A student may apply for a leave of absence to the Faculty Dean. The request should state the reason for which the leave is desired and specify

the period of the leave, which must not exceed one year.

A student who is granted official Leave of Absence (LOA) will be given DRP for the courses he/she is currently enrolled in, with the LOA under the Remarks column in the final report of grades. The rules governing the

period of dropping will apply to the grade of DRP given to the student as a result of LOA status.

IV. PROGRAM COMPLETION

A. Substitution of Courses

Courses may be substituted on the following grounds:

1. When a student is following a curriculum that has been superseded

by a new one and the substitution tends to bring the old curriculum in line with the new;

2. When there is a conflict of hours between two required subjects; or

3. When the required subject is not offered during the semester when

the student needs it.


A substitution shall be valid when:

1. The courses involved are within the same program, or the two

courses are allied to each other.

2. The course being used as a substitute has credit units equal to or greater than the credit units of the required course.

All applications for substitution must be submitted to the Office of the Dean concerned before 12 percent of the regular class meeting have been held.

Any petition submitted thereafter shall be considered for the following semester.

No substitution shall be allowed for any course prescribed in the curriculum where the student has failed or received a grade of 5.0 except

when in the opinion of the Program offering the prescribed course; the proposed substitute covers substantially the same subject matter as th e required subject.

All application for the substitution shall be acted upon by the Dean

concerned. In case the action of the Dean is adverse to the recommendation of the Adviser and the Program Chair concerned, the student may appeal to the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, whose

decision shall be final.

B. Transfer of Credits

Applicants must accomplish the following for crediting of courses that are

equivalent to the courses to be taken in the MIS Program:

• Accomplish the application for transfer of credits form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/APPLICATION_FOR_TRANSFER_OF_CREDITS.pdf).

• Submit the accomplished form and a photocopy of transcript of

records to the Learning Center or provide your Faculty Secretary soft copy of the documents.

Please make sure also that what you had submitted to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR), particularly to the Admission Section is an

updated, valid and original copy of your previous TOR. Otherwise, the OUR will not encode your evaluated application for transfer of credits.

Ms. Elvira R. Lalap Coordinator

UPOU Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna Tel.: +63(49) 536-6001 to 06 loc 340

Telefax: +63(49) 536-5484 Email: [email protected]


Prof. Joyce Manalo Secretary to the Faculty

Faculty of Information and Communication Studies [email protected]

Faculty website: http://fics.upou.edu.ph/

• The FICS will provide you with the result of your application through

email or by sending you the original copy. The OUR, specifically the EDP Section will encode the evaluated document and consequently

shown in the Student Portal for viewing of the students.

• For courses taken more than 5 years ago from the time of application, you are required to take the validation exam. Please coordinate with the Faculty Secretary for the details of the examination.

• For UP Transferees – a maximum of 9 units earned in another UP unit may be eligible for transfer of credits. The final grades earned must not be lower than 2.0 and must be taken within the last five years

from the time of application; otherwise, the student must take and pass validation exams.

• For non-UP transferees – a maximum of 9 units earned in another

school, college or university may be eligible for transfer of credits. The final grades earned must not be lower than 2.0 and must be taken within the last five years from the time of application. A student must

take and pass a validation exam for every course for which s/he is requesting transfer of credits

A formal application for transfer of credits must be submitted before the first semester of admission.

C. Comprehensive Examinations*

After a satisfactory evaluation of IS 295a and earning 18 units of IS courses (IS 201, IS 214, IS 215, IS 226, IS 238, and IS 272), with a weighted average

grade of 2.00 or better, you may apply to take a comprehensive examination to be prepared by a committee appointed by the UPOU.

You must submit your proposal in IS 295a before taking the general examination. If failed, one re-examination will be allowed upon unanimous

approval of the examination committee. You will be allowed to take IS 295b upon successfully passing the comprehensive examination.

1. Accomplish the application form for Comprehensive Examination

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/studcompre.V1.pdf).

2. Pay the application fee of PHP 200.

3. Submit the accomplished comprehensive examination form and the

proof of payment to the Faculty Office or directly to the Office of the University Registrar. E-copies of both documents are also acceptable.

4. The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) will attach a signed True

Copy of Grades (TCG) to the document. The application together with


the signed TCG will be forwarded to the Faculty Office for proper evaluation of the PC.

5. The OUR will be provided by the Faculty Office with the resul t of the

comprehensive exam taken by the student, for encoding to the OUR database.

*Concerns regarding the application should be addressed to FICS

D. Scholastic Standing

Students seeking conferment of a graduate or postgraduate degree—MA, MS, MPS, or PhD—must have a general weighted average of 2.0 or better.

No GWA is required of certificate/diploma courses, unless the program prescribes such a requirement.

E. Time Limit for Completion of a Degree

The time limit for completion of a degree is inclusive of leaves.

For certificate or diploma programs, the time limit for completion is double the number of years required to finish the program (i.e., 2 years for a one-year program or 4 years for a two-year program).

For a Master’s program, the time limit for completion is 7 years.

For a PhD program, the time limit for completion is 10 years.

Amendment: addition for the provision “For the Associate in Arts program, the time limit for completion is 7 years.” (Amended during the 18 th University Council Meeting of the University of the Philippines Open University held on

February 18, 2004 at the National Computer Center, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines)

Policy on Commencement Exercise

Attendance in the general commencement exercises shall be optional. Graduating students who choose not to participate in the general

commencement exercises must inform their respective Deans at least 10 days before the commencement exercises.

Graduating students who absent themselves from the general commencement exercises shall obtain their diplomas or certificates and

transcripts of records from the Office of the University Registrar provided that they comply with the above provision and upon presentation of the receipt of payment of the graduation fee and student’s clearance.

Candidates for graduation with degrees or titles, which require no less than

four years of collegiate instruction shall be required to wear the academic


costumes during the baccalaureate service and commencement exercises in accordance with the rules and regulations of the University.

Amendment: “Candidate for graduate with degrees or titles shall wear the

prescribed academic costume during the commencement exercises in accordance with the rules and regulations of the University” (Amended during the 35th University Council Meeting held on December 8, 2010 at the Audio-

Visual Room, UP Open University Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines through Video Conferencing at the National Computer Center

Building, C.P. Garcia, Diliman, Quezon City. V. STUDENT RECORDS

The University maintains various records of students to document their

academic progress and to record their interaction with University staff and officials. Except for the directory of currently registered students, which is open to the public, students’ records are generally considered confidential.

The directory provides information one each student’s name, ID number, college, course, classification, and email address.

The following policies govern access to student records that are confidential in nature:

• Each type of student record is the responsibility of a designated University

official, an only that person or the Dean, Director or Vice-Chancellor to whom that official reports has authority to release a record in the absence of said official.

• Confidential educational records and personally identifiable information from those records will not be released without the written consent of the student involved. However, it shall be released without said written

consent to the concerned University personnel in connection with the student’s application for financial aid or in response to a judicial order or

subpoena, or in a bonafide health or safety emergency.

• The responsible official may release records to University personnel with a legitimate need of the information.

• University personnel who have access to student educational records in

the course of carrying out their University responsibilities shall not be permitted to release the record to persons outside the University, unless authorized in writing by the student or as required by a court order. Only

the official responsible for the records has the authority to release them.

• All personal information about a student shall be released to a third party on condition that no one else shall have access to it except upon the

student’s consent.

A. Withholding of Records When a student has pending financial obligations to the University, or when

he/she has been charged with an official disciplinary action, the appropriate


University official may request that the student’s record (e.g., transcripts, registration forms) be withheld. Units and offices shall submit before the end

of each semester the names of students with financial accountabilities to the University Registrar so that the release of records may be withheld. Prior to

any release or records in the case described above, the Office of the University Registrar must receive written authorization from the of ficial who originally requested the action, indicating that the student has met the

obligation.

B. Release of Grades

An official report of grades is routinely released to a student and mailed to

him/her at the end of every semester.

C. Policy on Transcripts

A student’s transcript of records is released by the Office of the University

Registrar upon the student’s completion of a program upon application by the student and presentation of a student clearance and official receipt of

payment of the transcript preparation fee. “Partial” transcripts are not issued. Official transcripts of records obtained from other institutions submitted to the

University for admission and/or transfer of credit become part of the student’s permanent record and are issued as true copies of the UPOU transcript.

Amendment: “A student’s transcript of records is released by the Office of the University Registrar upon the student’s request and payment of the transcript

preparation fee, and upon clearance by the university.” (Amended during the 35th University Council Meeting held on December 8, 2010 at the Audio-Visual

Room, UP Open University Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines and through Video Conferencing at the National Computer Center Building, C.P. Garcia, Diliman, Quezon City)

VI. OTHER ACADEMIC INFORMATION

A. Academic Year

One academic year consists of two semesters and one summer unless otherwise specified.

B. Credit Unit

One credit unit is equivalent to one semester hour. A three-unit course therefore has a total of three hours of instruction per week, or a total of 48

hours of instruction per semester. In the DE mode, instruction include self-study using self-learning instructional materials, as well as tutorial sessions of at least three hours per week. Laboratory, field and shop work is credited at

one unit for work equivalent to three hours.


C. Academic Load

Full-time regular students are allowed a maximum academic load of 12 units per semester.

Part-time regular students who are employed on a full-time basis shall be allowed an academic load of 6 units, or a maximum of 9 units with prior

approval of the Faculty Dean, upon recommendation of the Program Chair. During the summer term, the normal load is 6 to 8 units.

Regular students may choose to take on an academic load that is less than the maximum prescribed load, provided doing so shall not prevent them from

finishing their program within the time limit for completion of a degree. Students who opt for under-loading shall consult with their Program Adviser,

who must then endorse the said option to the Registrar. Non-degree students may register for a maximum of 12 units per semester.

D. Classification of Students

A student may be classified as regular or non-degree.

A regular student is one enrolled in a degree program and working towards the conferment or awarding of a degree, such as a certificate, diploma,

master’s, or doctorate. A non-degree student is on enrolled in selected courses only. He/She is not

working towards a degree.

A non-degree student who has qualified for admission into a degree program at the time of his/her admission may apply to the Faculty Dean at any time for evaluation and reclassification as a regular student in that program.

E. Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction used in the learning materials and in the tutorials may be English or Filipino.

F. Clarification of the Procedures for Implementing Rules on Late

Submission of Grades *Approved during the 38th University Council Meeting held on December 13, 2011 at the Audio-Visual Room, UP Open University Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna

1. The deadline for submission of grades should be clearly stipulated in the

academic calendar, which in turn should be noted by the University

Council.

2. Any faculty-in-charge (FIC) who for justifiable reasons cannot submit his/her grades on time shall request extension from the Dean in writing

and coursed through the Program Chair. If approved, the FIC may be


allowed to submit his/her grades within two weeks after the official deadline, without any sanction.

3. An FIC who fails to submit his/her grades on or before the deadline without

duly approved request to submit the grades beyond the deadline, shall be subject to the sanctions stipulated in Article 372 of the Revised Code of

the University of the Philippines. The FIC shall, in the first instance, be required to submit the grades within two weeks after the official deadline of the submission of grades and receive a warning.

4. An ad hoc committee will be organized at the Faculty level to resolve any repeated delinquencies.

5. The delinquencies shall be entered in the personnel records of the erring FIC.

ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Application for Graduation

Graduating students must file an application for graduation at the start of each term/semester. This is to evaluate the student's academic records. "No Application,

No Graduation" policy is strictly implemented. The student must also be currently enrolled when applying for graduation.

Procedures for filing of Application for Graduation:

1. Fill out the application for graduation form

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/application_for_graduation_v2015.pdf).

2. Submit the form at your Learning Center or email it directly to the Faculty Office at the start of each term/semester. Refer to the Academic Calendar for

the deadline of filing.

3. The list of names is compiled by the Faculty Office and will be presented during the Faculty Council Meeting, ExeCom Meeting and lastly, during the

University Council meeting.

4. The final list of graduates will come out after the deliberation during the University Council meeting and approval of the Board of Regents. Refer to the Academic Calendar for the schedule of the meetings.

5. Once approved by the BOR, the graduating student will receive a graduation pack that includes congratulatory letter, request for TOR (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/REQUEST_FOR_DOCUMENTS-

UPDATEDversion.pdf) and University Clearance Form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/Clearance_form_Rev_Nov_2016.pdf). The

documents are both mailed and emailed by the OUR.

Filing for University Clearance

Graduating students and students who are transferring to another school (Honorable Dismissal) must file for a University Clearance. To do this, you must accomplish the

following:


• Fill out the University Clearance Form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/Clearance_form_Rev_Nov_2016.pdf).

• Submit the form to your Learning Center.

• The Faculty Secretary will email you for clarification of your purpose and signs

the clearance.

• FICS forwards the clearance to the Vice Chancellor for Fin ance and

Administration and OUR for the issuance of official documents such as transcript, diploma, honorable dismissal and certificate of transfer credentials.

Graduation with Honors

At UPOU, graduate students can also graduate with honors as follows:

Chancellor’s List: GWA of 1.00 – 1.14

Dean’s List: GWA of 1.15 – 1.24

Specific for the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), the year’s top graduate of the program is also conferred the Excellence Award.

Retention Policy

The MIS Program shall abide by the retention rules of the University that are applicable to the masteral program.

Residency Requirements

The MIS Program has a Maximum Residency Rule (MRR) of 7 years.

If the student has not yet completed his/her degree within 7 years, the student should make a letter of request to waive his/her MRR through the Faculty Office (this

can be done through email).

Prof. Joyce Manalo

Secretary to the Faculty Faculty of Information and Communication Studies [email protected]

This request is subject for the evaluation of the Program Chair and the Dean.

MIS Program Handbook – Other Academic Policies and Guidelines || 33

Appendix B

OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Print copy of the accomplished online application

form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/applicationform_graduate.pdf) or apply online (http://our.upou.edu.ph/oas/).

2. Original and photocopy of valid Transcript of Records (TOR) from all schools attended. The TOR should bear the school dry seal and imprint,

and the Registrar’s signature in ink, and with acceptable remarks (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/valid_TOR.pdf).

3. Two (2) letters of recommendation

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/recommendation%20form_UPOU%20 Form%201a.pdf) from any of your: a) employer/supervisor; b) former

professor; or c) former program adviser.

4. Proof of payment of application fee (non-refundable). If payment was made other than online payment, please upload scanned copy of digital image of the proof of payment).

5. Two identical 2” x 2” photos and two identical 1” x 1” photos, with your

name and the program applied for printed at the back of the photos.

6. Certificate of training/experience to prove proficiency in at least one programming language.

7. 500-word essay explaining why you are applying for admission to the MIS

Program and some background on your experience on systems development.

8. Photocopy of NSO Birth Certificate.

9. Photocopy of government issued IDs with photo.

SHIFTING TO ANOTHER DEGREE PROGRAM

1. Fill out the application for shifting of program form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/Shifting%20Form_13jan17.pdf).

2. Attach the following documents to the application form:

a. True Copy of Grades; and

b. Photocopy of Transcript of Records for all degrees earned.

These documents can be requested from the UPOU Office of the University Registrar through the online request for document system, which can be accessed through your Student Portal. Follow-up your

request for these documents by emailing [email protected]. Processing of these documents will take one week.

mailto:[email protected]

34 || MIS Program Handbook – Other Academic Policies and Guidelines

3. Mail or bring your application form with the attached documents to your current Faculty (FED, FMDS, FICS) two (2) weeks before the deadline for

submission of application.

4. Wait for an email from the admission section of the UPOU Office of the University Registrar notifying you of the results of your application. A list of

admitted students will also be posted at the OUR microsite (http://our.upou.edu.ph/index.php?radio=admission).

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

Enrollment can be done through online registration. To enroll online, you must do the following:

1. Access the Student Portal (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/) and click on the “Request for Password” link on the homepage of the Student Portal

and enter your student number. Use the generated password sent to your email to log in to your Student Portal account.

2. Once logged in, click on the Online Registration System (ORS) icon.

Select the term and select courses by clicking the course number/code. It is important that you follow the recommended courses per batch posted on the Student Portal or seek advice from the MIS Program Chair. The

system will automatically display the assessment of fees once courses are selected.

MIS Program Chair:

Asst. Prof. Concepcion Khan [email protected]

3. Pay your fees through your preferred payment facility (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/paymentoptions.pdf). Get your copy of

the bank-validated slip/credit card transaction slip/official receipt. Upload a scanned copy/digital image of the payment slip to complete your

enrollment.

4. Wait for the confirmation of your enrollment. You can print your Form 5 as soon as your enrollment is confirmed. Students who pay their fees using the online payment option will receive an automatic confirmation of

enrollment.

REMOVAL OR COMPLETION OF EXTENDED (EXT)/4.0 MARK

To remove or complete the EXT/4.0 mark, you must do the following:

• Accomplish the online application for completion through the Student

Portal (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/).

• Your Learning Center will inform you regarding the time and exam

venue for the completion/removal exams.

• After submitting your completion/removal exams, the faculty will submit your grade.

• The FICS then forwards the completion grade to the OUR to update your student record.

MIS Program Handbook – Other Academic Policies and Guidelines || 35

FILING FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE (LOA)

1. Accomplish application form for LOA (http://www.upou.edu.ph/component/jdownloads/send/0-/2-leave-of-absence?Itemid=1021).

2. Pay LOA fee of PHP 150.00. All payments are to be transacted at the

UPOU Cash Office or in any PNB branch or remittance center following the payment procedure for local students

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/paymentoptions.pdf).

3. Submit accomplished form and copy of payment slip to your LC Coordinator in person, by mail, or email (as scanned copies).

APPLICATION FOR READMISSION

To apply for Readmission, you must accomplish the following:

• Fill out the Application for Readmission Form (http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/studreadmission.pdf).

• Submit your application to the Faculty Secretary.

• The OUR will then send you a notice of action of the Dean. If your request is approved, you may proceed with the registration.

DROPPING OF COURSES

You are allowed to drop classes before the three fourths of the semester has passed. Dates for dropping classes can also be found in the Academic

Calendar.

To drop classes, you must do the following:

1. Accomplish application form for dropping of courses

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/studdroppingform.pdf).

2. Pay the dropping of courses fee of PHP 10.00 per unit through the payment options

(http://our.upou.edu.ph/student/pdf/paymentoptions.pdf).

3. Submit accomplished form and proof of payment either to:

• the Learning Center Coordinator, if you wish to submit the print copy; or

• the Faculty Office by emailing them as scanned copy.

36

|| MIS Program Handbook – Academic Calendar

Appendix C

ACADEMIC CALENDAR (A.Y. 2020-2021)

University of the Philippines

OPEN UNIVERSITY Academic Calendar AY 2020-20211

Semester Schedule ACTIVITY 1st Semester 2nd Semester Mid-Year Term

General Schedule Deadline for submission of application for admission documents

For programs with admission test

PHD Ed. 18 January 2020 (F) 17 July 2020 (F) MPM 16 May 2020 (S) 11 September 2020 (F) MLLE 30 May 2020 (S) 2 October 2020 (F) MIH 13 June 2020 (S)

For all other programs and transfer students 30 May 2020 (S) 10 October 2020 (S) For Non-degree Students 18 July 2020 (S) 12 December 2020 (F) Admission Exams PHD in Education Doctoral Admission Test in Education (DATE) 2 March 2020 (M) TBA MPM Graduate Admission Test (GAT) 27 June 2020 (S) 24 October 2020 (S) Qualifying Examination MLLE 27 June 2020 (S) 7 November 2020 (S)

MIH / MSW 4 July 2020 (S) Deadline for Re-admission and Extension of MRR 18 July 2020 (S) 12 December 2020 (F) Validation Exam 2-7 August 2020 (S) 7-11 December 2020 Registration Period 19-28 August 2020 4-9 January 2021 17-21 May 2021 Start of Classes 5 September 2020 (S) 16 January 2021 (S) 29 May 2021 (S) Deadline for submission of application for graduation as of the end of the:

First Semester, AY 2020-2021 3 October 2020 Second Semester, AY 2020-2021 13 February 2021 (S) Mid-Year Term, AY 2020-2021 14 June 2021 (M)

Mid-Semester Examination 24 October 2020 (S) 6 March 2021 (S) 19 June 2021 (S) Deadline for filing request for make-up exam/removal exam/completion of requirements 7 November 2020 (S) 27 March 2021 (S) 26 June 2021 (S)

Deadline for filing of dropping and LOA 28 November 2020 (S) 10 April 2021 (S) 3 July 2021 (S) Removal/Make-up Exam 5 December 2020 (S) 17 April 2021 (S) 3 July 2021 (S) End of Classes 12 December 2020 (S) 24 April 2021 (S) 10 July 2021 (S) Final Examination 12 December 2020 (S) 24 April 2021 (S) 10 July 2021 (S) Deadline for submission of requirements for graduation 29 December 2020 (F) 3 May 2021 (M) 17 July 2021 (S) Deadline for submission of grades 29 December 2020 (F) 3 May 2021 (M) 17 July 2021 (S)

Important Dates for Faculties of Study and Committees Faculty Execom Meetings to Approve Candidates for Graduation as of the end of the:

First Semester, AY 2020-2021 4-8 January 2021 Second Semester, AY 2020-2021 17-21 May 2021 Mid-Year Term, AY 2020-2021 9-13 August 2021

Faculty Council Meetings to Approve Candidates for Graduation as of the end of the:

First Semester, AY 2020-2021 11-15 January 2021 Second Semester, AY 2020-2021 24-28 May 2021 Mid-Year Term, AY 2020-2021 16-20 August 2021

University Council Curriculum Committee Meeting 20 January 2021 (W) 2 June 2021 (W) 25 August 2021 (W)

1 Approved during the UPOU Executive Committee at its 58th meeting on 22 January 2019.

37

MIS Program Handbook – Academic Calendar ||

Deadline for the Submission of UC Standing Committees' Proposals for Discussion in the Executive Committee Meeting 20 January 2021 (W) 2 June 2021 (W) 25 August 2021

(W) University Council Executive Committee Meeting to Approve Candidates for Graduation as of the of the:

First Semester, AY 2020-2021 27 January 2021 (W) Second Semester, AY 2020-2021 9 June 2021 (W) Mid-Year Term, AY 2020-2021 1 September 2021

(W) University Council Meeting to Approve Candidates for Graduation as of the end of the:

First Semester, AY 2020-2021 3 February 2021 (W) Second Semester, AY 2020-2021 16 June 2021 (W) Mid-Year Term, AY 2020-2021 8 September 2021

(W) Board of Regents (BOR) Meeting to Approve Graduation UPOU 25th COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES 9 October 2021 (S)

1 Approved during the UPOU Executive Committee at its 61st meeting on 29 January 2020. ACADEMIC CALENDAR GUIDE

1. The calendar is composed of two parts reflecting the trimester schedule and the semester schedule. Programs in UPOU operate under the semestral system except for the undergraduate programs, and the MDE and GCDE programs.

2. Registration period is when a student becomes “officially enrolled” (student has gone through all the processes involved in registration up to payment of fees).

3. BOR Meetings are usually held every last Thursday of the month although meetings can be re -scheduled.

HOLIDAYS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 12 June 2020 (F) - Independence Day 30 Dec. 2020 (W) - Rizal Day 2 April 2021 (F) - Good Friday

21 August 2020 (F) - Ninoy Aquino Day 31 Dec. 2020 (Th) - Last Day of the Year 9 April 2021 (F) - Araw ng Kagitingan

31 August 2020 (M) - National Heroes Day 1 Jan. 2021 (F) - New Year's Day 1 May 2020 (S) - Labor Day

1 Nov. 2020 (Sun) - All Saints Day 12 February 2020 (F) - Chinese New Year 13 May 2021 (Th) - Eid ul-Fitr

30 Nov. 2020 (M) - Bonifacio Day 25 Feb. 2021 (Th) - People Power Anniversary 12 June 2021 (S) - Independence Day

25 Dec. 2020 (F) - Christmas Day 1 April 2021 (Th) - Maundy Thursday 21 June 2021 (M) - Eid al-Adha (Day 2)

38 || MIS Program Handbook – FICS Style Guide

Appendix D

GENERAL STYLE

GUIDE


U.P. OPEN UNIVERSITY Los Baños, Laguna

Philippines

2016

MIS Program Handbook – FICS Style Guide || 39

Disclaimer

This guide claims neither ownership nor originality of the materials included herein.

In fact, much of this volume comes from the various style guides that have been published, particularly the APA Style Guide, the CBE Style Guide, the MLA Style Guide, the Turabian Style Guide (sometimes also known as the University of

Chicago Style Guide). The Team that prepared this Guide simply put together what was thought to be of practical use to the faculty and students of the FICS, U.P. Open

University, for the internal purposes of the UPOU.

The Style Guide Team

This Style Guide was the output of a team, appointed by Former Dean Mel inda dP. Bandalaria (now UPOU Chancellor) of FICS, and comprised of the following:

Team Leader: Felix R. Librero, PhD Professor Emeritus

Members: Roberto A. Figueroa, Jr., MS

Assistant. Professor

Joyce Mae A. Manalo, MS Assistant. Professor

Ms. Emely Amoloza, MS, provided the necessary administrative coordination for all

the activities of as well as logistical support for the Team.


INTRODUCTION

Why This Style Guide? There are numerous style guides available for your use. So, why the need for a

separate FICS style guide? A style guide is generally defined as a set of standards for writing documents such as academic papers to ensure that such documents are written in a manner easy to understand and that reflects the expectations of the

institution to which you’ll submit your paper. In other words, the style guide provides rules and regulations to treat textual documents to ensure better understanding by

stakeholders, in this case, the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, U.P. Open University.

This FICS Style Guide provides the standards for writing thesis, dissertation, book, and research manuscripts that are for submission to the UPOU, through th e Faculty

of Information and Communication Studies, for approval and/or acceptance for publication. It also provides general guidelines for the preparation of other documents to be submitted to the FICS, such as course term papers and project

reports.

In general, this Style Guide requires that:

1. All texts are double-spaced, in 12-point Arial font; and

2. There shall only be two spaces (double space) between paragraphs, but the

first line of each new paragraph must be indented one standard MS Word indention or approximately five spaces.

Unless otherwise specified, all manuscripts submitted to UPOU, through the FICS, shall follow these general guidelines:

1. All texts must be in 12-point Arial font.

2. All Chapter titles must be in UPPER CASE, BOLDFACE.

3. All margins must be 1.0” from the edge of the paper from all sides.

4. The first line of each paragraph must be indented one standard MS Word indention (about five spaces), double space between paragraphs.

5. All pages must have running footers (possibly an abridged form of the title) and continuous pagination on the right bottom.

6. All pages where a Chapter starts shall be provided invisible page number.

7. Use paper size A4.

8. An additional page in the thesis/dissertation should indicate who can have

access to copy. A student shall own the copyright pursuant to PAEP memo no. 2012-03; Article III, Sec. 8 (h) or R.A. 10055 (Technology Transfer Act of 2009) and Article 7 Sec. 2 of the U.P. Revised IPR Policy.


Color for Manuscript Cover The color scheme for theses cover shall be as follows:

Doctoral dissertation = Black Masters’ thesis = Maroon

Bachelor’s thesis = Green Texts on the cover of the manuscript shall be:

1. All titles must be brief but not longer than two lines of 10cm.

2. First line of full title about six-eight centimeters from the top edge.

3. Author’s name about five-six centimeters below the last line of the title.

4. Institutional affiliation of author about six-seven centimeters below the

author’s name.

5. All texts on the cover of the manuscript must be gold in color, and not higher than 0.5cm.

6. On the butt (or keel), five centimeters from the top edge, shall be printed the

full title (which should be top-orientated when manuscript is in upright position on a book shelf). About 1.0-1.5 cm from the title shall be the “category” of the report. The categories are: PhD Dissertation, MS/MA/MM/MENRM Thesis, BS

Thesis.” The family name of the author, followed by year of submission to the Faculty (separated by a comma), must be printed from the bottom end, no

more than five centimeters from the bottom edge.

The cover of the manuscript would appear like the example on the next page, while the keel would look like this:


FULL TITLE, UPPER CASE, BOLDFACE.

PRINTED IN PYRAMID FORMAT

AUTHOR’S NAME HERE

Faculty of Information and Communication Studies U.P. OPEN UNIVERSITY

2015


PRELIMINARY PAGES OF THE MANUSCRIPT

Title Page

1. The title page contains the following information: complete title of the manuscript, author of the manuscript, institutional affiliation, and the year that

the manuscript was produced or submitted.

2. The title of a manuscript must be brief and concise, normally three to five words, but in cases where the title may need to be a bit more lengthy, the full

title must be typed in inverted pyramid format, except on the keel where said title may be typed in block format to save space.

3. The title must be about 10cm from the top margin, upper case, bold, except

scientific names which must be printed according to standard requirements for scientific names.

4. The author’s name, in upper and lower case, must be about ten cm above the title.

5. At the bottom of the page, about 15 cm from the title, the thesis/dissertation adviser’s name and the institutional affiliation of the author shall be printed and spelled out. For example:

Thesis/Dissertation Adviser: Name of Adviser, PhD


Date of Submission

20 June 2016

6. This is how a title page might look like most of the time (please see following page for example). This example is hypothetical.


(FICS faculty member as author)

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

OPEN UNIVERSITY

Master of Information Systems

JOYCE MAE A. MANALO Assistant Professor

OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION AS CATALYST FOR NATIONAL

UNIFICATION IN THE PHILIPPINES



Date of Submission

20 June 2016

Permission is given for the Following people to have access to this thesis/dissertation:

Available to the general public (Yes or No)

Available only after consultation with author/thesis/dissertation adviser

(Yes or No)

Available only to those bound by confidentiality agreement (Yes or No)

Student’s Signature: Signature of Thesis/Dissertation/Adviser:


(Student as Author)

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

OPEN UNIVERSITY


CHERRYROSE ANN C. TANCHANGCO

BICOL COLLEGE GUIDANCE SERVICES

INFORMATION SYSTEM



Date of Submission

20 June 2016

Permission is given for the Following people to have access to this thesis/dissertation:

Available to the general public (Yes or No)

Available only after consultation with author/thesis/dissertation adviser

(Yes or No)

Available only to those bound by confidentiality agreement (Yes or No)

Student’s Signature: Signature of Thesis/Dissertation/Adviser:


University Permission Page “I hereby grant the University of the Philippines a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to reproduce, publish and publicly distribute copies of this thesis or

dissertation in whatever form subject to the provisions of applicable laws, the provisions of the UP IRR policy and any contractual obligations, as well as more

specific permission marking on the Title Page.” “Specifically, I grant the following rights to the University:

a) To upload a copy of the work in the theses database of the

college/school/institute/ department and in any other databases available on the public internet;

b) To publish the work in the college/school/institute /department journal,

both in print and electronic or digital format and online; and c) To give open access to above-mentioned work, thus allowing “fair use” of

the work in accordance with the provisions of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 8293), especially for teaching, scholarly and research purposes.”

________________________________

Student Name over Signature and Date


Copyright Page If the manuscript has a copyright, that copyright announcement must be printed on the page following the title page. The symbol of copyright which is ©, followed by

year, copyright owner, and address or institutional affiliation of author, must be printed at the center of the page.

© 2016 By Roberto B. Figueroa, Jr.

Acceptance Page

This acceptance page refers to the acceptance page required by the UPOU. It should be made clear here that acceptance pages are required for course projects,

masters’ theses, and doctoral dissertations.

You may obtain the details of style for your specific course project from your course professor.

It should be clear that acceptance pages differ according to the preferences of the institution (university). The FICS (UP Open University) adopts a simple acceptance

page that expresses acceptance emanating from the faculty as personified by the Academic Advisory Committee and the Dean of the Faculty.

Acceptance pages for theses and dissertations are shown in the following pages.


(Acceptance page for Special Project in MIS)

This Special Project titled _____________________________________________

is hereby accepted by the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Information Systems.

__________________________ Adviser

____________ Date

__________________________ Program Chair ____________

Date

__________________________ Dean


____________ Date


(Acceptance page for Master’s Thesis)

This thesis titled __________________________ is hereby accepted by the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, U.P. Open University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science/Master of Arts/Master of Information Systems/Master of Development Communication. Members of the Academic Advisory Committee: _______________________, Chair, Advisory Committee ______ (Signature over printed name) (Date) _______________________, Member, Advisory Committee ______ (Signature over printed name) (Date) _______________________, Member, Advisory Committee ______ (Signature over printed name) (Date) _________________________, Dean, ______ (Signature over printed name) Faculty of Information and (Date)

Communication Studies


(Acceptance page for Doctoral Dissertation.)

This dissertation titled _________________________ is hereby accepted by the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies, U.P. Open University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Communication (DComm). __________________________ __________ Chair, Dissertation Committee (Date) __________________________ __________ Member, Dissertation Committee (Date) __________________________ __________ Member, Dissertation Committee (Date) __________________________ __________ Reader/Critic (Date)

________________________________________ Dean


______________ (Date)


Biographical Sketch Instead of including information about the author/researcher in the introductory text (Chapter), it is suggested that all biographical information about the author/s must be

printed on the “Biographical Sketch” page. Each author is entitled to a page of biographical sketch.

Acknowledgment Page This page may be considered optional, but most theses and dissertations carry it for very good reasons. The acknowledgment page may be as brief as half a page, or as

long as two pages. Who to acknowledge would depend on the decision of the author.


Dedication Page Authors of theses and research manuscripts routinely would want to dedicate their work to personages to whom they may be indebted. This page is devoted for that

purpose. Often, you can write this as follows:

Dedicated to:

Etc.


Table of Contents In many instances, the Table of Contents includes the Preliminary Pages. In this instance, the pages would be marked with Roman Numbers. Usually, what would be

considered lower case for Roman numbers are used, hence, i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix x, etc. Include titles of textual content, tables, figures, and photographs in the

Table of Contents. The Table of Contents is comprised of four major component aspects, as follows:

textual contents, list of tables, list of figures, and list of photographs.


MAIN MANUSCRIPT BODY

Chapter Title

1. A new Chapter starts on a clean, new page.

2. The Chapter number must be printed in bold face (upper case for first letter and lower case for the other letters of the word chapter; the chapter number

itself must also be in upper case), and centered between left and right margins.

3. One space underneath the Chapter Number shall be the Chapter Title in

UPPER CASE, BOLD. As in the case of manuscript titles, Chapter Titles must be brief, but in the event that such titles need to exceed one line, type them in inverted pyramid format.

Chapter Heading (Center Heading)

The Chapter Heading, sometimes called the Center Heading, refers to a major part of the Chapter. Here are specific requirements:

1. Only the first letter of the major words used are in UPPER CASE.

2. Chapter Headings must be typed in bold letters.

3. Chapter Headings must be three spaces below the last line of the preceding paragraph.

Side Heading

1. The side headings are also called side titles.

2. There would be as many side headings as there are major or important topics in support of the Center Head.

3. All the first letters of the major words in the side heading are in UPPER case.

4. All Side Headings are in bold letters.

5. The Side Head must be printed three spaces below the last line of the

previous paragraph.

6. All side headings must be flushed left.

Paragraph Heading

The main paragraphs of the side heading may have a title called the paragraph heading, which is usually in bold and italics, but all in lower case, except for the first

letter of the first word which should by in upper case. Succeeding paragraphs are considered supporting paragraphs and may not have paragraph headings. The

paragraph heading is structurally part of the paragraph itself. Over-all, here’s how the organization of the chapter would look like.


Chapter Number

CHAPTER TITLE

Chapter (Center) Heading

________________________________________________ _________________________________________

_________________________________________

Side Heading _________________________________________

_________________________________________ _________________________________________

Paragraph heading. ________________________ _________________________________________

_________________________________________ Side Heading

_________________________________________

_________________________________________ _________________________________________

Paragraph heading. ________________________ _________________________________________

_________________________________________

There’s a chance that you would have additional side headings or paragraph headings. Just follow the pattern above.

In-Text Citation The in-text citation is used to provide information that can immediately tell the rea der the source of the material just presented, and this is done by providing the name of the author and year of publication in parenthesis. With the use of in-text citation , the

need for foot-notes have become less necessary, except when the author wishes to provide additional explanation or context to the statement just provided in the text.

The following examples of the use of the author-publication date combination (in-text citation) come from the book titled Writing Your Thesis:

Example 1: Nominal scale is defined as the “assignment of numbers or symbols for the purpose of designating sub-class which

represents unique characteristics” (Williams, 1968).


Example 2: Williams (1968) defined nominal scale as the “assignment of numbers or symbols for the purpose of designating sub-class

which represents unique characteristics.”

How to cite sources within the text. The three common techniques of citing other works are quotations, summaries, and paraphrases. Let us cite liberally from Writing Your Thesis (Librero, 2012)

1. On the use of quotations:

A quote, according to the Jackson State Community College, is “an exact reproduction of an author’s exact words in your own text.” There is a caveat in

using quotes. We’re reminded by experts to use quotes sparingly. If you use too many quotes, it would appear that you’re unable to contribute something

original in our paper. If you have more than three lengthy quotations in one page, you might be using quotes too much. Our sources tell us to consider the following rules when we use quotes:

1.1 “Enclose the word-for-word quote in quotation marks (“ ”) to show that the

source author’s exact words appear in your paper.

1.2 “If you change anything about the original material to make it fit more

neatly or clearly into your essay, use brackets ([ ]) to indicate that material has been added or changed.

1.3 “Use ellipses (…) to show that material is left out.

1.4 “If the material you are quoting is longer than four lines, use block quote

format, which means that you should not use quotation marks but instead indent the whole quoted bit one inch from the left margin so that it is clear what your original work is and what is quoted.”

2. On the use of paraphrases:

Your paraphrase is how you state the author’s ideas in your own words, which must convey the same meaning as the original author’s. A paraphrase is

usually similar in length compared to the original material. You use your own words even as you include in your paraphrase the original names, figures,

events, and other factual information from the original author’s material. Nevertheless, you may have the best paraphrase but you’ll still have to cite your source within your text just the same.

3. On the use of summaries:

A summary, which is much shorter than the original material, is your own restatement of the author’s ideas but focusing on the major points in the

material. As much as possible, avoid using quotes within a summary.

Whether or not you are employing quotation, paraphrase, or summary in presenting the ideas of your source, you must always cite your sources.


Use of footnotes and endnotes. Footnotes are used to cite sources (instead of in -

text citations), or provide further explanation to ideas that could not be appropriately included as part of the text. The footnote appears at the bottom of the same page for

which the note is provided. Endnotes are like footnotes but are usually provided at the end of the article or chapter where they were introduced.

Here’s what Turabian (1973) says about footnotes (p. 78):

Footnotes have four main uses: (a) to cite the authority for statements in text – specific facts or opinions as well as exact quotations; (b) to make cross references; (c) to make incidental comments upon, to amplify or to qualify

textual discussion – in short, to provide a place for material which the writer thinks it worthwhile to include but which he feels would disrupt the flow of

thought if introduced into the text; (d) to make acknowledgments. For our purposes in this style guide, we discourage the use of footnotes and

endnotes. We consider them a bit cumbersome. The use of footnotes and endnotes is discouraged but should there be a need for source citation in the text, use in -text

citation instead. However, use footnotes to cite sources of tables and figures/diagrams. If there is a need for footnote in the text, place the footnote at the bottom of the page where the note is mentioned. The first line should be indented

five spaces and the next lines flushed left. The footnote may be in smaller font size.

Example: 1Ma. Celeste H. Cadiz, Educational Communication for Development, (College, Laguna, UPLBCA Publications, 1991), p. 38.

2The member banks and their contributions are listed in

Appendix 3. (This example is from Turabian, 1973.) Note that an endnote is formatted similarly. It just is placed at the end of the

manuscript.

Other presentation tools. There are different techniques and purposes for using non-textual material such as statistical information, drawings and diagrams, as well as pictorial materials.

1. On the use of statistical tables:

1.1 The statistical table has the following parts:


A = policy making ) B = program planning/administration ) C = research ) (footnotes) D = teaching/training ) E = others ) SOURCE: Librero, 1992, p. 14.

1.2 An important reminder in the use of statistical tables:

1.2.1 Do not construct single-variable tables. The information provided in such

tables are better made part of the formal text, instead. Prefer multiple variable tables, such as cross-tabulations, to deal with variable

interactions. 1.2.2 The vertical lines are no longer required, although they may be retained

for the stub headings.

1.2.3 All horizontal lines are single lines. There is no longer need for double horizontal lines for the top and bottom lines of statistical tables.

Here’s another example:

2. On the use of drawings and schematic diagrams:

Drawings and schematic diagrams have the distinct advantage of being able to show highly technical components and provide the necessary explanation for

related parts.


2.1 Use technical drawings or diagrams when showing detailed parts, their

functions, and operation, especially when textual explanation becomes cumbersome and confusing.

2.2 Use technical drawings and diagrams in showing and explaining scientific

operation that require showing of highly purposive and important details.

Figure 1. Enlarged cut-out section of a fiber-optic cable.

SOURCE:

Figure 2. Gadget connections through fiber optics.


3. On the use of photographs:

3.1. It is said that a single photograph is worth a thousand words. This is much more true in modern times, particularly where color becomes a significant

component of the event.

3.2. Use photographs to compare conditions before and after introduction of interventions. Using words could be the source of confusion in these cases.

3.3. Events in life happen in fleeting seconds and usually do not repeat

themselves. Use photographs to freeze these events in time and make them available for further analyses for better understanding.

Plate # 1. Basco, Batanes beach at dusk.

Plate 2. Vayang Rolling Hills, with Mt. Iraya at background, Batanes.

SOURCE: Librero, 2012


BIBLIOGRAPHIC ENTRIES Difference Between “Bibliography” and “References”

This appears as a minor issue, but use of each of the two terms has distinct and significant purpose. Bibliography refers to the listing of sources that were used in the

preparation of the manuscript. Such sources may or may not have been cited in the text. References, on the other hand, is a list of those materials that were used in the

preparation of the manuscript and were cited in the text. By the way, it is frequent that writers of theses and dissertations would claim that a

source is through personal communication with an expert, etc. It is appropriate to provide in-text citation for personal communication sources (i.e., Personal

communication, email message on June 15, 2015). You may italicize this. However, you need not include personal communication sources as part of the bibliography.

A word about existing formats (APA, CBE, MLA, Turabian-Chicago)

In general, each of these Style Guides has its own formats and purposes, but all of them were designed for publication purposes. Hence, they are also known as publication style guides. Over the years, the APA Style has been considered one

that is applied to the social sciences; the MLA Style Guide for the arts and humanities; the CBE Style Guide for the sciences and Mathematics; and the

Turabian-University of Chicago Style for general application (usually in universities). Over the years, and due to the influence of electronic publications, all the guides

have changed. There are old rules that remain applicable, but many have been discarded and many new ones added.

It must be emphasized here that this FICS Style Guide does not deal with the minute details. The presumption is that, in general, the FICS adopts the APA-oriented style.

While the general guidelines are spelled out on this guide, it is highly recommended that you look at the details in the APA Publications Manual. The APA also has

adopted rules for areas it has not traditionally had rules for. For example, APA for the Sciences, APA for Engineering, etc. The details are all available in the main APA Manual and online.

Suggested UPOU Bibliographic Format

The basic intention the FICS Style Guide is really to provide general rules and regulations for the production of documents to be submitted to UPOU through the

FICS. These rules and regulations may or may not be similar to any Style Guide available today.

However, all other rules and regulations, not clearly referred to in the FICS Style will have to abide by the detailed rules as provided in the various style guides.

For Manuscripts to be submitted to UPOU through FICS, the following order in

bibliographic entries shall be followed:


For stand-alone books: Author’s name (last name first), double space, year of

publication enclosed in parenthesis, double space, title of book in italics (Clc), single space, place of publication, colon, single space, publisher. The first line is flushed left

and all succeeding lines indented 10 spaces to the right. Examples:

Harman, Willis. (1998). Global Mind Change. Revised Expanded Edition. San

Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Librero, Felix R. (2012). Writing Your Thesis. Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines: U.P.

Open University.

Librero, Felix R. (2008). Distance Education in the Philippines: Issues and Concerns. College, Laguna, Philippines: UP Open University.

Nisbett, Richard E. (2003). The Geography of Thought. New York: Free Press.

For edited books, with editor treated as author: Name of editor, year of publication, title of edited book, place of publication, publisher.

Examples:

Melkote, Srinivas R. (ed.). (2012). Development Communication in Directed Social Change, A Reappraisal of Theory and Practice. Singapore: AMIC.

Baggaley, Jon and Tian Belawati (eds.). (2010). Distance Education Technologies in Asia. New Delhi: Sage Publications India Pvt. Ltd and International

Development Research Center, Ottawa, Canada. Cariño, Ledivina V. (ed.). (2001). The Philippine Social Sciences in the Life of the

Nation. Quezon City: Philippine Social Science Center.

For chapter of a book: Librero, Felix R. (2012). Development communication education in Los Baños:

contributions from graduate research. In Srinivas R. Melkote (ed.), Development Communication in Directed Social Change, AMIC,

Singapore, Chapter 12, pp. 231-243. Librero, Felix R. (2010). Training Asian instructional designers. In Jon Baggaley and

Tian Belawati (eds.), Distance Education Technologies in Asia, Sage Publications India, New Delhi and International Development Research

Center, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 214-226. Librero, Felix R. (2001). Insights into the interrelationship of communication,

agriculture and environment. In Ledivina V. Cariño (ed.), The Philippine Social Sciences in the Life of the Nation, The Philippine Social Science

Council, Quezon City, pp. 119-132.


For journal articles:

Librero, Felix R. (2012). Devcom mindset: are we ready for it? The Journal of

Development Communication, Vol 24, No. 2, pp. 50-58. Librero, Felix. (2006). Status and trends in development communication research in

the Philippines. MediaAsia, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp.35-38.

For Unpublished Master’s Theses: Bagayas, Shirley P. (2008). Perception of Cash Flow Statements as Financial

Information Source and Analytical Tool. Unpublished MDC Thesis. University of the Philippines Open University.

Garcia, Ma. Jeanette E. (2003). Communication Analysis of the Habitat Model of

Community and Social Development Processes. Unpublished MS

Thesis. University of the Philippines Los Banos.

Pasana, Sheena Mae C. (2004). Effects of Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on the Metacognitive and Reading Comprehension Performance of BEED Students. Unpublished MAEd Thesis. University of the Philippines

Open University.

Vallejo-Santiago, Arminda M. (1991). Video Technology in the Philippines: Its Status, Problems and Prospects. Unpublished MA Thesis. University of the Philippines Diliman.

For Unpublished Doctoral Dissertations:

Cangara, Hafied. (1995). The Use of Satellite Communication for National

Integration in Indonesia. Unpublished PhD dissertation. University of

the Philippines Los Baños.

Flor, Alexander G. (1987). The Information Rich and the Information Poor: Two Faces of the Information Age in a Developing Country. Unpublished PhD dissertation. University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Guevara, Christia A. (2010). Multimodal-Representation Approach: Effects on

Student Conceptual Understanding, Science Process Skills, and Attitude in Genetics. Unpublished PhD in Education dissertation. University of the Philippines Open University.

Mulyani, Eko Sri. (2002). Interorganizational Communication Variables in Rice

Technology Dissemination in West Java, Indonesia. Unpublished PhD dissertation. University of the Philippines Los Baños.


Use of Annexes

If the manuscript includes Annexes (these are also called Appendices), the clear page following the last page for the bibliography should be used as title page for the

Annexes. The word Annexes must be typed, centered in UPPER Case, and BOLD.

Each Annex must start with a clear page. The Annexes should be assigned pages as well, like they are part of the main body text. Annexes may be identified by Roman

Numbers or Alphabet, typed in upper case, bold. Number of Copies to Submit

Approved thesis shall be submitted and be distributed as follows:

A. Required Original copy for the University Library: (1) Hard bound

B. Optional (1) Copy for the National Library

(1) Soft copy (PDF)

C. Student copy

FORM:

Student as author with copyright (attachment)

a. Title Page b. University Permission Page

For More Details

This Style Guide provides you with the general rules and guidelines for the preparation of manuscripts for submission to the UP Open University, through the

FICS. Admittedly, this guide does not give enough details. The following references could provide such additional guidelines and details:

Lastimosa, Pura J. and Morma V. Llemit. (1994). Style Guide for Research Writers

and Editors. Los Banos, Laguna: PCARRD. Librero, Felix R. (2012). Writing Your Thesis. Los Baños, Laguna: U.P. Open

University.

Librero, Felix R. (2016). FICS General Style Guide. Los Baños, Laguna: University of the Philippines Open University.

Lipson, Charles. (2006). Cite Right. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. Manual of Publication of the American Psychological

Association, Latest Edition.


Manual of Publication of the Council of Biology Editors, Latest Edition.

Manual of Publication of the Modern Language Association, Latest Edition.

Pacheco, Benito M. (2012). Guidelines to Public Access to Theses and

Dissertations. [Memorandum No. BMP 12-011. Diliman, Quezon City:

University of the Philippines Diliman.

Pascual A. (2012). Public Access to Theses/Dissertations and Defense Proceedings [Memorandum No. PAEP 2012-03]. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines.

Radford, Marie L.; Susan B. Barnes; and Linda R. Barr. (2006). Web Research. 2nd

Edition. Boston, New York, San Francisco, Mexico City, Montreal, Toronto, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Hongkong, Singapore, Tokyo, Cape Town, Sydney: Pearson.

Turabian, Kate L. (1980). A Manual for Writers (of Term Papers, Theses, and

Dissertations). 8th Edition. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. Reprinted in the Philippines by National Book Store.

66 || MIS Program Handbook – List of Faculty

Appendix E

List of Faculty



1. Concepcion L. Khan (Program Chair and Affiliate Faculty)

2. Myra C. Almodiel 3. Ria Mae H. Borromeo

4. Roberto B. Figueroa (on study leave) 5. Mari Anjeli Crisanto

6. Reinald Adrian dL. Pugoy 7. Gerard G. Ravasco (Lecturer) 8. Juan Miguel Abriol-Santos (Lecturer)

Master of Development Communication

Possible professors for DEVC elective courses

1. Benjamina Paula G. Flor, PhD (Program Chair and Affiliate Faculty)

2. Alexander G. Flor, PhD

3. Grace J. Alfonso, PhD

4. Melinda dP. Bandalaria, PhD

5. Joane V. Serrano, PhD

6. Jean A. Saludadez, PhD

7. Melinda F. Lumanta, PhD

8. Serlie B. Jamias, PhD (Affiliate Faculty)

9. Madeline M. Suva, PhD (Affiliate Faculty)

The MIS Program was developed in cooperation with the Institute of Computer

Science, College of Arts and Sciences, UP Los Baños. External examiners may be

assigned from the Institute of Computer Science faculty.

FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES 2nd Flr. IMBPO Bldg., UP Open University, College Laguna, 4031

(049) 536-6001 to 06 loc. 334

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