Honors Case Study Challenge

Phi Theta Kappa chapters and individual members are invited to participate in the Honors Case Study Challenge. Take the challenge for an opportunity to WIN $500!

To encourage scholarship while promoting civic engagement among college students, Phi Theta Kappa has issued the Honors Case Study Challenge. The Challenge provides chapters with the opportunity to supplement their Honors in Action research based on the Honors Study Topic, with the use of newspapers of varying viewpoints. The Challenge also provides members with an enhanced learning experience through the use of newspapers, print or online, and encourages them to stay abreast of current events.

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The Challenge:

Phi Theta Kappa challenges you to read online or print newspapers daily and create an Honors Case Study based on your reading of newspapers over time that are related to our current Honors Study Topic.

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The Reward:

• Be one of the winners of $500!
• Be recognized at PTK Catalyst 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri!

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The Rules:

• Read online or print newspaper articles of varying viewpoints between January 1 and November 1, 2024.
• Select five newspaper articles with varying viewpoints on a single topic related to the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Study Topic, The Power of Stories.
• Record the newspaper name, headline, byline (reporter’s name), section name, publication date, and page number(s) for each article selected.
• Write a one-page (maximum 500 words) Case Study summary of the topic, how it relates to the current Honors Study Topic and why the topic was chosen. The summary should outline your topic, any issue or controversy about this topic and how the case study examines these issues.
• Write an essay (maximum 200 words) on the future implications of the Case Study topic. The essay should include how you predict this topic will influence society in the future and/or what result or outcome you anticipate.
• Pose three to five open-ended discussion questions (maximum of 75 words total for all questions) related to the topic. Questions should be thought-provoking, open-ended and use critical thinking skills to examine this topic from different perspectives.
• Suggest up to six academic resources for additional study and provide formal citations for each source. Sources can include books, videos, websites (include URL), and /or articles.
• Submit by 5:00 pm CST, Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

You may also use online newspapers for the Challenge.

With many online newspapers (i.e., USA Today, New York Times) you can determine the section of the paper from which the articles comes. That is more difficult with page numbers, but some newspapers include those as well. We recommend copying the URL from which you pull the article, so someone reading the challenge can easily find the article. Whether you use MLA or APA citations, check to see how to include this information. Here is the APA example:

How to Cite a Newspaper Online in APA (These citations look different online. If the citation goes to more than 1 line, please indent the second and subsequent lines by 10 spaces.)

Format:

Last, F. M. (Year, Month Date Published). Article title. Newspaper Title, pp. Page(s). Retrieved from URL.

Examples:

Bowman, L. (1990, March 7). Bills target Lake Erie mussels. The Pittsburgh Press, p. A4. Retrieved from http://www.pittsburghpress.com

Meier, B. (2013, January 1). Energy drinks promise edge, but experts say proof is scant. New York Times, p. 1. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com

The challenge ends November 13, 2024!

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The Resources

Check out Citation Machine for help generating citations.

For more information about the Honors Case Study Challenge, contact us.

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