Please include 6 different sources, and one book source must be used too. (cant all be online sources). CMST 240 Media Literacy Persuasive Writing Assignment GOAL: Write a 4 page research paper about a mass media-related problem. In your paper, explain this problem, discuss possible causes, and propose one or more institutional solutions to solve the problem. TOPIC: Research a problem which relates to one or more of the mass media covered in class or in your textbook. Be able to identify this problem with a specific sentence. STRUCTURE: Your paper should be divided into five sections. Many of you will thus choose to have five paragraphs; you may choose, however, to divide each section into sub- paragraphs. –The first section should gain the attention of your reader and introduce the problem about which you are writing. You may also want to justify why this topic deserves to be explored. The second section should explain the problem and also explore the impacts of the problem. You might want to identify who is harmed, what different harms or potential harms may be incurred, and the scope and severity of these harms. Throughout your paper, use a highly structured writing style. Make a claim, and then support that claim with evidence. –Begin your second section with a transitional sentence or internal preview which makes clear what impacts you will detail. Examples: 1.) The results of the death of live broadcast are an increased possibility for censorship of sensitive messages, and the death of an art formthe live performance. 2.) Illegal downloading of songs harms not only the many professionals who depend on song sales to make their livings, it also has the potential to seriously curtail musical expression in the future. –The third section should discuss two or three likely causes of the problem you are exploring. When attributing a problem to causes, consider what are the reasons this situation has gotten out of hand? or what factors in the status quo prevent this problem from being fixed? Begin with an internal preview sentence which delineates the causes about which you are writing. Examples: 1.) The reasons for this are two FCC decisions: the loosening of the definition of obscenity, and a steep increase in fines for stations which violate FCC standards. 2.) Technological innovations and a public resentment of the recording industry contribute to this problem. –The fourth section should propose at least one institutional solution to your problem. Expand on your solution(s), and present research to support the feasibility of the solution(s). Examples: 1.) The FCC should significantly lower fines for live broadcasts. 2.) To curtail this trend, the recording industry should include desirable nondigital features with cds, and shift focus toward streaming, personal radio formats. –The fifth section should restate your thesis, and provide a conclusion for your paper. RESEARCH: Your paper should cite at least six credible, verifiable sources. I look for breadth in research, and I expect some library research to be done. FORMAT: Please do not use a binder or other cover, just a single piece of standard white paper with your title, name, class information, and due date. Make sure your paper is longer than three typed pages, and no longer than four pages. Include MLA-format internal citations, and an MLA-format Work Cited page. (The Work Cited page does not count as part of your required page total.) GRADING: This paper is worth 100 points. Each of the following areas will be worth 25% of the grade: 1.) Mechanics (spelling, punctuation, MLA format, etc.) 2.) Following Directions (How well does your paper conform to the directions presented herein?) 3.) Analysis and understanding of mass media topic 4.) Logic (How well does the evidence you present support your claims? Do you avoid fallacious thinking?) Heres a handy web site with information about MLA formatting: Online Writing Lab – MLA information Problem: Social media’s impact on a persons identity. First section Social networks like Facebook, Instagram Twitter, and Youtube have become a major influence on the formation of a persons identity. Second section -Social media can have a negative or positive affect on self esteem as an individual pays attention to how many likes, followers, friends, or subscribers they have. -With the global connection social media provides, a video or post can create bad publicity to an individual, leading to online bullying. -Trying to find a job? Employers are now using social media to make hiring decisions. -Social media also provides false identity. The person behind the computer screen could be sharing fake content about their lives to make their online identity popular. (Also catfishing/fake profiles) -Social media prenups. Third section -Once a content is shared, it becomes accessible to multiple users in an instant. -Most people rely on the internet for information, this includes the ability to research a person in the palm of your hands. -Screening social media becomes a new way of discrimination by employers. Fourth section -Congress should pass a civil rights act to eliminate social media screening as it is a new way to discriminate individuals. (I rushed this institutional part, please find a better solution). Fifth section Providing a platform for virtually communicating and sharing content, social media has created a global connection of different experiences and opinions that redefine ones identity. NOTES FROM TEACHER: 1. This is a great topic for this research paper. 2. When you have many different harms (or many examples for any section of an outline like this), its often effective to organize them into chunks. That way, structurally, instead of presenting a list of examples, you are presenting organized information, based on type or category. 3. Your solution idea is really fascinating. However: 1) If your solution only solves part of the problem (or, if it only solves for part of the causes) then you might want to narrow your topic so you dont spend time writing about things that youre not addressing later. 2) Find out what experts recommend.
