Media Log Assignment
Why: To raise your awareness of the amount of media you use, how you use it and what it costs you in terms of time.
Time frame: Any 3 consecutive days between October 31&November 6
Assignment- 3 Main Components (it goes to the next page)
1. Record all media use for threeconsecutive days, breaking it down by technology (TV, computer, cell phone, iPod/MP3, game console, radio, magazines, newspapers, books).So you can keep track of your media intake on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday or Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.You will keep track of how much time you spent on each medium, what type of content it was, and what you were doing at the same time. Note, you should do this as you go because it can be very time-consuming if you leave it until the end of the day or if your try to make it up.
a. You must create a media log chart (I have provided an example at the end of this sheet). Youwill submit this to D2L's Dropbox.
b. For each day your media log should answer the following questions:
i. What did you watch, listen to, browse, or read?
ii. How long did you watch, listen, browse, or read?
iii. What medium were you using to do this? (phone, tablet, computer, TV)
iv. What else were you doing at the time (e.g. driving to school while listening to the radio)?
2. Total your media usage.
a. Tally your total time in minutesfor each mediumat the bottom of the daily log page (total time on TV, total time on phone, etc).Do this for each day of your log and also for the total of all three days (remember you it should be separated by medium).
b. Text messages should be talliedfor each day and the 3-day total. You should count every time you send OR receive a text message, Imessage, or Snapchat. Total the number and multiply by 15 seconds, then divide by 60 to get minutes.Your chart must show the math, so it must say how many texts were sent or received and what that equals in minutes. This goes at the bottom of each day and again at the end. You don't have to keep track of this throughout the day, just the daily total. The total then will go under phone or computer, depending on what you read or saw them.
3. Write it up. Analysis.
a. In at least two pages (all the way down to the bottom) you should provide an analysis of your media intake. You will do this by answering the questions below. Be sure to label or number each one of your questions and answers.I should be able to see the question and then your answer. Don't write this as a paper without the questions. Failure to do so will result in a 40 pt. deduction.Be sure to answer each one thoroughly. Questions below.
Questions
1. What was completing this assignment like? Did you enjoy it or was it annoying? Was it fun? Were there any surprises in your media log? What were they? Why were you surprised? Was your media usage higher or lower than you anticipated? What did you learn from completing this assignment?
2. What patterns emergedfrom the recording of your media? Did you seem to do the same things in the mornings or at night? Were weekdays different than weekends? Did you tend to use more than one medium at the same time? Did you tend to do the same activities while engaging with a particular medium?If no patterns emerged, why?
3. Regardless of time spent, which medium is your most preferred and why? Address the conditions in which you normally use your favorite medium (alone, with a friend, in a group, etc., and at what times). If that particular technology stopped working tomorrow, how would it affect your life?
b. Write up format: Please use 12-point, Times New Roman font. Please double-space your assignments. You must answer the above questions and number them accordingly. This must be at least two pages long (all the way down to the bottom line).
c. Sample media log below. You can use this one, just empty out the cells and put your own information on there.
|
Time
|
Media Format
|
Activity
|
Simultaneous Activity
|
Time Engaged
|
|
Tuesday, April 15th
|
|
9:50am
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving to work
|
5 minutes
|
|
3:30pm
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving home
|
5 minutes
|
|
4:00pm
|
Cell phone, TV
|
Twitter
|
Watching tv
|
10 minutes
|
|
4:00pm
|
TV
|
Watching Golden Girls
|
Sitting on the couch
|
30 minutes
|
|
4:35pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
N/A
|
5 minutes
|
|
4:40pm
|
Windows Surface
|
Reading Ethics chapter
|
N/A
|
65 minutes
|
|
5:45pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Eating dinner
|
5 minutes
|
|
5:50pm
|
Cell phone
|
Instagram
|
Eating dinner
|
5 minutes
|
|
6:00pm
|
Textbook
|
Reading for Com. Media
|
N/A
|
35 minutes
|
|
6:35pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
N/A
|
10 minutes
|
|
6:45pm
|
Cell phone
|
Vine
|
N/A
|
10 minutes
|
|
7:30pm
|
TV
|
Watching Seinfeld
|
Playing with my puppy
|
30 minutes
|
|
8:00pm
|
Cell phone
|
Listening to Pandora
|
Showering
|
15 minutes
|
|
8:30pm
|
Cell phone, TV, Windows Surface
|
Twitter, email, Instagram, playing 2048
|
Lying in bed/ Watching TV
|
60 minutes
|
|
10:00
|
TV
|
Watching TV, sleep with TV on
|
Lying in bed
|
30 minutes
|
|
All day
|
Cell phone
|
Texts
|
Daily activities
|
(137*15)/60=34.25 minutes
|
|
Total Media for Tuesday
|
|
Media Format
|
Total Time
|
|
Cell phone
|
114.25 minutes
|
|
TV
|
160 minutes
|
|
Computer
|
0 minutes
|
|
Books/Textbooks
|
35 minutes
|
|
Windows Surface Tablet
|
125 minutes
|
|
Car Radio
|
10 minutes
|
|
Total Media Usage for Tuesday:
|
444.25 minutes
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 16th
|
|
Time
|
Media Format
|
Activity
|
Simultaneous Activity
|
Time Engaged
|
|
7:30am
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Taking dog out
|
5 minutes
|
|
8:45am
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving to PetCo
|
10 minutes
|
|
10:00am
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving home
|
10 minutes
|
|
10:15am
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Riding in the car to Butler
|
65 minutes
|
|
11:30am
|
Windows Surface
|
Email
|
Sitting in ER waiting room
|
10 minutes
|
|
12:45pm
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Riding in the car home
|
65 minutes
|
|
2:00pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Lying in bed
|
15 minutes
|
|
3:00pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter, email, instagram
|
Lying in bed
|
15 minutes
|
|
3:00pm
|
TV
|
Watching Golden Grils
|
Lying in bed
|
60 minutes
|
|
4:00pm
|
Lab book
|
Studying for lab quiz
|
Sitting at desk
|
10 minutes
|
|
4:10pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Sitting at desk
|
5 minutes
|
|
5:30pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter, Instagram
|
Lying in bed
|
5 minutes
|
|
5:30pm
|
TV
|
Watch Family Guy
|
Lying in bed
|
30 minutes
|
|
6:00pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Eating dinner
|
10 minutes
|
|
7:00pm
|
Computer
|
Online ECON homework
|
Sitting at desk
|
30 minutes
|
|
7:30pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Sitting at desk
|
10 minutes
|
|
7:40pm
|
Windows Surface
|
Playing 2048
|
Lying in bed
|
20 Minutes
|
|
8:00pm
|
Cell phone, TV
|
Twitter, Instagram, watching Downton Abbey
|
Lying in bed
|
60 minutes
|
|
9:00pm
|
TV
|
Sleep with TV on
|
Sleeping
|
N/A
|
|
All day
|
Cell phone
|
Texting
|
Daily activities
|
(84*15)/60= 20 minutes
|
|
Total Media for Wednesday
|
|
Media Format
|
Total Time
|
|
Cell phone
|
145 minutes
|
|
TV
|
150 minutes
|
|
Computer
|
30 minutes
|
|
Books/Textbooks
|
10 minutes
|
|
Windows Surface Tablet
|
30 minutes
|
|
Car radio
|
150 minutes
|
|
Total Media Usage for Wednesday:
|
515 minutes
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 17th
|
|
Time
|
Media Format
|
Activity
|
Simultaneous Activity
|
Time Engaged
|
|
10:30am
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving to campus
|
10 minutes
|
|
10:45am
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter, email
|
Waiting for lab to start
|
15 minutes
|
|
1:50pm
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving home
|
10 minutes
|
|
2:15pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter, Instagram
|
Sitting on couch
|
15 minutes
|
|
2:40pm
|
Car radio
|
Listening to radio
|
Driving to my real house
|
30 minutes
|
|
3:30pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Sitting on couch
|
5 minutes
|
|
3:35pm
|
Cell phone
|
Listening to Pandora
|
Cleaning the inside of my car
|
70 minutes
|
|
5:00pm
|
Cell phone, TV
|
Twitter, Instagram
|
Watching tv
|
60 minutes
|
|
6:00pm
|
Textbook
|
Reading Com. Media
|
Sitting on couch
|
30 minutes
|
|
6:30pm
|
Computer
|
Online ECON homework
|
Sitting on the couch
|
20 minutes
|
|
6:50pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Sitting outside with dogs
|
10 minutes
|
|
7:00pm
|
TV
|
Watching Golden Girls
|
Sitting on couch
|
60 minutes
|
|
8:05pm
|
Cell phone
|
Twitter
|
Sitting on couch
|
5 minutes
|
|
8:40pm
|
Cell phone, TV
|
Twitter, playing 2048
|
Watching TV
|
30 minutes
|
|
9:30pm
|
TV
|
Watching Family Guy
|
Talking to mom, playing with dogs
|
60 minutes
|
|
10:30pm
|
Cell phone, TV
|
Twitter, watching Seinfeld
|
Lying in bed
|
30 minutes
|
|
11:00pm
|
TV
|
Sleep with TV on
|
Sleeping
|
N/A
|
|
All Day
|
Cell phone
|
Texts
|
Daily activities
|
(179*15)/60= 44.75 minutes
|
|
Total Media for Thursday
|
|
Media Format
|
Total Time
|
|
Cell phone
|
284.75 minutes
|
|
TV
|
240 minutes
|
|
Computer
|
20 minutes
|
|
Windows Surface Tablet
|
0 minutes
|
|
Books/Textbooks
|
30 minutes
|
|
Car radio
|
50 minutes
|
|
Total Media Usage for Thursday:
|
624.75 minutes
|
|
3-Day Total
|
|
Cell Phone Total:
|
544 minutes
|
|
TV Total:
|
550 minutes
|
|
Computer Total:
|
50 minutes
|
|
Windows Surface Tablet:
|
155 minutes
|
|
Books Total:
|
75 minutes
|
|
Car Radio Total:
|
210 minutes
|
|
Total Media Usage for 3 days:
|
1,584 minutes
|