The purpose of this exercise is to explore in greater depth and from a theoretical perspective an aspect of new media. Your research project is an argumentative piece.
The rationale behind your thesis should focus on one or more elements of new media.
The final deliverable of the research project is a website. More precisely, you will have to write a short essay first (1700 words maximum) from which you will then create a website.
We are doing this hybrid format (essay on a website) because more and more scholarly associations are leaving the print format for their journals to use the web (less costly) and “new” technologies (clips and hyperlinks – we live now more and more in a visual culture) to present the scholarly contributions of their members. Moreover, we ask you to create a website (instead of just a plain research essay) because we want to give you the opportunity to create a showcase piece.
Even as your final research project is a website, you have to assume the readers are scholars not the general public. It is an academic essay that is to be produced, not a generic form of popular writing. Again your research project is not a work of vulgarisation.
- Make sure the website is readable, well laid out, font is easy to read and at least 12pt. You are producing a piece of “media” therefore all of the elements should work well together to share your idea. For some great examples of well written online pieces, check out Medium.com
- Stay away from busy backgrounds, make your ideas and thoughts shine, and use relevant visuals to back them up.
However, nothing prevents you from inserting here and there a humoristic touch (using memes for example). The idea here is for you to integrate new media elements in your research project.
In sum, you will have to:
- Write a research paper of 1700 words first (limit your essay to 1700 words maximum).
- Then convert it into a website you will create (pretty easily with suggested free tools,
Create your website using Wix.com).
- Include few multimedia elements (such as pictures, clips, hyperlinks, etc.) to support your thesis and help the reader understand your argument.