Comparing Media | Student Worksheet

What Will You Learn?

The same story or information can be presented in many different formats - books, movies, podcasts, videos, infographics. Each format has unique tools and techniques that change how we experience the content. Today you'll learn to compare and contrast how different media formats treat the same topic and analyze why creators make specific choices.

Four Major Media Formats

📚

TEXT (Books, Articles)

Unique Techniques:

Description and imagery
Inner thoughts/monologue
Dialogue
Reader's imagination

Strength: Access to character thoughts, detailed description

🎬

FILM/VIDEO

Unique Techniques:

Camera angles/shots
Music and sound
Acting and expressions
Editing and pacing

Strength: Visual storytelling, emotional impact

🎧

AUDIO (Podcasts, Radio)

Unique Techniques:

Voice tone and inflection
Sound effects
Music
Pacing and pauses

Strength: Intimacy, multitasking, voice emotion

📊

VISUAL (Graphics, Photos)

Unique Techniques:

Color and composition
Symbols and icons
Data visualization
Layout and design

Strength: Quick communication, showing data

Example: Same Scene in Book vs. Movie

How might a tense moment be shown differently?

Book Version:

"Marcus felt his heart pounding as he pushed open the creaky door. What if someone was inside? His palms were sweating. Every shadow seemed to move. He could hear his own breathing, loud in the silence. The floorboard groaned under his foot, and he froze."

Techniques used: Inner thoughts, physical sensations, detailed description of sounds and feelings

Movie Version:

[CLOSE-UP of Marcus's face, sweat visible]
[SLOW MOTION as door creaks open]
[TENSE MUSIC builds gradually]
[CAMERA follows behind Marcus as he enters]
[SOUND of floorboard creaking - music STOPS]
[Marcus FREEZES - wide shot of dark room]

Techniques used: Camera angles, music, sound design, actor's performance

Key Difference: The book tells us Marcus's thoughts ("What if someone was inside?"); the movie SHOWS tension through music, camera work, and the actor's face.

What Changes When Content Moves Between Formats?

When adapting from...	What might be ADDED	What might be LOST
Book to Film	Visual details, music, actors' performances, specific settings	Inner thoughts, lengthy descriptions, reader imagination
Article to Video	Interviews, footage, graphics, narrator personality	Detailed statistics, ability to re-read, reader's pace control
Story to Podcast	Voice acting, sound effects, music, intimacy	Visual descriptions, character appearances, setting details
Data to Infographic	Visual patterns, quick understanding, comparisons	Detailed explanations, context, nuance

Key Questions for Comparing Media

What techniques does each format use? (Camera angles? Description? Sound effects?)
What is emphasized differently? (Does the movie focus on action while the book focuses on thoughts?)
What is added or lost in adaptation? (What can the book do that the movie can't, and vice versa?)
Why might the creator have made these choices? (What works better in this format?)
Which format is most effective for this content and why?

Your Turn!

1. A book describes a character's fear through their thoughts. How might a movie show the same fear?

A. By having the character explain their fears in dialogue B. Through the actor's facial expressions, tense music, and camera close-ups C. By adding more action scenes D. By using a narrator to read the character's thoughts

2. What is something a BOOK can do that a MOVIE cannot easily do?

A. Show a car chase B. Reveal a character's inner thoughts and memories in detail C. Use music to create emotion D. Show what characters look like

3. Why might a news organization create BOTH an article AND a video about the same story?

4. A podcast about climate change can use ____ to create emotional impact, while an infographic would be better for ____.

5. When a movie adaptation cuts scenes from the book, this is usually because:

A. The filmmakers didn't read the whole book B. Time constraints and the need to focus on visual storytelling C. The scenes weren't important in the book either D. Movies are always worse than books

Tips for Comparing Media

Look for format-specific techniques: What can ONLY this format do?
Consider the "why": Why did the creator choose this format or technique?
Think about audience: How does each format affect the audience's experience?
Avoid "better/worse" judgments: Instead, analyze what each format does well and why

Remember: Different formats aren't better or worse - they're different tools for different purposes!