Application Paper: Analyzing Real-World Media Examples of Sociological Concepts

Goal

Final Application Paper
In order to make connections between everyday life and the material we are learning in class, you will complete an Application Paper.

Goal: Find pieces of media that connect to course materials and analyze/explain how they are examples of or relate to what you have learned in this course.

The completed project will have four entries that include real world media examples of different topic areas/concepts discussed in the course. Each entry will draw on and cite at least two concepts/information from course materials. These concepts across all entries total must come from at least four different chapters. 
In each entry, you will use class materials (textbook is required, and lectures and other class readings are optional) to analyze ‘real world’ popular media examples of what we are talking about in class. 
The connections made through each entry will help facilitate comprehension of the material and encourage critical analysis of everyday events.

Additional tips on what types of media to use:
For news articles, use ones that are relatively recent, from the last year. Some potential suggestions of places to look (online or in print): New York Times; Washington Post; USA Today;
local newspapers; news magazines such as Time, Newsweek, etc. Blog entries or hyperpartisan news sources are not acceptable.
- Do not use any articles or pieces of media already linked in the lectures, assigned as class readings, or linked in any assignment (ex. Short Essay 2). These can be used as a source of class materials in the Making Connections application portion (explained below), but cannot be 
used as the example of media you are analyzing in the first place in your entries. I want you to find media sources you are interested in!
- For other types of popular media (i.e., song lyrics, music videos, TV shows, movies) these can be from any date but must be in the public domain (e.g., something that is generally accessible—not a music video made by your friend’s band for instance).
- If you have any doubts or concerns about the item that you are planning on selecting for your project, please do not hesitate to send an email to me for review.

Step 2: Make Connections to the Course Material
In each entry, you will make connections between your media selection and the course materials. 
There are two components to each of your 4 entries:
1) Brief Summary Briefly summarize the main points of your popular media selection in a single paragraph; provide the title and/or type of media it is as well. This should be the shortest part of each entry. Provide enough information to set the context of your analysis by focusing on the key aspects that are relevant to the course ideas/concepts/research findings that you are making a connection to.
a) Describe the piece of media to me in your own words—do not copy some lame summary from the internet!
b) At the top of the page for each entry list the name/title of your popular media selection, indicate the type of media it is, and give a link (if applicable).

Additional Tips on what Types of Media to Use

2) Analysis Analyze your popular media selection using our course’s materials. How does your piece of media show an example of a concept? And/or how is it related to research you have read in our class? 
You must connect and cite at least 2 ideas/concepts/research findings to your piece of media in each entry. 
Discuss how the popular media piece you have selected relates to sociological concepts/information. In this discussion, you should include:

• How this piece of popular media relates to the course materials/information that we have covered throughout the semester —be sure to be specific. It should be obvious of how your analysis applies to our sociological study of society! • Apply course information in your own words and cite your sources that you use in your entries using an in-text citation (see below for details). Explain/define the course information
in an accurate and detailed manner. Do not use direct quotations unless absolutely necessary.

• Underline the course information/concepts that you are using in each entry.

• The main point of this assignment is for you to show me you can apply information from this course’s materials. This means that:  you should be citing your textbook as the source of your information to apply to your pieces of media. Citing the textbook is required, but optionally you can additionally cite lectures or any other course readings.

• you should NOT be relying on other random internet sites or dictionary definitions of our course concepts – this does not show me what you have learned in this course, just that you know how to Google. Use and cite only our class material for your analyses. In-text citations: 
As always, you must properly cite your sources in ASA format in the text of your paper using parenthetical citations and at the end of the paper in a separate References section. Any information that you get from the textbook that you put in your own words should be cited as well like this in-text: (Giddens et al. 2021).

The same format applies to lectures, other course readings, as well as the piece of media you are discussing (see Module 0). Direct quotes should be used minimally and selectively. If you do quote the textbook, you should include the page numbers, for example: (Giddens et al. 2021:308). I would rather you explain material and concepts from the textbook or additional readings/materials in your own words (and still cite in-text!)

• This Analysis section should be a couple paragraphs in length. Make sure to provide an overview of the ideas/concepts/research findings that you believe relate to your selection; underline these in the paragraph so they are easy to identify (and easy to see that you have met the requirements). In the subsequent paragraphs expand on your analysis and how it relates to your piece of media with detailed examples. Explain concepts in a way as if you are describing them to someone unfamiliar with them.

Step 3: Create Additional Entries
Repeat Steps 1 & 2 until you have four entries that reflect different ideas/concepts/research findings from at least four different chapters total. You must vary the type of popular media selections you use and are required to have at least three (3) different types.

• Each Entry should be at least 1 and no more than 2 full pages in length. A page means a full page (i.e., if text only covers ¾ of a page, your entry is too short and does not provide enough detail).

• Each Entry must begin on a new page. 

Step 4: Write a Concluding Reflection
After all four entries, you will compose a brief (1-2 page) reflection on the entire project and what you learned through your entries. 
Think about and incorporate answers to the following prompts: What do the popular media pieces you have tell us about society? Do you think the media you picked accurately reflects what we learned is going on in society in this class? Why or why not? You can also include any reflections on what you learned: doing the project in general, in connecting the class and your media, or how any of this process relates to your own experiences.

Step 5: Create a References Page
At the end of your project on a separate page provide citations for all the sources you referenced in your project. This includes a full citation for each of the class materials you cited for your analyses. All in-text citations should have a corresponding References page entry (and vice versa). 
References page entry formats are already provided on the content pages where you access additional readings, and the textbook entry as always is in the Syllabus or Module.