Media Studies Paper and Speech Topics
Essay and Persuasive Speaking Ideas for a Media Literacy Class
Oct 25, 2008
Looking for a topic for a media studies paper or speech? Whether you you need an informative topic or a persuasive topic, the list of possible topics that are interesting and relevant is long. To get you started, here are some suggestions. All of these topics are ones that both researchers and the popular press have examined for years, so finding information about any of these topics should not be difficult.
The Media and Politics
The role that the media play in the political process lends itself to dozens of possible ideas. Students might, for example, examine whether the media did a good job covering a recent political election. They might also look at the media coverage of a major event like 9/11. Here are some topic ideas.
- Are attack ads during a presidential campaign or other political campaign ethical?
- Are attack ads effective?
- How have political ads changed over the years?
- What are some of the most famous political ads?
- Was the media coverage during the 2008 presidential campaign biased?
- Is Fox News "fair and balanced"?
- Do the media have a liberal bias?
- Do the media have a conservative bias?
- Should the United States offer more media coverage of international events?
- Did the media do a good job covering Hurricane Katrina?
- Did the media do a good job covering the attacks on September 11?
Violence and Sex in the Media
Papers and speeches about violence and sex in the media are common, so be warned that teachers may not be particularly impressed with this topic choice. If you do choose to write a paper about violence or sex in the media, try to narrow your topic down as much as possible, as there has been quite a bit of research done in this area. Here are some suggestions.
- Is there an increase in media pressure on young children to dress and act sexually?
- How much sex is there in the media as compared to in the past?
- Does the media desensitize people to violence?
- Do violent video games and/or movies cause some people to become violent?
- Have the effects of violence in the media been exaggerated?
- Should sex and/or violence in the media be regulated more?
- Are film/or video game ratings useful in preventing children from gaining access to inappropriate media?
- Should Internet filters be required by schools and libraries?
- Are Internet filters effective?
The Media, Gender, Race, and Homosexuality
In the past several decades, media researchers have been increasingly interested in how different kinds of people are portrayed in the media. Because of this, these can be great class topics because so much current information is available. Here are some topic ideas.
- Is there a link between the objectification of women in the media and eating disorders?
- Is there a link between media representations of women and sexual violence?
- Are women portrayed badly in rap music?
- Are women portrayed badly in music television?
- How are various groups of people (homosexuals, racial minorities, religious minorities) stereotyped in the media?
- How have representations of various groups of people (homosexuals, racial minorities, religious minorities) changed over time?
Looking for Great Media Topics
If none of these topics look appealing, browse through your media studies textbook for ideas -- or simply pick up a newspaper or turn on a news channel to see if any ideas cross your mind. Keep in mind that media studies is one of the most relevant topics out there for high school and college students, and with a little research, it's easy to find a fun topic.
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