The purpose of this paper is to have you use your budding consciousness in the area of communication studies. Specifically, I want you to apply it to your everyday world. Rather than taking notes from books in the library, I want you to observe, analyze, and think critically about the world around you. The focal point of the paper is how well you make an argument. Be sure to support your argument with facts, examples, and details. You do not have to answer all the different parts of the questions as these are just suggestions for you to get at the basic topic. You do not have to use concepts learned in class. Use these only if they help you make your argument. You MUST choose one of the following four topics:

1. From recycling trends to reinterpreting looks from earlier decades, fashion is ever-evolving. Think about how your fashion has changed from when you were younger to how you dress today. What might your clothing and accessory choices communicate to the world around you? What can be communicated through fashion trends? What can be communicated by your own personal fashion choices? Fashion can also be considered art, which is inherently political. What are the ways in which fashion can serve as a political tool? Write a paper analyzing some aspect of the use of fashion as a means of communication.

2. Many parents read bedtime stories to their children. How might this tradition influence growing children and their relationship to books? Did you become interested in reading because your parents read to you as a child, or did you become interested in some other way? Maybe school or your friends got you interested in reading. Do you have peers who read for pleasure, or do they read only when they are required to? How might the rise of popular book series throughout the years have influenced the reading habits of different generations of children? Write a paper analyzing some aspect of the development of book reading habits.

3. There are an infinite number of haircut styles. Because humans heavily rely on first impressions, a haircut may serve as an important initial means of establishing one’s identity. Write a paper that discusses how haircut styles communicate. How do people express themselves through the hair on the top of their heads? What messages can be sent with different haircut styles? For example, does a woman with a short haircut project a different aura than a woman with long, wavy hair? What about a man with long, clotted hair as opposed to a man with a short, Marine-style haircut? Write a paper on some aspect of why or how our haircut styles are important as a means of communication.

4. Mirrors are common in most houses and living spaces. In addition, people often carry compact mirrors that they can use at any time of the day or night. People can spend anywhere from a few minutes to several hours in front of a mirror each day. How do people communicate with themselves when they are in front of a mirror? What type of communication occurs? How important is this type of communication? Why do some people engage in this type of communication more than others? Write an essay on the use of mirrors for communication.