papers
- Guide to writing in this class (pdf)
- Examples of proposals and papers (requires UW login)
- Grades are accessible via PDFs in log-in protected folder - ordered by the last five digits of your university ID (not your net ID!). Please advise if I have made an error in transcription.
There are three papers plus a proposal which will be used to evaluate your work in this course; each paper accounts for 20% of the grade in the class. Each student will choose an industry, issue, or technology to research.
As this is a very broad paper topic, it will be up to each student (with help from the instructor and peers) to develop a specific, appropriate, and innovative focus to each paper. For instance, you may want to choose three case studies that represent past, present and future issues of a particular industry; examine a particular ethical or legal issue; or conduct a practical review of a specific technology.
Requirements:
Combined, the three papers must include at least 15 citations from scholarly books or
journals. In addition, students should use citations or examples from popular media,
news media, or corporate media, as well as personal interviews with media
professionals or users.
Each paper should be approximately 8 to 10 pages in length and will be evaluated on quality of analysis, original thought, focus, and clarity of presentation. All work must be original, except for material from clearly attributed sources. A bibliography and footnotes or endnotes will be required for each paper.
Your analysis in each paper should explain and apply at least one theoretical model discussed in the course. For instance, is Uses and Gratifications a good way to examine issues connected to the topic you've chosen? Medium Theory? Diffusion of Innovation?
Each of the three papers must be submitted via eSubmit as a Word document and ideally will be created using Word's outline format. Papers must include endnotes or footnotes. Please use the Chicago Manual of Style as your style guide, as it is the most commonly used style guide in business. (If you wish to use another style guide, feel free to petition me. Be persuasive!)
Papers must be completed on time.
Guide to writing in this class (pdf)
Examples of proposals and papers (requires UW login)
Proposal (draft due 15 October, final due 22 October - both due @ 6 pm)
The proposal should include the industry/issue/technology to be studied, the focus of the study, a clear and complete explanation of goals, and
possible sources and citations for each of the three papers.
Students will use the Peer Review tool to help each other focus the proposals.
Students will be assigned to small groups (at random) and expected to provide
feedback on all small group member proposals. The sooner you draft a proposal, the sooner you allow feedback!
1. The Past (due Wednesday 9 November @ 6pm)
Begin this paper with a clear statement of the industry you are studying,
your reasons for studying it, your focus, and your goals for all three papers,
then specifically introduce your approach to the past of this industry.
Next, provide an overview of the technological, cultural, and economic history of this
industry, keeping in mind your focus. What historic events, social and economic trends, and technological developments are important to the development of this industry?
You may also want to explore cultural context. Is this industry based in the West?
Specifically in the U.S.? Has the technology historically been used in a particular
geographic area or by a particular group of people? Has the cultural context of
the industry changed over time?
Be sure to clearly cite your sources. Use information from scholarly books,
journal articles, and if appropriate, popular media. You may also want to talk to
veteran industry professionals who have seen changes first hand.
Keep in mind that you cannot cover the entire history of the industry. You will
need to choose which events and trends are most important and decide how far
back to go.
Finally, briefly summarize the main points of your paper and introduce the
main ideas and goals you plan for the next paper.
2. The Present: ( due Wednesday 23 Nov @ 6 pm
Friday 25 Nov @ 10 am )
It is important to stay focused. Introduce your main points and goals. Next, develop these by describing and analyzing the current state of the industry (or at least the
parts of the industry relevant to your focus).
Include, as always, connections to historic, social, cultural, and economic
contexts. What is the industry's primary source of revenue? Describe content,
distribution, and consumption. Are there particular legal or ethical issues faced
by the industry today? If so, what are they? What audiences are targeted by this
industry? Is the Digital Divide an issue, and if so, why?
While you should use scholarly and trade publications as sources, you should
also talk to industry professionals (and, if appropriate, clients or users).
3. The Future: (due 13 December @ 6pm)
This will be the most analytical of the three papers. While you again should use
outside sources to bolster your analysis, you will need to use your own
knowledge of the topic to express and substantiate your opinion/viewpoint as
you hypothesize about future directions/implications.
What is likely to happen to the industry economically? Will audiences or
sources of revenue change? If so, why? If not, why not? Will the technology
itself change? How? What is this industry or technology likely to look like in
five or ten years? What sort of business, legal, or ethical decisions are industry
professionals likely to face? What broader social and economic forces will shape
the future of this industry/technology?
Use a similar format as in the previous two papers: Introduction, observations
and analysis, conclusions.
Annotated Bibliography (due 13 December @ 6pm)
In addition, you should submit a separate, annotated bibliography that consolidates your sources from all three papers.