Your first SAR paper is due on the 2010 film Digital Nation. Once you’ve finished writing your paper, please upload it via this assignment page. I think this is a particularly interesting film to watch, especially since it is now a decade old: many of the “subjects” of the film were in middle school or high school, perhaps around the same age as some of you. While you watch, think about how valid (or not valid) the claims and concerns put forth in the film are, based on what we know now. Are the concerns the same? If so, how have they changed? Are there new concerns?

Please upload your paper as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). If you’re unable to do this, you can copy and paste what you wrote into the text editor on this page.

The basic idea of an SAR paper is a pretty simple one. Basically, you are writing your SAR paper in response to watching the film Digital Nation. First, watch the film and take careful notes. When you write your paper, you will first write a summary (S) of the film, in which you cover the main points and ideas with a few relevant examples from the film. Then, you’ll write your analysis (A) section. This is the most important section, and the one I’ll grade the most carefully. This is where you will use named course concepts and ideas that we’ve learned about so far in class and connect & apply them to ideas and examples in the film. It’s important that you name, define, and explain the course concept before you apply it to the film. I recommend using at least 2-3 different course concepts in your analysis section. The good news is that I’m not looking for any specific course concept(s); you can write about whatever you find compelling–but you need to clearly explain the concepts you’re applying. This is, in part, an exercise in connecting different ideas. Obviously they need to be logical or relevant concepts. You also need to think beyond the three course themes or characteristics of mass comm; although those can be fine starting points. Finally, you will finish your paper with your response (R) section; this should be the easiest of the three–basically here is where you can tell my your opinion/reaction to the film.

This paper is worth 15% of your final grade (you’ll have one more of these for this class, for a total of 30%).

Here is the specific grading rubric that I use in grading your SAR paper.