Choose a 24-hour period between now and the designated due date for this assignment, and document every time you engage in the media (charting table available below). This assignment will involve you putting down the ads that really stood out to you, to the social media sites you went to, to the television you watched, to the books you read, to the billboards that really stood out to you, etc. Follow the example listed on the attached charting table below and list the pertinent information. Take the sheets with you wherever you go, so, you can jot down notes along the way (you can fill in the details later when you set aside time, but don’t try to just remember it all later – because you’ll surely forget something). Print out as many as you need. If may create your own chart, but you must include everything that is listed on that chart.
You may write in (please note, you would have to scan this to send it in) or type out your data collection of the media you have encountered in the table/chart that you may access by clicking here (it saved as a Word Document for easier editing) Actions . You may use as many pages as you need to get the full 24-hour period.
Once you have completed the 24-hour diary, reflect on and evaluate the data you’ve collected. Write a narrative that explains your perceptions about your overall experience. Consider these questions for your writing (you do not have to answer them all but consider them as you examine the content you encountered throughout your day):
What forms of media did you use?
One what medium do you spend the most time; or, what are the more frequent formats of media you used (news, soap operas, individual websites, social media, etc.)? Why?
Do you tend to consume alone or with other people around? Why?
What do you think about the content you consumed? Was it valuable? Was it accurate? Was it available elsewhere?
Did you recognize any media influences now that you might have missed since starting this course?
Was most of your media consumption for entertainment, informative, or maybe educational purposes?
Do the more frequent formats you consumed follow agenda setting (does this format actually burn images/thoughts in your head)? If so, explain.
Do the more frequent formats you consumed have kind of cultivation effect on you (where you start to believe that the world is actually more dangerous than it actually is)? If so, explain.
Do you believe that the medium that you use the most is more beneficial or more detrimental to you? Explain.
Do you see anything that is good or even concerning about your usage? Explain.
Are there any changes you would make now that you have examined your media usage? Why or why not?
