The Task: Write a 1500 word essay answering one of the following questions. Papers that are more than 10% over or under this word count will be penalised and may lose up to 10% of the overall grade for the paper.
From the module syllabus: This assessment provides students the opportunity to critically reflect on their learning and examines student understanding of concepts related to media, communications and culture.
Questions (CHOOSE ONE):
Analyse the writing style of your favourite reviewer. How do they tailor their review to their publication’s audience and what makes him/her stand out as a writer?
Discuss how [the advertising campaign of your choice] attempts to convey authenticity to attract consumers.
Choose a recent film/TV series led by a female character (or more female characters). Can it be considered a postfeminist media text?
Can a blockbuster film’s themes, style or character ever be critical of consumer culture? Discuss with reference to one film of your choice.
Choose a film/TV series and discuss how it raises and tackles issues of representation and race/ethnicity. Can a global TV format be successfully glocalised? Discuss with reference to one example of your choice.
Deadline: Friday 4th May at 4pm. All essays must be submitted to TurnitIn.
Please use the coversheet provided as your first page: indicate the correct word count (excluding
bibliography).
Essay tips:
Take your time to think about the structure of your essay. Ask yourself: what are the main points of my essay? In what order am I going to present them? What can I conclude? Provide an introduction, an analysis and a conclusion (these do not need to be three distinct sections with different headings, but ‘main blocks’ to structure your essay).
In your introduction/introductory paragraph, state which question you will answer and which media texts (films, TV shows etc) you will use as examples.
Watch/analyse the media texts that relate to your question in detail before you start writing. In the case of films/TV series, note the script of important segments so that you can refer to them in your essay to help prove your points.
Higher grades are often rewarded to more detailed analysis. In addition to studying the course materials (slides, readings, seminar articles) use the essay keywords to find articles and/or books to help you to fine tune your ideas (and remember to reference these materials in your Harvard-style bibliography). The library offer help with finding resources if you need it.
Be ready to submit your essay on time.
Check your work before submission. Marks will be deducted for errors in punctuation, grammar, slang and other forms of incorrect English. The university offers Study Skills workshops for help with essay structure.
