Your first official Media Analysis journal is due on Monday! For this assignment, you must select an advertisement in a magazine, and answer the seven analysis questions about it. Remember, first, describe (what do you see?) and then interpret (what does it mean?).
If you lost the handout, these are the seven questions:
1. What do I see?
Record your observations – Write down everything you about the visuals of the media -- lighting, camera angles, how the pictures are edited together. Describe any people-- what do they look like? what are they doing? wearing? Focus only on what is actually in the media, not your interpretation of what you see.
2. Who created this message?
You may not know exactly who created the message, but take your best guess. See if you can identify the author of the message from a close look at the media. Remember that everything you see in the media was created by someone.
3. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
The way that the media is put together is very intentional. Try to see if you can identify the mood or the story that the media is trying to create. What is the emotional appeal? What is the persuasive appeal?
4. How might different people understand this message differently than me?
No two people see an image the same way. Each audience member brings to each media encounter a unique set of life experiences (age, gender, education, cultural upbringing, etc.) which, when applied to the text – or combined with the text – create unique interpretations. Imagine you were someone else – how would that change the way you understand the message?
5. What values, lifestyles or points of view are represented, or omitted, in this message?
In looking at the content of a media message, it is important to understand that there are no value-free media and never will be. All media carry subtle messages about who and what is important. Try to analyze your media for values and points of view.
6. Why is this message being sent?
Try to look at the motive or purpose of a media message – and whether or how a message may have been influenced by money, ego or ideology. To respond to a message appropriately, we need to be able to see beyond the basic content motives of informing, persuading or entertaining.
7. Finally, how can I review my insights and summarize my ideas about the message?
Summarize how the media is constructed and how various elements of the construction trigger your own unique response-- which may be very different than how others interpret the text.
If you feel like you could not answer all of the questions, do not worry, just do your best! We will have plenty of opportunities to refine our ideas during this project.
Contact me with questions or concerns.
Best,
Kay
