Imagine that you are explaining, to someone who has never thought about it before, the model of influences on media content developed by Shoemaker and Reese in Mediating the Message.  You want this person to gain some critical awareness of the forces shaping media content in order to equip them with some "intellectual self-defense" as a media consumer.  Write a 5 page essay presenting this explanation.  Be sure to touch on all of the specific theories of influence covered in each of the chapters we read and discussed in class, as well as how each of these influences inter-relate with each other, as well as the general patterns of media content they result in.  In order to accomplish this in 5 pages, you will need to write clearly and concisely. Also, write as though you are writing to someone who has no prior knowledge of the subject.  That is, imagine that a friend who has never taken this course asked you: "So... what are all of the influences on media content that you learned about in Comm 240?"  

• To clarify your understanding of influences on media content.
• To refine your ability to convey this understanding to others in writing.

• Demonstrate a grasp of the material in your own words (do not quote the text).
• Develop and present your ideas in a clear, organized, and orderly manner, using simple, precise, and concise language; make your essay as readable as possible by eliminating all unnecessary clutter from your writing and using active rather than passive sentence constructions.
• Use correct spelling and grammar.
• Double space all text and use a 12 point Times Roman font with one inch margins on all sides of the page (double sided printing is encouraged to save paper).
• Revise, revise, revise: each paper must go through a minimum of two preliminary drafts and all drafts must be submitted with the final draft (you are encouraged to get feedback from the university Writing Center or another writer you trust on as many drafts as possible).  Preliminary drafts must show visible evidence of feedback by others.  
• 10% of your grade will deducted for every day late (counted in class periods rather than calendar days).

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Note: If you have done a careful job with your journal, you will be able to draw on your journal writing in this paper.  In turn, if you do a careful job with this paper, you will later be able to draw on this paper in assembling your service-learning presentation.