Where to get started?

To get started, you need to know what you're tasked to do this information can be found on your paper assignment. Mostly like, your professor will ask you to review your course readings as they will inspire the topic for your paper assignment.

Course Readings

Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble
ISBN: 9781479849949
Publication Date: 2018-02-20
A revealing look at how negative biases against women of color are embedded in search engine results and algorithms Run a Google search for "black girls"--what will you find? "Big Booty" and other sexually explicit terms are likely to come up as top search terms. But, if you type in "white girls," the results are radically different. The suggested porn sites and un-moderated discussions about "why black women are so sassy" or "why black women are so angry" presents a disturbing portrait of black womanhood in modern society. In Algorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble challenges the idea that search engines like Google offer an equal playing field for all forms of ideas, identities, and activities. Data discrimination is a real social problem; Noble argues that the combination of private interests in promoting certain sites, along with the monopoly status of a relatively small number of Internet search engines, leads to a biased set of search algorithms that privilege whiteness and discriminate against people of color, specifically women of color. Through an analysis of textual and media searches as well as extensive research on paid online advertising, Noble exposes a culture of racism and sexism in the way discoverability is created online. As search engines and their related companies grow in importance--operating as a source for email, a major vehicle for primary and secondary school learning, and beyond--understanding and reversing these disquieting trends and discriminatory practices is of utmost importance. An original, surprising and, at times, disturbing account of bias on the internet, Algorithms of Oppression contributes to our understanding of how racism is created, maintained, and disseminated in the 21st century.

Assignment

In general, your assignment will ask you to explore the topic of algorithms and the internet as presented in class and your course readings. You will be asked to explore an issue in more detail. You will work to determine a narrow research question based on a collection of facts, opinions, and perspectives from various texts found through searching in the library. The purpose of this paper is to explore your topic and to answer your research question as objectively as possible.

3 Methods to Narrow & Focus Your Topic

Is your topic too vague? Too broad? There are several methods to help you narrow and focus your research. Explore the following three methods to develop a focused research question or thesis statement.

1: Ask Questions

What is your topic? (i.e. social media, plastic waste, freedom of speech, sleep deprivation)
What is the context of your research? (school, hospital, community)
What do you want to achieve? (to discover, explore, explain, or compare)
What is the nature of your question? (is it a who, what, where, when, how, or why question)
Are there potential relationships between variables that you want to explore? (causes, correlations, increases, decreases)

2: Use a Topic Development Chart

Brainstorm ideas by writing 2-3 terms in one or more of the columns (hint: this will help you to come up with search terms later).

Topic Development Chart

Broad topic:

Artificial intelligence

Subtopics (What?)	Person(s) (Who?)	Time Period (When?)	Location/Place (Where?)	Other ideas (events, social issues)
Search engine algorithms Facial recognition technology Social media Advertising	Teenagers Women African Americans Doctors/physicians	Now (current) Early 2000s	United States China Russia	Covid-19 Racial inequality Sexism Political polarization

Subtopics

(What?)

Person(s)

(Who?)

Time Period

(When?)

Location/Place

(Where?)

Other ideas

(events, social issues)

Search engine algorithms

Facial recognition technology

Social media

Advertising

Teenagers

Women

African Americans

Doctors/physicians

Now (current)

Early 2000s

United States

China

Russia

Covid-19

Racial inequality

Sexism

Political polarization

Focused research questions:

Does facial recognition technology perpetuate racial inequality?

What can be done about the negative effects of social media on teenage girls?

3: Try a Mind Map

You can draw your own, or explore the interactive mind maps on the Credo Reference database.

Watch out for these common pitfalls when developing a research question/thesis:

Too narrow: a question that is so narrowly focused that there is probably no literature to be found on the topic- or very little.
Too broad: a question that is so broad it would be impossible to cover in depth in one research paper.
Too vague/unclear: use of words like 'good' or 'bad' in your research question. It should be clear what exactly you are asking.
Easily searchable: a simple google search gives you the answer. Avoid questions that can be easily answered with one word, a number, or a list.
Matter of opinion: a question that cannot be answered in some subjective manner.

Topic Examples

Pros and Cons of AI automation of manufacturing/service jobs. Is automation more beneficial or detrimental for workers in these industries?
Facial recognition algorithms for crime/terror prevention. Is the use of these types of algorithms ethical? Are they too likely to be abused/misused?
News search algorithms and misinformation and impact on members of particular political groups. Are some groups of people affected more easily/heavily? Why?
Algorithms used for journalistic censorship. What effect does this have on a society? Are some groups of people affected more easily/heavily?
Government regulation for the fair use of AI/algorithms by corporations. Are governments doing enough to address ethical issues related to AI/algorithm use? What are some possible suggestions (e.g., implementing new rules or guidelines)?
Marketing algorithms used by corporations to micro-target individuals. What impact does this have on groups of people, such as juveniles? Should these corporations be restricted from this kind of marketing?
Sorting algorithms and discrimination of based on race and gender. Is there a difference pre and post COVID?
Research and development of AI and machine learning for military purposes and the impact on civilian populations.

LING 200

Library Hours

e-Resource Problem Report