Assignments: Batch One: Assignment 7

'Do I look gay to you?' How do some people nowadays think that they can spot either a gay man or a lesbian in everyday life and what basis is there for such beliefs?

Guidance

For general guidance about what is expected in your essays for this module, see the guidelines for writing essays and reports.

What Key Features Do I Look For?

  • Familiarity with relevant texts
  • Evidence - the stronger the better
  • Argument - coherent and balanced
  • Theoretical discussion - relation to relevant theories
  • Understanding of relevant concepts
  • Reflexivity - reflections on methodology
  • Examples - insightfully analysed
  • Style - readability and effective presentation

Please remember to avoid footnotes and to include an alphabetical list of 'References' which have been cited in the text (not a Bibliography of anything you have read for the essay). This list should include author's names, date, book titles (in italics), place of publication and publisher. Within the text always cite author's surname, date and page number. Double-space your text and number your pages.

Guidance for this assignment: Focus either on gay men or lesbians - do not try to cover both, and indicate in your title which group you have chosen. Clearly, you'll need to discuss stereotyping in everyday life and stereotypical representations in the mass media (especially TV, film, magazines and advertising). To what extent are such stereotypes derived from the mass media (this needs to be backed up with evidence from published academic research)? Do some gay people act in stereotypical ways and if so, why (again, you need to consult published studies)? Consider verbal and nonverbal behaviour, clothing and hairstyles, and so on. Do not be tempted into easy generalizations about the 'influence' of the mass media on people's attitudes and behaviour (avoid the whole 'effects' debate). Stick closely to the question.

Note also that this is an assignment for which the inclusion of relevant pictorial illustrations may be useful. Use these to illustrate particular points. Contrasting one with another can also be productive. Incorporate illustrations electronically into your text (e.g. by scanning or downloading from the Internet) rather than literally cutting and pasting. For guidance on capturing stills, click here.

Some suggested reading

Note: Treat with extreme caution sources labelled with this symbol!


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