Media Research Project
Granted the introductory level of this course, you are given the opportunity to pursue an investigation of a current Middle Eastern issue, topic or event that interests you by tracing it in
two
Middle Eastern newspapers (only). This project will expose you to the region’s events, media and perspectives. The following are the steps required for the proper completion of this project:
 
1.Search online for major Middle Eastern national or regional newspapers that are published in the English language and are available online. (You may also use newspapers published in Arabic and/or French, but only if you are fluent in the language of the publication. NO usage of Google Translate!)
2. Look for topics that are making the headlines in the region and are addressed repeatedly. Determine one that particularly interests you.
§
 
For
THREE
non-consecutive
days
, keep a
preliminary log
in which you save the titles and the dates of articles about your topic.
§
 
Make sure that your topic is not merely anecdotal or about an isolated event. Instead look for patterns and pressing issues.
 
You are NOT limited in scope to politics and economics.
3. Prepare an overview page of the topic.
§
 
Articulate in this page your specific topic, explain its significance and state the names and country of affiliation of
TWO
newspapers that you followed during the course of your investigation of this topic.
4. Keep a
detailedjournal
of your findings on your topic of interest in the
two
newspapers for
FOURconsecutive
days
.
§
 
For each journal entry, include the title, date, and name of the journalist who authored the article as well as a brief summary of it.
§
 
Make sure that each entry is on a separate sheet of paper and that they are numbered according to chronology.
5. Finally, in
3-4 pages
, discuss your findings, elaborating on the key themes, issues, perspectives discovered during this research.
 
Please organize your final submission in the following order:
1.
     
A cover page with project title
2.
     
Theoverview page
3.
     
The preliminarythree-day log
4.
     
Your detailed journal chronologically-ordered(You should have a total of 8 pages for this section)
5.
     
The 3-4 pages discussion with proper usage of Chicago style when referencing an article (Do not include the title of any of the articles in the body of your discussion. This occupies space pointlessly.)