JOUR1111, Semester 2, 2013 Assessment 1: Media use log Due Date: Sunday 18 August 2013, 11.

59pm, via Turnitin Weight: 20% This first piece of assessment is designed to increase your critical awareness of the media environment and your own use of the media. Here is how to do it: Record your media consumption and production habits for at least 10 days (these dont need to be consecutive you can use any 10 days between Week 1 and the end of Week 4). Collect whatever data helps you to accurately describe your habits of media use and production (eg number of minutes per day you spend on Facebook). You can include a range of information: the media platform (TV, online, print, radio); purpose (eg educational, entertainment, social networking); whether you are consuming (eg watching TV, reading a blog) or actively producing (eg uploading Youtube videos, posting comments) or a combination of both; and ownership information if possible (eg commercial, public, community, individual, other; country of origin). The more detailed and rich you make this data, the more you will have to work with in your analysis. Present your findings in the form of a table (you might like to include this in an appendix), a series of graphs (at least 3 or 4) highlighting key patterns in the data, and a written analysis (400 - 600 words) reflecting critically on your media use and production habits. Here are some questions to help guide your analysis: Did any patterns emerge from the data? Who makes the media (eg The 7.30 Report) or media spaces (eg Facebook) that you mostly use? Where do you get your news from and what kind of news do you get? How do you know what is going on locally, nationally, internationally? Why do you think you participate in or use some forms of media but not others? What dont you consume or produce and what does this suggest? What implications might these patterns have for how you understand society and yourself?

In this exercise, there is no right or wrong forms of media use the assessment is asking you to examine and reflect on your own habits, not to judge them. You will be assessed on your knowledge and awareness of the media environment, your ability to organise and present information, the depth and complexity of your analysis, and the effectiveness of your written communication. You are welcome to support your reflection with academic or other references (using APA referencing style) but there is no requirement that you do so for this assignment. Some examples of this assignment from previous semesters will be available on Blackboard. These are just a guide: dont copy them and dont think you have to organise your own submission in the same way. They are just there to give you some ideas. Please also include an Assignment 1 criteria sheet (available on the Assessment page of Blackboard) with your assignment before submission.