If you look at the first page of Chapter 9, you will see all the subheadings for this chapter involving Intellectual Property Rights and the Internet.

• Trademarks and Service Marks
• Copyrights
• Patents
• Trade Secrets
• (There are also some important subheadings under each section as well)

This week I want you to do some research on the Internet. These issues are constantly in the news (and in courtrooms). For example, there are 2 major companies that are constantly involved in patent infringement cases (with each other). What about all those "inspired perfumes and colognes"? I saw a YouTube video where the creator said that the Dollar Tree Knock off of J.Lo's Glow, smelled just like the real thing.

STEPSBe sure to read all 7 of the steps

1) Find a recent (5 year) situation involving 1 intellectual property topic from chapter 9.

2) EXPLAIN/DEFINE the topic involved (for example - explain what trademarks are).

3) Discuss the company/companies/parties involved and summarize what the issues and concerns are in your article.

(if you are discussing a case that has already been decided, then include how the court has resolved the matter). I ANTICIPATE THAT YOU CAN SUMMARIZE YOUR ARTICLE IN PARAGRAPHS (ANYTHING LONGER WOULD AMOUNT TO MORE THAN A SUMMARY. Please do not get into all the technical language of an invention or a patent - summarize!). This proves to be an interesting topic with plenty of current information.

4)Include YOUR OPINION AND THOUGHTSON THE MATTER (I am NOT looking for you to simply agree with the court's decision).Share your thoughtsabout the case/infringement/issue. Explain why you hold a certain opinion about the issue/decision.

5)At the end of your post, you be the online instructor, and pose a discussion question. The question should not be a "yes or no" question. It should not simply ask for a definition. Instead, your question should be one that generates robust discussion (so questions with one correct answer do not work well). The topic for the question can involve any one of the subheadings for Chapter 9. The question should be uniquely yours (Do not choose a discussion question from the textbook).

6) In your reply this week, feel free to respond to the article your classmate discussed (optional). YOU MUST answer your classmate's discussion question. - This is a good week to reply to a student who has not had anyone respond to his or her question.

7) Finally,INCLUDE ANY AND ALL WEBSITES USED FOR THIS DISCUSSION. You will lose points for failure to use citations.

Please note, cutting and pasting the actual article into your discussion is not a summary. , and it will be graded as such. (I want the website so the students and I can take a look at the article, but do not cut and paste the article. Shortquotes here and there are fine. I want to grade you, not the author of the article. So that means you must summarize the article in your own words - AND still cite the article after YOUR summary, and at the end of your post