Popular Press Book Analysis

(250 points) If you are a Communication major this paper can be counted as your Fulbright Senior Writing Requirement (FWR) if you meet the following conditions: your paper must be (1) 10+ pages in length, not counting title and reference pages, (2) use at least six academic/peer-reviewed sources from outside of the course readings, and (3) receive at least a grade of “C.” Please note that you do not need to tell me you wish to use this as a FWR; I submit all students’ names whose papers meet the requirement. If your paper does or does not not meet the requirement I will inform you via email after I have had time to grade all of the papers. You must submit your paper through Blackboard no later than 11:59 pm on Friday of Week 15. You must submit your paper on Blackboard as a Word (.doc or .docx) or Adobe (.pdf) file. No .pages, please.
This paper is your 10+ page analysis (not counting title page and reference list) of a popular press book about leadership. You should make your book choice by Friday of Week 3, 11:59 pm to stay on track. I have provided a list of pre-approved books (see Appendix C and on Blackboard under “Assignments”). If you choose a book not on this list, just let me know it is not on the list and I will review the table of contents and read/peruse a few chapters; I will then let you know if the book will work for this assignment. In either case (choosing from the list or finding your own), you should choose your book carefully. You should be interested in the topic and the book you select must have enough substance to allow you to write the analysis. Failure to complete this portion of the assignment automatically reduces your overall paper grade by 50 points. This means that the highest grade you can receive on the paper will be 200 points or 80% (B).
You have a consultation with me (over Zoom) as a preliminary requirement sometime during Weeks 7 through 9. You will schedule a 15-minute appointment through SignUp (link to be posted in Week 5), attend the appointment through a Zoom room set up for this purpose (link provide as “Paper Mtgs” in the Left-Hand menu of Blackboard). You must be prepared for this consultation by at least reading your popular press book and having a brief idea of what you might like to write about. Failure to complete this requirement automatically reduces your overall paper grade by 78 points. This means that the highest grade you can receive will be 172 points or 69% (D).
At its most basic, your analysis is focused on the author’s argument(s) in light of academic research (i.e. peer-reviewed or recognized scholarly source). You will compare/contrast what you author has to say with what academic research says about the same topic (e.g., they may agree, disagree, or agree & disagree with the author’s argument(s)). As you consider your analysis remember that an analysis is not only negative. You may want to include elements of the author’s arguments that support or extend the academic research you locate. While you may utilize materials from class and non-peer-reviewed materials in your analysis, you must incorporate at least six additional peer-reviewed/academic sources from your own research. In this type of analysis, you should not report on each source and its relation to the author’s argument individually—rather you are building broader arguments that might utilize several sources. And do not be afraid to use more than six sources!
As you think about your overall argument, you might begin by considering the following questions:
What is the author’s overall argument?
How does the author use other arguments to support this argument?
How do the author’s arguments compare/fit with other authors you have read?
What arguments, examples, evidence, etc. does the author use well?
What’s missing, if anything, from the author’s argument?
You may or may not answer these specific questions. They are meant to get you started, not to organize your paper. You should carefully read the Grading Rubric as it provides detailed requirements for your paper. I have also provided an edited example paper (a former student’s paper with my comments) under “Assignments” for your reference; this gives you a very good idea of my expectations. As always if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me. Our Communication Librarian has provided a LibGuide specifically for this assignment. You will find it located beneath under “Assignments” on Blackboard as well. Here’s some generally helpful information:
Research
I recommend the following databases for this topic within EBSCO: Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, Communication Source, and PsycINFO (all under EBSCO).
ProQuest, JSTOR, and Google Scholar can also be helpful, although they may be a bit broad.
You should “mine” any source’s bibliography; that is, if the authors cite something else that is relevant to your argument follow to that source and read it as well. They may have not included something from the source that will be useful to you.
You should also see who else has cited an article that is particularly useful to you. You can do this by following the “cited by” link in most databases, including the “Quick Search” on the Library’s main page (libraries.uark.edu)
Basic Structure (with some ideas for content – not required)
Introduction (situate your book, provide a short overview of the book, and your main argument/thesis)
Supporting Arguments (bulk of your paper)
First Point (e.g., book’s author says/leaves out, research says, compare/contrast/extend)
Second Point (same as above)
Third Point (same as above)
Conclusion (review your main argument, discuss its implications, provide a personal reflection on your reaction to the book)
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab has helpful resources for APA Style. You will find it under “Most Popular Resources” on their main page (owl.purdue.edu)
Use the Writing Sutdio available through the Center for Learning and Student Success (success.uark.edu). You should provide what you have researched and written up to that point, as well as the assignment description and Grading Rubric so they can provide the best help possible.

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