COM3703 Assignment 1 Semester 2 2026 - Due 24 August 2026

COM3703
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 24 AUGUST 2026

, COM3703 ASSIGNMENT 1 2026

DUE 24 AUGUST 2026




1. INTRODUCTION

In this assignment, I will discuss key concepts from four important study units in media
studies. The first section covers Media, Language and Discourse, where I explain the
difference between signification and communication, define polysemy, describe the
inverted pyramid, and discuss Jakobson's six functions of language. The second section
covers Narrative Analysis, where I define narrative analysis and its significance, outline
its key structural elements, and provide a detailed example of narrative analysis applied
to a media text. The third section covers Media Audience Theory, where I explain the
active audience paradigm, reception theory assumptions, and archetypical characters in
soap operas. The fourth section covers Questionnaire Surveys in Media Research,
where I define surveys, explain how they are used in quantitative and qualitative
research, list research topics appropriate for surveys, and discuss which audience
theory is most suitable for studying audience interpretation of TV
programmes. Throughout this assignment, I use examples from the prescribed textbook
to illustrate my answers.