Drawing ideas from the class readings, discussion, previous media analyses, and any subject matter that you may have an interest in, either as an individual or with a maximum one partner, you are to create your own persuasive media studies project. Media analysis should also not suggest you are examining just a media artifact. You are doing a Media Studies project where you are studying and analyzing anything media-related. A persuasive media analysis goes beyond just analyzing media. You are required to take a stance on your media artifact or media-related subject (whatever it may be) and persuade your audience of your position.
Want to argue that fans who don’t like the added diversity in Rings of Power TV show are merely upholding racist ideology? Maybe you want to argue that the added diversity in Rings of Power TV show is nothing more than pandering and does not do much for authentic increased representation and diversity in TV? Violent video games increase violent behavior? Perhaps you want to present an analysis on government censorship of the media. How narrow or broad on the matter depends on you. For example, you can focus on government censorship of the media in the US. You can focus on any other country. Or, you could even do a comparative analysis between two or more sets of countries. What your point of view is–your stance/position–is up to you. For example, do you believe the US government plays a role in media censorship or not? Whatever your position, that’s your analysis. The media you analyze to prove this matter is up to (most likely examples of government censorship of news outlets). Do you believe that more diversity in the media workplace equals more diversity in media productions? Whatever your position, that’s what you’re working to support. Many of you may have a position when you start your story, but will it change depending on your research.
You select the position you want to persuade the audience of, the subject matter, the scope, the theory from which to examine your topic, and even the medium through which you want to create your media analysis.
Be cognizant of how you are using research to support the frame through which you are presenting your project (directly putting into practice what we have discussed as influences on content during the semester from the theory or theories to the focus of your project, to the data you use, etc.).
Your project can consist of a:
• Paper
• Video Essay
• Podcast
You must at minimum use one media theory through which to focus your media studies project. However, it is more than likely that you will be using more than one, but at minimum one as a primary theory through which to make your analysis and make your point.
If you wish to conduct interviews with fellow classmates or anyone for this project YOU NEED TO CONFER WITH YOUR PROFESSOR FIRST! You are not permitted to perform surveys for this project as we are not IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved. However, this does not mean you cannot use other people’s survey data who may have completed a similar study from other academic papers or more.
HOW: Demonstrations of proficiency
To succeed, you must develop working knowledge of and basic proficiency in:
• Developing a clear, persuasive thesis and support with appropriate evidence
• Identifying and using appropriate methodological and theoretical framework
• Combine writing, images, video, audio, etc. as needed
• Data verification and accuracy
• Journalistic writing (Chicago or AP style required)–if you need to write in another style for a specific purpose, notify instructor to get permission
Useful Tools:
Tools you can use to help you create your content:
Infogram
• This is a great tool for making data visualizations and it embeds into Atavist or Adobe Spark
Tips for using:
• double click your chart/graph to get to the place where you can edit the data or upload a spreadsheet
• If you are trying to reference a sheet other than the main sheet, you may want to just copy and paste that data into a new excel doc where it is the only sheet. Sometimes, infogram has trouble reading multiple sheets in one excel doc.
• When you go to embed in Atavist, use the embed code for “fixed width.” The others won’t work.
• Remember to use the chart function, not the “infograph” function, which doesn’t embed into Atavist
Venngage
• Another infographic design page
• https://youtu.be/uQXf_d5Mgjg
Canva
• A great tool to make a variety of visuals
Headline
• Great to help edit audio or video including adding waveforms and subtitles
• Was designed to help visualize audio for podcasters, but has expanded since.
Google Spreadsheets
• If you’re familiar with this, it works like Excel and links directly to Atavist
Creative Commons
• To find license-free photos if you want
Project Checklist
____ Clearly indicate what position is being argued. Thesis statement must be clear on what the media studies project focuses on persuasively.
____ Clearly identify theory or theories being used. Students must note which media theory (or theories) are being used as the lens through which to examine the issue that helps make the argument of the project.
____ For paper. Minimum of 6 full pages (if you are in a group of 2, each person must write 6 pages), not including title or reference pages. Use journalistic OR strategic style to include information about your sources (“According to….”). Attribute information that is not yours appropriately both in-text and on the reference page (usually you don’t need a reference page for journalistic stories, but I want one for this project as it is a more traditional academic research project for those of you writing in AP). Use your best writing skills to craft a compelling lead and structure your narrative in a way that makes sense. This must include a minimum of 2 audio/visual added elements. These can be pictures, graphs, a video clip, or audio. Consider this paper for online publication (you are not required to post this online). Refer to CSA journal Lateral or even many of the blog posts made on Henry Jenkins’ Aca-Fan blog site for examples. Submit as .doc or .docx (NO PAGES FILES WILL BE ACCEPTED OR PDFS!)
OR
____ For video essay with short written summary of at least 2 pages. Maximum 10 mins long (minimum 8 minutes). You will submit your script with this. You must add at least two other visual/audio elements within the actual video. These can be pictures, audio, or other video. You are not required to post this video online, so do not worry about how copyright video or sounds may affect video playback. IF you do post it online, like on YouTube, then you need to be wary of that. Any sources still need to be cited as you speak. A written reference page must be submitted as well. Refer to any of the multitude of video examples posted in Added Resources of just about any week throughout this semester for examples. Submit as .mp4 or .mov for video. Submit document files as .doc or .docx. Submit any pictures as .jpeg or .png.
OR
____ For podcast with short written summary of at least 2 pages. Minimum 10 mins long (minimum 8 minutes), taking form of a podcast talk-show. You will submit your script with this. Audio is easier to add to podcast but if you talk about a visual element, such as a photo, you must include all other video clips, audio, or pictures to submission as well (just add the file to this dropbox). You are not required to post this audio online, so do not worry about how copyright sounds may affect playback. IF you do post it online, like on YouTube (podcasts can be uploaded there as video files), then you need to be wary of that. Any sources still need to be cited as you speak. A written reference page must be submitted as well. Submit audio as .mp3 or .wav. Submit document files as .doc or .docx. Submit any pictures as .jpeg or .png. Submit any video files as .mp4 or .mov.
