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Essay 2 Assignment
English 102

The Media

Goal: Write an argumentative essay of 600-1000 words on some aspect of "the media." You must use at least one external source, which should be attributed in the text and bibliographical information for the work should be listed in a "Work(s) Cited" section on the last page of your essay. Your intended readers are intellectual (college-educated) people with an interest in media. (If you'd like, you may refine your audience further; for example, you may say "I'm writing for Electronics Today").

The topic here is free-range within the field of "media." Of course, one of the first things to consider is, What is media? It includes, but is not limited to, books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials; radio, television, videocassettes and other electronic communication devices intended to reach a wide audience; and, of course, the Internet and other online services such as Compuserve and America Online. The key thing about media seems to be that it is a way of communicating (or mis-communicating, as the case may be) with large groups of people; hence, a telephone conversation (targeted to a single person) generally is not considered media-related.

Next, you need to narrow your focus. "Media" is such a broad topic that it is impossible to deal adequately with it in an essay of any length; even books cannot individually cope with any degree of depth with the subject of media. Therefore, you should choose an argumentative focus on some smaller aspect related to media.

CLAIMS:

Remember the three types of claims and choose those appropriate to what you wish to argue. Claims of Fact argue that some condition exists, has existed, or will exist. Claims of Value argue the rightness or wrongness of something, usually aesthetic or moral. And Claims of Policy argue for some kind of change to a real or potential problem.

Among the vast areas in which you could write your essay are the following. (A few example topics follow each area):

Politics: the electronic communications bill, deregulation of telecommunications companies, media's effects on elections, media as shaper of public policy and/or opinion
Sociology: media's link to violence, relationship to sense of "community," does media cause an overload of information
Culture: does the media erode interest in more traditional arts, what are the aesthetics of media programs, does the media help or hurt other art forms
Education: does the media enhance education, has it affected students' attention spans or ability to learn, does it replace reading or other intellectual activities among children
News/Current Affairs: does the media lead to a well-informed public, do media news outlets report the news people need to know, are news shows too interested in entertainment rather than information, are some subjects no longer "newsworthy"
Technology: will the V-Chip curb children's viewing of television violence, are new technologies emerging that will render broadcast media (television and radio) as we know it obsolete, does better media technology have a lasting effect on quality of life

These, of course, are just a few of the possibilities open to you. Note, too, that whatever topic you choose, you need to be specific in application--that is, you will need to refine the parameters of what is meant by the word "media."

Assignment Summary:

Topic: Write an argumentative essay on some aspect of media
Requirements: You must use at least one external source, though you may use more; the use of any sources must be attributed in the text of the essay, and bibliographical information must follow on the last page under the centered heading "Work(s) Cited"
Format: Must be typed, double-spaced
Length: 600-1000 words
First draft due: Thursday, Feb. 15
Second draft due: Thursday, Feb. 22

	Index	Policy	Syllabus	Assignments	Handouts	Resources

Essay 2 Assignment English 102

The Media

CLAIMS:

Assignment Summary:

Essay 2 Assignment
English 102