05-436 / 05-836 / 08-534 / 08-734 Usable Privacy and Security
Homework 1
Print your homework out and submit it in person at the start of class (3:00pm) on Thursday, January 23rd. Homework will not be accepted after 3:05pm on that day.
- Part 1 (50 points): Write a 3--7 sentence summary and short "highlight" for each of the readings assigned for January 16th, January 21st, and January 23rd. Students taking the 12-unit version of this class must also submit a summary and highlight for one of the optional readings from any of those days.
- Part 2 (25 points): The usability evaluation in the "Why Johnny Can't Opt Out" paper was conducted in the summer of 2011. Perhaps the usability of these tools has changed in the last three years; perhaps it hasn't. Download and install one of the tools listed below (or, for DAA and Evidon, use their website):
Task 2-A: Perform an expert-based review, such as a cognitive walkthrough of the tool. Please read Section 10.3.1 of the Lazar et al. "Research Methods" text for background on these types of reviews. Create a table listing and briefly explaining the usability problems you identify.
Task 2-B: Make a bulleted list of suggested improvements.
Task 2-C: Write 1--2 paragraphs describing what you think are the usability strengths and weaknesses of the tool.
Task 2-D: Compare the strengths and weaknesses you found to those listed for that tool in Table 1 of the "Why Johnny Can't Opt Out" paper. Have things changed?
- Part 3 (25 points): Pretend that you are an IRB reviewer and you have received the experimental protocol described in either the Mazurek et al. paper or the Jagatic et al. paper that you read this week.
Task 3-A: Create a bulleted list of potential ethics concerns raised by this protocol.
Task 3-B: Write at least one paragraph describing positive steps the researchers appear to have taken to minimize some of these ethics concerns.
Task 3-C: Write another paragraph suggesting modifications to the study protocol that would better protect human subjects.
- Part 4 (officially 0 points, but you cannot pass this course unless you do this): Complete the online IRB training by following the instructions at http://www.cmu.edu/research-compliance/human-subject-research/training.html. Choose the "Social & Behavioral Investigators" track. Note that this training will take a few hours. Please print out and attach your completion certificate to the homework.
- Part 5 (officially 0 points, but you must do this IF AND ONLY IF you are taking the 12-unit version of the class): Print out this PDF of the topics for student presentations. Rank all of the topics in that document to indicate your preference for the topic you most want to present (1) to the topic you least want to present (16). If you know you will not be able to attend a particular class, do not give that class a ranking. Turn this ranking in along with HW 1 on a separate piece of paper.