102 Media Research Paper Rubric

Take one important contemporary cultural topic or event and, using primary and secondary sources, write a position paper arguing the positive or negative impact of the American media's treatment of this topic.

The Issue: Does the media do a "good" job of addressing this topic or event in terms of its

cultural impact on the audience?

Your claim: Yes or no and why you think so

Key Elements Of Your Argument

  • The topic or event
  • The primary source: the specific media product

e.g. tv shows, news programs, movies, video games, internet sites, newspapers

  • The secondary sources: critics of the media

e.g. researched articles about that particular product or type of product and its cultural impact

Suggested Topics

A current news story

Obscenity on tv and radio

Violence on tv/in movies and video games

Male/female relations/sexiparenting/family life

Pornography on the internet

Dating and the internet

Tolerance of race, religion or sexual preference

Politics and political decision-making /Religious, moral or ethical values

The environment

Drugs & alcohol

Your suggestion

Suggested Approach

  • Decide on a topic or event
  • Focus on your primary source: a media form - a radio or tv show, a movie

or internet site, a news network or program relevant to that topic

  • Think about whether that media form presents the topic in a positive or negative manner
  • Research what critics say either about that show/movie/internet site or about

the media's treatment of that topic in general

  • Develop an argument in which you support your own position with specific

reference to the show/program/movie etc and to media critics

  • You may be interested in comparing the way another culture's media treats that topic or the way in which different forms of the media - say print news vs. television news treats a particular topic

Paper Requirements

A Title Page - with an interesting title

5-7 page paper

One primary source and at least 4 secondary sources

At least one quote per page from either the primary or secondary sources

Works Cited

STYLE RUBRIC

In the beginning of the argument, does the writer

  • Begin with an attention-getting opening, such as a quote, statistic, anecc
  • Establish a specific tone, or attitude towards the issue
  • Introduce his or her claim and its importance

In the middle of the argument, does the writer

  • Provide enough background information for the reader, e.g. summari: current cultural importance and summarize the primary media sourCe an
  • Develop his or her argument using appropriate and varied evidence
  • Cite and integrate research appropriately
  • Introduce paragraphs with good topic sentences
  • Discuss alternative or opposing viewpoints and refute them

In the end of the argument, does the writer

  • Summarize his or her position
  • Offer any proposals to address the problem
  • Leave the reader thinking about the issue and the claim

Overall

  • Vocabulary variety? Sentence variety? Good grammar and punctuation?
  • Main suggestions for improvement?