Explain how we define culture here: gender specific, racial specific, roles of mothers or fathers, professions (teachers, cops, doctors etc), veterans, people with limited abilities, social classes, religious groups, LGBTQ, Blondes, French Artists, British Spys (ok maybe off track but also have some fun with it – the goal to examine how the media portrays a specific group of individuals)
how have the traits of surviving female “Damsels” protagonists in horror movies changed from decade to decade?
How do female sport comedies place a woman in a position of power even when coached by male figures? (Female Athlete vs Male Coach)
How has the film industry represented the value of power and success in royal figures in modern day periodical pieces?
How has the film industry represented patriotic war heroes in Western Films?
***These are all narrowly specific and ready to study. The genre is clear. The point of study is clear.
revious example of unsuccessful questions:
How are gender roles portrayed in dramas? (TOO BROAD)
Why is being in a relationship/marriage is depicted as the ultimate form of success and happiness in children’s movies? (It will take too much research to answer why – stick to how.)
How are cartoons breaking away from stereotypes and supporting stereotypes? (Stereotype needs to be defined – can mean too many different things)
In what different ways have science fiction/mystery films characterized America and the American female? (Too many different papers in one)
Literature Review:
Evaluate the research that has already been done on this genre of films. This step assumes that you are starting to conduct your own study. Your research does not need to match your findings. This will allow you to see the far reaching comprehensive understanding of what other scholars are saying.
Find 4-6 peer reviewed scholarly journal articles. For each article briefly summarize the important findings of the study. (Start with the library databases Academic Search Premiere and Omnifile)
Annotate and discuss the importance. Are you finding different things as you approach your own study? Is the research confirming some of the ideas you are finding? Why is the research important?
Examine where there are still areas of this genre left unexplored? If you were to continue your study where would you do with your analysis and research?
Include a Works Cited of all your sources
The literature review should be about 3 pages double spaced.
Findings: Once you have framed your study and presented/surveyed the research, it is time for you to conduct your study and report your findings. Apply two of the rhetorical theories we have studied in class – Narrative, Marxism, Feminism or select an additional area of study from the textbook.
– Apply the theory to the media artifacts. What do you discover? What are the influential messages? Speculate on what impact they might have. Speculate on the rhetor’s intent. Think about the triangle here and address all three parts – text, purpose, audience.
– This is the part of your case study where you present new ideas. Please compare/contrast rhetorical messages in your studied texts.
– Quote and be specific when discussing the text. Use effective examples.
– Show understanding of the theories.
– Please note that section is completely separate
Writing Report Abstracts
Informational Abstract
acts communicate contents of reports
include purpose, methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations
highlight essential points
are short— usually just a paragraph
allow readers to decide whether they want to read the report
An effective abstract
ract uses one well-developed paragraph, which is unified, coherent, concise, and able to stand al
one uses an introduction-body-conclusion structure in which the parts of the report are discussed in order: purpose, findings, conclusions, recommendations
follows strictly the chronology of the report
provides logical connections between material included
adds no new information but simply summarizes the report
is intelligible to a wide audience
Steps For Writing Effective Report Abstracts
To write an effective report abstract, follow these four steps:
Reread your report with the purpose of abstracting in mind. Look specifically for these main parts: purpose, methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations.
After you have finished rereading your report, write a rough draft WITHOUT LOOKING BACK AT YOUR REPORT. Consider the main parts of the abstract listed in step #1. Do not merely copy key sentences from your report. You will put in too much or too little information.
Revise your rough draft to
correct weaknesses in organization and coherence,
drop superfluous information,
add important information originally left out,
eliminate wordiness, and
correct errors in grammar and mechanics.
Carefully proofread your final copy.
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