File New Media Literacy Assignment Weblogrepor

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File New Media Literacy Assignment Weblogrepor

DESCRIPTION:

This two-part assignment asks you to conduct a small study on your activities online. The first part involves keeping a web-log about your activities online over the course of five (5) consecutive days: you must use the format of the chart provided. The second part consists of writing a report that summarizes your findings. Both parts must be submitted as a single file.

LENGTH:

750-1000 words for the written report itself: log data is not to be part of the word count.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the assignment is to think self-reflexively about what you do online. You will think about your larger patterns of use and how these shape you as a consumer and/or producer of online content.

SUBMISSION:

Upload your assignment via Sakai. Go to “Assignments”, click on Assignment 1, and click on ‘Add Attachments’. You will upload your assignment as a single file.

Your filled-out log must be present in the file you submit: if no log is present, or if the log is left blank, a permanent grade of 0 will be issued for your assignment being incomplete.

PARAMETERS:

  • Your whole assignment must be uploaded as a single .doc file, or as a single .pdf file.
  • Mac users: you can convert a Pages document into a word .doc by going to the menu bar and choosing: ‘File’ – ‘Export’– ‘Word’.
  • Files that cannot open and/or incorrect files will receive a grade of 0.
  • We will not be tracking down assignments: you must submit properly, on-time.
  • Check and double check to ensure that the file is attached and is the correct file. After submitting, definitely review your submission so you can see/confirm the file.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure that you have uploaded your file into Sakai. You have a maximum of five re-submission attempts BEFORE the deadline passes.
  • Late assignments will receive a grade of 0.
  • Assignments sent via e-mail will receive a grade of 0.

Part One: Internet Log of Activities

  • Start as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the more time you will have to reflect on the data. Waiting too late to start your log is a major cause of poorly done assignments.
  • You are graded on the thoroughness of your internet log: the more detailed the log is, the better. Example entries have been provided to you.
  • The log will provide a clear sense of what you do online each day over the course of five consecutive days. If it does not, it was poorly done, and this will be reflected in your grade.
  • Log all of your activities. There is no single ‘right’ way to do this. For example, you might do a series of online activities on a single device, in a single session/sitting, and you might choose to represent these on your log chart as one item comprising multiple ‘CONTENT’ types, or you might choose to represent them as multiple separate items. The goal is that your log is detailed.
  • Your log however should NOT consist of just a few long items: the point is to break down and analyze your online activities systematically, and this requires many distinct items to be present.
  • Please do not log, detail, or describe any intimate or sexual activities online. It is not appropriate for this assignment.

Part Two: The Report & Analysis

  • The report will not simply re-state the data provided in your log. Use the data generated in the internet log as a starting point for the analysis. Your analysis should look for patterns of usage.
  • Talk specifically about your activities online during the period of time for which you collected data. Do not speak in generalities: be specific. We are looking for your attention to details.
  • Make use of your notes in your report by being specific and providing examples.
  • You can write in the first person (you can say things like “I find that I” and “My analysis shows”)
  • You are graded on the thoroughness of your report. This includes analyzing the data, drawing conclusions from the data, and addressing how the data reflects your online practices as a consumer and/or producer
  • Your report will reflect on the questions and cover the points listed below. These questions/points are not to simply be restated. These are to be integrated into your analysis.

The report should adhere to the following, as it is expected to be planned and polished written work:

  • A strong report will be organized. You are to structure your report in four paragraphs (see below). The flow of the report should present a cohesive analysis to your reader.
  • Write clearly, integrate specific examples from your internet log, and adhere to proper spelling and grammar. These things all matter, and they will impact the grade you get.
  • Your report will have an introduction: it can be relatively brief, but it will introduce your reader to the scope of your report and capture the reader’s attention.
  • Your report will have a conclusion: it too can be relatively brief, but it will provide the reader with a succinct final account of your findings and your related overall impressions.
  • Watch that you are not providing a purely descriptive submission, be sure of critically analyzing your data as a researcher might.

A Guide to the Report

In general, think of the report as the narrative that emerges from your data. What story is your data telling about your activities online? What patterns of usage can you detect in your online activities? What do these activities suggest about your position as a consumer and/or a producer?

1. Introduction/Initial brief thoughts.(Paragraph 1)

Introduce your analysis and observations. An introduction is the roadmap for the rest of the paper. Offer an overview and some direction of what the report will discuss, and why it the discussion, or your key ‘take-away’ is significant.

2.Briefly Summarize your internet use over five days.(Paragraphs 2-3)

Possible questions to consider in your discussion (this doesn’t mean you will do all of this):

  • What do you do online?
  • What devices do you use to go online?
  • Is there a time of day when you are most active online? When is it and what are you doing?
  • Do you use certain type(s) of devices to go online at the same time each day?
  • Do your online activities vary according to your schedule for the day?
  • Do certain tasks or moods cause or influence you to access certain kinds of content?
  • What are potential or actual reasons for you choosing to use certain devices over others?
  • Do your online activities have you engaging in the production of user-generated content?

Please note: The summary portion of the report should demonstrate an active analysis of the data generated, and it should establish what is important. The summary can’t cover every entry in the log. This portion of the report makes sense of the data. It requires careful thinking with and reflection on the data generated. The entire report must be 750-1000 words long, so plan accordingly to fulfill this.

3. Analyze & discuss your role.(Paragraphs 4-5)

  • What do the larger patterns (as discussed in the summary of web use) reveal about your online activities? How do these shape you? As a media consumer? Producer? Both? Explain your reasoning by building on ideas in course material.
  • Watch that you are not providing a purely descriptive discussion, be sure of critically analyzing your data as a researcher might.
  • You must connect your discussion to course material and use the readings to support your analysis and assertions.

This section should be the focus of the report (rather than the summary section). Be sure that this section is not descriptive and opinion oriented. This is a critical thinking and analysis focus, and you need academic support when you make claims or arguments.

4.Conclusion/Overall impressions.

Short recap of the discussion. What are your conclusions based on the data you collected about your online activities? What’s the social-significance – bigger picture insights here? Connect to course material.

Report Structure

Use the following four-six paragraph structure to organize your report.

Paragraph 1: Brief introduction to capture reader’s attention (point 1. above)

Paragraphs 2-3: Summary of findings (point 2. above)

Paragraph 4-5: Discussion of role (point 3. above)

Paragraph 6: Concluding remarks with ‘Overall Impressions’ (point 4. above)

Important Notes:

  • Writing style, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and paragraph structure are part of the grading rubric.
  • Double space the report.
  • You are required to include three course readings (from any of the modules: M1/M2/M3) in support of your analysis and discussion.
  • Properly cite any readings that you use using APA. Include a reference list at the end of your document. In-text citations are included in the word count. The Reference list is not included in the word count.
  • Submissions that do not cite and/or reference material properly will not be accepted and will result in a zero.
  • You are required to stay within the minimum and maximum word count or you will be penalized a one mark.
  • Do not use any direct quotes in your module submissions. Instead, rephrase and cite properly, or you will be penalized one mark.
  • Please name your A1 file properly with course number, last name, and assignment name. For example: 2F00LastnameA1.doc
  • Your submission must be formatted correctly according to the instructions, which means that the orientation of your written discussion is in portrait and the chart is in landscape.

A1 Grading Rubric

The assignment is graded as a whole: it is about how your internet log and your report work together to analyze your data.

Part One: Internet Log of Activities:

-includes five days of internet use

-is thorough and detailed, not vague and general

-provides a clear account of daily online activities

-the log is formatted according to the assignment guidelines

Part Two: The Report & Analysis Paragraph 1: Introduction

-clearly introduces reader to the scope of report and captures the reader’s attention

-provides direction of what the report will discuss & why significant

-does not speak in generalities and is specific

The Report & Analysis Paragraph 2-3: Summary of internet use over three days

-demonstrates an active analysis of the data generated

-establishes what is important to discuss from the data, such as: activities online; devices used to go online; variances in internet use & access depending on device; time of day online most/least accessed; fluidity of online access; etc

The Report & Analysis Paragraph 4-5: Discussion of role

-critically analyzes data and moves beyond descriptive commentary

-discusses what the larger patterns reveal about given online activities and how do these shape them as a media consumer, producer, or both

-discussion and assertions are supported by course material

The Report & Analysis Paragraph 6: Concluding Remarks

-provides insightful & thoughtful conclusions based on the data collected about online activities

-offers bigger-picture insights that connect to course material.

Writing Style & Referencing

-good clear flow in the writing style

-includes at least three course readings (M1/M2/M3) in total in support of analysis and discussion.

-no errors with spelling, grammar, punctuation, or paragraph structure

-in-text citations follow APA format

-reference list provided is APA format

-follows instructions regarding formatting of assignment: proper table formatted in landscape, analysis in portrait