This course analyzes writing, media, and culture from multiple perspectives. It focuses on interpreting meaning from text, images, and cultural beliefs portrayed in media. Students will learn to assess media critically and create their own media tailored to different contexts. The purpose of the DIE model is to analyze objects or ideas through description, interpretation, and evaluation - describing facts objectively before interpreting their meaning and evaluating them subjectively. Newspapers should provide factual information from reliable sources on various topics of cultural significance, presenting an unbiased perspective.

1. TEST REVIEW
• PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL ASSIGNMENTS
FROM THE FIRST DAY TO NOW EVEN IF I
HAVEN’T COVERED THEM IN CLASS

2. What is the purpose of this course?
• Analyzing writing, text, and meaning
• Analyzing images and determining the
"message" of an image
• Considering the cultural beliefs and
assumptions in media
• Reviewing and assessing media
• Creating your own media and adapting
your writing for the appropriate context
cc: mkhmarketing - https://www.flickr.com/photos/93212162@N08

3. **Centered on Nationalism: A land and a people
**American as a whole is deeply rooted in historical culture
**Built on Immigration
**Knols Core American Values: Independence, Competition etc.
**The Leader in mass media, TV and Production
American Exceptionalism and culture is based on….
Liberty
Freedom
Opportunity
Industriousness
Leadership
AMERICAN CULTURE

4. “CULTURE IS ORDINARY; THAT IS
WHERE WE MUST START” – RAYMOND
WILLIAMS
• WHAT IS CULTURE?
• HOW DO THE DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE FROM THE READING DIFFER?
• “LOW” ART VS. “HIGH” ART
• “CULTURE IN THE BROADER VIEW INCLUDES ALL THE SOCIAL
INSTITUTIONS, PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR, SYSTEMS OF BELIEF, AND
KINDS OF POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT THAT CREATE THE SOCIAL
WORLD WE LIVE IN. TAKEN IN THIS WAY, CULTURE MEANS NOT SIMPLY
MASTERPIECES OF ART, MUSIC, AND LITERATURE, BUT LIVED
EXPERIENCE” (P. 2)
• “…CULTURE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN GO OUT AND GET.” (P. 2)
• “…[THE] IDEA IS TO TREAT AMERICAN CULTURE AS A RESEARCH
PROJECT…TO UNDERSTAND ITS WAYS OF LIFE FROM THE INSIDE AS WE
LIVE AND OBSERVE THEM.” (P. 2)

5. Definition of Mass Media: the
main means of mass
communication (especially
television, radio, newspapers,
and the Internet) regarded
collectively
cc: Vincent Lee - https://www.flickr.com/photos/46047195@N00

6. External
• See, hear,
touch
• Consciou
s
• Objective
knowledg
e
Internal
• Implicit
• Unconsci
ous
• Subjectiv
e
knowledg
e
THE ICEBERG THEORY

7. WHAT IS CULTURE SHOCK?
CULTURE SHOCK IS AN EMOTIONAL AND
BEHAVIORAL REACTION TO THE NEW CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT.

9. THE D.I.E
DESCRIPTION, INTERPRETATION, AND
EVALUATION
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE D I E MODEL?
• DESCRIPTION: WHAT I SEE (ONLY OBSERVED
FACTS)
• INTERPRETATION: WHAT I THINK (ABOUT WHAT I
SEE)
• EVALUATION: WHAT I FEEL (ABOUT WHAT I
THINK...POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE)

10. READING
• THE HISTORY OF MEDIA & CULTURE
• THE HISTORY NEWSPAPERS> CHAPTER 4> UNIT 4.1, 4.2 AND 4.3
• READING CULTURE 1-5
• ONE WORDS MANY CULTURES

11. Newspapers
A NEWSPAPER SHOULD INCLUDE:
• Source (company, author)
• Headline
• Type (s) of Article
• Tie to ‘Culture’
• Have various Content
• Be free from BIASES
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

12. Opinion Pieces
• Op Ed
• Originally opposite the editorial, also known as opinion/editorial.
• Written by someone USUALLY NOT affiliated with the editorial
board.
Editorial
Opinion piece by part of the editorial board
Letters to the Editor
Opinion pieces by readers

13. WHAT IS A “BIAS”?
DEFINITION: PREJUDICE IN FAVOR OF OR AGAINST ONE
THING, PERSON, OR GROUP COMPARED WITH ANOTHER,
USUALLY IN A WAY CONSIDERED TO BE UNFAIR.
DEFINITION OF PREJUDICE:
PRECONCEIVED OPINION THAT IS NOT BASED ON REASON OR ACTUAL
EXPERIENCE.
EXAMPLE: "ENGLISH PREJUDICE AGAINST FOREIGNERS”
DEFINITION OF STEREOTYPE:
A WIDELY HELD BUT FIXED AND OVERSIMPLIFIED IMAGE OR IDEA OF A
PARTICULAR TYPE OF PERSON OR THING. MAKING A JUDGEMENT OF SOME
WITHOUT KNOWING THEM.

14. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW
• WHAT ARE STEREOTYPES?
• NEWSPAPER> INVERTED PYRAMID
• PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS OF THE DIE
• THE 1ST AND 2ND AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION
• PURPOSE OF THE MEDIA