College of Communication > Academics > Digital Communication and Media Arts > Student Resources > Degree Completion Options > Reflection Paper

Digital Communication Reflection Paper

The Digital Communication Reflection Paper asks you to answer reflective questions and synthesize your experiences during the program. It will give you a foundation from which to discuss your degree with others (family, friends, coworkers or prospective employers) as you move into the next phase of your development as a professional or scholar.

This completion option does not come with course credit.

Eligibility

The Digital Communication Reflection Paper is available to all students in the DCMA program (Digital Communication concentration).

Questions and Format

The reflection paper is:

  • Take-home and open-book
  • 1,500–2,000 words (6–8 double spaced pages)
  • Must include a reference list in APA/MLA/Chicago format (references do not count toward the page limit)

You must address the following questions in your reflective essay. Refer to the rubric to make sure you are meeting expectations.

  1. What do you see as a defining ethical dilemma in digital communication? Please use concepts from your core courses to identify and discuss.
  2. Drawing upon content from at least three courses, describe three core concepts, readings, or theories from your degree program that influenced your perspective on your chosen field. Please provide specifics about the courses you draw upon (including course name and instructor name) and incorporate at least 10 readings from your chosen courses into your essay.
  3. What were your goals upon entering the DCMA program, and which courses helped you achieve them?

Procedure

  1. You must register for the reflection paper by submitting the Degree Completion Option Form by Friday of Week 1 of the quarter in which you plan to graduate. If you are graduating in the summer, you must complete the reflection paper during the spring quarter before you complete your coursework. The reflection paper option will not be offered in the summer.
  2. You must email your final essay to the associate director of graduate student services no later than Friday of Week 5 in the quarter you intend to graduate.
  3. Two faculty members will grade the essay within two weeks of the submission deadline. You will receive a pass, conditional pass or fail grade. If you receive a conditional pass, you will have one week to submit revisions, and faculty will re-grade the essay.

Grading

Two faculty members will grade the reflection paper. One faculty member is the DCMA graduate director. You will nominate the other faculty member.

You will provide the names of two faculty members on the Degree Completion Option Form, and one of these two faculty members will be the second grader. The program prefers the graders to be full-time professors/instructors (i.e., not adjunct instructors).

The program director will also use turnitin.com to ensure there is no plagiarism in the essay.