Format
? 15 pages (double-spaced)
? 12-point font
? Times New Roman or citation appropriate font ? Citation appropriate margins
? Microsoft Word attachment or PDF file
? APA or Chicago citation style (note: you MUST cite the book when appropriate with page numbers)
Overview
You will conduct a media analysis of a television show, film, advertising campaign or popular musical artist/video. The final paper is lengthy, but allows you to revise prior writing assignments in order to construct a finished product that incorporates your own positionality, media and socialization theories, and research/analysis on your chosen media text.
Components/Subheadings
I. Introduction (½ page)
A. Grab the reader's interest. What is the significance of this paper? Use techniques from the blog posts to engage the reader and don't forget to outline the main thesis/argument of your paper.
II. Object of Analysis (1 page)
A. Explain your media text. Pretend as though the reader does not have any working knowledge of it.
1. For instance, if you were to look at Game of Thrones, you would need to explain 1) the premise of the show, 2) the years it has been on television, 3) where it is/was shown, 4) the network that produces it 5) the ratings, reception, etc. This list is partial and you are encouraged to include any additional details that are relevant to your study.
III. Positionality/ autobiographies (1-2 pages)
A. Explain who you are as a researcher to your reader. (see the beginning of chapter 4 of the text for a good example). Disclosing one's positionality is an important and political act that works to unveil the perspectives, experiences, and "position" of the person analyzing a text.
For this section you are encouraged to draw upon all of the class autobiographies.
Note: you should NOT copy and paste, but rather revise them to fit your specific paper's tone, style, and goals.
B. Also explain why you chose your media text and your relation to it.
1. For instance, you may have chosen The Bachelor because you despise it, or the Walking Dead because it's your favorite show. Or, maybe you chose a show you know nothing about but you find intriguing for whatever reason. Feel free to select historical examples as well.
IV. Literature Review (2 page minimum)
A. Using the library research database and the bibliography at the end of each chapter of the text, find scholarly articles that have been written about your media text or topic. Outline what other scholars have written about either your text or topic more broadly speaking.
Reference any insights that you gained from films shown in the class if relevant.
1. For those of you that do not understand what a scholarly source is, check here: https://www.lib.umn.edu/faq/152
2. For instance, you might not find any articles about Game of Thrones, but you might find something about fantasy, popular television, or HBO. If you were to look at Beyoncé's formation video, you might explore the role of popular culture and/or music in social movements. If you neglect to include any scholarly sources you will fail this paper, so if you are struggling please ask me for help.
B. Use the material in the textbook under "Reconstructing Knowledge" to explain the significance of race, class, gender, and sexuality in our society. Utilize facts and figures in the book or on your own research that relates to your topic.
C. Consider including research you've conducted over the semester through the blog assignments in this section. What have you noticed about gender, class, race and sexuality in popular culture for other media texts?
D. Be clear when you are referencing a researcher, yourself, or the textbook (use the textbook, it's your friend!).
V. Theories & Method / chapter analyses (see below in the "theory vs. method distinctions for assistance) (3-5 page minimum)
A. For this section you will use both lectures AND the textbook to outline which theories and method you will use to look at your text. Students who use just one or two theories from class lectures and the textbook and/or do not explore theories in depth will not receive full credit.
1. For instance, you might choose to explain the Fabric of Oppression socialization theory for your reader within the context of Ax body spray commercials. Then, you might explain how you will use a semiotic analysis approach to analyze the commercials.
2. Or, you might explain how you will analyze each character in Star Wars to unearth complex versus simple characters and how that relates to gender and different gender socialization theories.
3. A student may choose to delve deeply into the Transmission versus Ritual view of communication or intersectionality theories and seek out external readings (on Moodle) and use that as a primary theory. In this case, it would be acceptable to use only one theory if the student goes in depth with a particular theory.
B. LECTURES/FILMS
1. There are several theories from lectures and films that should apply including but not limited to: representation and the media, gender binaries, intersectionality, semiotics, cultural studies, political economy, ritual view of communication, etc. Choose which theory makes the most sense to you.
C. TEXTBOOK
1. Using primarily chapter 1, thoughtfully select which theories you wish to engage with for your media analysis. Explain them in your own words in addition to using quotations if applicable.
a) For example, you might explain how hegemony and ideology work in relation to media consumption.
D. TIP: The literature review and theories/methods section might overlap. Feeling like this is piecing together a lot of disparate info is okay! This is how academic writing functions. Just write it/narrative it in a way that makes sense to you and the reader.
VI. Analysis (3-5 page minimum)
A. This is where your voice comes through more clearly. Explain your analysis of the text given the concepts and methods that you explained in the Theoretical Framework and Methods portion of the paper. What did you find, why does it matter, etc. This type of analysis is demonstrated throughout the textbook.
B. Analyze your text in relation to 1) race, 2) class, 3) gender, and 4) sexuality. You must hit upon all topics (aka intersectional analysis) but feel free to focus on one particular area for your analysis. This is where the textbook becomes incredibly useful/foundational for examples of how to do this.
C. Look at both problems AND benefits of your text. Avoid black/white distinctions.
VII. Conclusion
A. Answer the "so what?" question.
Attachment:- final_paper.rar