Because we are concerned here with the methods, you will not be asked to actually carry out the project, or to collect and analyse the data. But it should be a project that you could reasonably carry out, such as for a masters thesis project.

This is really a semester-long project, with several parts that should evolve and come together for your final assignment. The blog assignment each week will ask you to explore a different aspect of your research project, or consider the applicability of a new methodology. You will make in-class presentations of some of these, and eventually of your entire project. You will submit a draft of the project mid-semester, for detailed comments from me. And you will submit a formal written final project at the end of the semester.

You should choose a topic and research question at the start of the semester, though you are free to change it at any time. Indeed, the question should evolve, mature, and grow more focused and refined with each assignment.

Each week, one or two students will present their research project. Dates will be assigned by a sign-up sheet passed around the first day. This will be the "short presentation" and counts as part of the class participatin grade. We will discuss the project as a class, to offer ideas and suggestions. There will also be a class set aside to discuss projects, for those presentations that don't fit into the weekly format.

This next big step of the process with be to motivate, frame and operationalizing of your research question. This will be done in a formal written Draft. This will consist of a 2-3 page (1000 word, Times New Roman, 12pt font, double spaced) paper which must be emailed to me before class on the due date. This draft should focus on the motivation, framing and operationalization, and discuss some possible methods.

The Final project will build on the draft by elaborating on the methods to be used, and address the various issues that might arise in implienting those methods, as well as speculate as to what conclusions might be drawn from various results.

The last three class sessions will be devoted to student presentations of their research. This will allow the class to collectively discuss each project and offer suggestions. You are encouraged to use this feedback to improve your project before submitting your Final paper. Each student will be given approximately 15 minutes, and will be expected to describe their project in 5 minutes, allowing 10 minutes for discussion. You may use visuals, including powerpoints or videos, if you choose, but are not required to.

Research topics can address any aspect of media research, including (but not limited to) documentary, oral history, audience studies, or studies of media objects/products, practices or organizations/institutions.

Your Final paper should be submitted to me in electronic form (Word Perfect, MS Word, PDF, HTML and plain TXT are all fine). The final paper should consist of a 6-10 page (2500-3000 word, Times New Roman, 12pt font, double spaced) paper which must be emailed to me by the due date. Late papers will not be accepted, as I must turn in grades shortly thereafter.

The Final paper should be roughly equivalent to the "Methods" section of a masters thesis. As such, it should start with a clear statement of the research question, motivate and frame the research question, articulate how you intend to operationalize this question, the methods you intend to your, how you will implement these methods, and what results you expect the methods to reveal. Your final paper will be graded on the basis of each of these requirements.

Again, you need not actually conduct the research, this might be better thought of as a proposal for a project, as you might submit to a potential funding agency.

READINGS