Key points of this assignment to keep in mind are: • In this paper you will provide an in-depth exploration of either A) a single media theory discussed in class that examines the various ways in which it has helped to frame media research, or B) select a general media topic, such as politics, violence, or group portrayals, and provide an extensive examination of the ways in which multiple theories have been used to help our understanding of the topic as a whole. It is best not to exceed three different theories in this last example! • The organization is up to you, but a chronological or topical paper will likely be the most successful method of organization. • The paper should acknowledge seminal works and modern applications of the perspective. • Sources for this assignment may ONLY come from academic journals. • Under no circumstances should you attempt to cite Wikipedia, About.com, or general information Internet sites as sources. This is an academic research effort and use of such sources is not only grossly inappropriate but it would prove embarrassing to you. • IMPORTANT!!!!! Connections should be made among research studies used in the literature review. Compare and contrast the findings. Did different researchers use different methods and reach the same conclusions? Did researchers use the same methodology and come to different conclusions? A paper that presents an article-by-article summary will be lucky to earn a C. • You may include a critical analysis of the studies presented. Just because a work has been published does not mean it’s not open for criticism. • Analyze the methodological approaches used in the various studies. Was the method sound or did it fail to capture an element of the phenomenon under study? What other methods could be used with the theory or topic that is not evident in the literature? • Acknowledge if something could have been done better. • Identify areas of research that could be informed by the theory but have yet to be explored. • You will submit your final paper to Moodle. Turn-It-In plagiarism detection software will be enabled, so triple check your document to ensure everything is appropriately cited.
