3-4 typed, double-spaced pages
MLA Format (header, descriptive title, in-text citations, Works Cited page)
Instructions: Please begin by reviewing our WR 121 Library Resources page for tips on this assignment:
https://guides.pcc.edu/c.php?g=914844&p=6591350
Watch the documentary film Reel Injun
and then choose ONE of the essays posted for this prompt to read in addition to viewing the film:
”Prime Timing”
“‘Styled by Their Perceptions’: Black Adolescent Girls Interpret Representations of Black Females in Popular Culture”
Then write an essay in which you assess the media representation of an ethnic/racial group or of a certain group or subculture (such as representations of hip hop culture, of Millennials or Generation Z, or skaters, or goths, or K-Pop fans, or farmers, or so on) in U.S. society. You will be asking yourself these questions to help develop your main point (THESIS):
How are members of the group portrayed in media? Remember that media can include film/tv, social media, influencers, advertisements, music, comics, news, etc.
In what ways are members of the group portrayed inaccurately or in ways that misrepresent them? (be sure to discuss specific examples)
In what ways are members of the group portrayed accurately? (be sure to discuss specific examples)
Your THESIS (main point) for this paper should make clear WHAT group you are looking at, HOW different specific media representations work to present the group, and WHY this is significant.
Here are some examples to give you an idea of what this can look like (but come up with your own topic and thesis):
While recent representations of Native Americans in television and film have become more accurate and respectful, the relative absence of Native Americans in advertisements other than those that are negative and stereotypical suggest that America still has a long way to go to address the problem of misrepresenting indigenous peoples.
The idea of the ‘nerd’ has evolved in American culture from negative portrayals in 1980s movies such as Revenge of the Nerds and Back to the Future to more positive and powerful representations in mainstream culture today. Throughout the eras though, the ‘nerd’ has always been an uneasy symbol of intelligence, innovation, progress, and change.
Representations of women in advertising have changed over the years from sexualized and submissive to empowered and assertive. However, as binary ideas about sexuality and gender start to get challenged, it is important to look at how gender in advertising is also changing along these lines. In today’s world, it is no longer relevant to simply talk about “male versus female” representations in advertising.
Be sure to clearly define your focus and to research examples in popular media to support your ideas.
Donʼt worry about grammar, punctuation, and perfection with this draft. Go for a solid down draft, a draft to work through your ideas as you get it all down on paper. If you get stuck, try free writing or brainstorming: keep writing, something will come up. Donʼt worry about going too far out, either. Take some risks; you have full poetic license here. Go deep and have fun with it.
As part of your drafting work, consider incorporating the summary you’ve written for this week’s discussion into your rough draft. This will help you establish a context for your thinking when it comes to your own focus. By incorporating a summary of the readings, you can then extend these ideas with your own examples in order to share with your reader how you see these issues operating within the world in which you live.
Your final draft will require a Works Cited page in which you cite your sources, so be sure to write down the information of any additional source you’ve used. We’ll look at how to create a citation for a researched source when we get into our revisions.
Next week we’ll share our papers, so be sure to upload your paper on time for your peer review group (I’ll assign groups before the due date for the draft and create a discussion post area just for you and your group).
