Midterm options

You have 3 options for the midterm. Your midterm must be TYPED, double-space, 12 point font, approximately 4-5 pages (too short? Make sure you answered ALL the questions of your topic.) DETAILS!!!! Click on Keep Reading to read your options. Midterm is due on March 13th 2009, I require a hard copy.

1. Facebook etiquette

I recently joined the ranks of facebook and set up my own rules for who I would/wouldn’t be “friends” with. I spoke with others who also created such guidelines for themselves. (For the record, you need to graduate before you can friend me. Then we’re good.)

How have you dealt with situations where people “friend” you and you didn’t want to accept? What rules do you have in place? Is it awkward? Have you ever unfriended someone? What happened?

Are you really developing close CMC relationships on this forum? Talk about Facebook in relation to Social Information Processing theory. Can you find other articles (academic or otherwise) that talk about this problem? What do you think about their advice?  You should have at least 2 reliable outside sources for this AND reference your text book (so 3 references total). Look up things like Netiquette for other sources and fee free to use THIS ARTICLE as a source. In face I prefer it.

2. Annotated Bibliography Content and Format:

Pick a theory we’ve already covered in class. (go look at your text book……waiting…..ok)

Identify One scholarly journal articles, that are current and consist of empirical research. Read the article and write an annotated bibliography entry for it.

(a) Provide a cull citation of each article using APA style. The citation should appear at the top of the first page of each annotated discussion (summary, critique, cumulation). Single space citation information; double space discussion. The discussion should include the following (b-d):

(b)Article summary: identify the key ideas, main arguments, evidence used to support the argument, method(s) used to gather evidence (research, empirical evidence, textual analysis, etc.), and conclusions. Put this information in your own words: DO NO use direct quotes.

(c) Article critique: (1) Identify stated assumptions and any unstated assumptions of the argument (i.e. what does the author seem to accept as a “given” -biases-in terms of the topic of their argument?); (2)identify any gaps in the arguments in terms of what is not covered; (3) identify any limitations to either the evidence of the argument presented.

(d) Knowledge cumulation: (1) discuss briefly how this article relates to what you’ve learned in class and read in your text book

3. Nonverbal Essay:

Watch one of the following pre-approved shows: NCIS, CSI (original not spinoffs), Gossip Girl, Numb3rs, or Heros. You may choose another show IF it is PRE-APPROVED by me (failure to do that gets an automatic zero), and if it is a scripted show–as in no reality TV please.

a) You MUST watch this show with NO SOUND and NO CLOSED CAPTIONING.  Mute, no “subtitles”. b) Look for different types of nonverbal behaviors: proxemics, chronemics, haptics, facial expressions, emblems, appearance, etc (look all those up or ask me). c) What do the nonverbal interactions tell you about character relationships? Their personalites? Consider the things you’ve learned about nonverbal communication, and your own personal experience. d) Describe how you decided to evaluate the relationship, what you looked for specifically and if you really think that 80-90% of communication is nonverbal. Did you observe any gender differences in your TV show (nonverbally)?

Reference textbook, web (wikipedia has a nice overview).