To start the research process, students will write a brief
Proposal
that includes: topic, a set of research questions, and a general plan of attack for the project at hand. This project itself has two major components: 1) the
Annotated Bibliography
and 2) the
Hypertext Essay
. Something important to note:This is not your typical research essay project.Those are stiff, formal, and probably won't be read by many people. It's best tothink of this more like an opinion article you would find on a website.What does that mean? It means the focus should be on somethingrelevantthat will generate interest to a wider audience. Yes, there's a strong research component...but that doesn't mean the project can't be fun! See the
list of topics and articles
to see what I mean.
This approach allows students to develop a research project while also incorporating a digital conversation within their essay. By first creating the annotated bibliography, students will learn the best way for them to fully explore research—finding sources, evaluating them, and then putting them into conversation with other scholars as well as finding their own academic voice in the essay. The multimodal nature of this project will include links to sources/contexts/genres, videos, images and polished words on the page. Students will explore approaches to citation methods (MLA/APA) which will also allow them to interrogate conceptions of plagiarism and copyright laws as they incorporate both print and digital work into their own document.
Instructions
This project asks that students engage with both scholarly and non-scholarly sources in order to gain a well-rounded understanding of their topic. To start,
choose an article from this list.From this article, you will get the topic of your project as well as establish your working thesis to help focus your research path and form the basis for your Hypertext Essay. Students must include a minimum of3 scholarly (peer reviewed) sources, at least3 non scholarly sources, and the inclusion of at least6 digital componentsthroughout the text. Therefore,at minimum 12 sources will be incorporated. Students have free reign over the non-scholarly source types, but proper citations must be included while the scholarly sources will be found through the use of Reynolds library databases.
For your MP (Multimodal Project) pleasechoose one article belowto help you find an engaging argument/debate to start your project journey.
Important:Consider theargument/debatebeing discussed in these articles--not just whether you agree or disagree with the article. These articles are intended to by a starting point, not the basis of your whole project! (As in you should work to get beyond "I agree with [insert article title here]." and focus more on the argument itself! Example: The article on Dubs or Subs could easily be reconsidered as it pertains to anime! Which do you think is better: subs or dubs? Why?)
Black Widow and Captain Marvel: The Duality of Gender in the MCULinks to an external site.
- In her 1996 essay, ‘Feminist Perspectives on the Media’ Van Zoonen asks her readers a simple question; ‘What part does media play in the ongoing social construction of gender?’
WWE's New Twitch Streaming Restrictions
Links to an external site.
- Current and former WWE wrestlers and personalities respond to the company's decision to clamp down on their YouTube and Twitch channels.
Dubs or Subs? Parasite Renews Debate on How to Watch Foreign Films
Links to an external site.
- The South Korean dark comedy film Parasite had a historic awards season sweep - and in the process, reignited the debate over whether subtitles or dubbing is the best way to watch a movie that isn't in your native language.
Do Parents Matter?
Links to an external site.
- In 1930, the American anthropologist Margaret Meadpublished a studyLinks to an external site.
of how people in Papua New Guinea raised their children. The world is one giant laboratory and human development one grand experiment, she reasoned. So why not compare parenting across cultures?
Yes, People are Traveling For the Holidays. Stop Shaming Them.
Links to an external site.
-
Denouncing others might make you feel good about yourself, but it rarely corrects bad behavior.
Memes are popular and increasingly significant. But why?
Links to an external site.
-Memes control internet culture, as popular meme pages on social media now draw tens of millions of followers. People around the world are reliant on that daily release of dopamine in their brains through a laugh at their favorite meme page, as if memes are the coffee of 2019.But memes are much more than just a simple element of humor regarding day-to-day affairs: they are a basis for political expression, societal angst, and brand advertising.
Other topics/questions for consideration from past classes:
- Vaccination: forced or volunteer?
- What should be done about medical personnel shortages?
- Should digital piracy (movies, music, programs, etc.) be punished at greater depths?
- Is distance learning just as beneficial as going to a school?
- Racial bias in anime?
- Can reading help PTSD patients?
- What can be done to helpchildren read more?
- Are Youtube stars celebrities?
- Should children with ADHD be divided in special classes?
Still don't see anything you like?That's cool. You can choose your own topic, however the following criteria must be met:
- You will need to meet with me during Student Hours (or via email) before the proposal is due to have your topic approved. You don't have to come to this meeting with a full proposal...let's just chat about stuff that interests you.
- It can't be something you already wrote about for another class! Don't just rehash something you've done previously! I know it's easy to do...but let's work harder than that.
- It has to peakmyinterest. One aspect about writing that is universal is writing to an audience...and since I'm your principle audience this semester, I have to be intrigued by your idea. The good news: I'm interested in a lot of stuff! But I'm not interested in reading something unoriginal (legalizing marijuana, texting and driving, global warming, etc.). Bring me something cool that would make me want to read it! If you want help with this, please see me during Student Hours or email me!