For this analysis, choose a single issue of a film magazine from the 1920s-1940s, using the Media History Digital Library Once there, you can click on the “Lantern” button along the top and it will present a visual array of publications, which you can then sort by date, collection (fan mag, trade mag, etc.), and other filters. This is what I did in the video. Or, you can just click “Explore Our Collections” from the right of the homepage — Fan Magazines or Hollywood Studio System would be the best choices — and can from there choose a publication from the 1920s-1940s.
Once you pick a title, pick “read in context” and it will take you to the digital copy of the issue. Most of these digital files are collections of six or twelve issues, so don’t panic at the page count. Choose a single issue and browse it in its entirety, making note of what stands out. Pay attention to who was the presumed audience for the publication.
Choose one article (not an advertisement) that seems interesting, and write a post about the historical evidence that that article might provide. What does it tell us about the time period in which it was produced? What research questions does it provoke? What does it assume that readers value? Try not to get too concerned about whether or not a particular article is true. Instead, ask what historical value the publication provides regardless of whether or not the article is accurate. Be specific; use relevant examples from your text in your analysis.
Your post should provide a link to the article, and should also cite the article as follows: Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Publication Title, Day Month Year, pages.
The whole thing should be a substantial paragraph or few paragraphs.