@article{Pelton_2012, place={Washington DC: American Sociological Association.}, title={Film Analysis Papers}, url={https://trails.asanet.org/article/view/film-analysis-papers}, abstractNote={Films are used in this major course assignment in order to provide students with a vehicle for discussing the most relevant concepts, ideas, or theories covered throughout the course. Students are asked choose from seven paper options which link a particular theorist or theorists to popular or documentary films. These papers are not expected to be "film reviews" in the strictest sense, though they may incorporate certain features of traditional film analyses. When discussing the assignment goals and objectives, I emphasize the fact that students are writing analytical papers that use theoretical ideas and concepts to create a strong argument, applying theory to the film. This assignment allows the natural critical learning environment developed in the classroom to extend into the students’ living rooms. The practice of analyzing and critiquing popular and documentary films encourages autonomous learning and promotes transfer of knowledge and skill to a situation in which students are not always used to thinking sociologically. As the semester progresses, for example, students report "seeing" other films in a new light as they practice "doing theory" for these papers. This assignment also works to decrease anxiety over writing theoretical papers or taking exams in an undergraduate theory course. Students, especially visual learners, report that the familiarity of watching films helps to ease any apprehension they might feel about reading theory and writing theoretical papers. Analyzing films gives students a place to start—a structure to guide their writing—and increases their motivation to complete course assignments.}, journal={TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology}, author={Pelton, Julie}, year={2012}, month={May} }