AMST 101: Research Project

This assignment will ask students to produce a multimedia essay project that uses USC’s digital archives and their own field research to analyze a specific event/issue related to the class. The project could be submitted in the form of a blog-style multimedia essay.

Define Your Research Topic 

To be done in section by week 11 at the latest.

The topic must relate to the course, which means it has to be focused on issues of race and class in the greater Los Angeles region. For example, you might want to explore how race and/or identity is represented in music or film. Or you might want to examine policies that try to resolve racial and class disparities (in science, business, media, etc…). Be creative and pick something that matches your personal and academic interests.

Part One: Introduction Paragraph

Include one to two sentences that clearly articulate what you propose to study. These should be in the form of questions, for example, what do you not know about your subject that you want to find out? Why did you choose this topic? How is this topic linked to the course?

Part Two: Historical Context/Literature Review

Conduct a literature review on your topic by using the USC library search at https://libraries.usc.edu. A GOOGLE SEARCH IS NOT ENOUGH! Make sure to include at least 4 scholarly sources (either books or peer-reviewed articles).

Your lit review should be no more than 1000 words. Make sure to address the following:

What are the major issues involved in your topic?

How have scholars/others written about this issue?

Are there ongoing debates or controversies involved? If so, what are they?

Part Three: Analysis

• Your analysis should be no more than 1000 words. Please address the following:
• What have you learned from this process? 
• What are the answers to your research questions? Make sure you address the research questions that you identified in your proposal.

Did learning about this topic change the way you think about something? How?

Are there still things that you’d like to learn/explore about this topic? Explain.