tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36740205214405472122024-02-20T15:23:32.471-05:00We Love Media CriticismA group blog for Introduction to Media Criticism at NYU, Fall 2009.Alice Marwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17295370401945182558noreply@blogger.comBlogger437125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-70573942411860581232009-12-15T16:29:00.002-05:002009-12-15T16:37:15.987-05:00I learned...-that I need to wake up earlier for class.<div><br /></div><div>No but seriously, as everyone else said, I learned a lot from this class. Semiotics was hard and not terribly enjoyable, but after running away from it since high school media studies, its nice to feel as though I have some sort of a grasp on it now.</div><div>I learned a lot about how to analyze texts to see the underlying ideologies, and postmodernism. Oh my goodness, after writing my final paper on it if I never hear that word again it'll be waaay too soon. </div><div>And Dominika's reminder that Alice told us our friends wont be able to stand our constant critiques of media: so true. My roommate and I both took Media Crit this semester and now nobody will watch TV with us. </div>Elyse M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02138637106395329124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-29119878194611219562009-12-15T03:37:00.002-05:002009-12-15T03:44:40.310-05:00What I learned...What I learned for this class...<br /><br />I learned that now I am incapable of watching a television show without seeing it through a gender lens, especially that of a feminist one. This is especially difficult when I am watching like a tv series from Hong Kong, where it is OBVIOUS that it was a MAN who wrote the script... Further, after learning that women are under represented, both back stage and in the spotlight, of the entertainment industry, it really cleared up a lot of things.<br /><br />Walking down the street, I feel like New Yorkers peg me as a tourist because I am always looking around, at both architecture and the advertisements on the streets. I can't help but analyze them through with semiotics.<br /><br />I also learned brand new things that I was never aware of, such as the Slasher girls and queer reading. Seriously, everything has a queer reading now that I now what it is.<br /><br />Oh, learning about postmodernism is the best because I totally told someone that they misunderstood the meaning of it. HA. What's the point of learning something in class when you can't use it to throw it in someone's face?Kim Koohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09941419955594024122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-44002246448280095092009-12-15T02:37:00.004-05:002009-12-15T02:56:10.750-05:00What I Learned In This ClassI learned a lot of things from this class. Because the majority of the articles that we read tended to focus on familiar television shows and films, I was able to learn more about what these media texts were really saying. I was especially fascinated by the articles that focused on HBO, Disney films, <span style="font-style:italic;">American Idol</span>, and <span style="font-style:italic;">The OC</span>.<br /><br />I also learned a lot of terminology that I feel will really help me with future media studies classes. It was good to get some clarity on terms regarding semiotic analysis, and I also appreciated learning more about postmodernism, which before was a term that didn't really mean too much to me.<br /><br />Overall, I appreciated developing a 'critical eye' when it comes to media texts. I remember that at the beginning of the semester we were asked to describe what things in the media bothered us, and I was unable to come up with anything. Now, I can come up with lots of examples...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-61434937793835693032009-12-15T02:05:00.003-05:002009-12-15T02:43:20.084-05:00Lessons LearnedI have to say that although Intro. to Media Crit. was a bit of a struggle for me, I <span style="font-style: italic;">honestly </span>learned the most from it than any of my other classes.<br /><br />It gave me insight on just how complex different media are. I loved learning about semiotics and the different ways to analyze images. Although it might have seemed over-interpretative at times, I realized that one can never overlook seemingly unimportant details in any form of advertisement. Every element has a purpose that collectively adds up to form the general meaning of a text.<br /><br />I feel more knowledgeable about the different methods in looking at media. I enjoy the different readings about races, and I find myself looking for those familiar stereotypes whenever I watch a movie or a show. I find myself viewing music videos differently as well. For example, the upward angle in the opening shot of Miley Cyrus' video for her song "Party in the USA" creates a sexualized image of her because it emphasizes her legs, hahaha. Another example: I was watching "The Office" and the character of Oscar defies the typical, gay stereotype and that Michael Scott, the head of the company, is the biggest buffoon.<br /><br />Race and gender stereotypes also made me realize just how oppressed certain ethnic groups really are. The Asian texts that we read were really interesting and made me realize just how offensive some of the portrayals are. Mr. Yunioshi, I will never forget you now.<br /><br />Also, because of this class, I have come to the conclusion that stereotypes will never be eliminated. I have learned that humans instinctively classify others through different lenses, whether it be class, race or gender. We go by stereotypes because they are so reinforced in society, and although most are negative, we use them because they provide us with an easier and more generalized way to view the world's complexities.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Glenngelina Joliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14640453489908362119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-66037871881709083152009-12-15T01:59:00.003-05:002009-12-15T02:17:45.555-05:00What I Have LearnedAfter taking this course, walking down the streets of New York City will never be the same. I find myself wanting to engage in a discussion with my friends about what connotations can be made about Eva Mendes seductively grabbing onto Jamie Dornan in the new Calvin Klein ad or if the rockin' six-pack bods featured in the Abercrombie and Hollister billboards are "queer." While Intro to Media Studies laid down a solid foundation of the basics of media criticism, this class has equipped me with a more analytical and scholarly perspective. The strong influence that media has on society and culture is astounding and no longer will I ever take its power for granted.Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11764048784082620004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-65403875638627317252009-12-15T00:34:00.002-05:002009-12-15T00:39:47.435-05:00Learned A LOTThis semester I not only learned the fundamentals of semiotic analysis, representation and all tools related to media criticism, but I learned them in a fun and stimulating way. I felt like the real representations and the relatable readings really added to the effect of this class. <div><br /></div><div>As a reflection, I think the most important thing that I got out of this class is that there is always something more that you can discover about something. We can always read further into things and create meanings that we once overlooked. The process is never-ending and it is almost maddening, but it forces us to look beyond the superficial and stretch our minds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, learned a lot!</div>bsullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10025129380597675964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-70219181339294663172009-12-14T22:51:00.004-05:002009-12-15T02:11:46.595-05:00What have I learned this semester? Well, obviously not time management, as I'm writing this post on a break from my final paper.<div><br /></div><div>In more sincerity, specific terms and concepts aside, I've learned that almost anything is applicable for analysis, and the tools and training exist to perform them in coherent, verbose, academic formats. </div><div><br /></div><div>In studying scenes for my final paper, I'm amazed at how many details emerge upon repeat viewings. That said, I wonder how many of them are due to intentional planning, and how much is apparent because of my desire to find something new, as a justification for watching the same thing for the eighth time.</div>Stiltshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12664839305085236990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-63343789576247487992009-12-14T22:28:00.002-05:002009-12-14T22:39:43.119-05:00some last words....<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">seriously.. cannot believe that the semester is OVER?! I still think we just started it... maaan, time flies way too fast.<br />It was definitely an interesting semester. I have to say that not only have I reviewed a lot of material from my earlier communications classes, but I also learned new things as well. I think that I absolutely agree with the statement that Alice made the first day of class: "By the end of the semester, your fiends will not be able to stand you constantly critiquing the media that you're exposed to together." AMEN to that. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical at the beginning, and didn't really believe that this would happen, but it most certainly did. I repeateadly find myself looking at media from ways that I never thought I would. I mean Disney?! I loved it always, and it was my childhood. But now... I don't think I can look at it the same way:( And not only Disney for that matter.. any childhood memory... you guys, Smurfs?! Never really thought of it until I took this class, but Smurfette was the only chick in that village... any inappropriate images coming to your minds?! I mean.... media crit has definitely taught me to look at the surrounding media in a more critical way. Yeas, of course I knew it before, and that everything shouldn't be taken for granted. But i think it is with this class that I actually fully got it, and maan.... my viewing abilities are screwed forever;) I don't think I will ever again be able to just enjoy something without actually looking at it from the critical point of view.<br />But at the same time.... Thanks for that, Alice. I believe that you gave me something that will make my life experiences that much more interesting and true. Although I might start over-analyze certain things, I definitely know now that there are oh so many ways to read things as. I truly appreciate your teaching abilities to not only engage us in the subject by giving us fun and interesting assignments that are easy to relate to our everyday reality, but also teach us a new view of the world.... a more critical and careful approach to the constantly changing and growing world of media. For that, I truly Thank You.<br /><br />Dominika<3<br /></span></span>Dominikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14174714001539498569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-74995651779921394032009-12-14T21:16:00.002-05:002009-12-14T21:20:51.348-05:00What I've Learned...I can't believe the semester is over..it went by way too fast! But yayy for christmas :) Media Crit is truly one of my favorite classes from my college experience. I feel like I really have a solid understanding of how to critique media and also enjoy it in so many more ways. I really enjoyed all of the topics that we covered throughout the class. But moreover, I really liked how we incorporated mainstream media into our studies. The fact that I could tell my friends I was writing a paper on a tv show character was pretty sweet. I think what i'll take away most is that you really do use all of our critiquing skills, if you will, in our everyday lives and whether it be in the media or opening my eyes to new perspectives and ways of looking at things in my job experience, I really feel prepared and well equipped to move forward. It's been a really great class and I can't wait for break ahhhhhhJessica Tirschwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07344780155372407724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-70568654538971051102009-12-14T20:44:00.002-05:002009-12-14T20:59:50.286-05:00What I've learnedI learned some of the basic ideas from Ted Magder's Intro to Media Studies, but the concepts were developed further in this Media Criticism class. Perhaps that's an obvious statement, but I definitely learned more concepts from all the readings and discussions in this class especially when I applied them to our paper assignments--which may not have reflected too accurately, but I assure you, it's true. Now I look, listen, and read everything critically. Disney is not so innocent anymore, racism isn't dead, vids aren't always just random fan mash-ups, and suddenly I'm "queer-reading." And to think, it all began when we analyzed the 3DDREAMGIRL ad...caroline yihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04737727537110164054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-70334198651737594592009-12-14T18:05:00.003-05:002009-12-14T19:09:51.114-05:00What I've Learned in Media CritI know I have learned a lot in this media class because I can't watch a television show, movie, commercial, music video, anything without analyzing the underlying themes, representations, or meanings. Although the terms were confusing and overlapping at times, I felt that they helped me distinguish between the different aspects in media criticism. I especially liked learning about queer theory, and realized that it is a central part of much our mainstream culture. Now I can find any hint of queerness in so many texts that I would have never noticed otherwise. I also really liked how we used examples from current media texts to examine the topics we would discuss such as the picture of Mark <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wahlberg</span> in a suggestive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">underwear</span> advertisement. Without reading the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Doty</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Jagose</span> I never would have noticed the ad's queerness. <br /><div>The biggest thing I learned in this class is how great of an influence the media is on our society. Media substantially fosters the creation of ideologies, especially stereotypes. Studying stereotypes also allowed me to see how different groups are marginalized, especially minority groups and women. I can now recognize different racial stereotypes and the repeated patterns media uses to portray them. Even the amount of gender stereotypes in the media surprised me, I had never realized how many depictions of female characters were stereotyped, and as a result, has deep effects as it creates our society's ideological <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">perspective</span>. </div><div><br /></div>apaluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11156958107414913911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-2954570340060705692009-12-14T15:05:00.000-05:002009-12-14T15:07:06.552-05:00What I've learned this semester<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I definitely feel that I have come away from this class learning a lot; I have definitely gained a much greater understanding on how to analyze and critique various forms of media, whether it may be advertisements, a television show or a movie. I’ve learned about the how texts can be analyzed through various perspectives, such as class, gender, ideological or semiotic lenses. I’ve also learned about the different ways characters are presented in film due to their race, gender, and class; oftentimes “the other” is reduced to stereotypes or shown as being submissive through binary codes and other ideological representations. In fact, I’ve learned a lot about the use of stereotypes throughout the history of media and how they are still extremely prominent in movies/television nowadays, revealing that society has not made that much progress in defying stereotypes or including a more accurate racial representation in the media. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve also learned about hegemony, which is the power or dominance that one social group holds over others. This directly affects the types of media that are created and shown to the public and can be used to explain why subaltern texts so rarely make it into mainstream media. Furthermore, I learned about the prominent role which ideology has in reinforcing myths in society and affecting the way one’s perception on reality. After taking this class I now also know the important role which narrative and genre play in the structuring of films. Various narrative techniques, such as light, costuming, casting, sound, music, color and composition, are used to elicit different emotions and responses in viewers and genre is an important mode used to attract viewers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Nicole http://www.blogger.com/profile/00270927074141337861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-80013536640756279462009-12-14T14:17:00.003-05:002009-12-14T14:25:18.271-05:00What I learned...I do feel like I've taken a lot away from this class. Most specifically how to write better papers. My thesis statements are much more detailed and scholarly, and I feel that I have had a lot of opportunities to practice writing techniques and learning how to incorporate our readings with fun things like television show characters and advertisements. I appreciate all the one-on-one help and I know I will be able to take what I've learned as far as getting feedback on papers so that I can excel in other media classes.<div><br /></div><div>I also feel that I am a better critic of media in general because we have looked at media through numerous lenses- the obvious ones such as race, class, and gender, but also the not as obvious ones such as postmodernism and psychoanalysis. This proves that there is no one correct way to critique media but rather that it is important to back up your points with proper sources so that really, you could argue anything and still be making good points.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've also tried to learn time management because our lengthy assignments, such as the final group paper and presentation, have really forced us to work ahead and stay focused because it's very stressful trying to get everything done, and getting it done well. </div>Courtney Plavachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628376430940595775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-50854200793348650522009-12-10T16:54:00.003-05:002009-12-10T17:01:00.749-05:00EvaluationOh no! I just realized that there was an error and my blog post never went through. Let's try this again. Sorry..<div><br /></div><div>Things I liked:</div><div>- Alice, you rock. You always had an eloquent, well thought out answer to all of our comments and questions and never made it seem like you were talking down at us. You were able to create an environment that wasn't intimidating but that was still conducive to scholarly learning. </div><div>- I loved the Blog; great idea. Having a space where we could interact outside a classroom setting was awesome and allowed us to form a sort of scholarly community. </div><div>- The use of present day examples in media </div><div>- Discussion based</div><div><br /></div><div>Things I didn't like so much:</div><div>- 2 blog posts per week could have been dropped down to just 1 per week.</div><div>- Classroom set up. I didn't like that we were sitting in rows and couldn't see each other.</div><div>- I would have liked to spend more time on post-modernism and vids</div><div>- Wish we had more time for final</div>Nadiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11764048784082620004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-51130286102876247412009-12-10T04:05:00.000-05:002009-12-10T04:06:13.733-05:00Looking Back Looking ForwardIt’s after four, so this might be a little short. But hopefully (if I wake up tomorrow) I’ll expand on this. Despite my reservations about the class in the beginning of the semester I have come to learn a great deal about a subject I would otherwise have only anecdotal knowledge of. What has been so interesting is the classification of principles and practices I only knew intuitively. This process has been equally enlightening and disheartening as, one of hand, I can articulate myself with greater ease and, on the other, my insight into media and culture has proven to be unimaginative and highly predictable. <br /><br />But for something the class could use? I do wish we had spent a little more time on the book. There were several chapters we did not go over in depth that I would have liked to. And, not too come off as lazy (thought I often am) I did find the readings at time to be a bit lengthy and cumbersome (in addition to the weekly blogpost)..I often found myself skimming through readings (and missing important points.) Perhaps a fewer number or more condensed readings would have better. That having been said I think the weekly blogpost was an excellent component of the class and did a phenomenal job of keeping me engaged and on track.Dylan Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08448164354586582802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-44198849800625765382009-12-09T23:56:00.001-05:002009-12-10T00:07:16.447-05:00One of My Favorites<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>This class this semester was truthfully one of my favorites. The way the class was designed with discussion-based learning was really beneficial and efficient. I felt that this kind of environment was very stimulating and challenged me to think outside of the box. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I really enjoyed that instead of following power point presentations each class, we used visual texts that embodied the materials that we read for class and were talking about that day. I thought that this was an innovative and interesting approach to teaching that kept us entertained as well as engaged. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The readings, although some were lengthy and boring, were for the most part interesting and were very relevant to our discussion. They covered interesting topics and many of them included examples in the media that I had either seen or head about. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The papers and assignments were challenging, but I never felt like they asked too much of us. We were given an appropriate amount of time to accomplish each and you made yourself very available to answer our questions and guide us in the process. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I know this sounds like a cop-out and lazy answer, but I don’t think that anything really needs to be changed about this class. You did a great job presenting the information in an informative manner while making the classroom fun. I never minded coming to this class even though it was at 9:30!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->bsullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10025129380597675964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-76940935093143533572009-12-09T23:40:00.002-05:002009-12-10T00:58:52.156-05:00wrap-up<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I definitely enjoyed this class. I have to say that it was one of my favorite classes this semester, and definitely one of the favorite classes that i took while at NYU.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">some things that I liked:</span><br />-i really enjoyed the atmosphere that was in the class. it wasn't super formal and official, yet it wasn't completely laid back either. perfect balance!<br />-Alice Marwick, as a professor: funny, honest, helpful, and eager to make the class as fun as possible<br />-PowerPoints: not too much of them, just as the background resource for the lecture<br />-lectures: they weren't simply read from the paper; it was a conversation between the Professor and the students.<br />-the way that the class was constantly related to the everyday, known media pieces<br />-the blog: muuuuch better and more effective than blackboard posts, or writing responses on paper<br />-the documentaries: super interesting, and they taught as many important facts as the lectures; they gave a historical context to the class<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">some negatives:</span><br />-a lot of repetition of things that we already know: gender, race, class<br />-some of the readings weren't interesting, and many of them (especially for Thursday) were too long<br />-not enough time for the bog posts between Tuesday and Thursday<br />-not enough time to write the last two papers<br />-assignments were due the same time that other classes (although this cannot be altered I think)<br />-certain topics, such as race and gender, were given too much time, while others such as postmodernism and psychoanalysis were not<br /><br />Overall, I think that my memories and experiences of this class would be very pleasant. I had a great time this semester, met some cool and interesting people, and was lucky enough to pick Alice as the Professor: she made the class that much more enjoyable. Thanks!<br /><br /></span></span>Dominikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14174714001539498569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-85841969119505151492009-12-09T23:04:00.005-05:002009-12-09T23:37:40.032-05:00It's already December?!?Overall, I genuinely enjoyed myself in this class, and learned a whole lot too. And this is most likely an echo, but the class blog was a great idea for a number of reasons. Unlike Blackboard, it's not difficult to work with and it doesn't go down when you need it the most. So I really appreciated that. I also enjoyed reading everyone else's blogs. After awhile, I could start reading someone's blog, and based on their style of writing, I would know who authored it - is that creepy?<br /><br />Anyways, I think having two blogs a week and requiring people to write two comments a week is a good idea - another class of mine this semester used Blogger, but it was a weekly thing, and no one really interacted, so it was a bit boring. This class blog is also a good tool for an introverted person like myself who doesn't really talk a lot in class. Through the blog, I was able to say what I had to say without actually saying it. :)<br /><br />And speaking of class discussion, I thought Alice did a great job of mediating it and making sure it stayed on track. A lot of classes I've been in have often strayed off topic and tend to go in circles, but I felt that discussion in this class never did that.<br /><br />As far as assignments go, I thought the paper topics given and the grades we received were fair. However, I think more time to work on the final project would be more beneficial - this time of year gets pretty crazy for everyone. And as much as I love talking about black people vs. white people in the media, I think that more emphasis could be placed elsewhere - for example, I was really interested in the postmodernism unit that we just finished. Doing more with that would be cool.<br /><br />Oh, and the documentaries! I enjoyed all the documentaries we watched, because they were the most able to compare different media texts - so maybe if there are more like those that relate to the topics of discussion and are available online, it could serve as an assignment for future students to blog about?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-43120529878996473382009-12-09T22:10:00.002-05:002009-12-09T22:35:22.630-05:00List Form!Good things:<div>-engaging discussions</div><div>-use of both text book definitions and modern examples to teach concepts</div><div>-the blog instead of blackboard</div><div>-alice's availability outside of class for questions and help</div><div>-relaxed atmosphere of class that let people be comfortable voicing their opinions</div><div>-really interesting articles for the most part (I think the only one I didn't like was the Sex and the City and Consumerism one)</div><div>- the way the class was conducted and the interesting and the relatable issues we addressed made the class highly HIGHLY enjoyable and was probably my favorite class of the semester.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not so good:</div><div>-how the articles we had to read for Thursday classes always ended up being the long ones.</div><div>-9:30 am start time (but thanks for excusing my perpetual lateness!)</div><div>-small amount of time to write the thursday blog posts </div><div>-we spent a lot of time on some topics (race, representation) and very little on others (postmodernism)</div><div>-amount of time given for final paper/presentation (my stress levels are bananas right now)</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all it was a great class and I would 100% take another class with Alice as the prof!</div>Elyse M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02138637106395329124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-39183693724313396142009-12-09T21:41:00.001-05:002009-12-09T21:43:05.022-05:00I'm Sad that this Class is Drawing to an EndNot to be a kiss ass (excuse my language), but this class ties with History of Architecture for my favorite class this semester. Of my three years at NYU, I have never had a class this early in the day and I am still amazed at myself for not missing a single class.<br /><br />What I think contributed to this class being AMAZING is that Professor Marwick is pretty kick ass (again, excuse my language). I have never had any professor who knew about pop culture and mass media as extensively as Alice. This made the class extremely relatable. Further, it made me excited to go to class, knowing that I will be able to contribute to class discussions. <br /><br />I really like our discussion driven class. I like that I learned new things from my classmates, like the art scene from Dylan or the music scene from Jonathan and Caroline just posts really cool things. Everyone in class is really pretty cool. I also like the presentations that Alice has prepared for us because it really drove the discussions home with the technical aspects and methods of media analysis. This class really opened my eyes about the relevance of pop culture and mass media on an academic level. It made me think about popular phenomenon in a different way; that there might be social relevance as to why Gossip Girl is so popular, etc. I have never thought of myself as a scholar, but this class sparked my interest about pursuing graduate level in this field.<br /><br />I am not sure if I like the blog or not. On one hand, it is infinitely better than boring and technically problematic blackboard where you cannot attach relevant media. On the other hand, I sometimes found it difficult to post a blog on some of the readings and almost felt the pressure to have to post some sort of media to back up my entry because everyone else was doing it. Further, I have always found posting for the Thursday reading very difficult. I guess a big part of it is my poor time management. And I think the whole 2 comments a week thing is a bit forced. I think good comments are generated from actual readers’ interest, not from requirements.<br /><br />I absolutely hated reading Chandler’s Semiotics for Beginners. I definitely think that Sturken & Cartwright explained semiotics infinitely better. I also felt most of the readings constructed themselves too much against the identity of black or white. Like with class, it was the class differences with the whites and with masculinity, it was really white masculinity. I don’t like bell hooks. Nothing personal, just scarred from reading her writings in Writing the Essay classes in freshman year.<br /><br />I really like all the assignments so far. I mean, who can really complain about writing about their favorite television show? However, I find this last assignment problematic. It is worth more than the previous two essays, but we don’t get to pick what we want to write about. I think presentations would be a lot more interesting if people got to pick which movies they want and then collaborate. I also find a problem with the films that are subtitled because it is hard to write about their cultural context since we have limited understanding.<br /><br />Regardless, the awesomeness of this class clearly outweighs the minor problems. Further, the problems are mostly preference problems and have nothing to do with the success of this class. I would just like to end this feedback with the fact that over this semester, I have proven that you can explain every aspect of media criticism with Mean Girls. Mean Girls can definitely serve as the bible (I mean, if bibles are done in form of a two hour film?) for this class.Kim Koohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09941419955594024122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-61539787841251551742009-12-09T14:30:00.002-05:002009-12-09T14:50:32.840-05:00Criticisms of Media CriticismsI'm proud of that.<br /><br />I really liked this class because the discussions and topics covered were really very interesting. Although I must admit that some of it went over my head which further confirms my belief that I am not nor will ever be a scholar (ughh), I did my best to understand everything and comprehend the concepts and ideas elaborated upon by the different readings. I liked the professor a whole lot; she's relatable, intelligent, and very engaging. I liked the discussion-style of the class as well the as students in the class. It felt like one of those things where we fed off of each other.<br /><br />I didn't like the heavier focus on some topics like race and less focus on other topics. Also, for the papers, I feel like there was too much asked for in the first paper especially but not enough guidance....? And also, I felt that 2 blog posts was a bit too much... I thought one sufficed per week.Glenngelina Joliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14640453489908362119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-71591863358232323772009-12-09T14:18:00.002-05:002009-12-09T14:23:40.533-05:00critiqueAs a transfer student I was nervous to start my first semester at NYU. Being a communications major I have taken other media classes at my previous college, but I must say that this is the first class I have really enjoyed when it comes to analyzing media. I mean who get's to say that my assignment is to write a paper about a TV show. It's pretty nice. <div>I really like the topics that we covered throughout the year. I felt like some of them got a little repetitive, such as always talking about blacks and whites. There was some including of other races, but a lot of it was centered around blacks and whites. I really like our textbook. I think it's really current and very easy to understand. Also, I really liked our conversations about daily media news that was happening throughout the semester ...aka LADY GAGA :) I liked posting on the blog. I thought it's a really nice way to interact with the media as well as our class and is greatly reflective of what we were learning in class. I also liked the films that we saw in class, although some of the older ones were a little boring. Many of the readings were interesting. Some were too long, but you get those in every class. I really feel that the techniques that I've learned about media criticism will truly be utilized in my later career. </div><div>Thanks Alice for a great class!!</div>Jessica Tirschwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07344780155372407724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-8689743850882317422009-12-09T12:56:00.003-05:002009-12-09T13:09:57.681-05:00CritiqueAs a required introductory course, I really enjoyed this class. I found all of the readings and lectures to be very interesting. The class covered a broad range of topics that fall under media and I really liked how each topic related to everything else we had learned up until that point. I also found the blog to be really beneficial to the class. I love how we were able to interact in an informal way but we still discussed the lessons and readings from each class. I had never written on a blog before and I am really glad that we were required to do so for this class because it will definitely help me in the future.<br />The downfalls to this class were limited. I wish we had some sort of feedback from you on our blog posts because I did not know what standards you held and how you will be grading them. <br />Other than that I really enjoyed your class! It was fun, interesting, and I feel that I learned to look at media in an entirely new way.<br />Thank you!apaluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11156958107414913911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-50941234685651979042009-12-09T10:49:00.003-05:002009-12-09T11:14:26.428-05:00As a Gallatin student, I had no idea what to expect from this course. I chose it because of subject matter that seemed interesting, plus timing that fit my schedule perfectly. However, "intro to media criticism" was seemingly deceptive, at least to a non-communications major. Prior to receiving the syllabus, I was expecting a course on written criticism in the context of reviews (which come from critics). In other words, an introduction as to how and why critcs formulate their reviews in certain ways. Needless to say, I was taken aback by much of the material being covered, but this course was probably more educational for me than one closer to my original idea would have been.<div><br /></div><div>I'm definitely a fan of the blog format, especially after having been in multiple courses which required posting to and reading from Blackboard, a system which seems to be down as much as it's functional anyway. Especially in a media course, where images and links are so crucial to the subject matter, this is definitely the way to go. However, since blogging seems more informal than writing a formal response to something and posting to Blackboard, I've found that the blogs have sometimes been treated as such, something that's perpetuated by minimal authoritative responses to postings. It must be impossible to find time to read and comment on 30 blog posts weekly, but a little more feedback would have been useful. It also seems awkward to expect equal level posts on Tuesdays (when we've had four days to read) and Thursdays (when we've just had one day)--perhaps Tuesdays can be lengthier or prompted posts, while Thursdays can be briefer or free of a prompt?</div><div><br /></div><div>The absence policy works well, and I used them sparingly and only when truly necessary, rather than trying to come up with a legitimate excuse, or having to worry about whether or not a valid excuse sounded legitimate enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Part of this may have been the terrible acoustics of the classroom, and part of this may have been the gradual waking up seen within a 9:30 class, but I would have liked to have seen and heard more from my classmates. Especially in such a conversation based class, a reconfiguring of the seats (perhaps circular?) would have been useful, and we could have used the conventional seating arrangement for powerpoint lecture or screening days. </div><div><br /></div><div>I feel somewhat rushed now to produce an excellent presentation and final paper (which are weighted more heavily than our other assignments), with very limited group time. Perhaps you could assign the groups slightly earlier in the semester, so that initial screenings take place outside of class prior to the end-of-semester crunch, even if all concepts haven't been fully covered yet?</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, though, definitely an interesting and educational class, one I would recommend, and one I'm glad to have regularly woken up for. </div>Stiltshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12664839305085236990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3674020521440547212.post-29896673552799084562009-12-09T01:10:00.010-05:002009-12-10T01:48:00.602-05:00my commentsI liked...<br />-blogging (versus printing &/or Blackboard)<br />-comments/interaction <br />-Professor Alice Marwick<br />-being given 3 days of unquestioned/excused absences<br />-the flexibility & freedom of discussions<br />-the current, relatable examples in addition to good oldies<br />-the new things I learned from class/reading<br />-the structure of 3 assignments <br />-the amount of PowerPoint lectures--few but good for introducing a new topic<br /><br /><br />Sorry, I didn't like...<br />-not getting blog feedback from Professor<br />-talking about race but not really all races (much on white & black)<br />-the seating arrangement because it doesn't allow me to hear/see fellow peers, esp since we discuss most of the time<br />-being given little time for the final (honestly, Thanksgiving did not count as potential group-meeting time), but at the same time, it's only because everything is due on the same day.<br />-making this post at the end.<br /><br />But thanks for making this one of my favorite classes this semester!caroline yihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04737727537110164054noreply@blogger.com3