Final Research Project

The major assignment for this course will be 10-12 page research paper on a topic chosen appropriate to your field of study. You may choose a topic we've discussed in class, but you are not limited to these topics. The topic, however, must be related to the WWW or the Internet.

The research project has four parts: a research proposal, an annotated bibliography, a draft with peer review, and the final project essay.

The topic should be narrow enough to cover adequately in 10-12 pages. For example, the development of the WWW is too broad; the Berners-Lee book divides the subject into chronological chapters, but these are still far too broad for a 10-12 page research paper. The research proposal will help narrow your topic; once you identify an audience, your purpose and thesis will become more defined.

The final essay must synthesis multiple sources (usually between 8 - 10 sources) into a coherent essay which expresses your ideas and findings on the subject. You should have a mix of different sources, incorporating journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and websites. All sources must be cited in an appropriate format.

The purpose can be explanatory, persuasive, or (most likely) some combination of the two. Consider your audience: what do they know about the subject? What do they need to know?

Grades on the final essay will be based primarily on the writing and organization. Unlike the other essays in this course, the final essay cannot be revised. We will, however, have a peer review session in class.