CMUN 248, SPRING 2002JIM L. QUERY, JR., PH.D.The purpose of this handout is to ID my expectations and tips for the term paper. To ease your perusal, an outline format is employed. PLEASE PLAN YOUR PREP TIME NOW.
IDEAL GRP SIZE = 3-4 INDIVIDUALS
WHILE YOU MUST COORDINATE YOUR ACTIVITIES AND COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, EACH MEMBER WRITES INDIVIDUALLY-AUTHORED SECTIONS.
OPTIONAL RISK-FREE PROSPECTUS DUE DATE: MARCH 11, 2002.
FINAL PROSPECTUS DUE DATE: MARCH 25, 2002.
PAPER DUE DATE: MAY 6, 2002.
WEIGHT: PROSPECTUS @ 12%; PAPER @ 24%.
TOTAL LENGTH PARAMETERS
WHILE I AM RELUCTANT TO SPECIFY A FIXED RANGE, MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPLETED PAPERS HAVE SPANNED 25-40 PAGES (GUIDES and DOES NOT include data tables, appendices, references). HENCE, EACH INDIVIDUAL SHOULD ANTICIPATE TURNING IN 8-15 pp. (GUIDES) IN TOTAL. FAILURE TO AUTHOR INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS WILL RESULT IN A TWO GRADE REDUCTION FOR THE AUTHORS. FOEXPLICATING IN DETAIL SECTIONS 1-3 BELOW FOR THE PROSPECTUS.
REQUIRED SOURCES:
AT LEAST 25-32, DIVIDED AMONG GRP MEMBERS, AND THESE CAN INCLUDE YOUR TEXTS. TO AID YOUR EFFORTS, YOU SHOULD ALSO DRAW FROM THE BIB, "RECENT PUBS IN CMUN JOURNALS" ON RESERVE AT SULLIVAN LIBRARY (LSC); 7 cc.
FORMAT:
ALL PAPERS SHOULD ADHERE TO THE STANDARDS SPECIFIED IN THE WRITING STANDARD GUIDE, FOLLOW CORRECT DOCUMENTATION PROCEDURES (APA), AND MUST BE TYPED USING DOUBLE-SPACING.THE TOOLS TO HELP YOU MEET THESE STANDARDS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LINKS BELOW.ASSUME, ALSO, THAT YOU ARE WRITING TO A THEORY AND RESEARCH NEOPHYTE. A "NEOPHYTE" IS ONE WHO IS NEW TO ANAREA, AND THUS, HAS MUCH TO DISCOVER.
ASSUME, ALSO, THAT YOU ARE WRITING TO A THEORY AND RESEARCH NEOPHYTE. A "NEOPHYTE" IS ONE WHO IS NEW TO ANAREA, AND THUS, HAS MUCH TO DISCOVER.PRIOR APPROVAL REQUIRED:
THE TOPIC OF YOUR STUDY MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PROFESSOR. PROSPECTI WHICH RECEIVE AN "F" WILL TRIGGER AN "F" FOR THE FINAL PAPER.
ASSIGNMENT EXPLICATION:
1). Select and describe a COMMUNICATION-BASED event or situation which intrigues you and/or the group. Your analysis should describe the nature of the event or situation, explicate its history, and detail key outcomes that are shaped by communication. Some possible events/situations include: relationship development, maintenance, and/or termination among adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, or the elderly; communication between parents and children; communication among siblings; communication with terminally-ill individuals; communication in support groups; communication between students and instructors; communication among health care providers; communication between spouses; communication of health promoting messages via mass media campaigns; communication with battered women; communication with sexually abused individuals; communication with homeless individuals; or communication with disabled individuals. Of course, there are many other possibilities, and you are not limited to the preceding topic areas. The key here is to focus on the communicative patterns of individuals in some context which excites, perplexes, or challenges you and/or the group. LABEL AS INTRO SECTION Be advised, however, that this section is NOT a brief overview. In the past, most successful authors have used several pages to provide an overview of the selected topic. [This section is large enough to accomodate at least two individuals.]
2). Justify your selection of the topic. Describe its prevalence, implications for individuals, families, organizations, and/or society at large. Focus your analysis by indicating why others should study the selected topic. Also, explicate theory-based (i. e., how will theory-building be enhanced if the proposed study is coompleted?) and pragmatic benefits that may be realized if your study is conducted. LABEL AS RATIONALE SECTION In this section, the authors seek to convince the audience that the topic is worthy of study, and has several potential and pragmatic implications. [No more than two individuals can address this section.]
3). Generate an abbreviated communication theory which accounts for the key features and relationships which exist in your context. Review past research to build a sound foundation for your study. Similar to the case study text and class examples, you must describe what is currently known about your topic. In particular, how do past research and existing theories inform the focus of your theory? The lit review thus provides a rationale for the study's hypotheses (hys) and/or Research Questions (RQs). Be sure to explain how your conceptual variables may be operationalized. Your operationalizations must be consistent with the data type of each variable. LABEL AS LIT REVIEW SECTION Assuming you've laid a strong foundation in sections one and two, this section serves as the framework of the "house". It is without question the most revealing section of the piece. You must describe, explain, and evaluate existing research that informs our understanding of your topic. This "literature review" helps justify your theory and/or hys/RQs. [This section is large enough to accommodate 2-3 indivduals; however, the latter size can be difficult to coordinate.]
4). ID two RQs or two hypotheses (hys) to help test your theory. [This section is very brief, 3-5 sentences or less, and entire group contributes.] ***********PROSPECTUS STOPS HERE**********
***********PROSPECTUS STOPS HERE********** 4 (Cont'd.) Working from the online stat exercises and the text, define your variables in terms of data type, independent/dependent/moderating. Based in part on your operationalizations, RQs and/or Hypotheses, ID the appropriate statistical procedure(s) to analyze your data. This explication should fully examine and detail the conceptual underpinnings of the relevant statistical tests. AND YES, you will be ABLE to participate meaningfully after some instruction and practice. PLEASE TRY TO NOT panic...I am here to HELP you and we will negotiate this "speed bump." COOL? *ss* Briefly describe the nature of your sample.
If we were to collect data in the field, how would your sample's characteristics be important to knowledge advancement and theory-building? Or are they??
5). Using an appropriate data analytical technique, report what the furnished data reveal. Specifically, were your hys confirmed, rejected, or mixed? LABEL AS RESULTS SECTION [Again, we will have instruction prior to tackling this task.] NOTE also that in the Results Section, one MERELY REPORTS the findings. There is NO interpretation or elaboration. These two goals are addressed in the discussion section.
6). Speculate on the ramifications of these findings. Briefly describe three key limitations which limit generalizability. Briefly explain directions for future research. LABEL AS DISCUSSION SECTION
