Final research paper

CMS.S61 Sp23 – Final Research Paper Guidelines                     

• Topic submitted, Fri April 21 by 11:59p
• Preliminary lit review, Fri May 5 by 11:59p
• In-class presentations (10min), May 10
• Paper due, Tues May 16 by 11:59p. PDF format, include your name.

Each paper must be an original written piece of work that takes up a topic covered under the thematic of immersive worlds & media sociology. This is your opportunity to really dig in and research a topic of your choosing related to the course which is particularly focused on the media studies and sociological side of analyzing virtual worlds. If you are writing outside of the topics we’ve covered in class, please run the idea by me first to make sure it fits. I’d encourage you to pick something you are excited and curious about, maybe even something you have some experience with.

You will either be leaning on data from prior scholarship to formulate your argument or, alternatively, building out a case study where you focus on an exemplar and analyze it in depth. If you want to do any research that involves interviewing people or participant observation you must speak with me for approval first. Please note that given the tight timeframe doing this kind of work is probably not viable unless you have a significant amount of time to dedicate to it and are prepared to handle the ethical issues involved with doing human subjects research.

A key factor in these papers is that you demonstrate a rigorous, scholarly analysis of the subject of your essay. You cannot just be “in your own head” or making broad claims but must evidence your arguments and engage with published peer-reviewed research. The key is that you find support for your argument in scenarios, research, and cases beyond your own personal experience. This will involve consulting academic journals and books on the subject, as well as leveraging good examples to build and anchor your argument.

Specs:

• Your paper should be 3000 words (+/- 10% allowed).
• Make sure you have a thesis that you provide evidence for (you should be able to point it out in the essay if asked).
• Articulate what is at stake/why it matters in the argument you are making.
• You should meaningfully engagewith a minimum of 5 peer-reviewed scholarly books or articles related to your topic. This means more than simply dropping in a single “one off” quote but actually discussing/working with the argument an author is making. “Drive by” citing is not sufficient. Meaningful engagement can be about both building on and/or challenging work. Think of it as a form of intellectual conversation. Five references must either be scholarly articles from journals listed at my resource page at http://tltaylor.com/teaching/research-resources-for-students/ Links to an external site. or from an academic press if it’s a book. References beyond these can come from other sources. I also encourage you to make use of the great reference librarians we have here at MIT if you are unsure how to go about a rigorous lit review.
• Use the Chicago Manual of Style or APA conventions for quoting and citing work (see http://cmsw.mit.edu/writing-and-communication-center/citation-formats/for guidance) and include a complete bibliography at the end of the paper.
• You must pay attention to proofreading and attend to the technical elements of writing a paper (your name and a title included, citations, page #s when quoting, etc.).

Writing assistance

If you have any questions (including how to properly cite things) please talk to me, as well as making sure to utilize the resources at The Writing and Communication Center: http://cmsw.mit.edu/writing-and-communication-center/. They offer fantastic assistance.

Late work

Extensions without penalty can be granted if I receive a note of support from MIT Student Support Services (S3 @ http://web.mit.edu/uaap/s3/); they are a vital resource to be connected to for help. I am also happy to make accommodations for religious holidays if notified in advance. Any late work beyond this is penalized at a full grade per day but please note that final grades are due May 19 so there is very little leeway in handling late submissions.