Critical Research Essay & Presentation (200 pts.)
Great news! The editor of The New Yorker magazine has asked you to write a critical essay
on a hot media topic. You get to suggest a topic, but the editor has final approval. And like
any professional editor, she understands that good writing requires revision. She expects
you to submit a draft, receive suggested edits, and revise a final version of the essay. Once
the piece is published, she also expects you to go on television to discuss your findings in a
clear, concise, and compelling way. So, this assignment has four parts: You must select a
topic and have it approved by Feb. 28 (10 points); submit a completed draft of your
essay by March 30 (70 points); submit a final version by May 2 (100 points); and
discuss your findings and take questions in a class presentation during the final
weeks of the semester (20 points). You may select a topic not discussed directly in class,
but your essay should be grounded in at least some of the themes, concepts and readings
covered in this course. The essay should run 5-6 pages and should include a list of
sources at the end. (You are producing a piece of in-depth journalism, so you are not
required to use an academic citation style. But you just reference your sources
clearly in your prose). As with the short research memos, the final paper should be
formatted in 12 pt., Times-New Roman font, double-spaced, with 1’’ margins. No cover page
required. The editor will judge your essay based on depth of research, clarity of writing,
originality of argument, and use of evidence in support of your claims. The oral summary
should not exceed five minutes. This part of the assignment emphasizes clarity and
concision
