Fall '21 COMM 101 reflective project #1 LUTHER

1. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1
• AVOIDING MASS MEDIA MESSAGES FOR 24 HOURS
• Your assignment is to try and avoid ALL direct and indirect contact
with Mass Media MESSAGES (NOT necessarily the channels
themselves) sent/received via the 7 major mass media channels for
one 24-hour period (please do this on a "normal" day for you - the
point is to be aware of mass media messages in your everyday life,
not a "special" day):
• Print
• Recordings
• Cinema/Film
• Radio
• Television
• Internet/Video Games
• Mobile

2. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1
• Then report on these 4 areas:
(A) The mass media messages you could not avoid and why
NOTE: "could not avoid" does NOT mean something you chose not to avoid. For
instance, having to interact with mass media messages because of school or work
is something you can NOT avoid during a normal day for you, but "having" to listen
to music when you workout or drive to school is NOT. That is something you CAN
avoid as it is your personal choice. Part of this assignment is asking you to assess
your own personal dependence on mass media by choice.
(B) The mass media messages you successfully avoided by personal
choice but missed having in your life
(C) Substitute activities you used to fill non-mass media message
time
(D) Personal conclusions about the role of mass media in your daily
life
Please divide your project into the 4 separate sections as outlined above; you may
treat each section separately and there is no need to combine all four into one
unified response.

3. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1
• This only applies to mass media MESSAGES – you may still
engage in personal communication via technology also used for
MASS MEDIA (phone calls, texting, emails, etc.) – just be aware
when interpersonal communication slips into mass
communication and you’re receiving “mass media” messages.
• “Mass Media” channels always use technology of some kind to
deliver the SAME message to a great number of people at
widely separated points who typically don’t know each other.
• This does NOT mean you can’t make media – you may
certainly fill your time writing, making music/video, recording
audio, etc.

4. COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1
• DUE DATE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th by 11:55PM: SUBMIT IT
VIA BLACKBOARD! If you have questions about how to submit an
assignment on BB, ask!
• Quality is as important as quantity but please submit at least 500
words (that’s 500 words total for all four sections, NOT 500 words
for each section).
• Any late submissions will receive a maximum of 50% credit.
REFLECTIVE RUBRIC:
• Instruction Thoroughness = 33%
Did you do as you were instructed in all areas?
• Project Involvement = 34%
Did you take the project serious and apply substantial time and effort in your
reflection?
• Attention to Format and Presentation = 33%
Did you pay proper attention to grammar, punctuation, formatting, etc.?
• TOTAL = 100%

5. • Why do you think I want you to do this project?
• To raise awareness of the role of Mass Media in both
your life and in the life of society – what is Mass
Media doing for - and to - you and the world around
you?
• To consider what kind of media dominates your daily
media consumption – what media do you consume
the most?
• To differentiate between mass media messages and
technology used by mass media channels – when and
how does “mass media” communication slip into our
“interpersonal” communication?
COMM 101: UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
REFLECTIVE PROJECT #1