Each blog will be about attached readings.
The seminar guide for the module asked you to base your blogs on the following format:
“Blogs should identify ONE key argument from the reading that you found useful and ONE
example or piece of evidence that you found interesting. Your blog should explain why you
find these interesting in relation to your own research interests or in relation to your own
experiences.”
To give some more guidance, the aim of the blogs was to test two key skills. First, identifying
key arguments in academic texts and paraphrasing these arguments for your own purposes
with relevant quotation. Secondly, applying these arguments to examples of your own
choice, either drawn from the reading or from your own experience/research, to show your
ability to understand the analytical potential of arguments from academic texts. These two
core skills will also be what we assess in the finished portfolio.
• To expand your chosen blogs from 200 words to 500 words, try to do more than simply
extend what you had already written. We want to see evidence of your progression on the
module from your original blog entries to more thoughtful and evolved short essays. This
could take the form of adding a second complementary or contrasting argument from an
additional academic text and/or it could take the form of adding an additional example. It
could also involve you developing the example analysis further. If you used an example from
the reading, try adding one you’ve found yourself. There is no blueprint for what we are
expecting. The main thing is to show us that you have spent time thinking carefully about
what academic arguments from the reading you have found interesting and compelling, and
why, and what use you think these arguments can be put to in analysing media examples.
We will be assessing how much thought you have put into selecting your arguments and
examples. Try to avoid simply summarising. Focus on critical engagement with arguments
and critical analytical application to examples.
• As with any essay, be mindful of structure, adding an introduction sentence or two as well as
a concluding sentence or two. Make sure that the 500 words is structured to read and make
sense as a standalone piece of writing.
• To present your portfolio, use subheadings for each of your four chosen short essays. In the
subheading, identify the weekly topic to which the blog belongs. For example, if your blog
was for the week on Gendering the Media, use the subheading ‘Gendering the Media’.
“Students must select four of their
weekly blogs, those which either interested them the most or which otherwise might prove
useful in developing ideas for the essay and turn them into fully developed 500-word short
essays. (I’ll be attaching the blogs as well however, those are just summarising so please do not rely on them.) The submission for this assessment should contain all four short essays in one
submission. The usual requirements of academic presentation and referencing apply. 2000
words is the maximum length
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
