Final Project
Being a Responsible Producer of Digital Media
The media serve a vital role in our society.
Often, they expose injustices that bring special attention to vulnerable and less fortunate populations of people. As we have discussed in class, the media have changed and evolved dramatically over the years.
In this project, you will learn what it is like to be a media producer. You will engage with the challenges of telling stories in different media. You will do research, applying the “ways of skeptical knowing” to present reliable and credible information.
- What kind of content am I encountering?
- Is the information complete; and if not, what is missing?
- Who or what are the sources, and why should I believe them?
- What evidence was presented, and how was it tested and vetted?
- What might be an alternative explanation or understanding?
- Am I learning what I need to?
Topic and Focus: CHOOSE A SOCIAL PROBLEM / DILEMMA
Theme/Topic: You will choose a topic for coverage, creating media for the common good that seeks to explore a social problem or dilemma. You will produce an example of this concept by focusing on a social cause/dilemma in a way that offers resources and solutions that can save or improve lives.
For EXAMPLE:
- If you choose mental health, hone in on one area that is in need of attention, possibly mental health in college sports or in the healthcare field. These are just focus areas of one topic.
- Fast-fashion and its effects on the environment.
- How daily decisions can help with rising global warming.
You will create a Wordpress Website, or another site on a free platform of your choice.
You will work to create a page on your Wordpress portfolio website. Your goal with this website page is to provide your audience with an understanding and perspective on your topic. How is that topic covered in the media? What holes in the coverage can you address? What resources could you provide the public for getting more help or information on the issue?
You will use text, audio, video, and photos to inform visitors to your Wordpress site.
Items to be on your webpage:
- 700-word mass media story - with source. Look to our Library Guide (this page!) for resources. https://library.delval.edu/callahan-mc1010
- Bullet points of main facts and the source of those facts
- 3 royalty-free/copyright free images depicting identity stereotypes
- Statistics & facts (from an authoritative source)
- Soundcloud embedded link to audio assignment - you don’t have to create one.
- YouTube embedded link to video assignment
*Note: This is a major research project as well as a media production project. Make sure you are thorough in your research.
Online Resources
Websites
- The Journalist's ToolboxAs newsrooms and resources shrink, the Toolbox plays an important role in providing journalists, students, professors and people in many professions with reliable resources for reporting, editing, verifying and visualizing information for complex stories. The site was originally used by news librarians deep-researching in-depth stories. But as newsroom libraries closed, more reporters and editors began using the Toolbox.
Today, the Toolbox is a free resource for start-up newsrooms, legacy and local media, freelancers, entrepreneurs, educators, student media and people in many other industries. Reporters new to a beat use the pages, organized much like a newsroom, to familiarize themselves with coverage and sourcing. Toolbox content has a Creative Commons license, and educators are encouraged to share Toolbox resources, videos, newsletters, etc. in class and in course materials. - Ad Fontes Media - Interactive Media Bias ChartAd Fontes is Latin for "to the source;" since 2018, they've been reviewing thousands of news sources, articles, and podcasts to create a measurable, clear system of rating such sources' bias and reliability. The goal is to provide a way for people to assess the information they are getting, and sources they are getting them from!
The defined metrics for Reliability are Expression, Veracity, and Headline/Graphic. The Bias ones are Political Position, Language and Comparison. See their full methodology overview here: https://adfontesmedia.com/how-ad-fontes-ranks-news-sources/. - MediaWise by PoynterMediaWise empowers people of all ages to become more critical consumers of content online. They teach people digital media literacy and fact-checking skills to spot misinformation and disinformation, with initiatives specifically designed to engage Gen Z, college students and older Americans. Their innovative, digital-first program works constantly to address the ever-changing landscape of misinformation across the internet. "When facts prevail, democracy wins."
- How to Spot 16 Types of Media BiasThis is a great overview by Julie Mastrine, Director of Marketing and Media Bias Ratings at AllSides.com. It's important to be able to spot AND name biases.
- UnsplashBeautiful, free images gifted by the world’s most generous community of photographers. Better than any royalty free or stock photos.
If you can't find what you like on Unsplash, here is a link to a multitude of other royalty-free sites. https://bettermarketing.pub/13-unsplash-alternatives-to-find-free-stock-photos-ce0eb2043910
Videos
Government and Opinion Polls
Polls can be helpful indicators of public opinion.
- Pew Research CenterSource: Pew Research Center
Nonpartisan American think tank which provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. - Research AmericaResearch!America has been commissioning public opinion polls with leading firms since 1992.
Academic & News Resources
Types of Sources
| Academic | Trade | Popular | |
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| Content | Original research and experimentation | Industry/trade trends, products, and news | Current events, opinions, and general information |
| Look | Plain, long articles, may contain charts and graphs | Glossy, contains photos and industry/trade related advertisements | Glossy, contains color photos and everyday product advertisements |
| Authors | Experts in their field | Industry specialists or staff writers | Journalists/reporters, staff or freelance writers |
| Audience | Professors, researchers, students | Members of the particular industry or trade | Anyone |
| Language | Academic and technical | Jargon of the industry | Written in a language for anyone to understand |
| Documentation | Footnotes or bibliography | Occasionally contain cited sources | References may be mentioned in text |
Library Databases
- Summon This link opens in a new window
A research tool that searches all DelVal databases simultaneously. Contains books, ebooks, dvds, online videos, journals, magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings, and more. - ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window
Millions of full-text items across scholarly and popular periodicals, newspapers, market research reports, dissertations, books, videos and more. - Westlaw Campus Research This link opens in a new window
A collection of thousands of law, news, and business publications. It is especially useful for legal research, and it is regularly updated with the most recent news and legal information. - Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive, multidisciplinary video subscription that supports the entire range of curriculum, from anthropology to zoology. Documentaries, interviews, feature films, performances, news programs and newsreels, and demonstrations.
Journals, Periodicals and News Organizations
You'll be able to find a lot of these resources online. However, not all their content is free.
- ReutersReuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.
- Wall Street Journal (Online)01/08/2010 to Present in ABI/INFORM Global and ProQuest One Business.
The Wall Street Journal founded in 1889 chronicles the rise of industries in America and around the world. The Journal has covered the births and deaths of tens of thousands of companies; the creation of new industries; two world wars and numerous other conflicts; profound advances in science and technology; revolutionary social movements; the rise of consumer economies in the U.S. and abroad; and the fitful march of globalization. - NPRNPR is an independent, nonprofit media organization that was founded on a mission to create a more informed public. Every day, NPR connects with millions of Americans on the air, online, and in person to explore the news, ideas, and what it means to be human. Through its network of member stations, NPR makes local stories national, national stories local, and global stories personal.
- Pew Research CenterSource: Pew Research Center
Nonpartisan American think tank which provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world. - AP NewsThe Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business.
Free E-Books
The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, Newsjacking, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly by Call Number: ProQuest Ebook CentralISBN: 9781119362449Publication Date: 2017-07-10The international bestseller--now in a new edition When it comes to marketing, anything goes in the Digital Age, right? Well, not quite. While marketing and public relations tactics do seem to change overnight, every smart businessperson knows that it takes a lot more than the 'next big thing.' The New Rules of Marketing & PR is an international bestseller with more than 375,000 copies sold in twenty-nine languages. In the latest edition of this pioneering guide to the future of marketing, you'll get a step-by-step action plan for leveraging the power of the latest approaches to generating attention for your idea or your business. You'll learn how get the right information to the right people at the right time--at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. The Internet continues to change the way people communicate and interact with each other, and if you're struggling to keep up with what's trending in social media, online videos, apps, blogs, or more, your product or service is bound to get lost in the ether. In The New Rules of Marketing & PR, you'll get access to the tried-and-true rules that will keep you ahead of the curve when using the latest and greatest digital spaces to their fullest PR, marketing, and customer-communications potential. Keeping in mind that your audience is savvy and crunched for time, this essential guide shows you how to cut through the online clutter to ensure that your message gets seen and heard. Serves as the ideal resource for entrepreneurs, business owners, marketers, PR professionals, and non-profit managers Offers a wealth of compelling case studies and real-world examples Includes information on new platforms including Facebook Live and Snapchat Shows both small and large organizations how to best use Web-based communication Finally, everything you need to speak directly to your audience and establish a personal link with those who make your business work is in one place.
Communications Writing and Design: The Integrated Manual for Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations by Call Number: ProQuest Ebook CentralISBN: 9781119118916Publication Date: 2017-03-14Communications Writing and Design is an integrated, project-based introduction to effective writing and design across the persuasive domains of communication. Build a strong foundation of core writing and design skills using professionally-designed examples that illustrate and reinforce key principles Readers learn and analyze techniques by creating 15 projects in marketing, advertising, PR, and social media with the help of strategy suggestions, practical tips, and professional production techniques Written by an experienced professional and teacher, with a focus on the cross-disciplinary nature of contemporary communication work Learning is reinforced through a variety of pedagogical features: learning objectives, helpful mnemonics, real-life projects and applications, chapter references for further study, and end-of-chapter summaries and exercises A companion website with multimedia slides, exam questions, learning videos, and design guides provides additional learning tools for students and instructors- Understanding Media and Culture byPublication Date: May 9, 2019This OER book’s title tells its intent. It is written to help you understand media and culture. The media and culture are so much a part of our days that sometimes it is difficult to step back and appreciate and apprehend their great impact on our lives. The book’s title, and the book itself, begin with a focus squarely on media. Think of your typical day. If you are like many people, you wake to a digital alarm clock or perhaps your cell phone. Soon after waking, you likely have a routine that involves some media. Some people immediately check the cell phone for text messages. Others will turn on the computer and check Facebook, email, or websites. Some people read the newspaper. Others listen to music on an iPod or CD. Some people will turn on the television and watch a weather channel, cable news, or Sports Center. Heading to work or class, you may chat on a cell phone or listen to music. Your classes likely employ various types of media from course management software to PowerPoint presentations to DVDs to YouTube. You may return home and relax with video games, television, movies, more Facebook, or music. You connect with friends on campus and beyond with text messages or Facebook. And your day may end as you fall asleep to digital music. Media for most of us are entwined with almost every aspect of life and work. Understanding media will not only help you appreciate the role of media in your life but also help you be a more informed citizen, a more savvy consumer, and a more successful worker. Media influence all those aspects of life as well.
DelVal's Marketing and Communications Resources
Brand Resources
- Editorial Style GuideA guide for how to reference everyone and everything at DelVal. General guidelines included on usage, style and grammar for the DelVal Brand.
- DAM - Digital Assets ManagerDelVal's digital photo and logo library.
- Brand BookColor palettes, logo guidance, boilerplates and elevator pitches included!
- Horizons MagazineThe DelVal yearly publication.
Getting Help
Meet with a Librarian
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is staffed by DelVal undergraduate peer tutors who help with writing assignments in all your courses. We view writing as a process that involves planning, reading, drafting, revising, and editing—writing with substance involves discovering your meaning through brainstorming, sharing, and getting lots of feedback.
Tutors help you gain a fresh perspective on the writing process, and can assist with any stage of the process: choosing a topic or working through writer's block, generating ideas, creating an outline, sharpening a thesis, arranging and organizing paragraphs, citing correctly and fluently, editing grammar and mechanics, and more.
Instructors receive a copy of the tutor report completed during the session, to illustrate your engagement with the writing process and meeting the demands of writing across disciplines.
Services are on a walk-in basis, so no appointment is necessary. Schedules are posted in the Writing Center, on Inside DelVal, and on professors' Blackboard course pages.
Tutors look forward to working with you!
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The Writing CenterWe offer in-person writing tutoring AND remote writing tutoring through Zoom. To receive in-person tutoring, simply stop by Miller Hall, room 103 during our open hours. You will be seen on a first-come, first-serve basis.