The topic selected must be centered on a current interest, issue, or concern in children’s media for children ages 0-15. Some topic ideas are listed below. You can start from a broad topic or question that interests you, but you need to then narrow it down. Focus on DEPTH, rather than BREADTH. I encourage you to come up with your own topic, but make sure to NARROW Your topic enough so that you can concentrate in depth on a specific issue, or concern, or issue, and fully explore it within the length of this paper.
This document focuses on the PROPOSAL.
For the PROPOSAL you will submit preliminary research and information about your topic through completion of the Proposal Template provided later in this document.
The purpose of the PROPOSAL is;
1) to assure both of us that your paper aligns with the assignment goals
2) to clarify the questions that will drive your research
3) to acquire early research that will encourage a depth of thinking and “percolating time” about your paper topic.
WHAT SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT?
Selecting your topic is the MOST important decision affecting this project. Consider these elements in selecting your topic:
*What CATEGORY of children’s media content interests you? (i.e. TV show, music, apps, social media, commercials, movie advertising for kids movies.)
*What specific CONTENT interests you? (I.e. SpongeBob Squarepants, Nick’s morning TV block, Disney’s Frozen, Instagram, Netflix original children’s content, Toca Boca games)
*What AGE will you focus on? (Remember that the paper must focus on a sub-set of children under 13 i.e. preschoolers, girls 5-8 years old, ‘tweens, boys, kids under 5.)
*What ISSUE or INFLUENCE will you explore? (i.e. regulatory policy, parents influence, school environment, gender, race/ethnicity, celebrity culture, consumerism, violence.)
A few ideas: I’m giving you examples of both BROAD topics/questions and examples of how you could narrow these down.
***you can find ideas in almost every heading in Chapter 9 from “20K” book.
Children’s media and regulation: you could focus specifically on COPPA regulations and their impact on educational apps for kids under 8
Adapting children’s media for new media: Adapting Universal Kids, The Goodnight Show for a “new media” audience
The impact of social media on social skills: Club Penguin (social media) and its influence on social skills for kids 5-8 years old
The role of media technology in early childhood: Teaching Babies to be creative through the use of (specific) apps
Consumerism, advertising, and children’s media. The influence of cartoon characters in breakfast cereal advertising for 6-11 yr olds.
Racial representations and impact on children. For example, Racial stereotypes in Cartoon Network programs (for a specific program)
Gender, sexual identity, and Media Representations. For example, Gender stereotypes in careers represented in Disney’s KC Undercover
The role of children’s literature in the contemporary media landscape. Publishing books for young children in a new media world
Consumerism, marketing, and tween identities.Developing consumerism in tweens through the marketing of TV character-branded toys (i.e. Spongebob )
Surveillance, privacy, and children. Augmented reality and privacy concerns in kids mobile games from Nickelodeon
Masculinity and the Media. For example, Developing power and aggression in boys through video games (specific game)
Augmented reality games (i.e. My Very Hungry Caterpillar) and their influence on kids socialization skill development
Youth-produced media on Musical.ly as a form of artistic expression
Explicit lyrics in Taylor Swift music and its influence on tweens
YouTubers and the influence of celebrity on young girls (specific YouTuber)
So, think of a broad topic of concern and then narrow it down further.
Below is an example of a topic that is too broad and vague and an example of how to adjust the topic so it is appropriate.
Too broad a topic: Gender in Disney movies
Appropriate: Gender representations in Frozen and their influence on boys 7-10
Too broad a topic: Obesity in children due to TV viewing
Appropriate: Food representations in Phinease & Ferb and their influence on the obesity of young children
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