Communication & Gender
Your Message: Investigate: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? And then, Analyze! (25%)
You will write a 4 page, single-spaced (specifically 2,400 words minimum) paper in which you examine a form of a tangible gender communication (an artifact) i.e. TV episode, newspaper article, movie, song/music video, photograph, magazine, exhibit, advertisement, social media group or exchange, interview etc. You will give a clear description of your artifact answering thoroughly Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. You will then analyze your example employing AT LEAST 4 concepts from our weekly readings, modules (commentaries), and/or discussions.
Introduction (1/3 of a page minimum/specifically 200 words minimum):
A creative opening and attention getter
A strong thesis statement that clearly articulates your major claim of the paper
A clear preview statement that shows how you will organize your paper
Body (3 page single-spaced minimum/specifically 1,800 words minimum see the breakdown for each of the three sections of the body below):
You should thoroughly introduce your artifact using who, what, where, when, and how (400 words minimum).
Please give any background information you have about it such as when did it appear, how was it delivered, what is it about, why was it made, when was it made, what was the context in which the artifact emerged - controversy, situation, audience?
After this description, your reader should clearly understand it as a piece of gender communication.
Definitions of at least 4 concepts (minimum) you have chosen (use scholarly sources specific to the discipline of communication to define your concepts) (400 words minimum).
A discussion that connects your chosen concepts to your artifact (1,000 words minimum).
Questions to answer for each concept in your analysis (you may add additional questions as well):
Why/How does the concept relate to your artifact?
How does the artifact fit in, further, or work against other scholarly work you found? (Use peer reviewed journal articles)
What were the responses to this artifact and how does that relate to the concepts/research you have found?
Implications/Conclusion (2/3 page minimum/specifically 400 word minimum):
A brief restatement of what you did in the paper.
Most importantly here is the discussion of so what? Why does your analysis matter? To gender communication studies? As part of larger implications for society?
Bring closure to your submission
Sources: You should have a MINIMUM of six current sources (stronger papers will have more):
One must be your readings or modules/commentaries (you may use more but you still must meet the other source requirements as well)
Two can be popular press sources
Three MUST BE peer reviewed journal articles on communication
Four of your sources must come from UMUC's online library
Proper APA in-text citations should be provided in addition to a reference page with full APA source citations.
Use the required subheadings in your submission:
Introduction
Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How
Definitions
Discussion
Implications/Conclusion.