Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - D1120062
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED338263 AUTHOR: Markes, Mary J.
TITLE: An Analysis of the Multi-Cultural Awareness Shown in
Popular American Children's Periodicals.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1991
NOTE: 60 p.; Requirement for an M.S. degree, Mankato
University.
ABSTRACT: Designed to provide guidance to elementary or
middle school library media specialists in the selection of
periodicals that will support a school's multicultural
goals and objectives, this study developed a checklist and
used it to analyze the treatment given to children and
adults of various racial and ethnic groups in 15 of the
most popular American magazines for children in the 10- to
12-year-old age range. The study had three parts: (1) the
editor of each of the selected magazines was contacted and
asked whether that magazine has an editorial policy or
mission statement governing the treatment of minority-group
members in the articles, illustrations, or advertisements
published; (2) an evaluation tool was designed; and (3) the
checklist was used to analyze three randomly selected
issues published in 1990 of each of the magazines. It was
found that most of these children's magazines exhibit
multicultural awareness in their illustrations and
advertising, although articles featuring minority group
children or adults are not yet representative of the
population; there is still a tendency toward tokenism,
especially in illustrations; stereotypes are rare, but more
apt to appear in pictures of American Indians or in
representations of black males as athletes or
entertainers; the percentage of representation of a
particular race or ethnic group approximates the 1988
Census Bureau estimates. Analyses of the data for each of
the magazines provide detailed information on that
magazine's status for each of the variables. Appendices
contain a list of the magazines used in the study, a list
of other magazines cited, the magazine list by circulation,
sample letters to the magazine editor and circulation
manager, the Children's Periodical Checklist, and a copy of
Minnesota State Board of Education rules pertaining to
multi-cultural and gender-fair curriculum. (39 references)
(MAB)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Check-Lists; Data-Collection; Elementary
Education; Intermediate-Grades; Library-Collections; School
Libraries; Stereotypes-
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Childrens-Literature;
*Cultural-Pluralism; *Learning-Resources-Centers;
*Library-Material-Selection; *Multicultural-Education;
*Periodicals-
This is an ERIC database document. ERIC is the National
Education Information Network for providing ready access
to the literature of education -descriptions of exemplary
programs, research and development efforts, and related
information that can be used in developing more effective
educational programs. The ERIC database is currently
available on CD-ROM in the main library (ground floor of
the west wing) at Michigan State University. To locate
ERIC documents in the library identify the first line of
each record (i.e., the field ERIC TITLE NUMBER). ED
following ERIC TITLE NUMBER indicates an ERIC document,
an unpublished research study. Most of these items are
available in the Microforms library, located on the 3rd
floor of the west wing. All you need is the six digit ED
number. If EJ follows ERIC TITLE NUMBER the item is a
journal article. The complete journal name is listed after
the code JOURNAL.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base DP on 06/25/02.
Data base DP was last revised on 12/95/ .
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
cook@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
disclaimer for important
information about using our site.