Thesis Assignment for Friday

For your 3 thesis statements due on Friday, consider the concept behind your project. Ask yourself the question, "If these were non-online communities, what would help these communities thrive?" If you're dealing with a Nursing community, or a Military Community, or a Religious community, consider the group first...what drives that community and would these issues or problems be in a traditional "face-to-face" group.

Think of the community first, then consider the online component. If your issue is "Nurses do not come to the message board or contact others through the Professional Nursing message board", broaden it to ask, "Nursing groups in America seem to have problems communicating about professional problems." Focusing on the group, rather than the design, helps your research and broadens your topic into being more of a human issue than a design problem.

This isn't an exact science. Part of figuring out these thesis statements is to use your own intuition and your own thoughts to guide your thesis statements. They don't have to be perfect, but they should help point you in the direction you want to research. Just remember to keep the community above the "online" aspect, and remember that these are people and organizations first...not just faceless people on the internet.

- Gary Ancheta