Final Project: Difference between revisions
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<big>'''Assignments'''</big> | |||
< | '''[[Assignment 1 Details and Reporting]]''' | [[Assignment 1 Submissions|Submissions]]<br /> | ||
< | ''Due February 8'' | ||
| | |||
<br | '''[[Assignments#Assignment_2:_Prospectus| Assignment 2]]''' | [[Assignment 2 Submissions|Submissions]]<br /> | ||
''Due February 22'' | |||
'''[[Assignments#Assignment_3:_Project_Outline| Assignment 3]]''' | [[Assignment 3 Submissions|Submissions]]<br /> | |||
''Due March 22'' | |||
'''[[Assignment 4 Details and Links]]''' | [[Assignment 4 Submissions|Submissions]]<br /> | |||
''Due April 12'' | |||
'''[[Final Project]]''' | [[Final Projects|Submissions]]<br /> | |||
''Due May 10'' | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
'''DUE MAY 10''' | |||
=== Description === | |||
The final project is a 8-10 page research paper, built around taking the theoretical concepts brought forward in the course, generating a hypothesis around that idea, and then examining a real-world scenario online in the light of that to answer a question. In lieu of submitting a paper, you may present your finding using a different medium, such as a podcast, video, or web page. | |||
The final project should be integrative--bringing together materials and issues from class and expanding upon them. Ideally, students will identify the topic for Assignment 2 and leverage their time working on the other assignments towards the final project. It will be detrimental to change mid-stream, due to the limited time of the course. | |||
'''[[Assignments#Group_Work|You may work in groups.]]''' | |||
===Format=== | |||
Your paper should be 8-10 pages long, double spaced, and use a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serif serif] font (Times New Roman, Cambria, etc.). Please upload your paper as a .doc, a .odt, or a .pdf. | |||
You may use any commonly accepted style to cite your sources (Chicago, MLA, etc.), but please be consistent. | |||
=== Submissions === | |||
Please include your final project here, including name(s) and title: [[Final Projects]] | |||
Submit the final project on or before May 10th. | |||
Your project should consist of an original documentation and analysis of Internet activity. You should decide upon a set of research questions - a single question is fine. The next step is to define a research frame. This could be an online community or set of communities, or participants in a web page or online game. Your research may focus on a single Internet project or compare two communities. You might choose to focus on a community that is a sub-unit, or a community that spans more than one URL. For instance: a WoW guild is a sub-unit of WoW, but also exists on two | === [[Research questions]] === | ||
or more platforms: voicechat in-game and a website forum out-of-game. | Your project should consist of an original documentation and analysis of Internet activity. You should decide upon a set of research questions - a single question is fine. The next step is to define a research frame for your case study. This could be an online community or set of communities, or participants in a web page or online game. Your research may focus on a single Internet project or compare two communities. You might choose to focus on a community that is a sub-unit, or a community that spans more than one URL. For instance: ''a WoW ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft World of Warcraft]) guild is a sub-unit of WoW, but also exists on two or more platforms: voicechat in-game and a website forum out-of-game''. Another possible example is to examine how a policy or law we've discussed has played out in a specific set of contexts (for example, comparing how different countries approach online censorship or react to Wikileaks). The goal in defining this frame is to focus your research. | ||
The next step will be to gather evidence that will help to answer your research question. Finally, you will compile this into a final report that summarizes your research topic, methods and conclusions. We hope that you will be able to weave in one or more of the theories and constructs that have been introduced in the class. | The next step will be to gather evidence that will help to answer your research question. Finally, you will compile this into a final report that summarizes your research topic, methods and conclusions. We hope that you will be able to weave in one or more of the theories and constructs that have been introduced in the class. | ||
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Some of the questions you might ask as you search for a more narrow set of questions might include: [[Research questions]] | Some of the questions you might ask as you search for a more narrow set of questions might include: [[Research questions]] | ||
==== Questions steps ==== | |||
# Decide upon a set of [[Research questions]] | |||
# Define a research frame (group, community, etc) | |||
# Gather evidence | |||
# Compile into report that summarizes your topic, methods, and conclusions | |||
=== [[Project Ideas]] === | |||
The possible final project topics and questions can be found here: [[Project Ideas]]. We are open to ideas and questions that lie outside of this set, though you should express this interest and a potential topic as early as possible. | |||
Latest revision as of 16:38, 22 March 2011
DUE MAY 10
Description
The final project is a 8-10 page research paper, built around taking the theoretical concepts brought forward in the course, generating a hypothesis around that idea, and then examining a real-world scenario online in the light of that to answer a question. In lieu of submitting a paper, you may present your finding using a different medium, such as a podcast, video, or web page.
The final project should be integrative--bringing together materials and issues from class and expanding upon them. Ideally, students will identify the topic for Assignment 2 and leverage their time working on the other assignments towards the final project. It will be detrimental to change mid-stream, due to the limited time of the course.
Format
Your paper should be 8-10 pages long, double spaced, and use a serif font (Times New Roman, Cambria, etc.). Please upload your paper as a .doc, a .odt, or a .pdf.
You may use any commonly accepted style to cite your sources (Chicago, MLA, etc.), but please be consistent.
Submissions
Please include your final project here, including name(s) and title: Final Projects
Submit the final project on or before May 10th.
Research questions
Your project should consist of an original documentation and analysis of Internet activity. You should decide upon a set of research questions - a single question is fine. The next step is to define a research frame for your case study. This could be an online community or set of communities, or participants in a web page or online game. Your research may focus on a single Internet project or compare two communities. You might choose to focus on a community that is a sub-unit, or a community that spans more than one URL. For instance: a WoW (World of Warcraft) guild is a sub-unit of WoW, but also exists on two or more platforms: voicechat in-game and a website forum out-of-game. Another possible example is to examine how a policy or law we've discussed has played out in a specific set of contexts (for example, comparing how different countries approach online censorship or react to Wikileaks). The goal in defining this frame is to focus your research.
The next step will be to gather evidence that will help to answer your research question. Finally, you will compile this into a final report that summarizes your research topic, methods and conclusions. We hope that you will be able to weave in one or more of the theories and constructs that have been introduced in the class.
Finding appropriate research questions is often the most complex and time consuming process in research and will normally take many iterations.
Some of the questions you might ask as you search for a more narrow set of questions might include: Research questions
Questions steps
- Decide upon a set of Research questions
- Define a research frame (group, community, etc)
- Gather evidence
- Compile into report that summarizes your topic, methods, and conclusions
Project Ideas
The possible final project topics and questions can be found here: Project Ideas. We are open to ideas and questions that lie outside of this set, though you should express this interest and a potential topic as early as possible.