Summary: Identify several possible areas of research interest related to the topic of the course.
Goals:
Due: Monday, February 2, 5:30 p.m.
Reference:
What technologies interest you? If you choose a technology related to those appearing in our syllabus, you will need to make an argument that your research will go beyond what is discussed in class and the readings.
Who develops, uses, or is affected by the technology? For example, you might be interested in technology for musicians, families, or the economically disadvantaged.
When does the technology development or use take place? Are you interested in very new technologies, such as the cell phone? Or older technologies, such as automobiles, steam locomotives, or sailing ships? Or even future technologies, like Bill Joy's visions of the GNR apocalypse?
Why is the technology interesting or problematic? For example, you might be interested in implications for civil rights, economics, health, or the environment.
If you can connect this class to your major or other interests, I encourage you to do so!
Next, try to put some of these interests together into topic ideas. For example, you might investigate...the social, scientific, and technical forces that have driven the development of a technology. (As an example from this course, Bill Case shows how the development of bridges has been greatly influenced by the development of both our understanding of physical forces and the invention of new building materials.)
how the social and technical context surrounding competing technologies resulted in the adoption of one technology and the abandonment of others. (For example, why VHS and not BetaMax? Why BluRay and not HD-DVD? Why the piano and not the harpsichord?)
how technology has changed the practice of some particular discipline. (As an example from a previous offering of this course, Todd Coleman discussed how electronic music developed in response to new technologies for recording and synthesizing sounds.)
the role of a technology in some particular social context. (For example, one of my tutorial students this fall researched the effects of cell phones on relationships between parents and children. A historical topic I would personally like to learn about is the role of the automobile in the development of U.S. national parks.)
policy or debate about a controversial technology. (For example, another of my tutorial students researched the controversy concerning electric bicycles in Chinese cities, which are inexpensive and popular, but raise serious safety and environmental concerns.)
If a particular topic seems too broad (e.g., "social effects of the bicycle"), try to add further qualifications. For example, you might narrow this topic to "controversy about mountain biking in public parks" or "bicyclists' influence on the early development of U.S. highways." (Believe it or not, there was an influence!) Or, you might choose to start with a broad topic and use the first results of your research to narrow it down.
Develop at least three topics you would be interested in researching. Why three? It's possible that I will tell you one is too similar to other topics we will be discussing in the class. It's conceivable that several students will come up with the same topic. And, it's very likely that some topics will prove difficult to research using academic sources, especially if they are about very new or obscure technologies.
Write a short paragraph for each of your top three topic ideas. State the topic and explain why it is appropriate to research for this course.
Format your document with a 10-12 point font, double-spacing, and at least 1" margins. You may use "Potential research topics" as the title, or you may provide a title for each individual topic idea. If possible, please print double-sided to save paper.
Place your document in the orange folder (in class or at my office) by 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 2.
This assignment will be graded according to the clarity, creativity, and appropriateness of your ideas. I expect most assignments to receive a 9 out of 10 points.
Janet Davis (davisjan@cs.grinnell.edu)
Created January 27, 2009