This writing assignment is based on your personal media use, the Uses, and Gratifications
theory/model, and Neil Postman’s book Amusing Ourselves to Death (which will be provided as an
eBook as a PDF file). You will need a MINIMUM of one full week to complete this assignment, so do not wait until it’s too late. It is due NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 7. The number of pages is just a
suggestion – you may be able to write to the prompts and instructions using fewer or more pages.
PART ONE (1.5 – 2 pages):
• READ Amusing Ourselves to Death (pdf eBook available in TITANium)
• Answer the following questions; your response for this section should be about 1.5-2 pages for
these questions.
- How do forms (the media) of conversation affect the content of a culture? What is
peculiar about the interposition of media in human culture? - Why was the influence of the printed word so insistent and powerful?
- What sort of culture does television produce?
PART TWO (1.5 – 2 pages):
• Research and specifically define the Uses and Gratifications approach.
• What’s its history?
• What’s it based upon?
• List and define the main reasons suggested by the theory (sometimes called categories,
motives or needs) we use a particular medium for a specific purpose?
You must use a minimum of two (2) outside sources other than your textbooks and they MUST
be properly cited, both in-text and in works cited page at the end of your paper. This can be from an academic journal (try scholar.google.com; better, utilize the online databases accessible from the college library). Need help with MLA? Visit the library website for resources.
PART THREE (# of pages will differ for each person)
Keep a DAILY JOURNAL FOR SIX (6) DAYS to track ALL your media use including the amount of
time spent as well as a brief description of what medium, how you used it and how it applied to the
U&G model. Don’t forget to list all activity on social media and any non-single player video
games. For example:
Media Log/Journal
Activity Duration Uses & Gratifications
Category
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2019
Read the Los Angeles Times, specifically the local news and to
find out today’s weather forecast.
20
minutes Cognition
Chatted with my grandma on FaceTime 15 min. Social Utility
Played a video game with my brother 30 min. Entertainment
List how many private messages you send and receive each day (via SMS/text or social
apps/networks). Keep a tally and then note in a chart format:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
75 200 193 230 54 206 85
Prepare a graphical chart of the monthly cost of each medium that you
use, including cell phone, internet service provider, movie rentals, cable
or satellite TV charges, magazines, newspapers, satellite radio, video
games, etc. You must submit your media diary and chart of media costs
attached to your paper. Otherwise, you will be dropped up to two
grades. The diary and chart must be typed.
PART FOUR 4-6 pages
Then you will spend the last day without using any mass media. On the day spent without media,
keep track of your activities and your anxiety, if any. Please give up all forms of communication media, including telephones, unless there is an emergency. Then go into detail about your day without media and about your experience and the importance of media in your life.
Write a 4- to 6-page detailed and in-depth personal essay-style paper about your experience and the importance of media in your life. You will go into detail about your day without media.
YOU MUST INCLUDE:
• Define how you use media, based on your chart and what it costs for you each month.
This section also describes how and why you use media, in relation to the uses and gratification theory. You will describe, for example, the television shows you watch and how it fits into the diversion aspect of uses and gratification theory.
PART FIVE 1 page
Analyze what you learned from this assignment.
#
Turn in your paper on time. All late papers, or those missing required elements, will be dropped two grades. No paper will be accepted more than a week late. Papers will be submitted via
TITANium/Turnitin. The penalty for plagiarism on any writing assignment is an automatic F.
Sample Solution
