FINAL PAPER GUIDELINES
FINAL PAPER FOR MASC 3100: Media Ethics Spring ‘07
Guidelines
Minimum length: 2000 words
Minimum number of sources: 30
Sources you may use: all issues of the New York Times from this semester, material from the Poynter Institute website, SPJ website, course blog, class discussion, lectures, videos viewed. If you want to use any other sources, please clear it with me beforehand.
Use APA style.
1. Choose a topic related to media ethics
Examples:
News coverage of the war in Iraq (or photography, or op-ed or editorials, etc.)
Full-page ads by interest groups
Advertising of entertainment
Coverage of the Scooter Libby trial
Work of one or more columnists
Front-page photos
Photos of international news
Coverage of environmental issues
Letter to the editor
Entertainment coverage (movies, books, etc.)
Coverage of media technology
Coverage of media business
Reporting of one or more journalists
Work of one or more photographers
Stories of green-light ethics practiced by journalists, entertainers, etc.
2. Think of a question you would like answered related to media ethics:
Examples:
What ethical guidelines seem to dictate which photos end up on the front page?
What media ethics issues are raised by readers in letters to the editor?
How does the work of one specific journalist show ethical behavior?
How does the use of sources reflect ethical or unethical behavior by a reporter?
3. Think of what the answer to your question might be (your hypothesis):
Examples:
The front-page photos reflect sound ethical decision-making
The Scooter Libby trial coverage reveals some serious ethical problems with how journalists relate to their government sources
The Times coverage of environmental issues is unethical because there is not enough of it and the what coverage they do have focuses too much on “he said/she said” journalism
4. Test your hypothesis (be sure to use one or more ethics guides in your test):
Examples:
Examine all front-page photos from February and March for subject matter and importance to determine if they are ethical
Examine all articles about environmental issues to determine if there are enough and how they approach the subject to determine if the Times does so ethically
5. State your thesis (which is your hypothesis after you’ve tested it and think you are able to prove it with evidence and argument):
Examples:
The front-page photos of the Times reflect sound ethical decision-making because a study of 50 issues shows that they eloquently depict thoughtful statements about the major issues of that time period
The advertising on the pages of international news are unethical because a study of their content shows that they are intended to sell goods and services that confirm negative ideas about Americans that are shown to be a problem with our international relations in these stories.
The letters to the editor section indicates that the reading public has a skewed notion of media ethics because they focus mostly on personalities of public figures and very little on public affairs that can be affected by the citizenry.
Due date: May 9
Topic due: end of February
Hypothesis due: end of the first week of March
Thesis statement due: end of March
Bibliography (in APA style) due: April 15
I am available to meet with you about your paper during April. Please e-mail me to set up a time.
Guidelines
Minimum length: 2000 words
Minimum number of sources: 30
Sources you may use: all issues of the New York Times from this semester, material from the Poynter Institute website, SPJ website, course blog, class discussion, lectures, videos viewed. If you want to use any other sources, please clear it with me beforehand.
Use APA style.
1. Choose a topic related to media ethics
Examples:
News coverage of the war in Iraq (or photography, or op-ed or editorials, etc.)
Full-page ads by interest groups
Advertising of entertainment
Coverage of the Scooter Libby trial
Work of one or more columnists
Front-page photos
Photos of international news
Coverage of environmental issues
Letter to the editor
Entertainment coverage (movies, books, etc.)
Coverage of media technology
Coverage of media business
Reporting of one or more journalists
Work of one or more photographers
Stories of green-light ethics practiced by journalists, entertainers, etc.
2. Think of a question you would like answered related to media ethics:
Examples:
What ethical guidelines seem to dictate which photos end up on the front page?
What media ethics issues are raised by readers in letters to the editor?
How does the work of one specific journalist show ethical behavior?
How does the use of sources reflect ethical or unethical behavior by a reporter?
3. Think of what the answer to your question might be (your hypothesis):
Examples:
The front-page photos reflect sound ethical decision-making
The Scooter Libby trial coverage reveals some serious ethical problems with how journalists relate to their government sources
The Times coverage of environmental issues is unethical because there is not enough of it and the what coverage they do have focuses too much on “he said/she said” journalism
4. Test your hypothesis (be sure to use one or more ethics guides in your test):
Examples:
Examine all front-page photos from February and March for subject matter and importance to determine if they are ethical
Examine all articles about environmental issues to determine if there are enough and how they approach the subject to determine if the Times does so ethically
5. State your thesis (which is your hypothesis after you’ve tested it and think you are able to prove it with evidence and argument):
Examples:
The front-page photos of the Times reflect sound ethical decision-making because a study of 50 issues shows that they eloquently depict thoughtful statements about the major issues of that time period
The advertising on the pages of international news are unethical because a study of their content shows that they are intended to sell goods and services that confirm negative ideas about Americans that are shown to be a problem with our international relations in these stories.
The letters to the editor section indicates that the reading public has a skewed notion of media ethics because they focus mostly on personalities of public figures and very little on public affairs that can be affected by the citizenry.
Due date: May 9
Topic due: end of February
Hypothesis due: end of the first week of March
Thesis statement due: end of March
Bibliography (in APA style) due: April 15
I am available to meet with you about your paper during April. Please e-mail me to set up a time.
posted by Louise Mengelkoch at
3:11 PM
