In this media-saturated world, we must learn how to navigate through the overwhelming flood of information so that we can avoid the risks and maximize its potential to help us. Media Literacy shows you how. Drawing from thousands of media research studies, author W. James Potter explores the key components to understanding the fascinating world of mass media. In this thoroughly updated and revised Tenth Edition, Potter presents more discussions of digital media and numerous examples and facts to help you understand how the media operate, how they attract your attention, and how they influence you. Each chapter concludes with a set of exercises to help you apply the chapter material to everyday life and engage in a step-by-step process to increase your own media literacy.

Written for social science scholars who want to learn more about the qualitative way of thinking, this book addresses the full continuum of issues about the qualitative methodologies. At one end of that continuum are the deeply philosophical concerns of ontology and epistemology. At the other -- concrete -- end of that continuum are the practical issues of what is considered evidence: How does one go about gathering evidence? Where, when, and how does one analyze evidence? What are the alternative ways of dealing with tone and voice in writing qualitative research? The attention to practical, concrete issues makes this book useful as a handbook providing a great deal of vital information to scholars who want a guide to making decisions as they navigate their research questions through the qualitative realm.
Uniquely qualified to write such a book, Potter has earned PhDs in both qualitative methods (with a concentration in linguistics and field studies) and in quantitative methods (with a concentration in social science theory and statistics). The book is not an ideological argument that glorifies one system of thinking while attempting to persuade the reader that other systems of thinking are bankrupt. Rather, the book presents a respectful, balanced analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the qualitative approach.
The book builds to a controversial final chapter entitled "Is Convergence a Possibility?" in which Potter synthesizes a conclusion from his analysis of a wide range of qualitative studies across three broad topic areas -- text focused research, audience focused research, and institution focused research -- and across seven major qualitative methodologies -- ethnography, ethnomethodology, reception study, ecological psychology, symbolic interactionism, cultural studies, and textual analysis. His conclusion is that not only is there a possibility of a convergence between qualitative and quantitative approaches, but that the convergence has already happened.
The book includes an appendix in which 95 books and articles using the qualitative approach are abstracted and analyzed to illustrate key points of methodology and methods. It also includes subject and author indexes.

Written for social science scholars who want to learn more about the qualitative way of thinking, this book addresses the full continuum of issues about the qualitative methodologies. At one end of that continuum are the deeply philosophical concerns of ontology and epistemology. At the other -- concrete -- end of that continuum are the practical issues of what is considered evidence: How does one go about gathering evidence? Where, when, and how does one analyze evidence? What are the alternative ways of dealing with tone and voice in writing qualitative research? The attention to practical, concrete issues makes this book useful as a handbook providing a great deal of vital information to scholars who want a guide to making decisions as they navigate their research questions through the qualitative realm.
Uniquely qualified to write such a book, Potter has earned PhDs in both qualitative methods (with a concentration in linguistics and field studies) and in quantitative methods (with a concentration in social science theory and statistics). The book is not an ideological argument that glorifies one system of thinking while attempting to persuade the reader that other systems of thinking are bankrupt. Rather, the book presents a respectful, balanced analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the qualitative approach.
The book builds to a controversial final chapter entitled "Is Convergence a Possibility?" in which Potter synthesizes a conclusion from his analysis of a wide range of qualitative studies across three broad topic areas -- text focused research, audience focused research, and institution focused research -- and across seven major qualitative methodologies -- ethnography, ethnomethodology, reception study, ecological psychology, symbolic interactionism, cultural studies, and textual analysis. His conclusion is that not only is there a possibility of a convergence between qualitative and quantitative approaches, but that the convergence has already happened.
The book includes an appendix in which 95 books and articles using the qualitative approach are abstracted and analyzed to illustrate key points of methodology and methods. It also includes subject and author indexes.

On Media Violence is a definitive examination of this hotly debated social topic. Media scholar W. James Potter asks provocative questions such as: How much media violence is there? What are the meanings conveyed in the way violence is portrayed? What effect does it have on viewers individually, as members of particular groups, and as members of society?

The book is organized in four parts. The first part presents a thorough review of more than 40 years of research and theories about media violence. The second part is an extended critique of the assumptions and practices of that research and thinking. The book proposes re-conceptions of definitions of violence, context, levels of phenomena, the role of human development, effects, risk, and the nature of the media industries. Potter also addresses the necessity for a reconfiguration of the methodological tasks used to assess the content and effects of media violence. The final part introduces Lineation Theory, a suggested perspective and new theoretical approach explaining it.

On Media Violence is essential reading for students and scholars of Media Studies, Communication Theory, Popular Culture, Social Psychology, and Sociology. Part I of the book offers a thorough review of more than 40 years of research on media violence. Part II proposes re-conceptions of these theories, focusing in particular on violence, context, levels of phenomena, human development, effects, risk, and the media industries. In the latter half of the book, Part III addresses the necessity for a reconfiguration of the methodological tasks used to assess media violence. Part IV introduces the concept of Lineation Theory, a suggested perspective for thinking about media violence and a new theoretical approach to explaining it.

On Media Violence is essential reading for students and scholars of Media Studies, Communication Theory, Popular Culture, Social Psychology, and Sociology.

Introduction to Media Literacy builds students' media literacy step-by-step to make them more knowledgeable and engaged producers and consumers of media. In nine streamlined chapters, students learn how the mass media operate and how to use the media in better ways to achieve their own personal goals. All of the essential media topics are covered-from understanding media audiences, industries, and effects to confronting controversies like media ownership, privacy, and violence-in a concise format that keeps students focused on effectively improving their media literacy skills. Give your students the SAGE edge! SAGE edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of free tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning.

In Major Theories of Media Effects, six major theories of media effects are thoroughly analyzed and then evaluated to construct a picture of the current state of knowledge in the scholarly field of media effects. These six theories are cultivation, agenda setting, framing, uses and gratifications, social learning, and third person effect. Each of these six theories is examined in detail using fourteen analytical dimensions organized into four categories: how the theory was originally conceptualized, its original components, patterns of empirical testing of its claims, and how the theory has developed over time. The theories are then compared and contrasted along five evaluation dimensions (scope, precision, heuristic value, empirical validity, and openness), plus one summary evaluative dimension that compares their overall utility to generating knowledge about media effects. The insights generated through these analyses and evaluations are used to address questions such as: "What is a theory?"; "Who qualifies as a theoretician?"; and, "Within the scholarly field of media effects, why are there so many theories yet so little theory usage as foundations for empirical studies?" Concise and accessible analyses of major media effects theories-alongside helpful reference lists that handily index important literature in the field-make Major Theories of Media Effects both a vital reference for scholars and a valuable textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in media studies.

In Seven Skills of Media Literacy, best-selling author and renowned scholar W. James Potter provides readers with the practical guidance they need to make substantial improvements on seven major skills required to increase their media literacy. For each of these seven skills, Potter provides easy-to-follow algorithms and heuristics that structure the process of using the skill. Chapters also offer many exercises to help readers practice using these algorithms and heuristics while avoiding traps in thinking. This book is a must read for those people serious about becoming more strategic in using the media to satisfy their own needs for information and entertainment and thereby avoid being exploited by media messages.

People have always depended on the mass media for information and entertainment. Surveys of their exposure consistently have shown increases in their time spent with the media year after year; these increases shot up dramatically in the past two decades with the proliferation of what has been called the digital or new media. With mobile devices and easy access to Wi-Fi connections, people are now in constant connection with an ever growing source of information and entertainment and they can contribute their own content to those sources by using email and texting, as well as sharing photos, videos, and even the most minute details of their everyday lives. As their media usage shifts away from the traditional media and into digital media with their immediacy, interactivity, and intrusiveness, the way the media have been affecting people has fundamentally changed. Digital Media Effects focuses on those changes in media effects. While the author acknowledges the findings from the very large literature of effects from exposure to traditional media, this book focuses attention much more onto the special kinds of effects that are now occurring given the changes in the nature of those exposures as well as the access to a much wider range of messages and experiences.

In Major Theories of Media Effects, six major theories of media effects are thoroughly analyzed and then evaluated to construct a picture of the current state of knowledge in the scholarly field of media effects. These six theories are cultivation, agenda setting, framing, uses and gratifications, social learning, and third person effect. Each of these six theories is examined in detail using fourteen analytical dimensions organized into four categories: how the theory was originally conceptualized, its original components, patterns of empirical testing of its claims, and how the theory has developed over time. The theories are then compared and contrasted along five evaluation dimensions (scope, precision, heuristic value, empirical validity, and openness), plus one summary evaluative dimension that compares their overall utility to generating knowledge about media effects. The insights generated through these analyses and evaluations are used to address questions such as: "What is a theory?"; "Who qualifies as a theoretician?"; and, "Within the scholarly field of media effects, why are there so many theories yet so little theory usage as foundations for empirical studies?" Concise and accessible analyses of major media effects theories-alongside helpful reference lists that handily index important literature in the field-make Major Theories of Media Effects both a vital reference for scholars and a valuable textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in media studies.

Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship challenges scholars and students to consider and reconsider what we know about media and how we think about media. As such, the book provides an important framework for thinking about knowledge regardless of the discipline The text provides all of the necessary tools to move the field forward in a way that will increase the rigor of the work being done and augment the overall profile of the discipline. Dana Mastro, University of Arizona

In this groundbreaking book, W. James Potter presents an innovative perspective to media scholars and students who are frustrated with the fragmentation of research findings across so many journals, books, and fields. Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship presents a clear plan for a more efficient way to build knowledge about the mass media so that it can be better organized and made more useful. Key Features Conducts an in-depth analysis of mass media scholarship's four major facets of effects, content, audiences, and organizations Presents a significant shift in conceptualizing media effects and ways research can be conducted to generate more useful knowledge about media influence Develops "narrative line" as a tool to guide analyses about how content decisions are made by producersSynthesizes a system of explanation about why audiences attend to certain messages and how individuals construct meaning from those messagesIncorporates an analysis of mass media organizations to provide greater context of understanding messages and their effects on individuals and macro units in society

"The book will play an important role in providing structure to a broad, fragmented discipline. I believe it will, at the very least, create important dialogues about what we now know/understand about areas of mass media, and where we should move as a discipline This book is clearly a call to arms for mass media scholars to ratchet up the quality of research (and what we know), to see the interconnections within and among strands of scholarship, and to move forward in a more efficient, organized manner. Professor Potter should be commended for this." Roger Cooper, Ohio University

"This book is...that call to action that comes forward every few years, to wake us up and challenge our ways of doing things, not by being radical, but via synthesis... I ve been waiting for several years for a book like this." Sahara Byrne, Cornell University"

Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship challenges scholars and students to consider and reconsider what we know about media and how we think about media. As such, the book provides an important framework for thinking about knowledge regardless of the discipline The text provides all of the necessary tools to move the field forward in a way that will increase the rigor of the work being done and augment the overall profile of the discipline. Dana Mastro, University of Arizona

In this groundbreaking book, W. James Potter presents an innovative perspective to media scholars and students who are frustrated with the fragmentation of research findings across so many journals, books, and fields. Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship presents a clear plan for a more efficient way to build knowledge about the mass media so that it can be better organized and made more useful. Key Features Conducts an in-depth analysis of mass media scholarship's four major facets of effects, content, audiences, and organizations Presents a significant shift in conceptualizing media effects and ways research can be conducted to generate more useful knowledge about media influence Develops "narrative line" as a tool to guide analyses about how content decisions are made by producersSynthesizes a system of explanation about why audiences attend to certain messages and how individuals construct meaning from those messagesIncorporates an analysis of mass media organizations to provide greater context of understanding messages and their effects on individuals and macro units in society

"The book will play an important role in providing structure to a broad, fragmented discipline. I believe it will, at the very least, create important dialogues about what we now know/understand about areas of mass media, and where we should move as a discipline This book is clearly a call to arms for mass media scholars to ratchet up the quality of research (and what we know), to see the interconnections within and among strands of scholarship, and to move forward in a more efficient, organized manner. Professor Potter should be commended for this." Roger Cooper, Ohio University

"This book is...that call to action that comes forward every few years, to wake us up and challenge our ways of doing things, not by being radical, but via synthesis... I ve been waiting for several years for a book like this." Sahara Byrne, Cornell University"

Our society has become characterized by aggressive media. Information is constantly at our fingertips - whether it be through the books, newspapers, and magazines we read, the television we watch, the radio stations to which we listen, or the computers that connect us to the world in a matter of seconds. We can try to limit our media exposure, but it is impossible to avoid all media messages. As a result, we psychologically protect ourselves by automatically processing the media to which we are exposed. Theory of Media Literacy: A Cognitive Approach comprehensively explains how we absorb the flood of information in our media-saturated society and examines how we often construct faulty meanings from those messages. In this book, author W. James Potter enlightens readers on the tasks of information processing. By building on a foundation of principles about how humans think, Theory of Media Literacy examines decisions about filtering messages, standard schema to match meaning, and higher level skills to construct meaning. A central theme of Potter's theory is the locus that governs the degree to which a person is media literate. The locus is enriched by developing skills as well as good knowledge structures on five topics: media effects, media content, media industries, real world parameters, and the self. Key Features Presents the first social scientific theory of the process of media literacy Explores a broad range of literature on media literacy written during the past two decades Focuses on how the human mind works, especially in this mass media-saturated society Theory of Media Literacy is an essential resource to a wide audience within the media discipline. The book provides empirical researchers with direction to test the theory and extend our understanding of how the media affect individuals and society. Practitioners will find it helpful in developing strategies to achieve goals and, at the same time, avoid high risks of negative effects. In addition, new scholars will find it to be an excellent introduction to various media literacy research.

Our society has become characterized by aggressive media. Information is constantly at our fingertips - whether it be through the books, newspapers, and magazines we read, the television we watch, the radio stations to which we listen, or the computers that connect us to the world in a matter of seconds. We can try to limit our media exposure, but it is impossible to avoid all media messages. As a result, we psychologically protect ourselves by automatically processing the media to which we are exposed. Theory of Media Literacy: A Cognitive Approach comprehensively explains how we absorb the flood of information in our media-saturated society and examines how we often construct faulty meanings from those messages. In this book, author W. James Potter enlightens readers on the tasks of information processing. By building on a foundation of principles about how humans think, Theory of Media Literacy examines decisions about filtering messages, standard schema to match meaning, and higher level skills to construct meaning. A central theme of Potter's theory is the locus that governs the degree to which a person is media literate. The locus is enriched by developing skills as well as good knowledge structures on five topics: media effects, media content, media industries, real world parameters, and the self. Key Features Presents the first social scientific theory of the process of media literacy Explores a broad range of literature on media literacy written during the past two decades Focuses on how the human mind works, especially in this mass media-saturated society Theory of Media Literacy is an essential resource to a wide audience within the media discipline. The book provides empirical researchers with direction to test the theory and extend our understanding of how the media affect individuals and society. Practitioners will find it helpful in developing strategies to achieve goals and, at the same time, avoid high risks of negative effects. In addition, new scholars will find it to be an excellent introduction to various media literacy research.

"This well-written study adds many fresh perspectives to a continuing social and public policy debate. . . . Highly recommended."

?CHOICE

Violence sells. The media industries say they are simply businesses responding to market desires, but when they are criticized for contributing to a culture of violence, they claim First Amendment protection. If anything, media violence is more prevalent today than at any other time in the past. Yet, although scientific researchers have produced a strong body of evidence demonstrating that exposure to media violence harms society, that evidence has never been translated into practical and accessible ideas.

The 11 Myths of Media Violence clearly explains why media violence has not only been allowed but encouraged to escalate. Esteemed author W. James Potter challenges many of our assumptions about the relationship between media and violence. He argues that these assumptions are the primary barriers preventing us from confronting the issue of violence in films, TV, and video games.

While dispelling misperceptions and evoking emotions, each chapter:

• identifies a myth, its origin, its acceptance by the public, and its growth in popularity.
• analyzes the faulty nature of the myth and shows how it deflects attention away from the truth.
• presents "dilemmas" that challenge readers to reconsider their assumptions.
• includes a list of indispensable references.

The 11 Myths of Media Violence provides an in-depth review of how Congress, journalists, and researchers contribute to the problem and raises important questions that place the reader at the heart of the conflict. W. James Potter takes a broad social science approach, presenting technical information in a direct, balanced, and very readable manner.

Students and scholars of Mass Media, Communications, Film, and Sociology will find The 11 Myths of Media Violence inspires passionate discussion and innovative research. Consumer activists, teachers, and families will find it an essential resource and invaluable step toward finding solutions to this critical social issue.

Well-known journal editors and Communication scholars Alison Alexander and W. James Potter provide an insider's guide to getting published in scholarly communication journals. Alexander and Potter begin with a review of the manuscript submission process followed by coverage of writing traps that should be avoided. Additional chapters, written by eight other distinguished journal editors, tell prospective authors what editors and reviewers look for when deciding which articles should be published and which should not. Researchers, students, and professionals will find helpful and practical discussions on writing literature reviews, theoretical essays, quantitative and qualitative studies, interpretive inquiries, and critical, cultural and historical essays.

On Media Violence is a definitive examination of this hotly debated social topic. Media scholar W. James Potter asks provocative questions such as: How much media violence is there? What are the meanings conveyed in the way violence is portrayed? What effect does it have on viewers individually, as members of particular groups, and as members of society?

The book is organized in four parts. The first part presents a thorough review of more than 40 years of research and theories about media violence. The second part is an extended critique of the assumptions and practices of that research and thinking. The book proposes re-conceptions of definitions of violence, context, levels of phenomena, the role of human development, effects, risk, and the nature of the media industries. Potter also addresses the necessity for a reconfiguration of the methodological tasks used to assess the content and effects of media violence. The final part introduces Lineation Theory, a suggested perspective and new theoretical approach explaining it.

On Media Violence is essential reading for students and scholars of Media Studies, Communication Theory, Popular Culture, Social Psychology, and Sociology. Part I of the book offers a thorough review of more than 40 years of research on media violence. Part II proposes re-conceptions of these theories, focusing in particular on violence, context, levels of phenomena, human development, effects, risk, and the media industries. In the latter half of the book, Part III addresses the necessity for a reconfiguration of the methodological tasks used to assess media violence. Part IV introduces the concept of Lineation Theory, a suggested perspective for thinking about media violence and a new theoretical approach to explaining it.

On Media Violence is essential reading for students and scholars of Media Studies, Communication Theory, Popular Culture, Social Psychology, and Sociology.

People have always depended on the mass media for information and entertainment. Surveys of their exposure consistently have shown increases in their time spent with the media year after year; these increases shot up dramatically in the past two decades with the proliferation of what has been called the digital or new media. With mobile devices and easy access to Wi-Fi connections, people are now in constant connection with an ever growing source of information and entertainment and they can contribute their own content to those sources by using email and texting, as well as sharing photos, videos, and even the most minute details of their everyday lives. As their media usage shifts away from the traditional media and into digital media with their immediacy, interactivity, and intrusiveness, the way the media have been affecting people has fundamentally changed. Digital Media Effects focuses on those changes in media effects. While the author acknowledges the findings from the very large literature of effects from exposure to traditional media, this book focuses attention much more onto the special kinds of effects that are now occurring given the changes in the nature of those exposures as well as the access to a much wider range of messages and experiences.