Media Critiques

Click here for assignment guidelines. Please note that all Media Critiques will be submitted as blog posts. If you do not already have a personal blog then you can make one very easily through Sites at Penn State. I am happy to assist anyone that needs a hand. Everyone will send me their blog addresses prior to the submission of their first Media Critique and I will be making them available to everyone in our class. Consequently, please make sure that you are comfortable providing your classmates and your teacher with access to your personal blog. If not, you should create a new one that is specifically dedicated to this course. Doing so will help you protect your privacy and it will help make your Media Critiques easy for your professor to find and read. One final note: please use a theme for your blog that makes it easy for people to read the text, as opposed to one that simply looks pretty.

  • Media Critique #1 – Due Week 4 (Sept 12)
  • Media Critique #2 – Due Week 6 (Sept 26)
  • Media Critique #3 – Due Week 8 (Oct 10)
  • Media Critique #4 – Due Week 10 (Oct 24)

Leading Class Discussion

Click here for assignment guidelines. Here is the schedule for presenters:

  • Week 11: Alexander Riley, Emily Taylor and Derrick Thomas
  • Week 12: Gianmarco Concepcion & Jasmine Holtz
  • Week 13: Muhammed Alli & Jessica Manfredi

Final Paper

  • This can be done individually or by a small group, with permission. The paper is due on the Wednesday of finals weeks and assignment guidelines (including timeline) are accessible here.
  • Click here for info about the library session you need to attend as part of the project (it is also linked through the assignment guidelines).

Participation 

  • In class participation. Participating in class is not to be confused with simply showing up and occupying the same space as your fellow students. Participation means coming to class ready to ask questions, discuss weekly reading assignments, and engage in thoughtful, respectful conversation with your peers and the professor. In short, your participation grade is not a ‘freebie’ – it is earned. I do not give A’s as a reward for paying attention in class, as this much is expected of you in any college course. Moreover, this course is organized like a ‘seminar’ which means that our class meetings will be focused heavily around class discussion. This requires participation from every student.
  • Social Media. See the syllabus for details on using Twitter for this class.