2020
Portfolio Examination
COM3703 - Media studies: Media content and media audiences
,Declaration
DECLARATION OF OWN WORK
Table of Contents
Declaration..................................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................................2
2. Media, Language and Discourse..............................................................................................................2
3. Film Theory and Criticism........................................................................................................................6
4.QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS IN MEDIA STUDIES.......................................................................................14
5.Field Research in Media Studies:............................................................................................................17
6.Conclusion..............................................................................................................................................20
7.Self-Assessmet........................................................................................................................................21
8. Sources Consulted:................................................................................................................................22
SA knows too little about Covid-19, some hospitals will be overwhelmed - top scientist warns...............23
, 1.Introduction
In this portfolio examination there will be a few different topics and sub-topics
discussed. The main four themes discussed are Media, Language and Discourse with
subtopics such as genres, jargon, metaphors, ideology and Jakobson’s language
functions, then we will discuss Film Theory and Criticism with subtopics such as the
historiography work of Allen and Gomery as well as the realist film theory. We will then
discuss Questionnaire Survey in Media Studies the third of our four themes with the
subtopic’s discussion of concepts such as errors and bias and the advantages and
disadvantages of telephonic interviews. Lastly, we will discuss and conduct Field
Research in Media Studies though investigating readers opinions and preferences of
the Daily Sun Newspaper and the best methods to use in this process of gathering
research. I have chosen to use a NEWS24 article for my Portfolio Examination titled SA
knows too little about Covid-19, some hospitals will be overwhelmed - top scientist
warns posted on 2020-05-07 at 06:10 by Kyle Cowan.
2.Media, Language and Discourse.
2.1 The genre is the category to which your selected article belongs. My selected
article would fall into the News genre as it is simply informative, factual data and
insights.
2.2 (Sonderling, 2017) Jakobson distinguished six linguistic functions or in other words
contended that language has six functions.
Referential Function: Relates to the content and context of the
communication. Simply referring to something. In the selected
article that would be the title that establishes the context and
content of the article " SA knows too little about Covid-19".
Expressive Function: Refers to the communicator. It simply
expresses and communicates our attitudes/views/ways of
understanding about something or someone. In the selected article
that would be the views expresses by Dr. Harry Moultrie in the title
"Some hospitals will be overwhelmed top scientists warns".
Poetic Function: Relates to the form or the ‘how’ of a message.
Express something in a specific way. In this selected article in order
to bring attention to the message numbers are used to bring
attention to how serious the situation "For the week of 28 April to 5
May, that average has grown to 347 new cases per day."
, Conative Function: Refers to the message that is intended to
influence the recipient and persuade him or her to adopt a
particular point of view. It is also considered to persuade or
convince. In the selected article "I think that will sort of lead to a
point where it will rise more rapidly." Could be considered a
persuasive statement.
Phatic Function: Refers to those signs in the message that are
specifically intended to establish contact with the recipient. In this
selected article the graph and the test below it "This graphic
represents the increase in case numbers week on week, and again
illustrates that the rise in cases expected is starting to occur, albeit
the early stages of that increase."
Metalinguistic Function: Refers, in simple terms, to those signs in
the message that are intended to throw further light on, explain or
emphasize the subject matter that is communicated. The use of
graphs in the selected article as well as comparing the numbers " In
the past three days, the highest single-day increases in cases was reported -
447 new cases on Sunday, and 437 new one on Monday. On Tuesday, 352
new cases were reported."
2.3 (Sonderling, 2017) The main concepts, words or jargon from the selected article.
The selected reference material is a news article informing the general public on
the current figures, preventative strategies and overall scientific concerns
involving a disease. Therefore, the main concepts being Covid-19, with reference
to words such as epidemiologists, National Institute for Communicable Disease
(NICD), Involved in mapping and modeling the spread of coronavirus layout the
main concept. As for jargon words such as rapid, cases, analysis, outbreak,
reported, transmission and screening assist in clarifying the subject of the
Newsprint article. Words like quantitative effectiveness of intentions as well.
(Africa., 2020) (Cowan, 2020)
2.4 (Sonderling, 2017) Metaphors used and their effect. Metaphors are usually used to
explain something in terms of something else. In the selected article, there are a
few metaphors used such as "Top Epidemiologist" the use of the word Top
allows us to understand that this individual is a senior and quite established in his
field. The phrase "A steady climb" this is not an actual climb, but instead in this
context refers to the increase in the number of infections, to bring it to attention
that the number is increasing. The phrase " This was a method of tracking" this
phrase does not refer to the physical element of tracking, but instead through
data. The use of the word "Mammoth" to represent a large crowd. (Cowan, 2020)
2.5 (Sonderling, 2017) According to Toulmin in presenting an argument a person
makes a claim about reality or proposes a political plan for action. The claim is