Media final | Reading homework help

Your final assessment invites you to explore a theme/topic from the second half of the quarter through the analysis of a peer-reviewed journal article. You will begin by identifying a broad theme/topic that interests you – such as media representations of masculinity or media research on violent video games – and then you will conduct an online database search for an article published in 2018-20 so that you can familiarize yourself with current scholarship on that topic. After carefully reading the article, you will analyze its major findings using the questions below, which includes connecting the article to (3) selected terms from the course (one of those terms can be the broad theme/topic that drew you to the article). You have a full week to complete this assignment, so please plan your schedules accordingly, as we will not accept late submissions.  

Suggested Steps/Process:

1. Select a broad theme (examples below); draw from Chapters 5-10 of your textbook:

Chapter 5: Media Organizations & Professionals

Chapter 6: Media & Ideology

Chapter 7: Social Inequality & Media Representation

Chapter 8: Audiences and Creators

Chapter 9: Media Influence

Chapter 10: Globalization and the Future of Media

Example broad themes/topics: journalism and objectivity; masculinity and media representations; global flows of Hollywood filmmaking; audience decoding and (insert text or genre here); the role of social media in (insert social movement here), etc. Please reach out to us if you have questions or if you need some guidance choosing your broad theme/topic! 

1. Find a journal article related to the theme:

Searching for a peer-reviewed journal article: The best way to locate a journal article using University of Denver online resources is to start by visiting the DU Libraries homepage (library.du.edu) and then using the Databases search tool, below the Compass tool. Once you click on “Databases” you can narrow your search by selecting “Journalism/Media Studies” from the “Subject” drop-down tool on the left-hand side of the page. The best two databases to use are (1) Academic Search Complete; and (2) Communication & Mass Media Complete. Draw on course concepts (?? Use your 3 selected concepts??) for your search terms, and please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Resources: The following video is a DU Library 101 video; you can skip to 33:30 to see how to navigate database searches to find journal articles:

https://mediaspace.du.edu/media/Library+101+-+Fall+2019/0_fdbudph9链接到外部网站。

If you need additional support, you can schedule a Zoom meeting with a DU Librarian: 

https://du.libcal.com/appointments/researchcenter (链接到外部网站。)

Or, you can center a chat via the DU Research Center:

http://libraryhelp.du.edu/链接到外部网站。

1. Pick (3) related concepts (from Chapters 5-10) that connect with your broad theme and the journal article (you will explore these themes in Question (2) below)
2. Respond to the questions below in a Word file and upload to Canvas by 4pm, June 9th. Please number your answers to we know which question you’re addressing.

Questions & Grading Rubric: 50 points

Spelling/Grammar (5 points): APA citation (internal citations and end references); double-spaced; 12 pt. Times New Roman; 4-5 pages (1,400-1,800 words).  Please save the file you upload as a Word document.  If you have Pages, export it as a Word file.

Question 1 (5 points): Why did you end up selecting this particular journal article to analyze?

Question 2 (10 points): In your own words, explain the main arguments and conclusion of this article. (Hint: Don’t just copy the abstract!)

Question 3 (20 points): Based on your article, select (3) related terms/concepts from the course and connect them to this article. Draw from your textbook, lectures, midterm exam review, and on your mini-essay assignment instructions for available terms to use (for example: vertical integration; ideology; media representation; synergy; self-branding; copyright; technological determinism, etc.). You can also use terms that you’ve explored in your essays (make sure they are related to your article)! Like your Media Company Mini-Essays, please define the 3 terms – using your textbook – before you connect them to your chosen article.

Question 4 (10 points): How did this article deepen your understanding of the broader theme/topic and 3 concepts that drew you to it? What questions do you still have about this theme and concepts?

Reference List:  Include a list of references (including your journal article and the textbook – for your concept definitions).