Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:

Components include: topic selection, APA refresher module, annotated bibliography, draft, and final paper. 
This paper will be a short 5 page paper that combines media effects theory and practice. For the paper, you'll pick a media effects theory or concept and apply it using an example from current media.
To explain further:
Media theory is a defined and recognized set of constructs that helps predict, explain, and understand the relationship between media and humans. There are plenty of media theories we'll be discussing this semester. Some of them include agenda setting, spiral of silence, parasocial interaction, elaboration likelihood model, framing, social comparison, and uses & gratifications.
Media concept: is not really a theory but instead is a valid topic of investigation in a media effects class. Many of the things we discuss won't be theoretical in nature but instead will be a topic/concept of exploration. This line of inquiry includes things like stereotyping, horror films, and subjective vs objective truth.
Helpful hint: if I was doing the paper, I'd choose a theory instead of a concept, because it'll be much easier to write about concretely. But you have the option of using a concept if it fits with your topic better.
Example from current media: Pick a specific media text and explain how it is reflective of the theory or concept you've chosen to study. Media texts include, but are not limited to, television shows, episodes of tv shows, movies, albums, songs, magazine articles, magazines, newspapers, newspaper articles, certain aspects of social media, books.
Paper Structure
Your paper should follow APA 6th edition guidelines, which means it will have a cover page, reference list, citations incorporated throughout the paper, and adhere to the paper formatting guidelines of APA 6th edition. No need to include an abstract; the papers are too short for that.
I'm expecting to see four clear parts of the paper: an introduction, an explanation of the theory/concept, an explanation of how your chosen media text fits that theory/concept, and a conclusion.
This will not be a source-heavy paper, but some outside sources, both popular press and scholarly, are required. I'm looking for a minimum of 3 scholarly sources and 1 popular press source (hint: that popular press source will likely have something to do with your media text).
Grading Rubric
The draft and final versions will have different rubrics that will be posted at a later date. In general, I'll be looking at content, structure, and writing style.