ESSAY DETAILS

The essay should take the form of a case study that enables you to explore, and make an argument about, a particular cultural industry practice or relationship. As a means of focus, you should examine your case example in relation to the given question below

There are many ways to identify a case study, and there are different kinds of starting point. You may wish to focus on any of the following:

  • a specific product of the cultural industries such as a film or TV show
  • a specific channel, studio, network or organization
  • a specific genre (e.g. sports broadcasting, children’s programming, reality TV)
  • a specific policy or controversy that relates to the cultural industries

You should demonstrate understanding of the key critical issues/debates posed by the question and would develop an analysis in relation to a focused case example.

ESSAY QUESTION: What does your case example demonstrate about the relationship between the advertising industry and the film and/or television industry?

PROCESS

  • Answer the Question. Start by taking the question apart. Think about each element of the question and make sure you are clear about what it is asking you to do.
  • Research the Question. You are expected to have undertaken independent research. You should start by re-reading the relevant articles from the module and looking at the suggested further reading lists in the module handbook. Then you should do a subject search in the library to find other relevant articles and books, making full use of the databases in the e-library gateway. You can also use the bibliographies in the articles you read to find other useful sources.
  • Take notes on your reading. For every article or book that you read you should take notes. These should help you to develop your argument. Try writing a summary of each article or book chapter that states:
    • What is the main argument of this article/chapter? What is it arguing for and what is it arguing against?
    • Do you agree or disagree with the argument and why?
    • How does this argument relate to the essay question?
  • Undertake industry research. You should do look at relevant trade journals and articles related to the essay and to your case study. You can find lots of relevant searches through the library and through the NEXIS database (available on NUsearch). You could also look at corporate websites for relevant industry companies and use the sources suggested on Moodle and in the module handbook.
  • Review any programmes, films or other relevant audio-visual sources. Ensure that you re-watch any audio-visual sources (such as TV programmes or films) that are central to your essay and take notes. You should be looking out for key scenes that you could use in your essay, as well as trying to develop your argument. Look for scenes/aspects that have been described in the articles you have read. Think about whether you agree with the reading or whether you could offer a different reading or understanding of the text.
  • Decide on the scope and argument of your essay. Your essay should have an angle and argument related to the essay question. Your essay should be trying to convince the reader that your argument is correct by backing up each point of your argument and by critiquing the counter-arguments. You only have a limited number of words, so don’t try to do too much. It is better to go into detail about a few key issues than to try to cover everything. You need to make sure that you fully develop each idea. However, it is important that you clearly indicate what you will and will not cover in your essay.
  • Plan and structure your essay. Your structure should be determined by your argument, so start by planning out your argument, deciding which points you are going to make. Try to make each point follow on from the previous one and make sure that you signal to your reader how your ideas link together. It is essential that you leave enough time to go over your initial draft to make sure that your essay is clearly structured and coherently argued.
  • Justify your argument. One of the most common errors in essays is the lack of justification. Each point that you want to make needs to be backed up with evidence through reference to the research that you have done. For example, you could reference the argument of a particular scholar, provide an analysis of a particular scene from a film or television programme, or offer an analysis of a primary source, such as a newspaper/industry article or website. Make sure that your references to your primary sources are clear and detailed. When analysing scenes from films or television programmes explain when the scene occurs, what is happening, how it is shot etc.
  • Use your references. Make sure that you link your references from the reading that you have done to the arguments that you are making in your essay. Indicate clearly the argument of the article, how the article relates to the point you are making, whether you agree or disagree and why.
  • Provide a clear introduction and conclusion. Your introduction sets up the scope of your essay – what are you going to discuss and why (i.e. why it is relevant to the essay question?). Your conclusion should not raise new arguments. Rather it should bring together the points that you have made in a concise way. In your conclusions you should summarise your argument and indicate how it answers the question.
  • Re-read your essay. Look at the marking criteria in the module handbook. Imagine you are reading and marking your essay. Does it fulfil the marking criteria? Are your points clearly expressed and structured? Have you justified all of your argument? Is your essay grammatically correct and written in a scholarly style?
  • Clearly reference. You need to provide a reference every time you paraphrase, directly draw on or quote another source. This is an essential scholarly convention and you will be marked down if you do not follow it. Your system of referencing needs to be consistent throughout your essay and you must provide a full bibliography. We recommend that you use the Harvard system and there are full instructions on Moodle.

READING LIST ABOUT THE SUBJECT

Amanda Lotz, “Advertising After the Network Era,” in The Television Will Be Revolutionized. New York: New York University Press, 2007, see pages 156-165.

Michele Hilmes et al, “Institutions: From Origins to Stability,” in Hilmes, Michele ed. The Television History Book, London: BFI, 2003, pp. 22-49

Lawrence R. Samuel, Brought to You By: Postwar Television Advertising, Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001.

Richard Maxwell (ed). Culture Works, Minneapolis: Univesity of Minnesota Press, 2001 (See chapter on advertising)

David Hesmondhalgh, “Marketization in Telecommunication and Broadcasting,” The Cultural Industries, chapter 4.

Catherine Johnson and Rob Turnock (eds.), ITV Cultures: Independent Television Over Fifty Years, Maidenhead and New York: Open University Press.

Jing Wang, Brand new China : advertising, media, and commercial culture, Harvard University Press, 2008.

Helen Powell, Promotional Culture and Convergence, London: Routledge, 2013

Matthew McAllister and Emily West, Routledge Companion to Advertising and Promotion, London: Routledge, 2013

Aeron Davis, Promotional Cultures, Cambridge: Polity, 2013.

Paul Grainge and Catherine Johnson, Promotional Screen Industries, London: Routledge, 2015

Jennifer Gillan, Television Brandcasting, New York and London: Routledge, 2015.