1. Look over your partner’s Proposal. Ensure that you have answered all of the
questions below.
1. What is your partner’s object of study?
2. Do they provide sufficient information about what it is?
3. What specific part of the object is your partner focusing on?
4. Do they explain why it stands in for the whole object?
5. Is your partner using appropriate course terms to characterize the
object’s significance? If so, which ones? If not, ask them what course
terms they are going to utilize.
6. Can you think of other medium-specific terms that they should consider
from this class?
7. What thoughts do they provide about the object’s relevance to the world
around it?
8. Have they considered the object’s convergence with other forms of
media?
9. Where specifically is your partner making claims? What kind of evidence
are they using to back up their claims? Is it sufficient to convince you?
10. What else could they consider as they start expanding this into a
Research Project?

2. Now take 5-7 minutes to exchange responses to each other’s Proposal.
1. Provide for them an oral synopsis of your written notes regarding
their Proposal.
2. Go through your individual responses to the questions posed above.
3. Make reference to your classmate’s Proposal and to your notes.
4. Point out the areas in the text where they are responding to (or
should be responding to) the above questions.
5. Ask them to specify and to clarify if something seems vague.
6. Ask questions and be respectful. The goal is to make helpful
suggests and ask provocative questions, not to tear someone down.

3. The Internet and Security
What did we say was paradoxical about the Internet’s creation?
“hub for convergence” -Campbell, p. 48
Debates regarding control and ownership of the Internet revolve
around three key issues:
1. The appropriateness of online materials
2. The accessibility of the Internet
3. The security of personal and private information
http://www.theonion.com/video/report-every-potential-2040-
president-already-unel,27963/

4. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
1. You should already be researching your object.
A. Consult your notes from the librarian’s presentation.
B. Seek out help from the library if you are having trouble
finding information.
C. DO NOT put research off until the last minute. It will be
obvious if you do.
D. One of your guiding research questions should be:
“What do others say about my object?” You MUST work
with credible sources. NO WIKIPEDIA.

5. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
2. Follow directions!
A. Read the directions carefully
B. Do as the directions say.
1. If the directions ask you to name your file a
specific way, name your file that way.
2. If the directions ask you to double space your
text, double space your text.
3. If the directions ask you to talk about formal
elements, talk about formal elements.
C. Ask questions if the directions are unclear to you.
D. Failure to follow directions will not be tolerated and
will be punished severely.

6. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
3. Proofread your work very carefully
A. Spell check will not catch the misuse of actual
words (e.g. “their,” “there,” “they’re,” “to,” “too”)
B. It is obvious when someone has not proofread
their work carefully; such work will see
significant point reductions.

7. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
4. Avoid uncritical language
A. This is not a media appreciation class. I have
said this from day one. The assignment
directions are clear about this as well.
B. I am not interested in whether you think
something is “good” or “bad.”
C. Your job in the Research Project is to show
your grasp of critical concepts and your ability to
apply them to an object of your choosing.

8. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
5. Make only those claims for which you have ample,
credible evidence.
A. When you talk about your object, what
informs your descriptions?
B. What are you using for evidence? Is it
credible?
C. Is your claim appropriate for the size of the
Project? Will you have enough space to provide
the necessary evidence?
D. Base your argument on credible evidence, not
guesses, feelings, or unsubstantiated ideas.

9. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
6. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
A. Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism includes:
1. Using someone else’s exact words
without citing them.
2. Paraphrasing someone else’s thoughts
without citing them.
3. Passing of someone else’s work
(including another student’s) as your own.
4. Using the same work for multiple
classes w/out instructor’s consent

10. Proposals and Research Projects: Observations
B. The penalties for plagiarism are severe:
1. An automatic zero on the assignment.
2. An “F” for the course.
3. Potential expulsion from IPFW.
4. Likely documentation of transgression
on your academic record/transcript.

11. Proposals and Research Projects:
7. Recommendations
A. Get started on research now.
B. Take notes.
C. Utilize IPFW’s resources!
D. Read the assignment directions multiple
times.
E. Be sure that you know what you need to do.
F. Consult with the IPFW Writing Center
(http://new.ipfw.edu/writing/), your notes, and
your assigned readings on how to write a paper
and how to avoid plagiarism.
G. Ask questions

12. Look over your partner’s Proposal. Ensure that you have answered all of the
questions below.
1. What is your partner’s object of study?
2. Do they provide sufficient information about what it is?
3. What specific part of the object is your partner focusing on?
4. Do they explain why it stands in for the whole object?
5. Is your partner using appropriate course terms to characterize the
object’s significance? If so, which ones? If not, ask them what course
terms they are going to utilize.
6. Can you think of other medium-specific terms that they should consider
from this class?
7. What thoughts do they provide about the object’s relevance to the world
around it?
8. Have they considered the object’s convergence with other forms of
media?
9. Where specifically is your partner making claims? What kind of evidence
are they using to back up their claims? Is it sufficient to convince you?
10. What else could they consider as they start expanding this into a
Research Project?

13. Now take 5-7 minutes to exchange responses to each other’s Proposal.
1. Provide for them an oral synopsis of your written notes regarding
their Proposal.
2. Go through your individual responses to the questions posed above.
3. Make reference to your classmate’s Proposal and to your notes.
4. Point out the areas in the text where they are responding to (or
should be responding to) the above questions.
5. Ask them to specify and to clarify if something seems vague.
6. Ask questions and be respectful. The goal is to make helpful
suggests and ask provocative questions, not to tear someone down.

14. The Peer Review assignment asks you to expand on the
workshop exercises you have been doing in class. Now, however,
you have to respond in writing, in full sentence paragraphs, to
your colleague’s work and think about their response to yours.
1. Exchange email addresses with your partner.
2. Send your Proposal to your partner tonight (as
appropriately named email attachment).
3. Read through the questions before you read your
colleague’s Proposal.
4. Print your colleague’s Proposal and take notes.

15. 5. In your meeting with your partner, follow up
with them regarding how their Proposal holds up
against the assignment questions.
6. Direct them to specific places in their Proposal
that you are referring to.
7. Write down their responses to your questions
and comments.
8. These notes are needed for your Peer Review!
9. Be sure to write down what your partner says
about your Proposal as well!
10. Bring a voice recorder to capture the
conversation if that is easier for you.

16. Upcoming schedule:
11/13: Exchange email addresses with Peer Review partner
11/13: Send your Proposal as email attachment to partner
11/13: Online Quiz #9 goes live at 10PM
11/13-11/20: Meet with Peer Review partner
11/15: No formal class meeting (good time to meet w/partner!)
11/20: No class meeting
11/20: Peer Review due via email attachment by 12PM
11/27: Class resumes. I will return exams, extra credit, appeals,
and Peer Reviews. We finish our conversation about the Internet,
and discuss media effects, and journalism.
Come to class ready to talk about media effects theories and journalism.
I will send out additional reading prompts for the chapter on journalism next
week.
Have a nice (and safe) break.