Objective: To explore and develop an understanding of what is important to the “average” teenager.
Type of activity: Content analysis
Directions: Obtain two or three magazines for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. The goal of this project is to use the magazines as an indicator of what is important in the life of an average adolescent. NO ONLINE EDITIONS!
Survey the Magazine: Keep a tally of articles AND advertisements as you look at each page of the magazines. How many articles and how many advertisements focus on each of the following:
relationships with parents relationships with step parents
school/academic issues school/social issues
college preparations money
parties depression/suicide
peers medical illnesses
friends nutrition/dieting
make-up/hair products music
fashion exercise/sports
love sex
Be sure to list any other topics emphasized, in addition to the ones mentioned here.
Write about your Observations (submissions must be TYPED):
- Introduce your survey and give the purpose of the paper.
- What topics were most popular among the articles?
- What topics were most popular among the advertisements?
- Were the magazines specifically targeted at boys or girls?
- Were the magazines specifically targeted to an ethnic group?
- Conclude with a summary of your observations about how the magazines you surveyed reflect the world of the adolescent in the united states.
Include a reference list of your sources
(the magazines with date, volume, edition, etc. / APA formatting)
