Write a research article elucidating the meaning of “memes” in text messaging.

Write a research article elucidating the meaning of “memes” in text messaging.
A ~4 page paper (not including images) discussing and critically analyzing the meme
you create, contextualized within course themes and concepts
Post your meme to a pre-created discussion board so that others can see, “like”, and
comment on them (see Canvas for submission area)
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
You will choose a meme format, create a meme using that ‘template’, discuss its history and
context, and then also perform an analysis on your meme through the lens of course
concepts (detailed guidance below). This assignment is all about understanding the
spectrum of things that go into what makes memes work the way they do—and to
analyze them as the sociocultural technology that they are.

ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES AND ADVICE:
ABOVE ALL ELSE YOU MUST KEEP YOUR MEMES (plus subsequent discussion and analysis) CIVIL! This includes, but is not limited to NO: nudity, racist/sexist/bigoted content, hate speech, etc. This does NOT mean that you can’t still be satirical, political, surreal, funny, creative, etc.—it just means you need to be considerate and thoughtful
You MUST adhere to the UCSD Standards of Conduct
It is perfectly fine and you are welcome to discuss the above topics in your analysis if it is appropriate—but again you must keep it tasteful/civil
Part of this assignment is about YOU deciding the SIGNIFICANCE of the meme as a ‘sociotechnological artifact’ and cultural phenomenon. You need to be resourceful and “clever” to be able to say something meaningful of your own about this topic
Ultimately, this is just a cool and fun assignment to get you to make a meme, tell us WHY it works, and then do some deeper critical analysis of the meme as technology/visual rhetoric. Have fun with it! But don’t be sloppy/lazy!
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS:
Include an image (or if not static, a working link that ANYONE can access) of the meme you created on the first page. Make sure it is sufficiently large and high res. You must also post your meme to the A2 discussion board
The things you must do/write about can be essentially summarized as: create a meme; research the template/format you used; describe and discuss the format in its historical and/or current context; analyze your meme (and what you found out about it) through the lens of course themes (especially those on memes) and concepts.
Some questions you might explore (non-exhaustive list) are: what is it? Why does it work/matter? To whom? Why? What does it tell us about culture? What does it tell us about cognition? What does it tell us about technology? Their relationships?
You will write a paper describing and critically reflecting on the meme, its context, and its relationship to the overarching themes of mutual elaboration
Make sure you also upload your meme to the discussion board. You are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to interact with your peer’s to “like” and comment on the memes
CITATION REQUIREMENTS AND FORMATTING:
You must cite a minimum of two (2) relevant readings/videos from class and a minimum of one (1) outside source relevant to your meme/analysis
Must use APA formatting (see owl.english.purdue.edu for a style guide) for both in-text citations as well as list of references—be consistent. No abstract/title page is required—APA formatting is for citations only
No shallow citations. If you cite a source, explain its relevance and importance to the topic under discussion in enough detail to show a clear/salient connection
DOCUMENT SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 3(min) to 4(max) pages, double spaced, 12 pt typeface, standard margins
The page length does NOT include images
Title and Author: Please include a title and your name at the top of your paper
Sections/headings: you are encouraged to use appropriate sections and heading to structure your document and provide context for the reader. These should not take the place of actual body content as it relates to the expected length of your paper
GRADING RUBRIC:
The following items will be used to evaluate your submission:
Clear intentionality in the creation and presentation of your meme (basically shows you put in effort; we are NOT grading on how “good” the meme is).
Appropriate and effective presentation of your meme (in paper or via link) for the purposes of assessment (and enjoyment lol) by the graders
A concise and substantive contextualization of your meme, both historically and as a current and/or defunct piece of “visual rhetoric”/technology/cultural unit
Clear evidence of research to support your description, discussion, and analysis
Effective use of cited sources to substantiate the above components and your claims
A thoughtful and critical analysis + conclusion that incorporates course themes

resources from class:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/what-defines-a-meme-1904778/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRPnraebfU0