General Analysis Paper

These kinds of papers often grow out of classes that are particularly concerned with how media present concepts like gender, race, class, and/or sexuality. The point is to critically engage with how media present and/or frame concepts and then to consider the consequences or implications of that presentation or framing.

• In this type of paper, you usually begin by describing the media artifact you are engaging. You could provide a very crisp and clear summary or synopsis of the entire artifact and then give more detail about important scenes, episodes, segments, and the like (depending on the type of media). Be sure to supply a thorough description. You will want to describe the characters, the situation, the verbal and nonverbal communication, and anything essential to your analysis.
• Second, interpret the artifact by claiming that certain aspects of the artifact say something about communication (or gender, race, class, sexuality, or anything pertinent to the class). You will simply need to argue that the artifact is advocating certain communication behavior (“this film says women communicate this way, men communicate that way”) and/or is helping construct a certain perspective (about women for instance). You will need a lot of evidence from the artifact to support your interpretation, along with course concepts to help you fully explain and elaborate.
• Third, you should evaluate the artifact by revealing whether or not you think the artifact supplied good ideas, dangerous ones, or a bit of both (did the artifact fairly depict gender or simply sustain stereotypes?). Take time to carefully elaborate on the potential influence the artifact might have.
• The last section, the “theorization,” takes shape when you get away from the artifact and generalize about communication theory (what does this analysis of the artifact say about communication and gender generally?).

Such a paper needs to be in good essay form:

• Include an appropriate introduction that grabs the reader’s attention, includes a clear thesis, justifies the artifact of study, and previews the body of the essay.
• Provide a conclusion that summarizes your main ideas, reasserts your thesis, and closes with something that nicely wraps up the analysis, perhaps a quote from the artifact.