Research paper

DiBenedetto

First name Last name

Prof. DiBenedetto

Course

Date

Documentary Research Paper

Documentary. Articles. Controversy

Introduction:

Nonfiction, visual culture, media, graphic, and argument---these elements of reading and writing converge in documentary film, making it an ideal way to understand how we create and receive arguments. What, after all, is a documentary except someone’s argument on a topic? Documentaries suggest that the audience (you) should accept the viewpoint, take the action, make commitment, understand the rightness/wrongness of this policy, etc. To achieve this purpose, the filmmaker (director) must understand the audience and appeal to them---ex, using the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos). All in all, documentaries build upon the visual world while focusing controversial and overlooked issues in your lives. Your research will culminate in a 3-4 page research paper and visual presentation.

Expectation:

In this research paper, you will use the arguments made in one documentary and 3 -4 additional texts to answer your own research question (at least 4 total annotated bibliographies).

Writing Prompt:

What is the controversy addressed in your documentary? What problem does the documentary address? What is your stance on the controversy or solution to the problem?

Research Requirements (3-4 pages):

Types of sources:	This includes:
1. Documentary	Film
2. News	Magazine, newspaper, history of topic → this should include unbiased & objective
3. Opinions	Blogs, speeches, TV/radio transcript, columns, editorials. This should come from a personal perspective
4. Visuals	Charts, graphs, images, political cartoons

Format:

In your research essay, you must provide the following information about the topic in question:

1) Background information explaining the topic.

2) Your overall perspective/position of it.

3) Media coverage of the matter.

4) Discuss political proponents and opponents of the issue.

5) 4 different perspectives of this issue.

6) Closing reflection

Your research paper will include all of the following:

· Final draft

· Works Cited

· Drafts

· Annotated Bibliographies

Argument-Based Documentaries

Government & Security · The Hacker Wars · The Haystack (could possibly go under political) · State of Surveillance · We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists	Food / Food Industry · Food Fight: The Debate over GMO Labels · Food Inc · Fed Up · McLibel · Farmaggedon · Forks Over Knives
Environmental Issues · Disobedience · Fossil Free · Fracking in America · The 11th Hour · An Inconvenient Truth · Democracy	Political Issues · Brexit: The Movie · Bowling for Columbine · Innocents Betrayed (gun debate) · Gun Nation · Operation Hollywood · Failure to Obey · Restrepo? · Dirty Wars · The Biggest Prison System in History · These Streets Are Watching (police accountability) · Policing the Police · The Invisible War
Social Issues · Don’t Panic: The Truth About Population · Under the Knife (plastic surgery as vanity) · Maternity Leave · Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price · White Like Me · How to Live to 101 · Blackfish · Merchants of Cool · The Hunting Ground	Gender Issues · Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising’s Image of Women (short: 34 min) · The Codes of Gender · Miss Representation · The Mask We Live in
Drug/Medical Issues · Pot Fiction · Vaccines: Calling the Shots · Cloning the First Human · Sicko · Prescription Thugs	The Arts · Why Beauty Matters · Ai Weiwei: Without Fear or Favour · Hollywood and the War Machine
Education · Waiting for Superman · A Subprime Education	Sports · Concussion Watch · League of Denial · Bigger, Faster, Stronger · Schooled: The Price of College Sports

*most of these documentaries can be viewed on www.freedocumentaries.org

Topdocumentaryfilms.com

documentaryheaven.com

documentarywire.com

Netflix

Hulu