CA 472: Rhetoric and Technology

Paper Proposal Form

Requirements

1. Proposal form emailed to rgh[NOSPAM]rghoward.com by due date. (Cut and paste the below text into your email.)

2. Clearly written argumentative essay including full bibliographic citations (APA Style or similar) for document(s) and secondary sources emailed as an attachment in .doc format to rgh[NOSPAM]rghoward.com on or before the due date.

Undergraduates: 8 (2000 words) to 10 (2500 words) pages

Graduate students: 20 (5000 words) to 35 pages (8750 words) pages.

3. Paper emailed to rgh[NOSPAM]rghoward.com in .rtf, .doc., or .pdf format by 5 PM on the due date.
4. If the student turns in a digitally recorded version of their primary document that she or he has recorded live her or himself, she or he will receive a 2.5% extra credit bonus. The digital file must be in .mp3 or .wav format and may be sent as an email attachment (if it is small enough) or put on a CD and given to instructor. Digital recorders are available for checkout in the Hamel Digital Media Lap on the Third Floor of Vilas.

 

 Topical

Option 1

Write an argumentative essay in which the thesis argues that a specific text uses the concept of either a specific technology or technology in general to do something. The thesis should indicate why a general audience would want to read more about your topic. The thesis should make a specific assertive claim. It should not be obvious. It should be able to be made reasonable by marshalling evidence in the text and evidence you gather about the context.

Option 2

Write an argumentative essay in which the thesis argues that a specific text bears specific features as a result of its mediation through a specific technology. Imagine that the specific text you are writing about exemplifies a larger trend in communication including other texts of the same sort. Acknowledge that more research would be necessary to show the extent that this particular text really exemplifies some larger trend. The thesis should indicate why a general audience would want to read more about your topic. The thesis should make a specific assertive claim. It should not be obvious. It should be able to be made reasonable by marshalling evidence in the text and evidence you gather about the context.

 

Grading and Evaluative Criteria

1. Clarity of argument including the use of (a) document and (b) secondary material.

a. Quality not quantity

b. Significance of research question

c. Appropriateness of chosen methods

d. Significance of analysis

e. Is it persuasive?

d. Is there a critical claim?

 

Graduate Students

Please do not use the form below.

Instead, write a 250 - 500 abstract of your proposed paper as you envision it now. Include some bibliographic sources in a Works Cited section as necessary in addition to the 500 word maximum. Please email the prospectus to me either as an attachment in MS Word, Word Perfect, .rtf, or .pdf format or in the body of the emailed message.

 

Undergraduate Students

Please use the form below by cutting and pasting the following text into an email. Type brief answers to the questions and send the email to rgh[NOSPAM]rghoward.com on or before the due date.

 

Name:_______________________________ Email:_________________

1. Individual document or documents to be analyzed (Please use as full citation as possible. If it is an electronic source, please clearly indicate the full URL.):

2. Preliminary Assertive Thesis in the Following Form: A (An aspect of the way the text or texts you have chosen relates to technology) is B because A (That same aspect) is C. (Please note, the thesis in this form should not be the actual thesis you use below or in your final essay):

3. In three paragraphs, state your thesis above, indicate what evidence you will demonstrate in your paper to support that general thesis, and state why you would want to demonstrate this thesis to an audience of individuals in your class and beyond.: