Required Work

> Read this note about using TurnItIn.

Weekly Reading Reports and Discussion Questions (WRR&DQ)

The reports are short papers that summarize the reading assignments of the week. Each report must also include at least five (5) discussion questions about the week’s assigned readings. A total of 12 WRR&DQs are due throughout the semester, each worth two (2) points. To give some leeway, only the points from your top 10 reports and questions will be counted toward the final grade, so the total amount of points for the WRR&DQs is 20. Any points beyond 20 will not be counted as extra-credit points.

Each WRR&DQ is due in printed form at the beginning of the assigned class period, at 1:55 p.m. (If you arrive late, your WRR&DQ will not be accepted. If you don't show up at all -- no points. It makes no difference if you uploaded it early. You lose all the points if you can't make it to class.)

Each WRR&DQ must ALSO be submitted to TurnItIn, a plagiarism checking tool. If it's not there by 1:45 p.m. -- no points. (The first one can be submitted online any time before 5 p.m. on the due date.)

Check the schedule each week to keep up with the assigned readings. There is a separate Web page for each week's assigned work. Your reading assignments for that week appear on that page, e.g. Week 2.

Please follow the instructions for formatting your papers.

The length of a good report is 500-1,000 words, not including the DQs.

Topic Presentation

IMPORTANT: Make sure you read the detailed guidelines for this assignment.

The topic presentations are 50-minute-long presentations on the week’s reading assignments. Your topic presentation must include: (1) a PowerPoint, and also (2) a printed handout.

Make enough copies of your handout for everyone in the class.

The handout will be evaluated for its usefulness to your fellow students.

Note: E-mail a copy of your handout to me before class on the day of your presentation. Bring a printed copy for me also.

Each topic presentation must also include at least three Web sites and/or blogs related to the week’s reading assignment (include the complete URLs on the handout). If you do not have good references, you will not get an A.

During your presentation, use of example materials, such as DVDs and videotapes, is encouraged.

Each student will be a topic presenter ONCE during the semester. Check the schedule to see when you are presenting.

Book Review

> Read the sample book reviews here.

The book review is a 1,200- to 1,500-word review of a book that focuses on new communication technologies AND some aspect of democracy (including freedom of speech, privacy, an informed public, etc.). The book you select must be published in 2005 or later.

The book must be approved by Professor McAdams before the review is submitted.

The review must include:

  1. An introduction;
  2. A principal argument section;
  3. An analysis section; and
  4. A conclusion.

Example book reviews are provided; USE those examples as MODELS for your own book review. The review by Kennedy has proper references at the end. The reviews by Steyaert and by Baym are lively and really let us know what kind of book it is they are reviewing. The review by Baym is 1,172 words.

Notes:

> See Week 5 for the e-mail format! The book review book choices are due (via e-mail) at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.

> The book reviews are due at 1:55 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20.

Research Paper

IMPORTANT: There is additional information about this assignment.

The research papers are 3,000- to 4,000-word papers written in scholarly style on topics that are in some way connected to both new communication technologies and democracy. Your research paper must include:

  1. An introduction;
  2. A literature review (including appropriate theory);
  3. A conceptual methodology section; and
  4. A complete reference list formatted in APA style. (Do not include the reference list in the word count.)

Please follow the instructions for formatting your papers. Students must be prepared to discuss their research paper topics during the individual research paper meetings (Sept. 22-29) -- thus you should have a clear idea of your topic when you come to the meeting, and you should have already done some reading about your topic.

Doing the reading IN ADVANCE is VERY IMPORTANT. Your preparatory reading should be in journals such as these.

Note: Submit a copy of your research paper to TurnItIn before class on the day of your presentation. Bring a printed copy for me also.

> The research papers are due at 1:55 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24.

Conferences

There are some convenient academic conferences to which you can submit your finished research paper. I will post the submission deadlines for these when they become available.

These conferences are very welcoming to graduate students. They offer an especially good opportunity for students who are in, or considering entering, a Ph.D. program in mass communication.

There might be travel money from the grad division!

2009 AEJMC Midwinter Conference

Details to come.

2009 AEJMC Southeast Colloquium

Details to come.