Consumer Society Case Study: Person Place or Thing

This multi-part assignment requires you to develop a case study of a selected, significant element of consumer society (person, place or thing). You will write a case study research paper, developed in multiple stages throughout the course, with guidance and feedback from the instructor and your classmates.

What is a case study?

To Case Study in-class presentaiton slides

Case Study topic proposal 5%

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The first component of this project is your proposal. The proposal identifies the topic you will be writing about–in this course, the person, place or thing that you want to focus on to explore key issues in or features of American consumer society. Put simply, the person, place or thing that you identify is the ‘case’ that you will ‘study’. Your proposal also sets out some of the key ideas you are interested in exploring through this case study, and some preliminary sources you have located to help you understand your case.

**All students will meet with the professor at office hours (or by appointment) to go over the case study proposals and have them approved. ** 

Annotated bibliography 15%
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annotated bib-rubric

The second stage of developing your case study paper will be an annotated bibliography. This is document produced AFTER you have begun research on your case study. Your annotated bibliography will identify the research resources you are using for your paper and clearly state how these sources are being used for your case study.

Peer review feedback form 10%
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A draft of your paper will be peer reviewed at the third stage of the guided writing process. Everyone is required to bring a printed draft to class and to come prepared to read and comment on the draft of a classmate. In addition to the peer feedback on your draft, you will receive comments on your Case Study Blog Post to be presented in class BEFORE the draft is due.

Final paper 40%

download assignment guidelines: Consumer Society_Final Case Study Paper FA12

Your final papers will build on your proposal, presentation, and peer review feedback to provide a focused analysis of your selected person, place or thing. Your paper will engage readings from inside and outside of class, drawing on the sources used for your annotated bibliography, to examine the significance of your case and its relation to broader themes in the history of consumer society.