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2012-11-18

Fleshing Out My Assignments

It's hard to concentrate at school when there are females flipping their hair around all the time and playing with it when I'm trying to do boring homework! How am I supposed to keep my eyes on my boring old readings?

I'm here in Suzzallo Undergraduate Library at the University of Washington. Got Jimmy John's delivered to me, as is my usual food of choice around here. Beach club, #12.

I have to start doing a literature review for the final project in my "Effects of Mass Communication" class. The assignment--to put together a sociological research proposal, looking at media effects in some way. Keep in mind, no actual research will take place--we're just supposed to write the proposal. It's a lot of work.

The question I choose to address is this: How do minorities, African-Americans and Hispanics specifically, in the U.S., react to stereotypical depictions of members of their race in television and movies?

We need to use something like eight other published works which are in line with the topic we're choosing. Research methodologies must be nailed down--I'm thinking of a triangulated approach, using field and panel study methods, possibly with a survey thrown in.

(writing this is helping me think about what I'm gonna write on the final product)

Now, all aspects of what I will ask people, what I will have them, watch, and basically all that will happen during the interviews, I have to fill in. For the field study part, I'm thinking--get in the household with minority families while the tv is on. Get some real reactions, in the moment. For the panel studies, I'll want, as far as my thinking is going right now, three groups of people--one of African-Americans, one of Hispanics, and one of whites--and have them watch something, and then comment on it. Maybe give them questionnaires or just ask them all. Also record their reactions while viewing. Maybe save questionnaires for a survey? What am I gonna ask on the survey?

Obviously I've got a lot to think about. And this is just one class! I'm taking three. However, I've got about three weeks to get it done, which is enough time. I've got a presentation about public relations in Egypt to do in my PR class, and a research paper about a SCOTUS case and how it enforces Charles Mills' racial contract.

Yes!

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