Proposal+Information

CCT 220: Proposal Assignment Instructions Dr. J. Ferenbok Oct 1, 2010 Individual Term paper or Group Project (15%) Due: November 17, 2010 Myths surround us in our everyday lives. Myths form the background of our interactions and communities, and can be viewed as the spectacles through which we experience reality. This makes myth both difficult to study and an important tool for understanding ourselves and our communities of practice. This assignment is an opportunity for you apply the general concepts and case studies discussed in class to explore in depth a semiotic community of your chose. What are the myths that structure the community? How does looking at the myths that underline its discourse help you understand something about its nature, members and practices? For this assignment you will have a choice to work individually or in groups by working on a term paper or a media project. The term paper should consist of 12 - 15 double-spaced pages in 12-point font and use standard academic formatting. The paper MUST be thesis driven and demonstrate an understanding of the course concepts. This paper gives you the opportunity to develop an appropriate analysis of the topic, provide examples that illustrate your points, and subject your ideas to rigorous testing using a wide range of examples or through reasoned (thesis driven) argument. Your essay should build on the work of other scholars but must include original research that goes beyond the readings and discussions from the class. The paper should be free of mechanical and stylistic errors (e.g. spelling and grammar) and should demonstrate an understanding of the mythic structures and communities selected. Citations should follow an accepted referencing format (preferably APA or MLA) and include at least 10 academic sources. OR The Media Project should consist of a multimedia text with a significant media component (images, video, sound, text, etc,) that explores the mythic structures of a specific community. The project must demonstrate critical thinking as well as production skills, and intellectual rigor. The media project just be accompanied by a design document (5 – 6 pages) which critically reflects on the production process and the underlining intellectual frameworks / understandings and course concepts. Since this is an experimental project with a very broad scope it is the groups responsibility to ensure that the quality and difficulty of the project is at the level expected by the UTM calender marking guidelines.Proposal Guidelines The first set towards your assignment is to submit a proposal either on a paper topic or group project. For the Term Paper the proposal should be 1 – 2 pages identifying: Your unique focus or community of practice; your key research question guiding your argument; the context and background to your topic (why is this interesting / important?). The proposal should include 5 potential research sources and be well written and error free. OR For the Media Project the proposal should be 2 – 3 pages and must clearly identify the mythic infrastructures you will engage with (community, subculture, etc.,); describe intended audience, context, scope and potential tools — what will you do and how? Your proposal should include a list of group member roles, and should clearly state the message / idea you intend for your media project to convey. Submit your proposal on November 17th, 2010 electronically to the course staff. There will be a 3% per day late penalty. Late proposals will not be accepted one week after the due date.