Listicle: Top 10 COM 250 Ideas

Ten: How do Search Engines Work?

In this section we discussed how the internet has changed over the years. Different factors come into play such as; advertisers, regulators, platform companies, and activists. We learned about the key elements of search engines. The most relevant of them includes algorithms. Overall, it is an overview of how search engines run. It was definitely important to learn as a basis, but was not the most important topic we covered.

Nine: Why are We Attracted to Characters and Stories?

This chapter discusses the concepts used in media that attracts consumers to feel personally attracted to the characters and their stories. Things such as a narrative arch show the struggles over a character over time. Viewers feel a personal connection due to a tactic like this. Essentially this is what the section covers, explaining why the attraction happens to us when using media and reading. This was definitely an informative chapter to read to keep us knowledgeable on the things we feel toward characters.

Eight Are Social Media Free?

In this section we learned about different types of concepts that helped us to determine whether or not social media is ‘free’. Free in a sense of posting anything we want- which is not possible. The section touched upon things like censorship, propaganda, and those alike. Concepts that control what we see, learn, and believe. This section was important in order to keep us aware of things we can or cannot see on the internet.

Seven: How do People get the News?

This section is about the different ways in which individuals access their news and information online. New concepts that were brought up to us included; meta-journalism, news aggregation, legacy media, and content publishing. This chapter was interesting to me because I was unaware that I was consuming different types of news through the media.

Six: How do Media Companies Make Money?

In How do Media Companies Make Money, we learned how viewers of media become the product. Different types of strategies are used when it comes to media economics- but media consumers are the target. This was the most confusing chapter in my own opinion, but one of the most important to understand and know about.

Five: How do People Decide What to Trust?

This section was all about different types of marketing and influence in media and how to trust them. Topics such as credibility, authority, and authenticity were covered. This was an important topic to learn because it is hard for media users to know what to believe. I know I can personally relate.

Four: Who Decides What Makes Media Good?

Who decides what makes media good is a chapter that covers the meaning behind media and whose opinion makes something worthwhile. A real life example mentioned in this chapter includes songs and what makes them popular. It debunks exactly who makes it popular/good. This section is important to know because we don’t have a clear cut answer, but it is good to think about,

Three: What about Advertising, Propaganda & Public Relations?

The main idea of this course is what makes and differentiates advertising, propaganda, and public relations. The most important idea from this chapter in my personal opinion is how the media advertises to kids. I did not realize prior just how targeted young children are, and how it hurts them in the long run. Because of this example alone, I think this chapter is the one of the most important to understand. I will definitely remember this in the future.

Two: Why do People Worry About Stereotypes?

This chapter covers stereotypes and everything that connects to them; bias, the nature of media, different learning theories, and audiences. All of these things contribute to how we understand and know stereotypes. This chapter was a really good read.

One: Is my Brother Addicted to Media?

Finally, my favorite section of this course was this one. This teaches the social learning theory and how it affects children. This was the most important one because media to young children is still so new, it is important to understand the harm it can have to them at such a young age. Media is not going anywhere so it is important to educate ourselves on the harmful effects it brings to young children.