My First Abstacts~ feels like a kodak moment

Cheryl Names
N00173246
Discussion Sec. 7580
Abstract #2~ 3/8/10

The central thesis of Tracking Technology: Web Offers a Balanced Worldview is the investigation of how the events of September 11th, 2001 catalyzed people turning to foreign media online to gain a more balanced worldview (293). It goes on to describe the tension some of these English-language publications had to deal with whilst providing an international cast of suspects in Afghanistan and Pakistan where they’re published. The major concepts central to this work are the events following September 11th and how some foreign nations played fundamental roles during that period. The author defines these terms focusing on the U.S. and the nations(s) who were suspected to be responsible.. Lappin also looked into media reaction in countries accused of participating in attack on the U.S. The research methods include interviews with the website creator of a site that has a directorial list of links to thousands of publications from over a hundred countries, and the acting director of a close-proximity to conflict zone foreign publication. Lappin also used quantitave method tracking page visitors and how the frequency spiked the day after September 11th. The only criticism I have is that.the tracking software showed numbers of visitors but not which countries they are coming from. However, this article offers some great resources accessible to foreign media.


Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.


Source: Todd Lappin, “Turning the Page to a Fresh Worldview, ” New York Times, October 4, 1001, p.G9.

Abstract #1~ 3/8/10

The case study article Idiots and Objects: Stereotyping in Advertising addresses the criticism revolving around stereotypes and objectifying in mainstream advertising with how genders and minorities are wrongly portrayed, if they’re portrayed at all (398). The assumption the article makes is that members of society are offended by the way advertising depicts their identities, and that it’s a gross misrepresentation of reality. The article doesn’t specify any sort of criticism, but assumes the reader understands the blanket concept or innuendo. Stereotyping and invisible stereotyping are the buzzwords presented at the nucleus of the article and the author addresses them by presenting their definitions directly. The methods of research include historical evidence of product ads as well as the mention of books that spurred social ideologies to evolve. The methods of argumentation the author is employing are to draw attention to how the sexes-men are idiots when confronted with household appliances and women are objectified as rewards to men for consuming a product- portrayed in mainstream advertising. In my opinion, the shortcomings on this article are that it primarily devotes its focus on the gender-stereotyping being represented in advertising, and doesn’t focus as much attention on minorities being under-represented in media. However, the major contribution this article provides is that it does at least address the controversial topic and suggests that improvements have been made due to the onslaught of criticism companies have endured due to their lack of minority representation in advertising.


Works Cited:
Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Martin, and Bettina Fabos. Media & Culture: an
introduction to mass communication. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.
Print.


B+