One More Concept

A concept that I would like to highlight with my last post this semester is mass media in the United States. I thought this section was really interesting and sort of eye opening. It is important as members of this society that we are capable of analyzing information that we are presented with. If we simply believe everything we are told we could be in danger of being exposed to false information. Many news organizations are driven by their sponsors that “push” their agendas. We have to be sure that the news coverage is credible. The concept that America is fascinated with sensational news stories which causes some news organizations use more air time on these stories rather than political or national news stories is sort of disappointing. It is sad to know that these news organizations are responsible for using stereotypes and racism in their news stories. Lastly, I was shocked to read that some news organizations don’t really use credible scientific reports due to time constraints and money.

What I've Learned

In my opinion one of the more important things that were learned over the course of this semester is the value of critical thinking and how to make strong arguments. It is really important to have the capability to think critically and evaluate arguments. These are skills that I think will be helpful as we go out to the work place. Learning how to identify fallacies within arguments and false evidence are important skills that were taught this semester. Having the ability to make a strong argument is important. I think that this skill helps us to be more credible. A lot of the concepts that were taught in this class and within the Boss textbook are relatable in real life. One of the most interesting things that I learned this semester was about marketing and advertising. It was interesting learning how companies determine their target audience. It made me want to learn more about marketing.

Favorite and Least Favorite Things

Overall, I really enjoyed the fact that the concepts we learned in Comm 41 were relatable to real life experiences and skills. That's what I like most about communication classes in general! I have learned a lot this semester that I think I can apply to my life now and after I graduate and begin working within my field. The section that was my favorite from the Boss textbook was marketing. I think marketing is a fascinating field (I wish I had chosen it for my minor). The Boss textbook highlights information that is useful and applicable. One thing that I didn't care for was the three group projects. It was really difficult to get five students from an online class together. With both groups, I found it tough to find a day and time that everyone was free to have a group meeting. I know at most of us are juggling classes and work, so it made it a challenge to come together.