McLuhan Introduction

  McLuhan Introduction     Reading Response #7 should focus on your reading of the McLuhan IntroductionPreview the documentView in a new window. As this is a very difficult reading, it will help a lot to review the Discussion QuestionsPreview the documentView in a new window BEFORE you do the reading. The point of McLuhan′s chapter is explained in Dunn & Young, Ch. 6 and is clearly articulated in the McLuhan chapter as ″the medium is the message.″ This is the argument you will grapple with for Application Assignment #3 as well. But, how McLuhan explains this point is crucial to understand. So, be sure to use the quotes and questions in the Discussion Questions to help you decide what to include in this assignment and work through this simple point that is so difficult to truly understand. You will be completing TEN reading responses from assigned readings throughout the course. This works out to approximately TWO each week. First, read the assigned chapter or article for that date. Then complete an approximately 2-3 page, typed, single-spaced response paper and upload it to Canvas under the appropriate assignment. Feel free to number the sections of the paper according to the required sections explained below. Consider this: if we were meeting face to face, we would discuss these readings and you would demonstrate your understanding of them. Since we are meeting online, these assignments allow you to demonstrate your understanding of the readings. Therefore, your response papers for readings should include FOUR SECTIONS: A brief (1-2 paragraph) summary of the overall point of the reading. Identification of the main ideas from the assigned reading. Pay attention to section headings and conclusion, as well as vocabulary that appears on bold print or includes explicit definitions. You need to include a complete outline of the whole chapter or article, but should pull out the major points and concepts which relate to and support the overall point of the reading. This section will likely be the longest of your assignment. Comparison and/or contrast OR application of at least 3-4 of these concepts and/or main ideas from this reading to other readings and/or your own examples (not ones from the readings). This is a great opportunity to demonstrate that you see connections between readings and ideas, especially those you read in the textbook in relation to these articles or chapter. Evaluation or challenge of the author’s overall point or one of the major ideas. This step requires you to point out how effectively the author made their point, if there were any holes in their reasoning, and extend beyond what the authors’ tell you they think to show what you think about the quality of their ideas.