The term paper should be on a media law issue relevant to this course. Topics must be approved by the instructor. Students will expected to describe and analyze the current state of their topic. This will raise both legal and ethical issues. Both dimensions should be explored. Some popular topics are: the debate over Napster (and related technologies) and the First Amendment rights of college students. These are given only as examples. You are encouraged to pick a topic of interest and to consult with the instructor early in the semester. The instructor will set a due date (to be determined) for topic approval.

In terms of writing, these reports will be expected to meet the same standards as any research paper. In particular, quotations and any facts, figures, opinions, and so on (including charts, tables, diagrams etc.) which are not your own should be attributed to the specific sources in which they were found. You may use any standard reference method so long as you are consistent and thorough (e.g. APA, Turabian, Chicago etc.). The reports should be 10-12 pages in length, typed, double spaced, and should have appropriate margins and page numbers. You should also include a bibliography/footnotes page. As another reminder, your paper should be checked for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and general quality of writing, as these will affect your grade.

You must use at least six sources beyond the textbook for this class. Source material can be drawn from cases, journals, books, trade magazines, newspapers, industry sources, interviews, the Internet and various other materials. The use of popular literature should be used with caution.

Students will present a case in class. The presentation should follow the guidelines given in the "How to Brief Decisions" handout. Students should be thorough in their brief and presentation. The brief should be turned in on the day of presentation. Presentations should be no longer than 10-15 minutes. Students should also be prepared to answer questions about their case.

The class will be divided into four teams. Two team will argue the plaintiff's case, the others the defendant's case. We will be using a copyright case that has yet to be determined. Packets for each team describing the case will be handed out at a later date. The case will be argued in class with each side presenting its arguments. A separate handout gives further details on this aspect of the case.

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