ENGL 201: Writing and Research

Dr. Amber Strother

Spring 2018
Project 1: Research and the American Media

Purpose
We evaluate, make judgments, in our day to day lives and in our academic lives. We judge
television shows, songs, cell phone service providers, textbooks, potential sources, etc. When we
construct academic evaluations and analyses, we need to have a particular insight into the
subject matter.

Mainstream life in the U.S. is deluged with messages formed by a combination of various kinds
of text. These messages appear as advertisements, movies, television shows, news articles, etc.
The messages are not constructed of random photos or pictures, music, fonts, or emphases but
carefully selected images designed to influence what we think and how we feel. We are
surrounded by drawings, computer graphics, digitized photos, and airbrushed faces. The minute
details of each message appeals to our (or another audience’s) values, desires, needs, and
assumptions. Regardless of the intent or purpose of these messages, we should be cognizant of
the way details, the minute and the marginal, figure into the meaning of a message.

Overview
This assignment asks you to examine the relationship between representations of a single topic
by looking at scholarly research along with the popular media write-ups and other
representations on that topic. You will select a minimum of 2 scholarly sources on a specific
topic along with a minimum of 3 media articles reporting on that same topic.

Once you have clarified the relationship between the scholarly and the media write-ups, you will
evaluate and analyze the rhetorical choices made in translating the formal academic research for
a wider audience. You will need to think carefully about the rhetorical situation of each source.
You need to go beyond the good/bad binary or whether or not you like the research or coverage
of the research. You’ll need to create criteria by which to evaluate the media coverage—the
criteria will need to be appropriate for the subject.

Your essay should be a rhetorical analysis of the relationships among the articles and their
intended audiences—your analysis should be the focus of the essay.

Proposal Requirements
Before beginning your project, you will need to submit a proposal that explains your topic
choice, demonstrates presearch, and allows me to give feedback on your proposed topic. This
proposal should result in 1 ½ -2 pages of writing and should include the following:

• Introduction: Discuss your topic, your major, and why writing about this topic will be
beneficial to you. What interests you about this topic?
• Approach to the topic: Try to envision a logical way to present the material you
intend to cover. What is the best order? Will there be any terms or concepts you will need
to define or explain? Will you show opposing viewpoints? Compare and contrast?

Strother Spring 2018

 Categorize information? Your approach may change as you begin to research your topic,
but you need to have some sort of plan for starting the work.
• Intended audience: Assume that your readers are not specialists on your chosen topic
but have roughly the same level of education as you. While you may need to explain
terms and concepts, you will also want to consider what the audience will gain from your
research. Who might benefit from reading your paper?
• Documentation style: You will need to specify if you are using APA or MLA
formatting guidelines for this project.
• Working bibliography: Because you are expected to have done some presearch on
your topic, you will need to list citations for at least one academic and one popular
source that you are considering using in this project. Please follow the guidelines for the
formatting style you have chosen for the citation and include a brief discussion of why
you have chosen the source.
• Request for feedback: Please conclude by writing at least one question or concern you
have at this point in the project. I want to be able to provide useful feedback, and this
helps me focus on your biggest concerns.

Essay Requirements
• 1200-1500 words of writing
• Proper MLA or APA format (including heading, page numbers, in-text citations, and
a works cited)
• A minimum of 5 sources. The two scholarly articles and the three media articles each
count as a source. You may incorporate additional sources if needed.

Criteria for Evaluation

• A clear, arguable thesis statement
• A sufficiently narrowed scope
• Presents carefully chosen evidence (details from the original articles and the media
articles) to support the thesis statement
• Uses appropriate tone, voice, and level of formality
• The essay is coherently organized, with a strong introduction and conclusion, well-
developed paragraphs, and clear transitions between ideas and paragraphs.
• The essay supports its observations or claims about the subject of observation with
adequate details and evidence.
• Engages with the sources (establishes a conversation about the subject matter),
offering analysis of the sources.
• Demonstrates a synthesis of information.

Mini-Portfolio Requirements
File must be submitted as one document (.doc or .docx), and the file must be named correctly.
File name: last name_ first name_project 1

• cover/title page
• table of contents
• reflective letter that addresses the Essay Reflection Questions listed below
• Project 1 research proposal
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 • Outline of paper
• Project 1 draft and works cited page, with peer feedback and responses
• Project 1 revised draft and works cited page

Essay Reflection Questions:

1. Describe the process you went through to focus on a main idea, or thesis? How did you judge
what was most and least important in your analysis?
2. What one revision did you make that you are most satisfied with? If you could go back and
make an additional revision, what would it be?
3. What are the three most useful things you learned from reading your peers’ comments
during peer review? How do each of the items you listed influence what you are planning to
do in the next revision of your Essay 1 draft?
4. What have you learned about the research process? What is challenging? What is easy?
5. What was the hardest thing about writing this essay? What was the easiest?
6. What goal did you set for yourself at the beginning of this project? In what ways did you
work towards that goal?
7. Examine the Department of English’s 201 Rubric. Explain how Project 1 demonstrates at
least five of the skills listed on the rubric (one from each category).

Due Dates:
Proposal: January 26 by 11:59 p.m.
Peer Review Draft: February 5 in class
Mini-Portfolio: February 7 by 11:59 p.m.

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 Research Proposal Rubric

Proficient Competent Novice

22-25 18-21.9 0-17.9

Attempts to respond to all Does not respond to all

Responds to all questions.
Information and questions. Offers some questions. Does not offer
Offers insight into topic
Insight insight into topic choice insight into topic choice
and author interest.
and author interest. and author interest.

13-15 11-12.9 0-10.9

Attempts to show
Demonstrates evidence of presearch. May not Does not demonstrate
presearch and awareness include effective citations presearch. Does not show
Evidence of Presearch
of what is available or show lack of awareness any awareness of source
regarding topic choice. of what is available availability.
regarding topic choice.

8.5-10 7-8.4 0-6.9

Effectively follows
Formatting and MLA/APA formatting guidelines. Contains some
Conventions guidelines. Contains few
to no errors.
Attempts to follow
Does not follow MLA/APA
MLA/APA formatting
formatting guidelines.
May contain errors that
errors that do not
interfere with clarity and
interfere with clarity or
readability
readability.

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 Mini-Portfolio Rubric

Proficient Competent Novice

45-50 38-44.9 0-37.9

Attempts to meet page
requirements and Does not meet page
Fully meets page
assignment guidelines. requirements or
requirements and
May not be revised based assignment guidelines.
Assignment guidelines assignment guidelines.
on feedback. May not May not show revision.
Demonstrates revision
include appropriate or May not include
and use of research.
required number of appropriate sources.
sources.
17-20 14-16.9 0-13.9
Missing too many
Contains most required
Contains all required required elements.
elements. May not include
elements. Elements are Elements aren’t labeled.
Contents peer review. Elements
correctly labeled and Lack of organization
may not be clearly labeled
ordered. affects coherency of
or in correct order.
portfolio.
17-20 14-16.9 0-13.9
Does not discuss process
Fully discusses process of Attempts to discuss
of writing and revision in
writing and revision. process of writing and
Cover letter enough depth. May not
Addresses all reflection revision. Addresses most
address reflection
questions effectively. reflection questions.
questions.

8.5-10 7-8.4 0-6.9

Attempts to follow MLA or

Does not follow MLA or
Effectively follows MLA or APA formatting
APA formatting
Formatting and APA formatting guidelines. Contains some
guidelines. May contain
Conventions guidelines. Contains few errors that do not
errors that interfere with
to no errors. interfere with clarity or
clarity and readability
readability.

Strother Spring 2018