Proposal

COMM 3643 Media and Society Meirick

The term paper and the proposal

For your term paper in this course, you will write an 8- to 10-page paper than examines an issue raised in this class.

The form

Write a well-researched literature review that presents and integrates what is known about a topic: the effects of media violence, for instance; the history of how African-Americans have been represented in books, movies and television; the ways that the news media have covered war, etc. You will be reporting on the academic research and writings of others, and you will cite them appropriately.

The topic

The topic must relate to issues of mass media and society, which is a pretty broad area. Find something that interests you. I’m available to meet with you as you try to define your topic. In doubt? E-mail me.

The proposal

Your proposal for the term paper is due Tuesday, March 31 (one class period later than in the syllabus). It is worth 200 points (10% of your grade). You must submit an electronic copy through Canvas.

Proposal Part I: A draft introduction. In about a page to a page and a half, tell specifically:

· what your topic is

· why your topic is important and relevant to society today

· what aspects of the topic you plan to address and what questions you have about them

Proposal Part II: An annotated bibliography.

· Find and list four academic sources that you plan to cite in your term paper. List these references in APA style -- for a summary of this, go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

· In your own words, write a short summary, maybe 75-100 words, for each source. Do NOT simply cut-and-paste an article’s abstract. That would be plagiarism.

The proposal will serve two purposes. It will force you to start thinking about your term paper now, which will allow time for you to plan and time for the idea to percolate. It also will give me a chance to see what you’ve got in mind, so I can offer suggestions in time to make a difference. I will evaluate the proposal on the appropriateness of the topic, your insight into the topic, the quality and applicability of the sources cited, and the quality and accuracy of the abstracts you write.

The ultimate due date

The term paper is due the last Tuesday of class, Tuesday, April 28, but you may turn your paper in at any time during the semester. As the date draws nearer, I’ll have more information about writing the term paper.