Reference no: EM131062556 , Length: 2200 Words

Part 1 is what I am going to write about and part 2 is the formal paper for part 1.  Any questions, please let me know.

Part 1

My media proposal will be on adolescents smoking and what the media is portraying to them.  Adolescents are youngsters that are going through puberty and are having many changes in their bodies.  During these childhood changes and the alluring media effects enticing these adolescents to start believing it is cool to smoke which it is illegal for those underage.

An example of media portraying smoking to be cool is in the movie Grease.  In Grease, the main actor John Travolta is an example of someone trying to be cool and that he is smoking all the time.  In contrast, Olivia Newton John is a simple clean cut girl that does not seem to get it right to get together with him the gangster.  At the end of the movie, she changes her image to fit his and they show a scene where she is smoking too.  Even though, Olivia Newton John throws away the cigarette and does not even know how to smoke, at that time I even thought, "smoking is very cool".  The message out there is if I am doing it and you look up to them as actors then the individual thinks this is cool and an alright thing to do.  Media is giving adolescents the wrong message on smoking and according the American Academy of Pediatrics the message needs to be changed.

Part 2

Major Paper - FINAL

Assignment Instructions

Major Paper Assignment Instructions and Grading Rubric

This assignment meets the following Course Learning Objectives:

-- Articulate basic drug terminology and drug taking behavior
-- Identify the various addictive substances - legal and illegal - and their classifications
-- Analyze the reasons people commonly abuse substances
-- Analyze how substances affect the mind and body and society

In 2010, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement addressing the complex relationships among children, adolescents, substance abuse, and the media. This assignment requires a critical examination of the AAP publication and a critique of a media portrayal of substance use, with links made to the AAP statement and course material. Conclusions about the implications of the media portrayals and the policies recommended by the AAP also should be made. Successful completion of this paper will require work over multiple weeks 

This assignment proceeds in four steps:

Preparation

Step One: Read the AAP Policy Statement located below. Make some notes for yourself about points of agreement or disagreement you have with the statement and specific findings regarding media depictions of substance use that you want to assess when you write the paper. 

Step Two: Find a current example of substance use portrayal seen in the media; for example, scenes from a movie, a television show, or a commercial; print ads; or portrayals found in "new media" as discussed in the AAP article. The Internet is a good tool for finding film or television portrayals of substance use as well as examples of print ads if ready access to first-hand media is not available. A two paragraph summary of the proposed example of substance use portrayal in the media that will be used for the paper is due by the end of Week 3. This proposal is a separate assignment and is worth 10 points.

Construction

Step Three: Write the paper. Begin the paper with an introduction that summarizes the main findings of the AAP article and previews what will be covered in the coming pages. 

Next, compare and contrast the portrayal of substance use found in the media with the information learned about that substance in the class and textbook. What messages about the substance are being portrayed? How accurate are those messages relative to the actual data on substance use? Be sure to cite the textbook as needed.

Continue by comparing and contrasting the portrayal of substance use found in the media with the criticism of media portrayals found in the AAP paper. Does the media example match their arguments or contradict them? What links and connections can be made? Be sure to cite the article as needed. 

Next, draw some conclusions about the portrayal of substance use found in the media, addressing the following: What are the implications of this type of portrayal? What messages are being sent and to whom? Are those messages an accurate representation of the use of this substance? Should media portrayals be required to be accurate in their depictions of use, showing both positive and negative consequences? 

Finally, review the guidelines suggested by the AAP at the end of their policy statement and address the following: Although directed specifically at pediatricians, which of those recommendations is most important? Why? Are these recommendations necessary? If followed, will they be effective in addressing the concerns raised earlier in the article? Be sure to cite sources as needed.

Step Four: Proofread and spell-check the finished paper and submit it to Turnitin.com. 

The required length of this paper is 7-8 pages, plus a required a cover page and a reference list. Papers must comply with APA formatting rules, including font size and margins, and must have a scholarly focus and tone.  Quoting of published material and use of the first-person "I" are not permitted and will result in point loss. All source material must be paraphrased into your own words and cited appropriately. 

On submission your work will auto-run through Turnitin.com's plagiarism checker software.  A Turnitin.com report percentage higher than 24% will be reviewed and may result in a zero assignment score without option for revision and resubmission to recoup lost points. 

AAP Policy Statement on Children, Adolescents, Substance Abuse, and the Media