CCT300: Critical Analysis of Media
September 8: Class 1: Class Introduction

Welcome
 A bit about me
 A bit about others who will be involved
 A bit about you
Critical? Analysis? Media?
 What is a medium of communication?
 What does “analysis” mean?
 What does it mean to analyze something
critically?
Analysis of Media
 Many types of media forms and genres
 Analysis = identification of core
components, reduction of complexity often to classify, differentiate between
media forms
 Critical analysis = reflection on nature and
form, but also impact and consequence
 Media Form, Issues of Creation, Economic
Influences as three areas of consideration
Course Overview
 Contact information and how to use it
 Course structure – 3hrs., half lecture, half
in class
assignments/discussion/assignment prep,
with break in middle (we’ll go straight
through and get out early today…)
 NB: on prerequisites
Texts
 McCloud’s Understanding Comics
(1993)
 Don’t let the book format trick you into
reading superficially
 Comics as base point for analysis -
other media examples will be added
throughout
 Other online readings for various topics
will be revealed as we go through
Wiki
•
http://cct300-f11.wikispaces.com
•
SLATE = NO. (Why?)
•
Wiki sign up, personal wiki creation today,
including tips on etiquette
•
First in class assignment = creating and
linking personal wiki
•
Previous wikis are available – check them
out!
Assignments
 In class assignments
 Graphic Novel Analysis
 Comic Creation
 Creating an Internet Meme
 Exam
In class assignments (10%)
•
Frequent in class assignments
•
Some due in class, some (like today) due
following week
•
8 overall @ 1.25% each - you can skip a
couple(save first week – personal wiki must be
done.)
•
No late submissions
•
Quality reflections = full marks; partial or
limited reflections, or answering without
showing up, much less so
•
Plagiarism concerns…
Graphic Novel Analysis (15%)
 Applying principles of McCloud’s
Understanding Comics to graphic
novel/extended plot comic of your
choosing (approx. 1500 words)
 Illustration/examples strongly encouraged
 Choice of analytical tools from McCloud up
to you - a scattershot approach is never
effective though
 Other resources never hurt – e.g., external
analyses, etc. - but do focus on McCloud
 Oct. 6 due date
Tips

Strip collections aren’t a good choice - why?

Simple cartoons (e.g., Archie?) probably harder than
you think – why?

Non-English comics OK (as long as you understand
the language and can interpret what’s going on.)

Be careful with books turned into movies – no
compare/contrast, definitely don’t just see the
movie! (e.g., Scott Pilgrim)

Less about plot than analysis of comic form

Where to look for graphic novels?
Comic Creation (15%)
 Creating a webcomic
 What is a webcomic?
 2 page analysis of why you did what you
did, leveraging McCloud concepts
 Nov 3 deadline, posted to wiki or handed
in in class
Tips
 This is not an art assignment – many good
webcomics are artistically rudimentary and
work well in spite (because of?) this.
 Story counts, as well as proper thought in
visual grammar of comics to tell it
 Start looking at various web comics for
inspiration and ideas
 Play with choice of medium
Creating and Propogating
Viral Content (30%)

Group final project - creating content that could go
viral, releasing it to the atmosphere and analyzing
production and dissemination

Proposal first – Nov. 3 – posted to wiki for peer
review

Final project presented in last class – “science fair”
style presentations, 5-7 mins, showcasing main
message, why you think it’s viral, what you did to
seed the message, and how it turned out.

Brief writeup along with presentation (3 pages)
outlining process
Tips
 Message, media and audience
 Pick media you are comfortable with and you
can feasibly engage given time/resource
constraints
 Conform to standards of media genre
 Be innovative; avoid excessive copying
 Consider mashups
 Be cautious about what you say!
Final Exam (30%)
 In UTM exam period
 Covering major topics over course of term –
text and associated readings given
 Focus on critical awareness and application vs.
regurgitation of fact
 Lecture notes and discussion of in-class
articles are fair game
 Details and examples will follow nearer
conclusion of term
Important Policy Notes
 Academic honesty is taken seriously by all,
and hurts those who don’t take it
seriously.
 Accessibility concerns – talk to me
confidentially
 Due dates/lateness policy – in-class
assignments have hard deadlines
 ROSI reporting of absences for
consideration of late assignments essential
In-Class Assignment #1: Wiki creation
 Wikispaces quick tutorial
 Wiki etiquette – what to do/what not to do to be a
good wiki citizen
 Task: Create and link personal wiki.
 Deadline: by end of month, your wiki should be up
and running.
 Have a personal wiki? Use it. Build it as a portfolio.
Next week…
 Laws of Media
 http://www.anthonyhempell.com/papers/t
etrad/index.html
 History of this work
 Read and reflect – be ready to use tetrad
model next week by applying it.