Essay Assignment MIT 2000F (Fall 2015): Due: 9 Dec, in lecture
You will write a research essay on a topic related to communication/ media history involving
Canada. It can be on any topic, but you are advised to select a topic in consultation with your
Teaching Assistant. Possible topics include: the impact of print culture on aboriginal oral
society; the influence of early newspapers on civic participation and public life; how women’s
magazines shaped popular understandings of domesticity and political empowerment. These
are merely examples; a full list of potential topics would run to many pages.
The paper could be comparative in scope (telegraph and telephone, for example). It could also
be thematic (e.g., the role of the federal government in regulating different communication
technologies). It might also focus on one type of media or communication technology and
related social, cultural, and economic considerations.
To be judged first rate, your paper will require: a solid base of research; a compelling thesis/line
of argument; and the convincing use of evidence to support your argument. Your paper must
also be free of grammatical, syntax, and spelling errors.
Length: Approximately 8 pages (2000 words), not including endnotes and bibliography.
Format: double-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins
Citation Style: Chicago Style (Notes and Bibliography) with Endnotes, not footnotes.
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
Some Sources for Scholarly Articles and Books
1. UWO History Research Guide
http://guides.lib.uwo.ca/History
2. America: History and Life database (via UWO Library)
covers history and culture of United States and Canada
3. Media History in Canada
http://mediahistory.ca/
database of journal articles and books on communication/media history in Canada
4. UWO Library Catalogue
http://alpha.lib.uwo.ca/
5. “Further Readings” sections in Communication History in Canada (course text)
6. Google Books
https://books.google.ca/