MISS REPRESENTATION
RESEARCH PAPER
Driving Question: How does the media shape how we see others and ourselves?
Assignment: As the documentary Miss Representation explains, “The media is now the message and the
messenger.” Every day, we take in countless hours of media that influence how we view others and in
turn how we view ourselves. It is our responsibility to consume media in an intelligent way AND fight
back against negative messages put forth by the media.
Research Paper: You will choose a specific group in American society (gender, race, etc.). You
will then explore how that group is represented in a variety of media (television, film, music,
video games, etc.) and what affect that has on our society and on members of that group.
Your research should include both primary sources (the media – shows, songs, films, etc.) AND
secondary sources (criticism of media, news articles, studies on racial or gender groups, etc.)
o Possible Groups: Men, Women, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans
o Requirements:
 Three Pages, with at least THREE body paragraphs
 Written in MLA format, with in-text citations and a Bibliography page
 Includes analysis of at least THREE media sources
 References at least TWO secondary sources that critique the media.
 Use a variety of sentence structures, FREE from run-ons and fragments, spelling
errors and MLA pagination.
o Honors: You will pick a person who is a member of the group that you are researching
who counteracts the stereotypes generally presented about that group in the media. (For
example, if I was writing a paper about women’s portrayal in the media, I could write
about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor – a woman in a powerful position.) Then,
you will write TWO body paragraphs explaining the individual and how the individual is
paving the way for others of that specific group in American society.
Due Dates:
Deliverables
Source Sheet
Outline
First Draft
Final Draft
Research Paper
Due Date
Complete?
**Note: these are subject to change*
Research Paper Requirements



Three Pages, with at least THREE body paragraphs
Written in MLA format, with in-text citations and a
Works Cited page
Includes analysis of at least THREE media sources
CATEGORY
4
3


References at least TWO critical or expository
sources
Use a variety of sentence structures FREE from
run-ons, fragments, spelling and grammar issues.
2
1.5
1
0
Essay
Organization
I have three body
paragraphs (five
for honors) and
utilize transitions
and connections
between
paragraphs to help
enhance the essay.
I have two
body
paragraphs
and utilize
transitions to
support the
flow of my
essay.
I have two
body
paragraphs &
sometimes
use transitions
to support the
flow of my
essay.
I have two body
paragraphs and
rarely use
transitions to
support the flow
of my essay.
I have two
body
paragraphs
and never use
transitions to
support the
flow of my
essay.
I have not
done
enough
work to
provide
evidence of
my essay
organization
MLA
Formatting
I have formatted
my paper to MLA
with the correct
spacing and
citations.
I have a
couple
mistakes in
my
formatting.
I have more
than two
mistakes in
my
formatting.
I attempted to use
MLA but there
are many
mistakes.
I have no
evidence; my
MLA format
is incorrect.
I have no
evidence; I
did not
follow
MLA
formatting.
Grammar and
Mechanics.
I do not make
grammatical
mistakes. I use
academic
language.
I make some
grammatical
mistakes and
use mostly
academic
language.
I make some
grammatical
mistakes and
use mostly
informal
language.
I make
grammatical
mistakes and use
mostly informal
language.
I do not appear
to have
knowledge of
English
conventions
and use
informal
language.
I have not
done
enough
work to
provide
evidence
I included
ample
evidence to
solidly prove
my thesis.
My evidence
includes
examples
from primary
sources but
only one from
a secondary
source.
My evidence may
not solidly prove
my thesis, but I
have all of the
requirements.
I do not cite
three media
sources and
two secondary
sources.
I have not
done
enough
work to
provide
evidence; I
did not
include
textual
evidence in
my writing
I write
analyses that
demonstrate
high-level and
in-depth
thought about
both primary
and secondary
sources.
I sometimes
write analyses
that
demonstrate
depth of
thought about
both primary
and secondary
sources.
I write analysis
that explains the
source but does
not explain what
affect that has on
society.
I do not
explain the
importance of
my media
sources or
secondary
sources. The
reader is left to
interpret.
I have not
done
enough
work to
provide
evidence.
Use of Evidence My evidence
includes examples
of media’s
portrayal of my
group and
secondary sources
that provide
criticism of the
media on my
group.
Analysis
My analysis
included a
thorough
discussion of how
media represents
the group and what
affect that has on
our society.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
STEP 1
Select one group of people in American society
‘to
research. It may be a combination of groups:
for example, African-American men. (1 sentence)
Men
Women
Asian Americans
African Americans
Latino Americans
Other…
I will be researching how ____________________ are
represented in the media.
Caucasians
American Indians
Homosexuals
Heterosexuals
Youth
Elderly
STEP 2
1. Why do you want to research this?
(3-4 sentences; Honors: 5 sentences)
2. What question will you answer in your
research? (1 Sentence)
3. What do you think you will find about the
topic (what do other people say about it)?
(1 sentence; Honors: 2 sentences)
4. What do you think about this topic?
(2 sentences)
1. This topic interests me because…
I care about this topic because…
If people continue to be represented this way, then…
2. How are _______________ represented in the media?
How does this affect this group of people?
3. Other people argue that (can you think of a positive and
negative on your topic?)
4. Why is it unfair that people are represented this way?
STEP 3
I will find this information by looking at …
Where will you find most of your information?
(1 sentence)
STEP 4
Write your Research Proposal on a new document and
Save it to your desktop.
STEP 5
Email this proposal to Ms. Vance at
EnglishMsVance@gmail.com
The Subject of your email should be your NAME and PERIOD.
4 (A)
Student writes a strong
research question and
gives a clear and
detailed defense of
her/his choice by
sharing relevant and
interesting information.
3 (B)
Student writes an
adequate
research question
and gives
detailed reasons
for her/his
choice.
2 (C)
Student meets
the sentence
requirements,
but wrote a
basic research
question with
very little
detail about
why.
1 (NP)
Student does not
meet the sentence
requirements for
each question.
Student gives a
weak research
question that cannot
be answered with
detailed research.
0
Student does
not email me
this paper.
BRAINSTORM & RESEARCH
What specific forms or examples of media come to mind when you think of the particular group? (circle)
TV?
Radio?
Blockbuster Films?
Music Videos?
Music?
Website?
Magazine?
Billboard Advertisements?
Commercial?
Source 1
Media Source Citation
(___________, ____________. “___________________________.” ___________)
Last Name
First Name
Title
Year
Stereotype
Portrayed/Analyzed
“SAY”
Summary “MEAN”
Significance/Affect
“MATTER”
Source 2
Media Source Citation
Stereotype
Portrayed/Analyzed
“SAY”
Summary “MEAN”
Significance/Affect
“MATTER”
Source 3
Media Source Citation
Stereotype
Portrayed/Analyzed
“SAY”
Summary “MEAN”
Significance/Affect
“MATTER”
OUTLINE
*This outline includes the three topics you should include and what that type of paragraph should address.
You could and SHOULD include more paragraphs about any or all topics below.
I.
Introduction
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Hook: problem with media stereotyping
Background Information on stereotyping
Your People Group Stereotype: why is this a misrepresentation? Why is it a problem?
Negative Affects
Thesis
II.
Body Paragraph 1: How is this group portrayed in the media?
a. Topic Sentence
b. SAY: Example/Explanation (Should be an original piece of media)
c. MEAN/MATTER: Analysis
d. SAY: Example/Explanation (Additional media example OR expert criticism of media)
e. MEAN/MATTER: Analysis
f. Conclusion/Transition
III.
Body Paragraph 2: Close up on how does this affect those in the group?
a. Topic Sentence
b. SAY: 3rd example of media portrayal: ie. South Park joke
c. MEAN: Explanation – make fun of black people and show them as janitors only
i. Analysis – doesn't show AA people in power and uses their skim color to define their
intelligence
d. MATTER: Affects on people group (may include research/statistics/news source)
i. Ie. Continuing to show AAs in limited positions of power will continue a low employment
rate of AA in higher paying jobs which is currently at ___% (citation).
e. Conclusion/Transition
IV.
Body Paragraph 3: How does this affect our society?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
V.
Topic Sentence
SAY: Negative affects on society as a whole (include research/statistics/news source)
MEAN
MATTER
Conclusion/Transition
Conclusion
a. Wrap up main points
b. Re-state main arguments
c. Leave the reader thinking/ Call to Action
FLAT IRON your essay: TRANSITION WORDS
To SIGNAL SEQUENCE
first
finally
before
now
later
next
second
following
then
previously
since
later
To COMPARE two things:
also
likewise
accordingly
as well as
additionally
consequently
similarly
in the same way
in addition to
furthermore
along the same lines
subsequently
moreover
To CONTRAST two things:
but
although
as opposed to
however
regardless
however
in contrast
by contrast
nevertheless
on the contrary
whereas
despite the fact that
conversely
while
still
To EMPHASIZE A POINT:
dddd
again
to repeat
on the other hand
even though
yet
indeed
in fact
for this reason
to emphasize
truly
with this in mind
To CONCLUDE or SUMMARIZE:
as a result
finally
therefore
hence
consequently
thus
in summary
in sum,
accordingly
due to
all in all
then
in short
in other words
to sum up
clearly then
in conclusion, then
to summarize
To ADD INFORMATION:
again
besides
moreover
another
so too
likewise
as well
for instance
furthermore
finally
in addition to
along with
next
additionally
for example
together with
also
equally
further
in fact
To GIVE AN EXAMPLE:
for example (e.g.)
to illustrate
case in point
such as
consider
including
after all
for instance
specifically
is like
to take a
To SIGNAL CAUSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP:
because
therefore
hence
consequently
due to
this led to
as a result
for
thus
accordingly
since
then
To MAKE A CONCESSION:
admittedly
I concede that
granted
although it is true that
of course
to be sure