Research & Summaries

1. Overview

  • View the film “Twelve Angry Men” (1957 version) and write a paper analyzing the group discussion dramatized in the film.
  • While watching the film, take notes that include specific examples to illustrate concepts related to group communication.
  • You may want to rent the film from a local video store and view it again as you develop ideas for your paper.
  1. The paper should contain the following:

1) Cover page (including title of the paper, course title & no., and your name).

Cover page information should NOT appear in the body of your paper. Or this will result in serious penalty.

2) Introduction (1 page)

  • Briefly discuss the content of the movie
  • Have a clear thesis statement and a preview statement.

3) Issues for Analysis (at least 3 pages)

Your analysis of the jury should address following five issues. Provide specific examples from the film to support your claim.

  • Leadership:

-Choose a theory or theories relevant to leadership. Define (or describe) your chosen theory (theories) with textbook citation.

-Describe how your chosen theory (theories) best explain (s) the different leadership behaviors played by several different jury members in the movie.

 

  • Participation:

-Define the task, maintenance, and self-centered roles. Cite textbook

-Describe the task, maintenance, and self-centered roles represented in the film.

-What were some of the participation problems confronted by the group?

-How did the group deal with these problems?

 

  • Climate (Gibb’s supportive vs. defensive climate):

– Define supportive and defensive climate with textbook citations.

– Define specific behaviors (e.g., certainty, provisionalism, superiority, indifference, etc.) that applied the most under these two climates (supportive vs defensive) in the movie.

-Describe how these specific behaviors are displayed throughout most of the jury’s deliberations.

-What specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors contributed to these specific behaviors?

 

  • Conflict:

–Briefly define task, procedural, and personal conflict. Cite textbook.

-Provide examples of task, procedural, and personal conflict represented in the film.

-Define the conflict styles (e.g., avoiding, competing, compromising, etc.) that applied most in group members. Cite textbook.

-Provide examples of the conflict styles represented in the film.

-How successfully were conflicts resolved in the group?

  • Argumentation:

–Evaluate the jury members’ arguments. How well did the characters evaluate information?

4) Conclusion (at least 1 page):

  • Briefly summarize what you have discussed (i.e., main points in your paper) in this paper.
  • Discuss what you have learned from this movie
  • Discuss how this analysis could be applicable in your current/future work.