Your deliverable is a well-researched persuasive essay about mass communication. That means you must argue for or against a topic. You cannot write “about” the topic. You have to have a clear “for or against” thesis. Any topic other than the seven listed here must be approved by the instructor and be equally timely and relevant to a discussion of mass communication.
TOPICS
- Convergence results in fewer rather than more sources of information, just more distribution channels.
- By being inundated with “sound bite” news, Americans are less well informed now than in previous decades.
- Media bias comes from the audience, which selects the sources to agree with its own views.
- If the Internet kills newspapers, it will kill its own information source.
- Citizen journalists — bloggers — will obviate traditional media reporters.
- Advertising should be deemed appropriate for family or adult viewing, and relegated to appropriate time periods.
- Television has a responsibility to portray minorities in proportion to their numbers in American society.
- Any other you choose and get approved in advance.
REQUIREMENTS [MLA Format and Style]
- 1,200—1,500 words, plus cover and reference pages.
- Double-spaced using 12-point Arial or Times New Roman.
- You must use at least FIVE sources of which THREE must be sources other than web sites, and obtained from a library [physical or virtual]. They may not include our textbook or any consumer newspaper or magazine. Find a communications or media or psychology or medical journal. Web sources must be research groups or associations or well-respected media. Wikipedia, ask.com, about.com and similar web sites are not acceptable.
- These sources cannot be more than five years old, and they must have an author.
- The sources used in the paper must be cited using MLA style with in-text citations and a works cited.
- A cover page is necessary. It should contain the title of your essay, your name, the assignment name and the date submitted.
- Use formal writing:
- No personal pronouns such as “you” and “I” in any form.
- No contractions are allowed in the paper.
- No slang, colloquialisms, clichés or trite phrases.
- Every paragraph is to have one and only one topic that supports your thesis.
- Run spell and grammar check before submission.
- Be sure to cite and reference every quote and every paraphrased passage. Failure to do so is plagiarism.
- No more than 20% of the total words can be quotes or paraphrased material