Workshop-Finding a Research Topic

From MediaStudies

Led by Critical Studies students Chris Gomes, Susana Lopez, and Caitlin Daley and Professor Kathleen Fitzpatrick.

Professor Fitzpatrick will be leading a useful discussion that will orient all senior media studies majors writing a semester-long or year-long thesis. She plans on emphasizing the important "first-steps" like narrowing a broad idea down to a workable topic.

Chris will be reviewing some of the due dates for the fall semester and offering advice for setting and meeting thesis goals. For now, here are some important dates to remember:

Monday, 9/29: Project Proposals due. All Proposals must be one to two pages in length, typed, and e-mailed as Word attachments to all three professors. Here is a list (adapted from the department syllabus) of what this proposal should contain. It has been slightly modified to better serve the Critical Studies students.

CONTACT INFO: Your name and email.

SUBJECT: What is your thesis about? Give your reader a concise description and some background knowledge on the topic. Also discuss why it is important for a media project to be made on this issue.

FORMAT: Whereas students in other tracks need to propose "what their short project will look and sound like," Critical Studies students might interpret the "format" section as a general outline of the 20-25 page paper.

METHODOLOGY: How will you go about completing your project? What are your primary and secondary sources for research? What experience and resources (financial, technical, artistic, etc.) do you have and what will you need to execute your ideas? A timeline can be useful in describing your process.

Monday, 11/17: Spring Semester Proposal due. Each student proposing a second-semester project will pitch their work-in-progress, along with their spring-semester project proposal, to the IMS faculty in a group critique during the week of November 17-21. Proposals should be 1 page, typed, and must contain the following information: Your name and e-mail; a Project Narrative that outlines the format, subject matter, and methodology of your intended work; and the signatures of two IMS faculty members who have agreed to work with you. A limited number of proposals will be accepted for the spring semester. Notification of provisional proposal acceptance will be e-mailed on November 26, contingent upon receiving an A- or better on the final project.

Monday, 11/24 through 12/8: First Draft Critiques. We as a department have yet to determine the specific dates for critiquing each project. Bear in mind that by the date of your critique, which could be as early as 11/24 or as late as 12/8, you need to have a complete first draft. Aiming for the earlier date of 11/24 can't hurt.

Wednesday, 12/10: Final Project due. Nuff said.

Professor of History Sam Yamashita has offered the Asian Studies Senior Seminar Syllabus, which has been in development for a decade and has served as the basis for many senior seminar syllabuses, as an example for developing a series of checkpoints. A detailed media-studies oriented guideline that draws from this example will be posted on the morning of 9/17 and reviewed in the Media Studies Senior Seminar that same day.

Char Miller, also in the Pomona History department, has suggested examining theses of years past for examples of length, approach, and audience. With luck, we'll get our hands on some theses from Media Studies alums for the 9/17 class.

Sign Up

Add your name below to sign up for this session.
(maximum 18 students; if 18 have already selected, please choose another session)
This session will take place in Crookshank 8 on the Pomona campus.

Susana Lopez

Olivia Sajjadieh

Nikki Morin

Steve Mears

William Tran

Devin Rapson

Whitney Jackson

Irene Choe

Jaime Swarthout

Courtney Peterson

Post-Class Info

Lots of great materials were given out and discussed in class today:

excerpt from Gordon Harvey's Elements of the Academic Essay

Stonehill Media Studies Library--Hahn 110

   Hours vary. (All times PM and shown below)
   Collection of previous student thesis
   Great resource for media related material

Monday: 1:30-4:30

Tuesday 12-2:30

Wednesday: 1:30-4:00

Thursday: 12-2:30, 3-5:30

Friday: 1:00-3:00