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Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Ethos, pathos, logos in film.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Essay #2
Assignment #2:
Technology and Social Norms.
Rough draft due: March 11, 2009
Length: 3 pages (~1,000 words)
Assignment Task:
For this assignment you are writing an essay that examines technology's effects on social norms and the implications these effects have on individuals. To accomplish this assignment you will need to think about how technology has changed our social norms and expectations from what they were twenty years ago. That is, only include technology that has become part of our lives in the past 20 years (that means you will not discuss airplanes and radios). Essentially, explain how our cultural norms are different because of recent technology. Be sure to discuss the norms in different spheres of your life (personal, school, work, etc.)
Also, be sure to explain what these changes mean for us as individuals. What are the personal ramifications of these changes? What kind of people are being created by our technology? How might your values be different if we were not so technologically advanced?
Notice that there are two aspects of this assignment. You do not only have to recognize how technology has defined social norms, but you also have to explain the significance of these changes.
Social norms, by the way, are the accepted customs and practices (or rules) of a society. For example, in the US, one social norm is to return phone calls rather than ignoring messages. We return phone calls not only because it may help us get something we want, but simply because it's the courteous thing to do--the expected thing to do (the rule). If you were to examine this norm in your paper, you might write about the various alternatives technology has given us: returning the call with a text message, or perhaps a note on the caller's Facebook Wall. You would also discuss the effects these alternatives have on each person. (Do not use this example in your paper.)
Assignment Expectations:
-Stay on task. Do not discuss the effects of these changes on society. The assignment is to discuss the effects of these changes on the individual. Also, do not discuss changes in things other than social norms.
-Be specific. Give examples.
-Have a strong, clear thesis, and be sure that all of your paragraphs are unified and relate to your thesis.
-Have a logical, well-organized structure with a strong introduction and conclusion.
Audience:
You are writing to a general audience, not your teacher. Therefore, do not assume the reader knows anything about the subject or what you were assigned.
Research:
For this assignment, you need to draw on at least three external sources and cite them formally. One source can be from pages 677-816 in your text (there are a series of essays related to this topic). For another, you can use this book review from the NT Times. For the other source(s), I recommend using Academic Search Premier.
You should also draw on your own experience at least once in the paper. Tell a story or give an example from your own life.
Ideas to get you started:
-When trying to get ideas, do not just think in terms of technology. Think in terms of experiences or events in your life. For example, how are you invited to parties? Does the host send invitations, or call each person individually, or are these things of the past?
-Do a Google search to find a list of social norms that will help you. Or, go to the library and ask the librarian for a book that discusses social norms.
-Think about norms within specific areas of life. (e.g. What are the norms around the holiday season? What are the norms in the classroom and on campus?)
-Talk to your peers. Ask them what they think about technology and its effects on our norms.
Technology and Social Norms.
Rough draft due: March 11, 2009
Length: 3 pages (~1,000 words)
Assignment Task:
For this assignment you are writing an essay that examines technology's effects on social norms and the implications these effects have on individuals. To accomplish this assignment you will need to think about how technology has changed our social norms and expectations from what they were twenty years ago. That is, only include technology that has become part of our lives in the past 20 years (that means you will not discuss airplanes and radios). Essentially, explain how our cultural norms are different because of recent technology. Be sure to discuss the norms in different spheres of your life (personal, school, work, etc.)
Also, be sure to explain what these changes mean for us as individuals. What are the personal ramifications of these changes? What kind of people are being created by our technology? How might your values be different if we were not so technologically advanced?
Notice that there are two aspects of this assignment. You do not only have to recognize how technology has defined social norms, but you also have to explain the significance of these changes.
Social norms, by the way, are the accepted customs and practices (or rules) of a society. For example, in the US, one social norm is to return phone calls rather than ignoring messages. We return phone calls not only because it may help us get something we want, but simply because it's the courteous thing to do--the expected thing to do (the rule). If you were to examine this norm in your paper, you might write about the various alternatives technology has given us: returning the call with a text message, or perhaps a note on the caller's Facebook Wall. You would also discuss the effects these alternatives have on each person. (Do not use this example in your paper.)
Assignment Expectations:
-Stay on task. Do not discuss the effects of these changes on society. The assignment is to discuss the effects of these changes on the individual. Also, do not discuss changes in things other than social norms.
-Be specific. Give examples.
-Have a strong, clear thesis, and be sure that all of your paragraphs are unified and relate to your thesis.
-Have a logical, well-organized structure with a strong introduction and conclusion.
Audience:
You are writing to a general audience, not your teacher. Therefore, do not assume the reader knows anything about the subject or what you were assigned.
Research:
For this assignment, you need to draw on at least three external sources and cite them formally. One source can be from pages 677-816 in your text (there are a series of essays related to this topic). For another, you can use this book review from the NT Times. For the other source(s), I recommend using Academic Search Premier.
You should also draw on your own experience at least once in the paper. Tell a story or give an example from your own life.
Ideas to get you started:
-When trying to get ideas, do not just think in terms of technology. Think in terms of experiences or events in your life. For example, how are you invited to parties? Does the host send invitations, or call each person individually, or are these things of the past?
-Do a Google search to find a list of social norms that will help you. Or, go to the library and ask the librarian for a book that discusses social norms.
-Think about norms within specific areas of life. (e.g. What are the norms around the holiday season? What are the norms in the classroom and on campus?)
-Talk to your peers. Ask them what they think about technology and its effects on our norms.
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