Make sure you are specific on who you think the audience is.
*Do not just say the audience is "everyone".
*Once you figure out who the ad is targeting, decide who it is targeting more specifically.
*Use evidence in the advertisement to support this.
Do not bring in outside information or mention things that are not in the ad.
*You can mention stereotypes or other cultural information the advertisement may be drawing on, but do not become distracted by things outside of the ad.
*You may make connections to other things, but do not say those connections are in the ad. They aren't! They're in your head; however, the advertisement may want you to make those connections. There is a difference.
*Stay focused on the advertisement and its argument.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Spring Break HW
For this week the assignments are essentially to get started on writing your paper.
Sometimes during this break, before midnight on Sunday (04/04), please turn in your Outline for Essay #2. I will attempt to read it and provide you with some feed back. If you have any questions, please send me an email. The earlier you turn this in the more likely you are to get feedback that can help you with your paper.
For Monday (04/05), please have two copies of you Rough Draft so that we can do peer review.
Also remember that on Wednesday (04/07) the Final Draft of you essay will be due.
Presentations will begin that day as well. In these presentations you will present your findings and your advertisement, paying special attention to the argument of the advertisement, the appeals, and the elements that demonstrate these things within your advertisement.
*The same is true if you are doing a movie*
The presentations are roughly 6 minutes long and will be graded on Preparedness and Analysis.
Come prepared, even if it isn't your day.
Sometimes during this break, before midnight on Sunday (04/04), please turn in your Outline for Essay #2. I will attempt to read it and provide you with some feed back. If you have any questions, please send me an email. The earlier you turn this in the more likely you are to get feedback that can help you with your paper.
For Monday (04/05), please have two copies of you Rough Draft so that we can do peer review.
Also remember that on Wednesday (04/07) the Final Draft of you essay will be due.
Presentations will begin that day as well. In these presentations you will present your findings and your advertisement, paying special attention to the argument of the advertisement, the appeals, and the elements that demonstrate these things within your advertisement.
*The same is true if you are doing a movie*
The presentations are roughly 6 minutes long and will be graded on Preparedness and Analysis.
Come prepared, even if it isn't your day.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I can has cheezBerger?
I have mailed everyone a series of scanned images of an essay entitled "Sex as a Symbol in Fashion Advertising," "Checklist for Analyzing Print Advertisements," and "A Primer on Analyzing Television Commercials" by Arthur Berger. Hopefully you got this email and can read the text in the images. Let me know if you can't!
This should help with your analyses, as well as make you aware of a few things you perhaps did not know about before. Read it and respond to it in no more than a page. This means your response must be concise but poignant, but still use the same sort of format that we always use.
The last two parts (the "checklist" and the "primer") are definitely things you should consider when you work on your own topic for your essay (which I will be passing out the prompt for on Wednesday).
This should help with your analyses, as well as make you aware of a few things you perhaps did not know about before. Read it and respond to it in no more than a page. This means your response must be concise but poignant, but still use the same sort of format that we always use.
The last two parts (the "checklist" and the "primer") are definitely things you should consider when you work on your own topic for your essay (which I will be passing out the prompt for on Wednesday).
Essay Assignment #2 – Media Analysis Paper
Outline Due: 04/04
Rough Draft Due: 04/05
Final Draft Due: 04/07
The media permeates and saturates virtually every aspect of our lives, but we seldom analyze it beyond our initial response to the product they are peddling. However, in order to be effective consumers, that is exactly what we must do! We must turn on our brains and analyze what the images and products we are buying say about us -- both as individuals and as a society. For this assignment you must analyze a piece of media, which essentially means you must take that image, advertisement, or movie and break it into its components and examine those components carefully.
Choose one of the following essay prompts, and a corresponding piece of media, and write a well-developed, cohesive essay about the different elements presented within.
The essays must be:
- Double spaced
- **Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font**
- **At least 4 full pages long.**
- and Follow MLA guidelines
Note: Failure to comply with these specifications will result in a terrible loss of points.
Prompt #1
Analyze stereotypes (or lack there of), the main character(s) (limit two), or the themes (limit three) in either a movie or a video game of your choosing. I recommend choosing a movie/game you can sit through a couple of times. Do not analyze all three of these things; however, a character, for instance, may be stereotyped or play an important part in a theme, so it is okay to include these ideas if they are relevant to your analysis of one element. Things you should consider when looking at the above elements include: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, genre, and audience expectations. Then try to draw some conclusions about the audience of this particular movie/game. Are they reinforcing these ideas by paying for a ticket/ buying the game? How culpable is the audience in what is displayed on the screen? Although in a movie, the movie itself is the product, be aware of any product placement or instances where they are trying to get the audience to buy or buy into a certain thing.
Note: Do not spend more than one paragraph summarizing the movie/game. Although it may help to choose a critically acclaimed movie/game or one that has won an award of some nature, you do not need to. If you do choose a movie/game with serious or extensive reviews, do not simply recycle what the critics say!
Prompt #2
Print ads make a complex argument in a very limited space – even if they are on huge billboards. Analyze a print advertisement of your choosing (you may want to pick one that you feel strongly about). Look both at the appeals and the visuals presented in the ad that assist with these appeals. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks supports or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Berger’s “Checklist for Analyzing Print Advertisements” might help here. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, design, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. Also, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must turn in a copy of your advertisement to me with a cover page with the title of your paper and your standard information on it on the day the paper is due.
Prompt #3
Live action commercials fall somewhere between print advertisements and movies. They often have plots, likeable characters, and delightful music, in addition to trying to sell their product. Choose a commercial (preferably one you feel strongly about or can watch a few times) and analyze it by looking at the combination of appeals and visual arguments, and how these two elements work together to persuade the audience to buy a product. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks at, supports, or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. You may also consider: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, audience expectations, product being sold, and the importance of the central character (including his/her personality/charisma/effectiveness). Berger’s “A Primer on Analyzing Television Commercials” may be of some help here. Just as with the print ad, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must find a website that hosts this commercial and include the link at the end of the essay, so that I may watch it.
Appendix: What does it mean to look at Gender/Racial/ Class Stereotypes?
For gender, show how the characters or models are either typically feminine or masculine or how they do not fit the normal categorization of gender, as well as the implications of this gender “norm.” If looking at race, are they stereotyped? Are the models/characters simply tokens intended to appeal to a great audience? Are the models even that ethnically diverse or are they extreme representations of their race? Do they act naturally or do they seem false? If the main character is a certain race, how are other races situated around him/her? When looking at class, see if the main “character” is part of a certain class. How can you tell? How are other classes represented? Are they stereotyped, offensive, over the top, or more moderate? Does that help indicate who this product is being marketed to? When you check, see if the models/characters are sexualized, objectified, stereotyped, or realistic. Look at their physical characteristics, emotional behavior, actions, clothing, and word choice. These are important focal points for this assignment. Virtually all of these ideas can also then be applied to the audience.
Prompt #4
Creative Options: In these options you are the force behind the advertisement. While the creative options require less writing, you must have a clear understanding of the techniques you are utilizing, as well as have a clear focus of what you are trying to achieve. Also, you must get your idea cleared by me before you can do it as an option.
Choose one of the below options:
+Create a movie trailer roughly one to three minutes in length for a movie that does not exist. Write up a short explanation of the video and the techniques you used to appeal to the audience and entice them to come see the movie (one page minimum). You may also want to tell me what the plot of the movie “would” be.
+Create a live action commercial roughly thirty to sixty seconds in length for a product that does not exist. Write up a short analysis of your commercial telling me about the appeals you used, your target audience, and your commercials main method of persuading the audience to buy your product (two page minimum). You may also want to explain what the product you are selling is or does.
+Design a detailed print advertisement on a professional medium for a product or cause that does not exist. Write up an analysis of your own advertisement (similar to prompt #2), where you describe the major appeals and techniques you used in order to persuade the audience to buy your product (3 page minimum). You may also want to explain what the cause or product that you are promoting does.
Rough Draft Due: 04/05
Final Draft Due: 04/07
The media permeates and saturates virtually every aspect of our lives, but we seldom analyze it beyond our initial response to the product they are peddling. However, in order to be effective consumers, that is exactly what we must do! We must turn on our brains and analyze what the images and products we are buying say about us -- both as individuals and as a society. For this assignment you must analyze a piece of media, which essentially means you must take that image, advertisement, or movie and break it into its components and examine those components carefully.
Choose one of the following essay prompts, and a corresponding piece of media, and write a well-developed, cohesive essay about the different elements presented within.
The essays must be:
- Double spaced
- **Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font**
- **At least 4 full pages long.**
- and Follow MLA guidelines
Note: Failure to comply with these specifications will result in a terrible loss of points.
Prompt #1
Analyze stereotypes (or lack there of), the main character(s) (limit two), or the themes (limit three) in either a movie or a video game of your choosing. I recommend choosing a movie/game you can sit through a couple of times. Do not analyze all three of these things; however, a character, for instance, may be stereotyped or play an important part in a theme, so it is okay to include these ideas if they are relevant to your analysis of one element. Things you should consider when looking at the above elements include: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, genre, and audience expectations. Then try to draw some conclusions about the audience of this particular movie/game. Are they reinforcing these ideas by paying for a ticket/ buying the game? How culpable is the audience in what is displayed on the screen? Although in a movie, the movie itself is the product, be aware of any product placement or instances where they are trying to get the audience to buy or buy into a certain thing.
Note: Do not spend more than one paragraph summarizing the movie/game. Although it may help to choose a critically acclaimed movie/game or one that has won an award of some nature, you do not need to. If you do choose a movie/game with serious or extensive reviews, do not simply recycle what the critics say!
Prompt #2
Print ads make a complex argument in a very limited space – even if they are on huge billboards. Analyze a print advertisement of your choosing (you may want to pick one that you feel strongly about). Look both at the appeals and the visuals presented in the ad that assist with these appeals. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks supports or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Berger’s “Checklist for Analyzing Print Advertisements” might help here. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, design, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. Also, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must turn in a copy of your advertisement to me with a cover page with the title of your paper and your standard information on it on the day the paper is due.
Prompt #3
Live action commercials fall somewhere between print advertisements and movies. They often have plots, likeable characters, and delightful music, in addition to trying to sell their product. Choose a commercial (preferably one you feel strongly about or can watch a few times) and analyze it by looking at the combination of appeals and visual arguments, and how these two elements work together to persuade the audience to buy a product. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks at, supports, or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. You may also consider: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, audience expectations, product being sold, and the importance of the central character (including his/her personality/charisma/effectiveness). Berger’s “A Primer on Analyzing Television Commercials” may be of some help here. Just as with the print ad, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must find a website that hosts this commercial and include the link at the end of the essay, so that I may watch it.
Appendix: What does it mean to look at Gender/Racial/ Class Stereotypes?
For gender, show how the characters or models are either typically feminine or masculine or how they do not fit the normal categorization of gender, as well as the implications of this gender “norm.” If looking at race, are they stereotyped? Are the models/characters simply tokens intended to appeal to a great audience? Are the models even that ethnically diverse or are they extreme representations of their race? Do they act naturally or do they seem false? If the main character is a certain race, how are other races situated around him/her? When looking at class, see if the main “character” is part of a certain class. How can you tell? How are other classes represented? Are they stereotyped, offensive, over the top, or more moderate? Does that help indicate who this product is being marketed to? When you check, see if the models/characters are sexualized, objectified, stereotyped, or realistic. Look at their physical characteristics, emotional behavior, actions, clothing, and word choice. These are important focal points for this assignment. Virtually all of these ideas can also then be applied to the audience.
Prompt #4
Creative Options: In these options you are the force behind the advertisement. While the creative options require less writing, you must have a clear understanding of the techniques you are utilizing, as well as have a clear focus of what you are trying to achieve. Also, you must get your idea cleared by me before you can do it as an option.
Choose one of the below options:
+Create a movie trailer roughly one to three minutes in length for a movie that does not exist. Write up a short explanation of the video and the techniques you used to appeal to the audience and entice them to come see the movie (one page minimum). You may also want to tell me what the plot of the movie “would” be.
+Create a live action commercial roughly thirty to sixty seconds in length for a product that does not exist. Write up a short analysis of your commercial telling me about the appeals you used, your target audience, and your commercials main method of persuading the audience to buy your product (two page minimum). You may also want to explain what the product you are selling is or does.
+Design a detailed print advertisement on a professional medium for a product or cause that does not exist. Write up an analysis of your own advertisement (similar to prompt #2), where you describe the major appeals and techniques you used in order to persuade the audience to buy your product (3 page minimum). You may also want to explain what the cause or product that you are promoting does.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Swiftly Moving On
Read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift and analyze/ respond to his argument.
http://www.online-literature.com/swift/947/
Look through the Swift essay "A Modest Proposal" and locate instances of each of the 3 Modes of Persuasion (Ethos, Pathos, and Logos), or if you see any of the appeals in there as well. In roughly (80-100%) a page, briefly list each one and the effect you think it has on the reader.
Second, look for things like irony, word play, and humor.
Finally, in addition to poverty, think about what other specific problems are facing Ireland. Happy St. Patrick's Day -- can you feel the irony? For these problems, only consider the ones Swift points to in his essay. As the essay was written in 1729, I do not want contemporary problems that Ireland has to deal with. To answer this, you may want to ask yourself, what problems are leading to Ireland's poverty? What policies, social orders, or beliefs cause the Irish to continue their "terrible" cycle of existence? You do not have to provide outside research, but I would like you to analyze the essay. In roughly a page record a few of your findings and analyze the way in which this mode of persuasion, appeal, or whatever is conveyed and the effect it has on the reader.
So, to clarify, for the minimum, you should write roughly a page regarding the appeals and roughly a page regarding the problems facing Ireland question, but you can always go over the minimum. If you have some good ideas then write them down!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Body Language
We are beginning our analysis of media portion of the class. For this we will be looking at how media affects us in our everyday lives. You guys just finished the first aspect of that: analyzing a movie. So, hooray!
Your assignment for Wednesday is to find a single advertisement that is in print (either on the Internet or in a magazine or newspaper) that has 1-5 people in it. Analyze the way the people are positioned.
Consider: what the people look like, the way they are positioned, their facial expressions, their stances, "movement," relation to other people/product, and what affect their body language has on the advertisement AND audience.
How do you think the people help sell the product?
Write roughly one page on this. You can use the standard questions for this by considering the visual language of their bodies. Only look at the people, do not look at the actual words or anything else in the advertisement. Bring a copy of your advertisement with your response.
Your assignment for Wednesday is to find a single advertisement that is in print (either on the Internet or in a magazine or newspaper) that has 1-5 people in it. Analyze the way the people are positioned.
Consider: what the people look like, the way they are positioned, their facial expressions, their stances, "movement," relation to other people/product, and what affect their body language has on the advertisement AND audience.
How do you think the people help sell the product?
Write roughly one page on this. You can use the standard questions for this by considering the visual language of their bodies. Only look at the people, do not look at the actual words or anything else in the advertisement. Bring a copy of your advertisement with your response.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Blank Blue Books
The only homework for this weekend is to get a blue book for Monday's midterm.
Enjoy your weekend.
Enjoy your weekend.
Turning in Essays
Just to reiterate the procedure for turning in papers, since I am getting a few questions about it:
Essays are due through Turnitin.com on the day the paper is due by midnight.
I do not need nor want a hard copy. All final drafts of the out of class essays are handled only through Turnitin.com.
For Essay #1, it is due tonight (Wednesday 3/10) before midnight.
Essays are due through Turnitin.com on the day the paper is due by midnight.
I do not need nor want a hard copy. All final drafts of the out of class essays are handled only through Turnitin.com.
For Essay #1, it is due tonight (Wednesday 3/10) before midnight.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Testy Test Page
This weekend's assignment is relatively easy.
Work on your paper, since it is due next Wednesday (3/10).
Also, make sure you make a TurnItIn.com account and submit a test page.
Although super easy, it is an actual assignment that you get points for.
So do it!
Send me an email if you have any questions.
Also, next week we will be watching a movie in class.
Bring a snack or something if you want.
It should be a nice change of pace after the paper.
Work on your paper, since it is due next Wednesday (3/10).
Also, make sure you make a TurnItIn.com account and submit a test page.
Although super easy, it is an actual assignment that you get points for.
So do it!
Send me an email if you have any questions.
Also, next week we will be watching a movie in class.
Bring a snack or something if you want.
It should be a nice change of pace after the paper.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Roughing It
The homework for tonight is simple.
Work on your papers and produce a rough draft that is at least Two Full Pages long.
Bring Two Copies of this Rough Draft for Wednesday.
You might also want to consider making a Writing Center appointment.
Work on your papers and produce a rough draft that is at least Two Full Pages long.
Bring Two Copies of this Rough Draft for Wednesday.
You might also want to consider making a Writing Center appointment.
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