CS101A: Guidelines for Research Paper, Fall 2024

Objective

This research paper is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of issues and theories in critical Canadian Communication Studies. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate and practise scholarly research, critical thinking and good writing. Your paper will present an identifiable argument, a clear thesis and scholarly research.

Deadline

By 12:30pm on Thursday, November 28, 2024 to MyLS dropbox (Research Paper). See syllabus for late  policy.

Evaluation (20% of final grade)

Evaluation will be based on evidence that you have used 10 scholarly sources to support and interpret your thesis. Use sources from your annotated bibliography. Include any number of additional popular sources (e.g., government documents, news item, film, web material) in addition to your 10 scholarly sources. The latter (in brackets above) are not scholarly sources.

Format

•    Margins: 2.5cm (one inch)

•    Length: 6-8 pages (not including title page or bibliography), double-spaced text

•    Font: 12-point, Times New Roman

Choose a topic (one only!)

1.    Convergence and Concentration are major issues for citizens and governments alike, particularly in  democratic societies such as Canada. With reference to a specific example, argue for or against ownership restrictions in Canadian media. Your chosen example may focus on a particular sector, such as newspapers or radio broadcasting, or you may choose to focus on a specific case study.

Consider questions such as these : Why should we care who controls the media? Are larger Canadian media companies better positioned to compete internationally than smaller ones? What are potential problems of corporate bias and influence when a few big companies control much of media in a democratic society such as Canada?

2.    Canadian Content Requirements (CanCon) are contentious for Canadian governance, media, society  and audiences. Argue for or against CanCon with reference to a recent controversy involving Netflix or other streaming services available via YouTube, Amazon, Google, Apple, Disney, etc. Consider questions such as these : Are CanCon requirements still relevant in 2024? Are CanCon requirements enforceable or important in 2024? Do CanCon requirements protect Canadian cultural identity, or   do they entrench our marginality in this contemporary era of globalization and streaming services?

3.    Copyright is of concern to content producers and media users because digital content is easily downloaded and shared across multiple media platforms. Argue for or against a copyright term (e.g., 0 years, 14 years, 20 years, 50 years, etc.). Consider questions such as these : Whose interests are best served by the copyright term you have chosen? Would access by media users be limited or expanded according to your copyright term? Creative Commons a good copyright alternative?

4.    Canadian media companies in the digital age face significant challenges from media platforms such as Google and Facebook that allow users to share their content for free. Consider this issue in relation to recent attempts to support Canadian media, such as the Online News Act (Bill C-18), for example. Introduce your reader to the issue in the context of the history of Canadian media policy. Consider, its impact on Canadian culture, democracy, and freedom of expression.

5.    Activism is an integral part of societal change. By advocating for change in different capacities,

Canadians have been able to change the trajectory of history. Recent examples of activism in the

Canadian media include the Black Lives Matter movement, Idle No More, and efforts to unionize

Amazon and Starbucks, among others. Consider different forms of activism through different forms of media in Canada. How has activism in Canada been shaped by media and viceversa?

Tips

•    Start thinking about, and making notes, for your paper sooner rather than later.

•    Contact the Writing Centre for guidance and feedbacßk:www.wlu.ca/writing

•    Do not use long quotes from anyone source. This can lead to plagiarism.

•    Do not use quotes as filler. It will be obvious to the reader.

•    Give your paper a unique title that summarizes your topic or thesis.

•    Run a grammar and spell check before submitting your paper.

•    Print your paper and read it aloud. It will be easier to catch errors and gaps.