Dr. Mc's Web Site

Dr. Janet McMullen 

Department of Communications and Theatre

How to Write Term Papers for Dr. Mc's Classes

Updated: 11/13/02

All Term Papers will be submitted to Turnitin.com 

In the interest of encouraging students to "do their own work" and to hold them accountable, all term papers in Dr. McMullen's courses will be submitted in electronic form to the plagiarism protection site, Turnitin.com .  Papers will examined for textual similarity review by Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the terms of use agreement posted on the Turnitin.com site.

 Dr. McMullen will grade NOT GRADE any paper which has not been submitted and cleared by the service.  Dr. Mc will provide specific information about how to do that in class or on the course web site.

If you are concerned about plagiarism or maybe don't understand completely what it involves, see the page at the U.N.A. Collier Library site for more information.  "Plagiarism -- Up Close and Personal : A UNA Student Guide" at http://www2.una.edu/library/plagiarismstudentguide.htm   

The following is a list of serious problems I have seen in term papers on a regular basis over the past few semesters. This is compiled and distributed with hopes that YOU won't make the same mistakes. 

Commonly Made Mistakes in Term Papers

  1. Not supporting a statement with examples of documentation.
  2. Not citing sources frequently enough. (Every time a fact is stated, you need to document it.]
  3. Incorrect citation form (author, yr. of publication) or if direct quote (author, yr., pg. #) Use A.P.A. style.
  4. Incorrect citation of internet sites.

    APA STYLE guidelines can be found at several places on the web:  One good site which offers several links is : http://www.psychwww.com/resource/apacrib.htm  .  A cite which deals with APA style for  online citations is : http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html 


  5. Use of inappropriate or inadequate internet site.
  6. Rambling form and structure. Not working from an outline or with paragraphs structured around a thesis statement.
  7. Style too informal, chatty or colloquial. This is a scholarly paper, not a letter to me.
  8. Reliance upon a single resource or cite for paragraph after paragraph....(This shows a lack of research, depth of thinking or both.)
  9. Not including the classic or key resources or studies in the bibliography. This is a dead giveaway that you did not :
    • do thorough research
    • start early enough
  10. Referring to studies or works and not citing them in the bibliography (...usually because they were cited in a resource you were using and you didn't take the time look up the original source; that's very dangerous...).
  11. Improper punctuation and spelling (See a grammar style manual and SPELL CHECK!)
  12. Improper punctuation of a program or series title ( in italics or underlined) or episode titles (in "quotes" like a book chapter or article...).
  13. No introduction or conclusion (i.e. no beginning, middle or end).
  14. No clear main points; rather ideas which run together without clear relationships explained.
  15. Improper paragraph structure or NO paragraphs (i.e. paragraphs that go ON and ON and ON......).
  16. Over generalization. BE SPECIFIC and then support with fact.
  17. Turning in your first draft. I know time is limited, but NEVER turn in a first draft of a paper. It always shows. The writing will be unclear, awkward and rewrites ALWAYS make it more polished and result in a better grade. Try to "sleep on it" at least one night before you make revisions. "Fresh eyes" can make a world of difference. In order to do that , you must......
  18. START EARLY!!!!
  19. Topic is too broad or not narrowly defined. Be sure to have topics approved so this can be avoided.
NOTE:   I take plagiarism very seriously!  If you don't know what it is, check out the informational page at the Collier Library site.  If you have a question the site does not answer, come to see me.  A plagiarized paper is an "F" paper, whether the plagiarism was "intentional" or not.  Some one else's ideas were appropriated and presented as your own.  That's stealing AND lying, and by now, you all know what I think of those. Don't risk it......It's not worth it.

Tips for Specific Classes

Com 310  Foundations and Ethics
Be sure your paper focuses on an ethical issue. Answer the questions: "So what?" "Why?" I also want to know what you think about the issue and WHY? Support that with specific ethical principles or philosophies. Apply the perspectives of the SAD formula, ethical philosophies (utilitarian, deontological, egalitarian, relativist, etc.), Socrates, or Postman to the specific topic you have chosen and then finish with what YOU think.

Com 314  Mass Communications Theory
Be sure you connect your subject of choice with a specific theory or theories. Why do these theories apply and what are their benefits when applied to this impact area? This is not an historical paper; this is a theoretical paper. What does this mean for the culture? For policy makers? For future research?  I    usually recommend that the first half of the paper discuss the particular issue or effect and the rest of the paper apply specific theories to explain what, why, and how it happens.

Com 316  Foundations of Electronic Media
You have more freedom of topic here. This is more standard research paper. Be sure to chose a topic related to the coursework and check it out with Dr. Mc. Thorough documentation and professional writing is expected. 

Com 335 : Television Appreciation
 This is a traditional term paper but you have a lot of freedom of topic selection here. Just be sure to pick a topic that you will enjoy -- a favorite program, actor, writer, etc. You may write on any topic we've covered in class. Just follow the classic term paper guidelines. (And have fun!!) 

Com 340  Television Criticism
This is an analytical paper. Again you must have a thesis and support it with specifics from the texts you view. BE SPECIFIC! Let me know what you think, but also tell me why. Your reasons must be in evidence from your viewing and materials presented in class. Be sure you understand terms like discourse and incorporation and use them in your discussing in the final paper.   Your first paper is usually a formal piece of criticism and the second is a discourse analysis.  Be sure you understand the processes involved in those types of criticism.

Com 400  Communications Law
This a fairly standard research paper, but depth, detail and critical thinking are the focus here. I want to see you rmain thesis, how deeply you explore the topic, why it is significant and what the policy and cultural implications are. These things should all be touched upon in the introduction and summarized in the conclusion.  

"MUST REMEMBERS" 
  • USE A.P.A. Style
  • Font size: Times New Roman 10 or 12  or Arial 10 or 12

Good Luck!! Remember, planning and thinking are keys to success. You can NOT knock off a first draft and expect an "A" or even a "B." Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!!! If you plan ahead, that's not such a big deal with a word processor. It takes time to see where your writing is unclear or missing a key concept. I will pre-grade any paper brought to me ahead of time, provided I have a couple of days in which to examine it. I will scan papers on a shorter notice for general comments.

Most of all, pick a topic that you will enjoy.   Research and learning, while hard work, should still be exciting and enjoyable.  If you pick a topic that's boring, you're not going to enjoy it, put time into it, and you won't be gaining the benefit of this assignment.  

 

Dr. Mc

Copyright, 2002

Dr. Janet McMullen

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