COMM 312: OVERALL POP CULTURE PAPER GUIDELINES

Examples of popular culture come from a wide array of genres, including popular music, print, cyber culture,
sports, entertainment, leisure, fads, advertising, Internet, and television. Internet and television are arguably two
of the most widely consumed examples of popular culture, and they also represent two examples of popular
culture with great staying power. For this assignment, you are asked to research, and critically examine a topic
that studies media/digital communication in popular culture (you have plenty of options here - however, I
provided a topic suggestion at the bottom of this page).

Format: Paper should be typed, double spaced, with one-inch margins in a twelve-point, Times New Roman
font. APA (American Psychological Association) style must be used to cite the text and any supplemental
research resources. Paper must be submitted through Assignments link on Scholar. Dont forget about the
structure. Every research paper must have an introduction (clear thesis statement), a body, and a conclusion.

Length: Five - six pages (this DOES NOT include the title page, References page, or any other supplemental
content). The Title Page format can be found in the Assignments folder on Scholar. Your focus should be on
clearly and thoroughly researching and critically approaching the topic -- no fluff please.

Research: You should cite the text, any relevant supplemental readings and incorporate information/research
from at least 5 outside resources. These outside resources MUST be scholarly sources that clearly relate to the
topic and content of your paper. Any research you incorporate should be clearly integrated into and related to
your argument DO NOT simply quote the research without making clear connections to your
writing. PLEASE NOTE: The following resources will NOT count as legitimate outside research: any
resources provided for the course (the text, supplemental readings, etc.), popular press sources (newspapers,
magazines, blogs, etc.) or resources that are the product of a Google Search that are not scholarly in nature. If
you are unsure if a resource is scholarly, please check with the Professor. Failure to include legitimate outside
research resource will result in a 30-point deduction from the final paper grade.

Drafts for Feedback: Students may submit drafts for review and feedback for their papers. These drafts MUST
be submitted through Scholar no later than 11:59 pm EST, Sunday, November 12. Drafts will NOT be
reviewed if sent via email or if sent after the deadline. PLEASE NOTE: You are not required to submit drafts
this is simply an option for those seeking feedback and assistance with their writing.

Due Dates & Submission: You must report your topic on Scholar (Discussion Board) no later than Monday,
November 6. Make sure your topic is not too broad and it reflects the material being covered in class. The paper
is due by 11:59 pm on the scheduled due date (Wednesday, November 29) and must be submitted via Scholar.
You are encouraged to check your submission to make sure you have uploaded the correct document for each
assignment. Resubmission BEFORE the due date & time: If you find that you have submitted an incorrect
document, please contact the Instructor as soon as possible; your incorrect submission will be cleared and you
can submit the correct document. Resubmission AFTER the due date: Paper that is resubmitted due to
incorrect document submission will be treated as a late: LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Topic Suggestions:

Feminism in pop culture

How same-sex marriage influence pop culture?
Sexuality and pop culture
Gender stereotypes in pop culture
Sexism in pop culture
Female/male stereotypes in the media
Gender roles in motion pictures
Music in films
 Politics and film
Sex and the Internet
Free speech and the Internet
Social media and self-esteem
Communication and Reality Television/Talk Shows
The Influence of Gender and Age on Body Shaming in the Media

Pop Culture Paper Rubric

Format:
Properly formatted Title Page & header
5 6 pages of content
1 inch margins 15 points
12 point, Times New Roman font
Double spaced
Properly formatted Reference Page
Properly formatted Parenthetical Citations
Research:
Appropriate resources used 15 points
Research well integrated into analysis/contributes to discussion
Writing Skills:
Grammar, sentence structure, wording & spelling appropriate 20 points
Content:
Topic focus 150
Depth of discussion points
Cohesiveness
Integration of knowledge
Total: 200 points