Communication element
Submit a 2000-2500 word Research Paper (8-10 typed pages, double spaced of content—does not include Source List or title page) providing a detailed analysis of a crisis involving a significant Communication element that occurred during the last eight years (2018-2025).
Now that you have developed a level of expertise in crisis communication and messaging, you must identify and critically assess the communications successes and failures of that issue.
Structurally, your paper should include a title page, headings and subheadings throughout the paper for ease of reading and comprehension, and a minimum of 10 cited sources throughout the analysis, with an APA style Source List at the end of your paper.
Additionally in terms of content, be sure to include:
- Introduction of the communication issue, such as
- History of the issue, if relevant
- Explain the unexpectedness of the crisis, and threat perception
- Include identifying and describing relevant goals of communication during the crisis
- What research question you intend to answer (i.e., “how did the leadership at Ticketmaster respond/fail to respond to the Taylor Swift “Eras” tour website crash and subsequent public relations disaster?” Or \\”What communication missteps related to safety did Boeing, a renowned aerospace company, make during the monumental crisis related to its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after a rear door ripped off during flight?\\”)
- Identification of pertinent audiences and stakeholders
- Analysis and discussion of the pertinent communication issues and messaging
- Evaluation of the reaction of the leaders involved in the crisis
- Conclusions and lessons learned.
Here are some tips as you begin work on your research paper:
- Your study should be based on science and/or a foundation of generally accepted knowledge.
- Avoid answering your research question using information that is primarily opinion and belief or has not been confirmed using proper testing methods or academic vetting.
- Whenever possible, seek information from first-hand sources such as academic or established journals; many are available online from the Lynn University Library.
- Keep me informed of any problems or concerns you have with your paper. If you want me to look over an early draft of your introduction (or any section, for that matter), I’d be happy to do that. But please do not wait until the night before—I won’t be able to review your work then.
- After reviewing the pertinent literature and collecting the relevant information for your study, as well as analyzing that information, your paper should clearly show that you are now an expert on your topic.
For my final research paper, I intend to examine the 2018 Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data
scandal as a significant communication crisis in the digital age. This crisis involved the
unauthorized harvesting of personal data from millions of Facebook users, which was then used
to influence political campaigns, most notably the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The scandal
revealed serious breaches in data privacy, transparency, and ethical communication, ultimately
damaging public trust in both social media platforms and political communication. My research
will explore how Facebook’s delayed and insufficient crisis response contributed to the public
backlash and regulatory scrutiny that followed.
The central research question guiding this paper will be: How did Facebook’s communication
strategy during the Cambridge Analytica crisis impact public perception and trust in digital
platforms? Key sections of the paper will include a background overview of the crisis, an
analysis of Facebook’s crisis communication tactics using established communication theories
(e.g., Situational Crisis Communication Theory), the role of media framing and public opinion,
and recommendations for more effective communication strategies in similar digital crises. The
paper aims to highlight the importance of timely, transparent, and ethically grounded
communication in managing digital-era crises.
Requirements: 10 pages
Answer preview to Communication element
APA
3000 WORDS
