Compare/Contrast Prospectus
Assignment Objective:
This prospectus is the first step in writing the Compare/Contrast paper. In this prospectus you will select a communication phenomenon that you are interested in studying further. The easiest way to approach this is to define a single question, one that is sufficiently interesting to you to sustain in-depth study over the course of the entire semester.
Examples might be drawn from personal experience
My partner and I have such different reactions to texting during dinner, what’s up with that?
Why will people say things to people online that they would never say face to face?
Some of my classmates are willing to share all kinds of personal information in class but that makes me uncomfortable.
Other example might relate to professional concerns
Am I better off joining a work group that is high performing already, or joining a work group that has problems that I might be able to fix?
Do different kinds of management approaches affect the way my co-workers and I perform our job duties?
Assignment Requirements:
The Research Proposal/Prospectus will introduce the communication phenomenon that you will investigate.
It will then discuss, in about one page, what you currently know or believe about the phenomenon.
You should then name two theories or concepts from the textbook (from chapters 4 and beyond) that might help explain what is going on this situation and briefly discuss why you think these theories will help explain your phenomenon.
Locate at least two academic journals articles that will help you understand more about your theories and include them in a bibliography page.
Based on the feedback you receive from your instructor you will develop the final compare/contrast paper. The library has a communication and mass media database that is the best place to find appropriate articles.
