Final Papers

This is a 1,200-word (1,150 minimum, 1,250 maximum) critical analysis that is meant to incorporate your own thoughts as well as an appropriate number of related articles necessary to support your argument. Your paper should be written in traditional academic narrative form, with an introduction outlining your goals and your argument and a summary wrapping up your conclusions.

This is not a research paper, but other sources should be referenced if appropriate. I'm looking for your own original insights and analysis.

Papers must be double-spaced, with your name, date and word count at the top.

Each spelling & factual error will result in the loss of 5 points each. Appropriate deductions will be taken for grammatical errors.

Late assignments will not be accepted for the final paper. Papers may be emailed or handed in at the beginning of class on May 12. Any paper that is not turned in by 7 p.m. on May 12 will receive an automatic F.

TOPICS

In terms of writing and reporting news, the Web demands the same principles of traditional news writing be followed – accuracy, clarity, etc – but it also requires much more. More writing, more deadlines, more interaction with readers, more use of multiple media forms (i.e., shooting video, taking photographs, recording audio). You should choose one of the following statements around which to write your final paper:

The evolution of online journalism as a news medium has adversely affected the professional role of a journalist.

The evolution of online journalism as a news medium has increased and expanded the opportunities of a professional journalist to tell a story.

As new media technologies have altered the perception of who can be a journalist, the journalism industry has benefited.

As new media technologies have altered the perception of who can be a journalist, the journalism industry has suffered.

This is not a research paper, nor should it simply be an essay. This is a critical analysis in which you should refer to as many sources as necessary to adequately support your argument. Those sources could include information from the textbook, news articles and/or industry journal articles (such as AJR, CJR, etc). To write a solid analysis, you probably should cite at least 4-5 articles, polls or pieces of research previously done that support your argument. You do not need to create a bibliography, but any information that you reference from another source should be cited as a footnote.