Mass Communication and Society Research Award
MC&S research award
As part of the division's commitment to facilitating excellent research, MC&S has awarded research grants of up to $5,000 for the past four years. In 2010, the award was granted to Lucy Atkinson (University of Texas at Austin), Michelle R. Nelson (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and Mark A. Rademacher (Butler University) for their research proposal, "Timmy has new Skechers; he says they help him run fast (Liam, age 4):" Developing an audience-focused model of consumer socialization processes among preschoolers that accounts for indirect, contextual and contingent effects of mass media. Past winners have included: Seth Lewis, University of Texas at Austin; Elizabeth Skewes, University of Colorado; Renita Coleman, Texas at Austin; Andrew F. Hayes and Teresa A. Myers, Ohio State; and Kevin Williams, Mississippi State.
Details and How to Apply
The Mass Communication & Society Division will provide a cash grant of up to $5,000 to encourage high-quality research on media and society. The winner/s will be recognized at the MC&S business meeting during the national conference. The $5,000 may be awarded to a single project or may be split between two smaller projects. The funded research must be submitted to our division journal, Mass Communication and Society, for review within two years of the award. Winners will receive half of the award at the business meeting and the other half upon submission to the journal. Winners will also be presented with a plaque at the business meeting and will be listed on the division website.
Submission Deadline
Submit proposals to Jensen.Moore@mail.wvu.edu by 11:59 P.M. (Central Daylight Time) Sunday, May 1, 2011.
Research Topic
Any topic that advances mass communication research, especially at the societal or macrosocial level, is eligible for the award. Proposals must emphasize the interaction with society and fit with the division's mission. All methods, whether qualitative or quantitative, are welcomed.
Proposal
This proposal should be submitted in a Word Document with the .doc extension. Hard copies will not be accepted. The proposal should total no more than 5 pages, single spaced. It should include the following sections:
1) An overview of the study, stressing the importance of the topic and the fit with the division's mission. This section should include the research questions and hypotheses, if applicable;
2) A brief literature review citing the most relevant articles and describing where the project fits with past research;
3) Proposed methods, with as much detail as possible;
4) A proposed timeline from inception of the project to Mass Communication and Society submission. Note: The project must be completed within two years from the date of the business meeting in which the first half of the award is granted.
Additional Materials
Include a current curriculum vita and a detailed project budget, showing how the research funds would be used. For the most part, hosting/entertaining expenses and personal memberships and subscriptions will not be funded, unless justified by the researcher. If matching funds are promised by another source, please include a letter (or e-mail) of support from the department chair or other administrator responsible for those funds.
Eligibility
Any member of the Mass Communication & Society division who is currently teaching, researching or studying mass communication full time is eligible. Members of the MC&S executive committee or the selection committee are ineligible to apply.
Additional Information
Half of the awarded funds will be distributed at the start of the project, and the other half will be awarded when the project is submitted to Mass Communication & Society for review, as long as that submission takes place within the two-year deadline. Those not completing the project in two years from the date of award become ineligible for the additional funding; however, the journal still has first right of refusal on the research project. In accordance with the division bylaws, proposals will be reviewed by a committee composed of the current division head, the immediate past division head, the current journal editor, the immediate past editor of the journal, and one at-large member appointed by the current head. For 2011, the research chairs will fulfill the at-large member role. The research chairs will announce the winner at the division's business meeting during the national conference.