papers
- Guide to writing in this class (pdf)
- Examples of proposals and papers (requires UW login)
- Papers with comments are accessible via log-in protected folders. Cohort 5 - Nika, Cohort 6. Grades are accessible via PDFs in a 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 two papers plus a proposal (project abstract) which will be used to evaluate your work in this course; each accounts for 20% of the grade in the class. Each student will choose an industry, issue, or technology to research. It is helpful, from a time-management view, if the subject is the same as the project in Research Methods. It is, however, not a requirement.
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. The generalized nature of the assignment reflects the inter-disciplinary focus of the program and course. This is your opportunity to learn more about a topic of specific interest to you!
Requirements:
Combined, the two papers must include at least 12 citations from scholarly
books or journals. In addition, students may 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 10 to 12 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 is 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? Remember, these are not "reports" but "analyses."
Each of the 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 APA as your style guide, unless you are intimately familar with another guide.. (If you wish to use another style guide, say so - in the proposal.)
Papers must be completed on time.
Guide to writing in this class (pdf)
Examples of proposals and papers (requires UW login)
1. Proposal/Project Abstract
Draft due Thursday 12 October, final due Thursday 26 October - both due @ 10 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 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, both via the online tool as well
as in face-to-face in-class discussions.
- State the research area you have selected. (1-2 sentences – preliminary statement is the draft submitted via Peer Review, a Catalyst tool)
- Explain why this is an important topic to research.
- Explain how you visualize breaking your topic into three timelines (past-present-future).
- Explain what theories you expect to use to support your claims.
- Provide an annotated list of at least five scholarly resources related to your topic. Each resource should be from a unique source. Remember that the final project must have 12 scholarly citations as well as those from reputable media. Provide proper citation and include the type of information provided, including key arguments.
2. First Paper: The Past
Due Thursday 16 November at 10 pm
Monday 20 November at noon
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.
Most of this information should have been present in the project abstract!
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.? Europe? Asia? 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 in time. Often, the time frame envisioned during the proposal
stage is truncated here.
Finally, briefly summarize the main points of your paper and introduce the
main ideas and goals you plan for the next paper. For a refresher on writing
research papers, see Guide to writing in
this class (pdf)
3. Second Paper: The Present and Future
Due Tuesday 12 December @ 6pm
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).
The future -- crystal ball section -- is the most analytical portion 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 12 December @ 6pm)
In addition, you should submit a separate, annotated bibliography that
consolidates your sources from all papers.