Fairchild 1

Maddy Fairchild
Mrs. Harrell
English 2 Honors
May 15, 2015

Research Question: Does the medias representation of body image lead to eating disorders in
teens?
Working Thesis Statement: As the medias influence on body image spreads, the amount of
teenagers with eating disorders increases.
Refined Thesis Statement: The way the media portrays a perfect body has a direct effect on
the amount of teens controlled by an eating disorder.
Annotated Bibliography

Ballaro, Beverly, and Geraldine Wagner. "Body Image & The Media: An Overview." Points Of
View: Body Image & The Media (2015): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 4 May 2015.
This article describes, in very elaborate detail, many of the common eating disorders that
are becoming more common in adolescents. In this article, authors Beverly Ballaro and
Geraldine Wagner describe the unrealistic bodies of male and female models for famous
companies today. Not only does this article talk about the effects of the wanted body image from
females, it talks about the problems that can be found more dominantly in males because of the
media. As well as listing negative effects of body image, this article depicts ways that people
have tried to help people that have suffered from these disorders. This article helps support my
claim because it includes evidence that there is a direct relationship between the medias
perception of an acceptable body and eating disorders that are found in teenagers.

Fairchild 2
Chittom, Lynn-nore, and Laura Finley. "Point: Body Image In The Media Is An Unhealthy
Picture." Points Of View: Body Image & The Media (2015): 2. Points of View Reference Center.
Web. 4 May 2015.
This main topic of this article is how new shows being introduced into new areas can
cause eating disorders in many teenage girls and boys. The article describes how females have to
deal with the media pressuring them to be extra skinny and that this causes many people to
develop eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. The article says that tv shows have
caused much more eating disorders in girls. This article also describes that it is peoples
perceptions of themselves that is being changed by the media. They want to look like the models
and actors and actresses, and once realizing this goal is unattainable. I used this article to show
different ways that have caused people to develop disorders.

Issitt, Micah. "Airbrushing In Advertisements: Overview." Points Of View: Airbrushing In

Advertising (2015): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 4 May 2015.
This article is primarily about how models and actors use airbrushing to make themselves
look better. They use this technique along with photoshop to have the dream body as perceived
by the American media. This has shown that there has been a significant increase in eating
disorders because the media makes these people look unhuman. These airbrush techniques have
caused people to have unachievable body goals. This article also talks about the ways that
people are trying to limit airbrushing and photoshop to keep people from getting disorders. It
also talks about how some celebrities are trying to go against the medias view. I used this article

Fairchild 3
to counter my claim and show ways that the media tries to keep people from creating these
disorders.