Topic: Research Outline

Choose two countries from different regions and governed by completely different political and cultural ideologies using the tables above. During the course of the semester, you will apply the concepts that you learn, to the two countries that you choose and explore the media/communication environment in these two countries. This will be presented as the final research essay. The research outline requires you to justify the choice of the two countries, based on previous study. The word limit is 1500 words.

The outline may detail (not in any particular order):
€¢    Skills and concepts learnt in the previous years of study relevant to the exploration of the media environment and policies in the two countries that you have chosen;
€¢    Any outside experience that has contributed to your interest. This could be an internship, work experience, social contact with people from the countries; travel to places in the countries; any academic or non-academic work that sparked an interest in the country;
€¢    Any independent reading that leads to an understanding;(Please note that non-academic works can be cited only to justify interest in the countries that have been chosen. This assessment is due in Week 7 by which time students are expected to have begun their reading and research);
€¢    An indication of how an understanding of the two countries’ media/communication environment will assist in future career paths;
€¢    The issues that affect media policy in the countries and the significance.

This is work submitted for assessment and requires references (academic material). Newspapers and online material can be used to support arguments, but the research outline cannot rest solely on them. A theoretical background and conceptual framework must be identified. Please note that self-evaluation’ is but a small part of the outline and the outline needs more than personal thoughts and experiences. The above points are more in the nature of a guideline and are not to be treated as questions to be answered in any order