Working thesis statement or questions for further research and preliminary, annotated bibliography for final paper, Use Chicago Manual of Style citation method. (2 page first draft)

 Assignment 4 is to get you going on your Final Paper–check the downloadable Syllabus for some additional information about this assignment, which appears in the “Final Paper Broad Topic” paragraph on page 2.  If, based on some identified and annotated sources, you are ready to present a formal thesis statement (or even just a hypothesis) please do. If you are still exploring a topic from those sources, your can present questions for future study instead of a thesis. Be thoughtful and thorough and you should be fine. I will still use the Writing Assignment Rubric to grade. Length guideline is around 2 pages, but it may even be one page, depending on how many sources you have had a chance to review thus far. Since a minimum of 5 are required for the final paper, I am looking for 2-3 annotated sources for Writing Assignment 4.  

“Museums Today”
CCA 232 A, SP2020

Final Paper
(25% of course grade)

Due: Wednesday, May 13 by 5:00 p.m. at the Art Museum

Assignment: Write a research paper concerning the broad topic, “Envisioning the Museum of 2030.”
Length guideline is 5-7 pages with a minimum of 5 scholarly sources. Sources should include texts,
journals, periodicals, newspapers, annual reports, etcetera, and may include online, academic or
professional articles. (Please do not rely on unattributed website information.)

Format: 1-inch margins, 11-12 point appropriate font, double-spaced. Include footnotes and
bibliography per Chicago Manual of Style NB-System OR Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of
Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. (For citation help, try Purdue Writing Center’s OWL Resource:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_
and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html

– Research a topic related to contemporary ideas, current trends, or new technologies in
museums. Possible topics might include social media marketing, crowd sourcing, “pop-
ups”, 3D-printing, or Augmented Reality.

– Develop a thesis for a paper that addresses your findings and reflects upon how you

believe the museum field might evolve over the next decade. You may wish to narrow your
focus by concentrating on one area of evolution such as museum
operations/administration, development, marketing, collections management, exhibitions,
education, visitor services, security, etcetera.

– Preliminary thesis statement OR questions for further study AND preliminary annotated

bibliography due March 18.

– In your paper, be sure to describe the researched ideas, trends, technologies and their
use(s) in museums by providing specific examples.

– Analyze the effects of these contemporary activities on current museum practices and

interpret their significance to the museum field.

– Speculate/theorize about how museums might evolve as a result of the activities
addressed.

– In conclusion, evaluate the pros, cons, and issues associated with, the evolution of the

museum field as you envision it. (This should be a well-reasoned opinion derived from your
research.)

Grading criteria:
Quality of research/effort demonstrated in completing assignment 25%
Persuasiveness of thesis and strength of evidence presented 25%
Expression of ideas/organization and structure of paper 25%
Writing clarity and mechanics 25%

100%