These Guidelines are to intended to help shape your Review...and although you don't need to answer each and every question...most will help you through the process. You can, of course, add questions/issues as you see fit
Introduction
Name of documentary...author/producer of documentary...year?
Why did you choose this particular documentary?
General Issues
Who paid for (sponsored) or produced it?
-----significance of this?
Was it "informational" or "promotional"?
Did it have a stated thesis (purpose) or did you need to infer that?
Who (and what kind of) was the primary audience it aimed at?
What type of approach (i.e. archival footage, interviews, film, printed materials, etc.) was used in it?
Did it contain any "fiction" or "drama" mixed in with the information?
Specific Sociological Issues
What is the relevance of it to specific areas/topics of our course?
Did it critically view the subject...or was it largely descriptive without analysis?
Was it ideological/paradigmatic? If so, what paradigms/ideology did you notice?
Which specific sociological concepts or ideas are pertinent in understanding the documentary?
What "level of analysis" (micro/meso/macro) was primarily used (or did it include more than one)?
Are any of the Sociological Theoretical Perspectives evident?
Did any certain issues or topics emerge as the strongest...weakest?
Overview Issues
Was there anything "left unsaid" which you feel would have improved the presentation?
-----i.e. was there anything you would have liked to see included which wasn't?
As a viewer, were there any "unintentional" results of your viewing it?
What are some reasons you would and wouldn't suggest others to view this documentary?
How might the documentary impact others different from you (i.e. gender, ethnicity, cultural, etc.)?
What did you learn and/or how did it enhance your understanding (personally and sociologically)?
Short Summary of Overall Review
Highlight main points of Review
Did you learn anything from your Review itself?
