For this assignment, you will write a research paper on a current event in
American politics and you will also present your research by creating a meme
about it. You may choose any current event as long as it is an ongoing political
issue in the United States. If you’re not sure if your topic is appropriate, please run
it by me.
Once you select your current event, there are three components to this assignment,
totaling 35% of your final grade.
1) Write a Short Essay (20%): The first step in this assignment is to write a
research paper (3-4 pages) about your topic. The purpose of this essay is to better
understand the complexity and nuance of your chosen issue, and to then make an
argument about what you think is taking place.
The quality of your research paper will depend on the quantity and quality of the
research you conduct, and you must use at least one academic research source (see
research handout for more information about conducting effective research).
However, it is not enough to simply share the information you have found, as you
must think about that information, and come to a conclusion about what you think
is happening with your current event. Your conclusion will then become the
argument that you make in your paper, and all of your research will become the
evidence you use to support your argument.
Your essay will be graded on the strength of your argument and on your ability to
use your research as evidence supporting it.
2) Make a Meme (10%): Once you finish your essay (or when you’re closed to
being finished), the next step is to turn your research into a meme. Usually this
will involve the argument you are making, because you’re argument is the main
point you want to convey about your issue. But now, you need to think about how
you might convey that same point in a visual form.
To make your meme, you can use free websites like: https://memegenerator.net.
You can select any preexisting meme image, but the text has to be original. And
the challenge is to figure out how to convey your argument about your current
event in one image and just a few short words.
While I will be the only one who reads your research paper, you will post your
meme to the class discussion boards, so that you can share your research with the
whole class.
3) Make a Public Post (5%): Finally, when you post your meme, you also need to
include a short public write-up explaining the meme. This should be no longer
than one or two paragraphs, and it is your opportunity to provide a little bit more
information about your current event. Remember, your classmates will only see
your meme and not your research paper, so this is your chance to explain your
issue in a little more detail.
