Research Project

Purpose

There are simply too many imagined dystopias for us to consider in one semester, so to expand our discussion and give you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned, each of you will independently examine a different imagined dystopia. As a large, out-of-class project, this assignment will give you significant opportunities to practice independent critical thinking and self-regulated learning. Through this assignment you will critically analyze one imagined dystopia outside of class and reflect upon how one specific aspect of that imagined dystopia can be seen in our contemporary world. This assignment will also give you the opportunity to practice making knowledge public as well as communicating through writing or speaking.

Connected Course Outcomes

  1. Identify the defining characteristics of dystopia & analyze real & imagery contexts against that definition.
  2. Communicate effectively through writing & speaking.
  3. Use quantitative, empirical, and critical reasoning skills to solve problems.
  4. Apply socially responsible & ethical principles to promote equity & sustainability in ways that align with our mission as a historically Black and Catholic Institution.
  5. Demonstrate personal accountability & effective work habits.

Task

For your research, you will select one imaginary dystopia and the format through which you will present your critical analysis of that imagined dystopia. In your presentation, you will also explore a real-world analogue of that imagined dystopia. Your imagined dystopia may be a novel, a short story, a film, a television/streaming series, or a video game. If you have a suggestion that is not on one of these lists, please speak to me about it right away. Within the two sections of this class, only one person may explore any one of the possible dystopias.

Getting Started

You have two critical tasks you need to consider fairly quickly, but please devote some serious consideration to both.

  1. You need to identify and claim the imagined dystopia you will explore through your project.
    • To begin, look at the libraries on the class website:
    • Select your top three choices from these lists. Do not select any that have been struck through; those are not available for this semester.
    • Go to the Choose Your Adventure! discussion, create a new thread, and list in order of preference your top three choices. I will then assign topics on a largely first-posted, first-assigned process.
  2. As you are considering your topics, decide the format you want your final project to take.
    • Below are three options, although you may propose something different to me:
      • Class Podcast Episode: In the past, this was the required format for the research project, and we have three full season of a podcast called Room 101 Radio. You would script and record your own 15- to 20-minute episode to contribute to Season 4.
      • Formal Video Presentation: This one is more challenging that it may seem. You can script and record a 10-minute lecture that includes meaningful and engaging visuals.
      • Interactive Website: This may be the most challenging, but if you have some existing experience creating websites, you can create an interactive website that shares your research and scholarship with multimedia clips.
      • Please note that I do not have examples for each of these. You can (and should) review the past seasons of the class podcast. Even if you are using one of the different formats, you will still get a sense of the structure you will want to follow for your own project.

Regardless the format you choose, your final research project should roughly follow the outline described below (although be as creative as you want in how you put everything together!). Every project must address each of these elements:

  1. Catchy introduction: Start with the analogue – Why is this relevant today?
  2. Overview of the dystopia: Describe the world in which it is set – What’s the general story?
  3. Critique of the dystopia: How well does this example fit our expectations of a dystopia?
  4. Overview of your analogue: Describe the real world situation in detail – What’s the general story?
  5. Critique of your analogue: How well does this example fit our expectations of a dystopia?
  6. Call to action: End with a challenge – What do you want your audience to take away?

Project Timeline

Getting Started (Jan 08 – Feb 03)

  1. Consider your options. On your own, consider review the libraries on this web site and identify several imaginary dystopias that sound interesting. Look up those and read more about them.
  2. * Post your selections by 2/18. Post the list of your top three choices to the discussion topic on Brightspace. Texts will be determined on a 1st posted, 1st assigned basis.

Reading & Researching (Feb 04 – Mar 02)

  1. Pre-read your text. Before you read, do some research: about the creator; about the text.
  2. Read your text. Keep your primary tasks in mind: summarizing; evaluating; & synthesizing.
  3. Identify the analogue. Figure out the dystopian element within the novel that you think is related to something in contemporary society. Research the real world analogue.

Writing & Revising (Mar 03 – Mar 30)

  1. Continue your research. Identify the real-world analogue from your imaginary dystopia and research it.
  2. Write your text.
  3. Consider the medium. As you work, think about images, music, sound clips, and anything else that will make your project engaging.
  4. Get some feedback. There is no formal draft requirement for this assignment, but at any point you can share with me what you have developed for feedback. You may also want to find other students in the class to workshop with. You can also take advantage of the Writing Resource Center.
  5. Revise. Use the feedback you receive to strengthen your project.

Revising & Editing (Mar 31 – Apr 13)

  1. Compile your work.
  2. Put on the finishing touches. Remember that all of these are intended for public consumption. Aesthetics are important!
  3. * Submit your final product to Brightspace by 4/13. Follow the instructions for your format.

Evaluation

You will not receive a grade for your annotated readings. On the Grades page, you will receive one of the following designations:

  • Completed (Activity was successfully submitted and met all expectations)
  • Partially completed (Activity was submitted but did not meet all expectations)
  • Not completed (Activity was not submitted)

Instead of a grade or score, I will give you feedback either in writing or through a short video. My feedback will focus on how well I think your work demonstrates your efforts with the learning outcomes listed above.

Expectations

Regardless the format, your research project must meet all of the following in order to be considered complete:

  • Be completed on time.
  • Demonstrate significant research into the topics.
  • Demonstrate insightful analysis.
  • Be clearly written and well-organized.
  • Incorporate other media appropriate for the audience.

For each project format, there are more detailed expectations provided on the course website:

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