Critical Analysis

You will research a specific aspect of media studies and critically analyse academic texts in relation to your chosen area of research. You should use a
minimum of six academic texts (e.g. scholarly books, book chapters, or journal articles) to analyse the topic.
Step 1: Read the following essay topic options:
Topic 1:
‘Culture now impresses the same stamp on everything,’ according to Adorno and Horkheimer.
Discuss the context in which these Frankfurt School scholars coined the term ‘Culture Industry’ and how they used the concept to critique mass culture. Your
essay should include your own analysis of a media text that has not been discussed (in detail) in the learning materials or essential readings.
Topic 2:
‘The medium is the message’: to what extent is McLuhan’s maxim still a useful framework for understanding media today?
Outline McLuhan’s approach to media and discuss its strengths and weaknesses. Your essay should include your own analysis of a media form not
discussed (in detail) in the learning materials or essential readings.
Topic 3:
Is the media audience passive or active? Compare and contrast two scholarly approaches for understanding media audiences.
Outline the approaches and discuss their relative strengths and weaknesses. Your essay should include your own analysis of a media text that has not been
discussed (in detail) in the learning materials or essential readings.
Step 2: Choose one essay topic that interests you the most. Ensure that it is clear which essay topic you have selected at the start of your essay.
You may include images, photographs, and drawings in your essay—although there is no requirement to do so.
If the text you use is from the internet, you must provide a URL link.
Step 3: Cite all sources, including any images you use using, in the Swinburne Harvard referencing style.