List of Topics Assignment--typed!

This (graded) assignment is to make a LIST of topics that you think you will want to cover in the paper. Just as simple as that--a list of topics. If you want to, you can embellish the list with explanatory notes or examples or whatever. This is a little bit like an outline, but doesn't have to be as structured or organized as an outline would be. The trick here is that before creating a GOOD list of topics, you will need to have read the magazines pretty thoroughly and put significant thought into what you want to say about them.

Remember that a good magazine paper will give a pretty comprehensiveoverview of the magazines, supported with lots of in-depth analysis. What is a topic?  Well, a MAJOR topic would be something like "views of relationships in the magazines." A SUBTOPIC would be something like "the way men are represented as always being [fill in the blank] in Maxim, whereas in Cosmo they are shown as usually being [fill in blank.] Another example of a subtopic would be "the ad for [X product] which insinuates that women are [whatever]."  Notice that my sample subtopics contain some analysis--they shows that I have already done some analysing of gender roles in the magazines. A topic is not the same as a question. If your list is full of questions, it is not what we are aiming for here. Your list should show that you have already posed questions about the mags and answered them. The list should show evidence of analytical work already done.

How long should the list be? Well, it should be long and substantial enough to show someone who looks at it what your paper is going to say. So if your list has only 6 or 7 brief entries, it is way too skimpy. If you can show a friend your topic list, and it takes them more than 45 seconds to read it, and they say "wow--it looks like this will be an interesting paper," the list is probably good!

Bring TWO COPIES of your list of topics to class today; you will examine other students' lists in small groups and we will talk about the topics as a whole class, in order to help everyone generate lots of good ideas. I will collect one of the copies of the list from each of you, take them home, grade them and return them the following class. For this assignment, since we will work on it in class, you may not receive credit for late assignments. If you are forced to miss class today, you will need to email me the assignment by the time class has met in order to get credit.

Note: I see this as an important first step in the process of writing the magazine paper. In class we will do extensive work on examining the lists you bring in, and compiling a master list of topics. If you are forced to miss class ---and be aware that this is a bad class to miss--please make sure to speak with someone who was in class! I intend for this to be an intensive workshop on generating ideas for your papers. Remember, I'm hoping that all of you will write marvelously interesting papers that you can be really proud of!