In this assignment, you will have to prepare an oral and written Media Legal Issues Report on one of the research topics provided, e.g. Cyber-warfare.
Research Report Purpose
As an emerging communications professional it is essential that you are aware of, and understand, current topics in the area of communication and media law. These current topics are constantly evolving and shape the way a communications professional makes decisions, govern actions, and communicate with others. This assignment gives you the opportunity to practice and demonstrate your competence by conducting research and reporting on your current topic through both oral and written means.
Media Legal Issues Report
There are two parts to this task relating to the current topic in communication and media law. In the first part, each student must research and present an oral report on their current topic of between 12-15 minutes. In the second part of the task, each student must follow up with a written report of between 1500-2000 words on the same topic.
Selection of Current Topic
- A student can suggest a topic and simply ask the instructor to approve it. You may decide to explore in depth one of the issues discussed in class.
- WARNING: Current topics are changing rapidly. Be sure to cite current sources. An article written in 2004, or prior to 2008, might provide a foundation, but it is likely greatly outdated.
- WARNING: No two students can take the same topic. If you collaborate with another student, one of you should take the “yes” position and the other student should take the “no” position, or you must take two different angles on the same topic and gather information separately.
- You can go online to the ZU library databases and find many resources. You can also seek assistance from ZU librarians.
Guidelines
- A section of your oral and written report must address the question of how does this issue affect the principle of freedom of speech and/or of the press? In this course, we consider the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Be sure to review this before giving your presentation or writing your report.
- Your report shall include at least five original sources, not including Wikipedia. Original sources can be legal documents, books, magazine or newspaper articles, or analyses found online by research institutes or advocacy organizations. Students may also conduct original interviews if they choose.
- Wikipedia can give you an introduction to the topic, but cannot be quoted or cited as a source. Wikipedia points you to the original sources of the information.
- Your oral report should include audio-visual elements, PowerPoint or Prezi slides. It can also include, but should not be exclusively video clips of five minutes or less from Youtube.com or other online streaming services on an issue of relevance to media law.
- WARNING: Beware of potential plagiarism. You must submit your paper to Blackboard, which will tell you, through SafeAssign, how much of your document is copied. If your report is more than 20% plagiarized, you will receive an automatic F. Blackboard gives you the opportunity to revise it and upload it again. But once you have submitted the paper on Blackboard, once the deadline has passed, there are no more opportunities to revise it.
Assessment Criteria
You will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Oral Presentation
- Subject knowledge
- Organization
- Freedom of speech/press
- Visuals or multimedia support
- Be prepared to answer questions about this topic.
- Timekeeping: if you waste the time of the class while you fetch your document or fiddle with technology for 5 minutes or more, your presentation grade will be marked down. Have your presentation ready on a flash drive or laptop, test the equipment before your presentation time.
Written Report
- Subject knowledge
- Organization & length
- Freedom of speech/press
- Grammar, spelling, punctuation
- Use of Resources
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