CIN 211 Research Paper
Research Paper
The research paper itself is to be a 2,000 word essay that introduces, elaborates, and summarizes
a nuanced argument about science fiction film. The argument must rely on at least 5 academic
sources to back up its claims. The goal is to use the feedback you received from the first
assignment and the proposal to craft a longer and more carefully constructed analysis. As the
final research paper is meant to be an improvement on your first assignment, many of the hints
from the first prompt still apply.

While thinking about your argument be sure to ask yourself:
– What meaning does/do the film(s) give to its iconography? In other words, if there is an
alien, what does it signify to the characters and the audience?
– How does/do the film(s) use futuristic science and technology to comment on the real-
world technological innovations of its moment of release?
– Does/do the film(s) provide insight into a theoretical concept (such as time, space, the
human subject, etc.)?
– How does/do the film(s) engage with the historical moment in which it was made?
– Is/are the film(s) self-aware of its/their own status as the product of media technology?
Do media play a role in the story, if so, how are they represented?