Guidelines for the final essay

1. Intro to the Media
Spring 2017– MACS 101

2. Timeline
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Writing Assignments/Quizzes Final Essay/Analytical Assignment

3. Schedule
Week Tuesday Thursday
March 28 - 30 Video Workshop No Class
April 4 - 6 Writing Workshop No Class
April 11 - 13 Video Workshop Screening
April 17 - 19 Work Review
April 25 - 27 Writing Workshop Final Presentations
May 2 Final Presentations

4. Grade Breakdown

5. 40%
25%
15%
10%
10%
Percentage
Structure and
Argumentation
Peer Review
activities
Vocabulary Use
Style and Citations

6. • For your cumulative writing assignment, you’ll write a final essay
of a media object of your choice. The bulk of the text for this
assignment will be made up of the chapter assignments you’ve
written throughout the semester. In addition, the text you pull from
your chapter assignments, which should be edited based on any
comments you received, you’ll be writing an introduction,
conclusion, and transitions for your essay. Your introduction (250-
300 words) will introduce readers to the field and to the concepts
you’ll be covering in the text. Your conclusion (250-300 words) will
summarize the key concepts from your text and highlight what you
think are the most important ideas for readers to understand. The
transitions you write between chapter assignments will draw
readers from one section to the next and should help readers see
the threads that connect the various areas of media studies
covered in this class.
• The essay must be expository and follow the American
Psychological Association (APA) standard of academic
writing/resource citations and demonstrate deep engagement with
the readings and other materials covered in the course.

7. • Because this is an advanced composition course, we will
workshop your paper in class so you can get peer feedback
before turning your final version in. The process will be as
follows:
• 1st (Workshop) Draft: You will be expected to work in a
draft that includes three of your assignments for chapters 2-
8, transitions, an introduction, and a conclusion t. You will
need to submit this draft and a brief outline (1 paragraph,
250 words). Failure to submit either the 1st draft or your
peer editing paragraph will result in a lower grade on your
final paper
• 2nd (Final) Draft: You will submit your 2nd (and final) draft
after receiving feedback from your peers at the in-class
writer’s workshop. You should submit the final electronically.

8. Final Essay
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Political Economy
Intro.
(250-300)
Con.
(250-300)
+
+

9. Final Essay
• This Week -> Workshop (first draft - due
april 13th )
• Second Workshop – peer review
• Submission -> Friday May 5th before
midnight

10. • Why is your cultural object (movie, tv. show,
artist, media device) relevant for
understanding media?
media history, production, political economy, content analysis,
representation, audiences

11. 40%
25%
15%
10%
10%
Percentage
Structure and
Argumentation
Peer Review (first
draft)
Vocabulary Use

14. Preparing your first
draft

15. • The expository essay is a genre of essay that
requires the student to investigate an idea,
evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and
set forth an argument concerning that idea in a
clear and concise manner. This can be
accomplished through comparison and
contrast, definition, example, the analysis of
cause and effect, etc.

16. • The structure of the expository essay is held
together by the following.
• A clear, concise, and defined thesis
statement that occurs in the first paragraph
of the essay.
• It is essential that this thesis statement be
appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines
set forth in the assignment. If the student does
not master this portion of the essay, it will be
quite difficult to compose an effective or
persuasive essay.

17. • Clear and logical transitions between the
introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Transitions are the mortar that holds the
foundation of the essay together. Without
logical progression of thought, the reader is
unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the
structure will collapse.

18. • Body paragraphs that include evidential
support.
• Each paragraph should be limited to the
exposition of one general idea. This will allow
for clarity and direction throughout the essay.
What is more, such conciseness creates an
ease of readability for one’s audience. It is
important to note that each paragraph in the
body of the essay must have some logical
connection to the thesis statement in the
opening paragraph.

19. • Evidential support (whether factual, logical,
statistical, or anecdotal).
• Often times, students are required to write
expository essays with little or no preparation;
therefore, such essays do not typically allow
for a great deal of statistical or factual
evidence.

20. • A bit of creativity!
• Though creativity and artfulness are not
always associated with essay writing, it is an
art form nonetheless. Try not to get stuck on
the formulaic nature of expository writing at the
expense of writing something interesting.
Remember, though you may not be crafting
the next great novel, you are attempting to
leave a lasting impression on the people
evaluating your essay.

21. • A conclusion that does not simply restate
the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the
evidence provided.
• It is at this point of the essay that students will
inevitably begin to struggle. This is the portion
of the essay that will leave the most immediate
impression on the mind of the reader.
Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do
not introduce any new information into the
conclusion; rather, synthesize and come to a
conclusion concerning the information
presented in the body of the essay.

22. • A complete argument
• Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms
of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I
were to discuss the cause of the Great
Depression and its current effect on those who
lived through the tumultuous time, there would be
a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation.
• In fact, if I were to end the exposition in the middle
of my second point, questions would arise
concerning the current effects on those who lived
through the Depression. Therefore, the expository
essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving
no doubt as to its intent or argument.

23. • The five-paragraph Essay
• A common method for writing an expository
essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is,
however, by no means the only formula for
writing such essays. If it sounds
straightforward, that is because it is; in fact,
the method consists of:
• an introductory paragraph
• three evidentiary body paragraphs
• a conclusion

24. • Five paragraph essay

27. Introduction

28. Introduction
• Ideally, your introduction will make your
readers want to read your paper.
• Don’t be afraid to write a tentative
introduction first and then change it later

29. • “When I asked my mom about the first time
she used the Internet, the question was so odd
to me because I have always lived in a world
where there was an Internet”

30. • On Monday June 13, of the year 2016
Microsoft announced plans to acquire job
networking-giant LinkedIn. At 26.2 billion
dollars, it certainly has its place in history as
one of the most expensive and important
mergers of today’s era.

31. • The New York Times was first published in
New York City in the 1850s as its own media
company and the first great newspaper. Little
did they know back then, that the New York
Times would live on to become one of the
world’s largest news facilitators to this day.

32. • an intriguing example
• a provocative quotation
• a puzzling scenario
• a vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote
• a thought-provoking question

33. • Set the context –provide general information
about the main idea, explaining the situation
so the reader can make sense of the topic and
the claims you make and support
• State why the main idea is important –tell
the reader why he or she should care and
keep reading. Your goal is to create a
compelling, clear, and convincing essay
people will want to read and act upon
• State your thesis/claim –compose a
sentence or two stating the position you will
support with sound reasoning, balanced
emotional appeal and author credibility.

34. • On Monday June 13, of the year 2016
Microsoft announced plans to acquire job
networking-giant LinkedIn. At 26.2 billion
dollars, it certainly has its place in history as
one of the most expensive and important
mergers of today’s era.
• How or why is this important?

35. • The New York Times was first published in
New York City in the 1850s as its own media
company and the first great newspaper. Little
did they know back then, that the New York
Times would live on to become one of the
world’s largest news facilitators to this day.
• How or why is this important?

36. Thesis Statement

37. • Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement
• 1. Determine what kind of paper you are
writing
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains
something to the audience.

38. • 2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it
should cover only what you will discuss in your
paper and should be supported with specific
evidence.

39. • 3. The thesis statement usually appears at the
end of the first paragraph of a paper.

40. • 4. Your topic may change as you write, so you
may need to revise your thesis statement to
reflect exactly what you have discussed in the
paper.

41. • Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis
statement:
• The Olympic games opening ceremony is one
of the most important media events because it
is the most watched sporting event in the
world.
• The paper that follows should:
• Explain how Olympic games became the most
watched world in the world, by considering, the
history of broadcasting, the companies that
produce it, the audiences of this event

42. • Why is your media example(movie, tv. show,
artist, media device) relevant for
understanding contemporary culture?
media history, production, political economy, content analysis,
representation, audiences

43. Topic Group Members
History Michael, Zac, Zepei, Ishani, Bin
Production Noa, Chuquiao, Ethan, Brian, Mehnoor
Representation Emily A, Diana, Cindy, Ivy, Diya, Blake
Audiences Paul, Jason, Yuren, Karina, David
Alternative Media Abdallah, Raja, Emily D, Emily J, Matthew, Rayan

44. The Body

46. • A good paragraph should contain at least the following four
elements: Transition, Topic sentence, specific Evidence
and analysis, and a Brief wrap-up sentence (also known as
a warrant) –TTEB!
• A Transition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph
to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one
idea to the next.
• A Topic sentence that tells the reader what you will be
discussing in the paragraph.
• Specific Evidence and analysis that supports one of your
claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your
topic sentence.
• A Brief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why
this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-
up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important
to your argument because it connects your reasoning and
support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in
the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it.

47. • “All production requires human labor, so the
Super Bowl is no different. (TOPIC)
• A lot of corporations and media outlets come
together to put on the Super Bowl. Television
announcers, cameramen, NFL executives,
media station executives, and the members of
each football team all must work together to
put on a successful media event. (EVIDENCE)
• With that said, even though there are a lot of
parts that need to go into the production of the
Super Bowl; each company or corporation
know its job and every year the Super Bowl
continues to be a huge success. (BRIEF)

48. • The repositioning of Marlboro image as a men's
cigarette was handled by Chicago advertiser, Leo
Burnett. (TOPIC)
• Marlboro’s incorporated manly figures into their
new advertising campaign such as cowboys,
construction workers, and weightlifters.
(EVIDENCE)
• Within a year, Marlboro's market share rose from
less than one percent to the fourth best-selling
brand in America. (EVIDENCE II)
• Today, Marlboro is the most sold brand of
cigarettes in the world and currently ranks twenty
sixth on Forbes most valuable brands list. (BRIEF)

49. Conclusions

50. • It is important to have a strong conclusion,
since this is the last chance you have to make
an impression on your reader. The goal of your
conclusion isn’t to introduce any new ideas,
but to sum up everything you’ve written

51. • Restate the main idea of your essay, or your
thesis statement
• Summarize the three subpoints of your essay
• Leave the reader with an interesting final
impression

52. • Essay conclusions are pretty simple once you
know the framework. (Main Idea)
• It all boils down to three main parts: a
transition from the last body paragraph, a
summary of the thesis statement and main
points of the essay, and a closing statement
that wraps everything up. (summary)
• If all students knew this simple formula, maybe
essay writing would be easier for everyone.
(final impression)

53. • After navigating through different aspects of
media studies (media history, production,
political economy, content analysis,
representation, audiences) write an essay on a
media example (movie, tv. show, artist, media
device) and argue about its relevance for
understanding contemporary culture.

54. • Why is your cultural object (movie, tv. show,
artist, media device) relevant for
understanding media?
media history, production, political economy, content analysis,
representation, audiences

55. Vocabulary use
• Media Production
• Glass Ceiling
• Gender Representation
• Race Representation
• Class Representation
• Media Conglomeration
• Deregulation
• Commodification
• Structuration
• Spatialization
• Archive
• Canon
• Symbolic Annihilation
• Institutions
• Audiences
• Media History
• Future Media
• Human Labor
• Frequencies
• Stereotypes
• Encoding
• Decoding
• Fandom
• Active audience
• Gratification

56. Final Essay Rubric

57. Description
Clearly addresses all parts of the writing task; maintains a clear purpose and a
consistent point of view and focus; all ideas are on topic, not extraneous; essay logically
flows from one paragraph to another; paragraphs fully elaborate and develop the thesis
Addresses all parts of the writing task; maintains a general understanding of the
purpose and mostly consistent point of view and focus; ideas are on topic; essay flows
from one paragraph to another; paragraphs build and develop the thesis
Addresses only parts of the writing task; demonstrates limited understanding of the
purpose and an unclear point of view and focus; lacks unity between paragraphs; weak
paragraph development; lacks sufficient support for the thesis
Fails to address the writing task; demonstrates no understanding of the purpose; lacks
point of view, focus, and unity between paragraphs; little or no paragraph development

58. Intro Body Conclusion Language Other
 engaging,
appropriate lead
 general information
introducing the topic
 clear thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 well-developed topic
sentence
 in-depth, accurate, and
relevant facts/concrete
details
 relevant comments
without redundancy
 effective concluding
sentence that restates
the topic sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 expands upon the
general information
provided in the
introduction
 ends with a final
thought, but does not
give any new
information
 effective transitions
throughout the essay
 employs a variety of
sentence patterns to
enhance the writing
 sentences vary in
beginnings, length, and
complexity
 precise and
engaging vocabulary
 writes with the
audience in mind
 strong “voice”
(expressive, engaging,
enthusiastic, natural,
thought-provoking)
 original and engaging
title
 appropriate lead
 some general
information
introducing the topic
 thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 topic sentence
 relevant facts, concrete
details, and supporting
comments
 minimal redundancy
 concluding sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 may include some
general information
 ends with a final
thought
 includes appropriate
transitions
 may employ various
sentence patterns
 sentences may vary in
beginnings and length
 uses accurate
vocabulary
 attempts to write with
the audience in mind
 moderate “voice”
(sincere, but not
genuinely engaging)
 appropriate title
 weak, inappropriate, or
missing lead
 little or no general
information
introducing the topic
 weak, insufficient, or
missing thesis and
statement of the main
points
 insufficient or
missing topic sentence
 limited or irrelevant
facts, concrete details,
and comments
 redundant information
or comments
 insufficient or
missing concluding
sentence
 confusing or missing
restatement of thesis,
main ideas, and
general information
 missing final
thought
 ineffective, awkward,
or missing transitions
 simple sentence
patterns
 may include confusing
or incorrect vocabulary
 limited awareness of
the audience
 little or no “voice”
(flat, lifeless, or
mechanical)
 may or may not have a
title
 inappropriate or
missing lead
 no general information
introducing the topic
 missing or irrelevant
thesis and main points
 missing or irrelevant
topic sentence
 few or no facts,
concrete details, or
support
 redundant information
 missing or irrelevant
concluding sentence
 missing or
inappropriate
 no transitions
 simple, confusing, or
fragmented sentence
patterns
 no awareness of the
audience
 lacks “voice” (flat,
lifeless, or mechanical)
 no title

59. Intro Body Conclusion Language Other
 engaging,
appropriate lead
 general information
introducing the topic
 clear thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 well-developed topic
sentence
 in-depth, accurate, and
relevant facts/concrete
details
 relevant comments
without redundancy
 effective concluding
sentence that restates
the topic sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 expands upon the
general information
provided in the
introduction
 ends with a final
thought, but does not
give any new
information
 effective transitions
throughout the essay
 employs a variety of
sentence patterns to
enhance the writing
 sentences vary in
beginnings, length, and
complexity
 precise and
engaging vocabulary
 writes with the
audience in mind
 strong “voice”
(expressive, engaging,
enthusiastic, natural,
thought-provoking)
 original and engaging
title
 appropriate lead
 some general
information
introducing the topic
 thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 topic sentence
 relevant facts, concrete
details, and supporting
comments
 minimal redundancy
 concluding sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 may include some
general information
 ends with a final
thought
 includes appropriate
transitions
 may employ various
sentence patterns
 sentences may vary in
beginnings and length
 uses accurate
vocabulary
 attempts to write with
the audience in mind
 moderate “voice”
(sincere, but not
genuinely engaging)
 appropriate title
 weak, inappropriate, or
missing lead
 little or no general
information
introducing the topic
 weak, insufficient, or
missing thesis and
statement of the main
points
 insufficient or
missing topic sentence
 limited or irrelevant
facts, concrete details,
and comments
 redundant information
or comments
 insufficient or
missing concluding
sentence
 confusing or missing
restatement of thesis,
main ideas, and
general information
 missing final
thought
 ineffective, awkward,
or missing transitions
 simple sentence
patterns
 may include confusing
or incorrect vocabulary
 limited awareness of
the audience
 little or no “voice”
(flat, lifeless, or
mechanical)
 may or may not have a
title
 inappropriate or
missing lead
 no general information
introducing the topic
 missing or irrelevant
thesis and main points
 missing or irrelevant
topic sentence
 few or no facts,
concrete details, or
support
 redundant information
 missing or irrelevant
concluding sentence
 missing or
inappropriate
 no transitions
 simple, confusing, or
fragmented sentence
patterns
 no awareness of the
audience
 lacks “voice” (flat,
lifeless, or mechanical)
 no title

60. Intro Body Conclusion Language Other
 engaging,
appropriate lead
 general information
introducing the topic
 clear thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 well-developed topic
sentence
 in-depth, accurate, and
relevant facts/concrete
details
 relevant comments
without redundancy
 effective concluding
sentence that restates
the topic sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 expands upon the
general information
provided in the
introduction
 ends with a final
thought, but does not
give any new
information
 effective transitions
throughout the essay
 employs a variety of
sentence patterns to
enhance the writing
 sentences vary in
beginnings, length, and
complexity
 precise and
engaging vocabulary
 writes with the
audience in mind
 strong “voice”
(expressive, engaging,
enthusiastic, natural,
thought-provoking)
 original and engaging
title
 appropriate lead
 some general
information
introducing the topic
 thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 topic sentence
 relevant facts, concrete
details, and supporting
comments
 minimal redundancy
 concluding sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 may include some
general information
 ends with a final
thought
 includes appropriate
transitions
 may employ various
sentence patterns
 sentences may vary in
beginnings and length
 uses accurate
vocabulary
 attempts to write with
the audience in mind
 moderate “voice”
(sincere, but not
genuinely engaging)
 appropriate title
 weak, inappropriate, or
missing lead
 little or no general
information
introducing the topic
 weak, insufficient, or
missing thesis and
statement of the main
points
 insufficient or
missing topic sentence
 limited or irrelevant
facts, concrete details,
and comments
 redundant information
or comments
 insufficient or
missing concluding
sentence
 confusing or missing
restatement of thesis,
main ideas, and
general information
 missing final
thought
 ineffective, awkward,
or missing transitions
 simple sentence
patterns
 may include confusing
or incorrect vocabulary
 limited awareness of
the audience
 little or no “voice”
(flat, lifeless, or
mechanical)
 may or may not have a
title
 inappropriate or
missing lead
 no general information
introducing the topic
 missing or irrelevant
thesis and main points
 missing or irrelevant
topic sentence
 few or no facts,
concrete details, or
support
 redundant information
 missing or irrelevant
concluding sentence
 missing or
inappropriate
 no transitions
 simple, confusing, or
fragmented sentence
patterns
 no awareness of the
audience
 lacks “voice” (flat,
lifeless, or mechanical)
 no title

61. Intro Body Conclusion Language Other
 engaging,
appropriate lead
 general information
introducing the topic
 clear thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 well-developed topic
sentence
 in-depth, accurate, and
relevant facts/concrete
details
 relevant comments
without redundancy
 effective concluding
sentence that restates
the topic sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 expands upon the
general information
provided in the
introduction
 ends with a final
thought, but does not
give any new
information
 effective transitions
throughout the essay
 employs a variety of
sentence patterns to
enhance the writing
 sentences vary in
beginnings, length, and
complexity
 precise and
engaging vocabulary
 writes with the
audience in mind
 strong “voice”
(expressive, engaging,
enthusiastic, natural,
thought-provoking)
 original and engaging
title
 appropriate lead
 some general
information
introducing the topic
 thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 topic sentence
 relevant facts, concrete
details, and supporting
comments
 minimal redundancy
 concluding sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 may include some
general information
 ends with a final
thought
 includes appropriate
transitions
 may employ various
sentence patterns
 sentences may vary in
beginnings and length
 uses accurate
vocabulary
 attempts to write with
the audience in mind
 moderate “voice”
(sincere, but not
genuinely engaging)
 appropriate title
 weak, inappropriate, or
missing lead
 little or no general
information
introducing the topic
 weak, insufficient, or
missing thesis and
statement of the main
points
 insufficient or
missing topic sentence
 limited or irrelevant
facts, concrete details,
and comments
 redundant information
or comments
 insufficient or
missing concluding
sentence
 confusing or missing
restatement of thesis,
main ideas, and
general information
 missing final
thought
 ineffective, awkward,
or missing transitions
 simple sentence
patterns
 may include confusing
or incorrect vocabulary
 limited awareness of
the audience
 little or no “voice”
(flat, lifeless, or
mechanical)
 may or may not have a
title
 inappropriate or
missing lead
 no general information
introducing the topic
 missing or irrelevant
thesis and main points
 missing or irrelevant
topic sentence
 few or no facts,
concrete details, or
support
 redundant information
 missing or irrelevant
concluding sentence
 missing or
inappropriate
 no transitions
 simple, confusing, or
fragmented sentence
patterns
 no awareness of the
audience
 lacks “voice” (flat,
lifeless, or mechanical)
 no title

62. Intro Body Conclusion Language Other
 engaging,
appropriate lead
 general information
introducing the topic
 clear thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 well-developed topic
sentence
 in-depth, accurate, and
relevant facts/concrete
details
 relevant comments
without redundancy
 effective concluding
sentence that restates
the topic sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 expands upon the
general information
provided in the
introduction
 ends with a final
thought, but does not
give any new
information
 effective transitions
throughout the essay
 employs a variety of
sentence patterns to
enhance the writing
 sentences vary in
beginnings, length, and
complexity
 precise and
engaging vocabulary
 writes with the
audience in mind
 strong “voice”
(expressive, engaging,
enthusiastic, natural,
thought-provoking)
 original and engaging
title
 appropriate lead
 some general
information
introducing the topic
 thesis and a
statement of the main
points
 topic sentence
 relevant facts, concrete
details, and supporting
comments
 minimal redundancy
 concluding sentence
 restates the thesis
statement and the main
ideas
 may include some
general information
 ends with a final
thought
 includes appropriate
transitions
 may employ various
sentence patterns
 sentences may vary in
beginnings and length
 uses accurate
vocabulary
 attempts to write with
the audience in mind
 moderate “voice”
(sincere, but not
genuinely engaging)
 appropriate title
 weak, inappropriate, or
missing lead
 little or no general
information
introducing the topic
 weak, insufficient, or
missing thesis and
statement of the main
points
 insufficient or
missing topic sentence
 limited or irrelevant
facts, concrete details,
and comments
 redundant information
or comments
 insufficient or
missing concluding
sentence
 confusing or missing
restatement of thesis,
main ideas, and
general information
 missing final
thought
 ineffective, awkward,
or missing transitions
 simple sentence
patterns
 may include confusing
or incorrect vocabulary
 limited awareness of
the audience
 little or no “voice”
(flat, lifeless, or
mechanical)
 may or may not have a
title
 inappropriate or
missing lead
 no general information
introducing the topic
 missing or irrelevant
thesis and main points
 missing or irrelevant
topic sentence
 few or no facts,
concrete details, or
support
 redundant information
 missing or irrelevant
concluding sentence
 missing or
inappropriate
 no transitions
 simple, confusing, or
fragmented sentence
patterns
 no awareness of the
audience
 lacks “voice” (flat,
lifeless, or mechanical)
 no title

63. 40%
25%
15%
10%
10%
Percentage
Structure and
Argumentation
Peer Review
activities
Vocabulary Use
Style and Citations

64. First Draft
• Due April 13th
• Thesis statement
• 5 paragraphs essay outline
• One explanatory paragraph
(abstract/summary)