Media Analysis- Representation of Difference

Purpose: Different social identities, such as race, disability, gender, and sexual orientation, are
represented in the media on a daily basis. The purpose of this assignment is to document and
analyze examples of representation in one of these categories of social identity. By analysing
these example, we will consider how different social identities are portrayed, and the
consequences of these portrayals on issues of inclusion, bias, and prejudice
Requirements: Once you choose a social category/identity to focus on, there are three parts to
completing this assignment:
Collecting the data: Over a one-two week period, look out for instances in which the
category that you chose is represented in the media. These instances will serve as the
“data” for this
assignment. Data can be found in areas such as social media and news coverage. We
could also include instances of conversation, such as a group chat, as part of media in a
broad sense.
The data should be taken from a variety of sources and be a minimum of 7 examples for
working individually, or 10 examples if working in pairs.
Record and analysis the data points individually:
● Record your data using the table below:
○ Source: Include where the data came from, such as the social media
platform, news source, television show, or website.
○ Date: Include the date in which the data point was created or
communicated
○ Data Point: Describe each data point. Provide enough description so that
the person reading will be able to understand the meaning and context of
what you observed.
○ Data Analysis Question or Tool selected: For each data point choose a
question or “tool” (list below) to use to guide your interpretation of the
data point. Use at least 5 different questions or tools.
○ Interpretation: Based on the question or tool you selected, provide a brief
explanation of how you interpreted the data point (3-5 sentences).
Reflect on the data as a whole: Write a reflective statement of no more than two pages