Creating a Portfolio for Media Platforms: A Comprehensive Guide

Elements of a Media Portfolio

For this assignment task you will need to create a portfolio within which you must include the following elements:  

1. Design and make a media ‘product’ which could be presented on a specified online media platform. Your media product should be one of the following:  

A podcast  

A Vlogcast  

A blog  

Your media product must communicate about one of the following topics to raise awareness of the issues via media platforms. You need to state the media platform(s) for which your product would be suitable (you do not need to post your product on a media platform); your target audience and consider the most effective ways to communicate your ‘message’ to this audience. Choose one of these topics:  

The representation of one social group within media  

Media representation of crime or health  

The blurring of the public and private realms in new media

Digital media, social activism and democracy  

Any video or oral media products must be 5 minutes long

Any written media product must be 500 words long  

A reference list should be provided at the end of your portfolio for the research for your media product – please give a separate reference list for part 1 and part 2 of your portfolio, at the end.  

1.Alongside your media product you will need to produce a written analysis & commentary (1000 words)

2.Write a commentary in which you discuss the role and impact of media in our 21st Century world. Your commentary must include consideration of:   

o‘Power’ in and around media  

oContemporary social issues with digital and social media

oA reflection on your own media use based on your media diary over the semester in relation to the themes discussed on this course (you may use the first person where appropriate)

oA reference list must be provided  

Internal approval:

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

LO1 Understand and discuss the key debates and theories around the character, content, role and impact of media in contemporary societies

LO2 Debate and discuss the issues of power and inequalities in relation to media

LO3 Apply social science skills of analysis to various mediated areas of social life relevant to student’s degree programme

LO4 Demonstrate knowledge about, and competency in, the use of various media forms to communicate effectively for specified purposes

Task requirements

• You will need to upload your portfolio to the LSST Connect submission point by the specified date.  
• For video or sound products (vlogcast or podcast), you should provide a link to your media product at the beginning of your portfolio  
• For written products (blog); include this whole in your portfolio
• Your portfolio must be presented clearly using sub-sections for each part  
• You may include images and links to media sources within your portfolio either within the main body of your work or as appendices at the end  

How your work will be assessed

Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learning outcomes for this assignment (see above) and against these assessment criteria:  

• Inclusion of all elements of the portfolio & following instructions 
• Media product  

• Knowledge, understanding and use of key concepts in the social science of media  
• Awareness of key issues in relation to 21st Century media  
• Quality of personal reflection  
• Presentation of portfolio including media product  
• Research and use of relevant academic material

Submission details

In submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these regulations

• Please also note that work that is submitted up to 10 working days beyond the submission date will be considered a late submission. Late submissions will be marked and the actual mark recorded, but will be capped at the pass mark (typically 40%), provided that the work is of a passing standard.

Work submitted after this period will not be marked and will be treated as a non-submission.

Before you submit

• Please use the provided checklist below to make sure you are ‘fit to submit’ your work
• We recommend you use this checklist as soon as you get this assignment brief to help you plan your work