Chapter
4. Chapter 4
Media Literacy Activity: Values in Magazine Articles
Media Literacy Practice Activity
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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in
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Media Literacy Activity:
Values in Magazine Articles
Activity Objective: Our values are the foundation for what we think is important or
unimportant, our
preferences, the choices we make, and how we assess others. A culture’s values help determine that
culture’s norms for everyday behavior. Magazine articles usually do not explicitly state specific
values, however, each article implies that some things are more important than others. In this activity,
you will apply the critical process to become aware of the value orientation of articles in two
magazines by looking at one issue of each publication.
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Reviewing the Critical Process
Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages
that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:
Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the
subject under study
Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge
from the description stage
Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?”
questions about one’s findings
Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad,
or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting
from the first three stages
Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with
our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the
cultural environment
Description
- Choose one magazine that was a finalist for a 2019 general
excellence magazine award ("Ellie" award) in the "News, Sports and Entertainment" category. This includes the following:
The Marshall Project, National Geographic, New York, TIME, and Wired. (Source:
https://asme.magazine.org/ASME/ellies-2019-finalists-announced)
- Choose one 2019 finalist for a magazine “Ellie” award in the “Service and Lifestyle” category.
This includes the following: Afar, Bon Appétit, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, or T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
(Source: https://asme.magazine.org/ASME/ellies-2019-finalists-announced)
- Make a list of all the articles in each magazine.
- As you read each article, write down the values that you detect in that article. Here are some
examples of values that might be relevant: consumerism, capitalism, work, power, wealth, comfort, pleasure,
freedom, justice, truth, honesty, trust, equality, individualism, independence, diversity, self-reliance,
ambition, beauty, attractiveness, being fashionable, popularity, health, science, technology, efficiency,
friendship, family, happiness, romance, love, religion, tradition, nostalgia. Add any other values you
perceive.
- Also, note any special features of the article, such as a photograph, graphic, or illustration;
placement (cover story? brief article “buried” in the publication); layout; proximity to an advertisement
for a particular product, etc.
Use the space below to answer the following question.
Question
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_feedback: Your response has been accepted and will be graded by your instructor.
Analysis
With your assessment in mind, let’s explore what patterns emerge regarding the underlying
values of magazines.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
Question
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_feedback: Your response has been accepted and will be graded by your instructor.
Interpretation
Through the following questions, interpret how the two magazines promote values.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
Question
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_feedback: Your response has been accepted and will be graded by your instructor.
Evaluation
Now, assess how magazine values connect with American society and culture.
Use the space below to answer the following questions.
Question
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_feedback: Your response has been accepted and will be graded by your instructor.
Engagement
Let’s take action! Notice how paying attention to underlying values affects your reading of magazine
articles and make it a habit to pay attention to underlying values when you read magazines. Some suggestions
for further engagement are as follows:
- Point out values in magazine articles to friends who send links of articles to you.
- Read a more diverse set of magazines than you currently read. Pay attention to the differences in the values promoted in different magazines.
Use the space below to answer the following question.
Question
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_feedback: Your response has been accepted and will be graded by your instructor.