For students studying media at college or university, our collection of free media essays will be a valuable inspiration to dip into, time and time again.
How does the language and the images used in “Dove” gender-specific advertisements portray gender stereotypes in Society in the United Kingdom? Gender-specific advertisements: seen through two Dove advertisements Advertisements are a way for a company to not only showcase its products but also showcase its morals. A gender stereotype is defined as “Preconceived ideas whereby … Read more
Film as an art form continues to influence the way we view the world, perpetually reimagining the boundaries of what are considered current aesthetic trends. At the forefront of these boundaries is a prevailing interest in the aesthetics of the ‘everyday’. Emerging from an experimental period during the 1950’s and 1960’s, a new type of … Read more
The work of Phyllis Diller, Gilda Radner, and Sarah Silverman collectively offers a history of American female stand up over the last 50 years. Their contribution to this history is discussed with a specific focus on their representation of women & feminine ideals. Female stand up comedians have always met a lot of obstacles in … Read more
On September 25, 2017, the Monday morning quarterbacking wasn’t about who won the NFL games but instead, who knelt down during the national anthem. This story was reported in all three of my chosen news outlets. The reporting of this story is a typical example of how each view political issues. Buzzfeed used visual literacy … Read more
World Studies Extended Essay Introduction Global Climate Change has become a growing concern among nations on a global, national and local scale. Global Climate Change is used to describe the recent changes in patterns of temperature and rainfall, sea level, habitats and the incidence of drought, floods and storms, resulting from changes in the earth’s … Read more
Team Stark, Team or Team Cap DC: here a list of reasons not to miss one of the biggest film events of the year. Now is the inevitable moment, the moment of truth. Captain America: Civil War has just been released in theaters and Marvel has a great responsibility on their shoulders. Regardless of the … Read more
The 1998 movie Great Expectations is a film adaptation directed by Alfonso Cuaron. It is a more modern take on the classic novel by Charles Dickens. It was set up in an 80s time period making the target audience of this film a younger generation. The movie included actors such as Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, … Read more
In her September 2017 Florence speech, Theresa May stated that ‘the United Kingdom has never totally felt at home being in the European Union’ and that as a result of ‘history’ and ‘geography’, the EU has ‘never felt to us an integral part of our national story in the way it does to so many … Read more
Why are we afraid of talking robots? The advent of artificial intelligence has become a highly misconstrued subject. The quick progression of technology has been negatively portrayed to even convey an apocalyptic sense of fear. Although these depictions may oftentimes be fictional, they uncover the very real concerns and relationships that many people seem to … Read more
In the popular imagination, the American Dream is the concept that if someone works hard enough, he or she can “make it” in the United States and achieve social mobility. Everyone has a different conception of success and the American Dream; teenagers might want to succeed by conforming to their friends’ expectations, and success for … Read more
Keeping up with the Kardashians is a well-known American reality-tv show that airs on The E! network. The show focuses on the personal and professional struggles of the Kardashian-Jenner family. The series started in October 14, 2007, and is the longest running reality tv series in the United States. The show centers around Kim, Khloé … Read more
World War II is an Iconic subject across the world, not to mention the United States. The way that World War II impacted the world came in many ways. Some being firsthand stories of the struggles to survive or the heroism shown through till victory, others were things of fact and of history that shaped … Read more
Throughout history there has always been stereotypes against minorities, they’ve been seen on Television when someone from a different race plays a person from a different background. For example, a white man playing a as a black man in a show or movie. People try to be humorous when someone plays a character from a … Read more
Lee Chang-dong’s film, Peppermint Candy explores the history of modern Korea through the plight of the film’s protagonist, Kim Young-Ho. The film utilizes a unique reverse-chronological plot line throughout the film. With each scene in the film we see the true nature of the degradation of Young-Ho’s life, and the events that drove him to … Read more
The similarities and differences in the uses of nostalgia in film and fashion. Focusing on the influence film has on fashion and its representation of women. This dissertation investigates the similarities and differences in the uses of nostalgia within film, fashion and its influence on brands. Studying brands constant influence from nostalgia, with “Brands have … Read more
Among the common methods of communication employed by a scholar is through essays. While studying ‘media and communication’, students are taught a variety of methods of communication that can be applied to various media.
The following sections offer guidelines on how to write a media essay.
It is worth noting that, just like in all scholarly activities, the student, in most instances is expected to use essay format while expressing herself/himself. Therefore, it is imperative for the student to adhere to the basic principles of writing essays. It is a prerequisite that a media student is expected to have impeccable writing skills that will deliver high quality media essays.
The initial stage of a quality essay entails highlighting the focal point. If the subject catches attention of the reader, then a focal point exists, nonetheless, it is essential to have a well structured thesis statement. The major reason for having a well structured thesis statement is that it directs individual to the main issue being addressed by the essay. The thesis statement is developed after brainstorming of ideas from various sources that have interest in the subject matter. It is the thesis statement that guides the overall content of the essay. The thesis statement is contained in the introduction part of the essay. Prior to developing the introduction and the thesis statement, one needs to evaluate the appropriateness of the title of the essay. The title of the essay is the first thing to hook a reader, therefore, it is necessary for the writer to take time and develop the most appropriate title of the essay. The body of the essay expounds the thesis by objecting it or supporting it, while the conclusion restates the thesis statement in reference to what has been discussed in the body paragraphs.
Learning how to write a media essay is not just about writing the essay, it’s also about the research conducted. It is essential to carry out research from academic databases, libraries, and the internet in order to acquaint yourself with the subject. It is essential to take notes of the important opinions made by others during the research. The knowledge acquired enables the student to have a general idea about the subject, hence forming a corner stone for the thesis statement.
Occasionally, the thesis is not clear when the focus point is not strongly highlighted, if such a situation arises, the research carried out is only meant to meet the examination conditions. Irrespective of the circumstances, one can still take a focus point in reference to the notes taken and develop a logical presentation after considering the relevant notes in a progressive manner. It is important to plan the essay so that the thoughts that were brainstormed are expressed in a succinct way.
The basic structure of a scholarly essay consists of three principle elements, the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. These elements factor around the thesis statement. There may be many body paragraphs, however, each paragraph should focus on a single thought that revolves around the thesis statement. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence, which should thereafter be supported with evidence. The ideas in the respective paragraph should be put in a clear and sensible manner. The paragraphs need to be organized in a systematic way; however, the thesis statement plays a role in directing the student how to write an interesting essay. In case of a thesis statement that needs support, then the subsequent body paragraphs after the introduction will support the thesis. However, when the thesis statement is an argument, both sides of the argument must be presented in the body paragraphs, and the students will prove whose side of the argument carries weight. In the conclusion part, the student needs to exit the essay in a gracefully way by making a wrap up statement. The statement should incorporate the thesis statement indirectly but in a coherent way.
Having considered the structure and content of the media essay, it is significant to evaluate the criteria for refining it. The first principle requires the student to avoid padding and waffling. This occurs when the student lacks sufficient information and ends up putting a statement that should have been expressed in 10 words in 50 words. This should be avoided by making the writing extremely tight. Another factor worth considering is the flow from one sentence to the next and from one paragraph to the next. Media students are expected to make good use of the correct connectives; otherwise, it will be inevitable to revise the essay. Revisions come with challenges because you may be required to alter the sentences structure and sequence. One should also avoid using sweeping generalization. In addition, you should avoid repetition of words because that may adversely influence the flow of the essay, and that requires the student to an assortment of words.
Direct quotes are used in scholarly articles, however, the quotes must come from reputable sources, otherwise, one may paraphrase the quotes into own words. The quotes must be relevant to the subject of the essay and the quote should come once the subject matter has been introduced. In most incidences, the quotes used are from reputable sources and are employed to support an argument. After using the quote, one should explain it in the context of the argument. Upon paraphrasing, the source of the information must be acknowledged through referencing, otherwise, inability to reference may result in plagiarism, which is an academic offense. Although the scholar is permitted to express his/her own ideas, it is required that he/she should acknowledge the statements and ideas owned by other scholars, otherwise it results in a serious academic problem. The writer is required to acknowledge the source of ideas, if they are not his/her own. The sources may be journals, books, visual/audio or magazines. The source of the information is acknowledged through standard citation styles; these include APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard among others.
