Analysis of Media Bias

ASSIGNMENT FOR PAPER #1:  Analysis of Media Bias in THREE NEWS ARTICLES:  For this paper, you will construct an analysis that focuses on media bias (or fair reporting) in three articles that appear in publications on the Left, Middle and Right sides of the Media Bias Chart (3 articles total). In your paper, show how bias or fair reporting work differently on all three sides of the spectrum, and give specific examples and frequent quotes to support your analysis.  How do sources on the Left differ from sources on the Right?  Do both sides state actual facts, or are facts missing or distorted?  Don’t be afraid to call the writers out when you see unfair use of slanting or propaganda that twists or misrepresents the facts.  Give your educated opinion about the levels of bias, lack of bias, fair or unfair examples, or any other aspect of these articles.   Construct a clear, strong thesis, and organize carefully; each paragraph needs to begin with a clear (creative, interesting–that part is up to you) topic sentence.  QUOTE from the articles in your body paragraphs, and analyze as you go.   You are reading Chapter One in The Structure of Argument this week.  What points from the chapter strike you as relevant as you look at these articles?  Include some of these points in the paper.   Beyond these basic instructions, take the paper in a direction that is important and relevant–YOU are the writer here, and you are  analyzing as an educated person with a unique approach to the readings.  Consider the Media Bias List; we will talk more about this in class.  The paper needs to be your own analysis: a mixture of references to the articles and your own opinions about and analysis  QUOTE from the articles as you write about them; do not assume that your reader has read the articles. CITE the at the end, using the Titles, Writers, Publication and Date of publication in a short Works Cited Sheet.  OPTION:  You can use the articles we read and discussed, or you can find three articles on your own.  Make sure to use the Media Bias Chart and find articles about the same topic in 3 different publications (one from the Left, one from the Neutral area, and one from the Right).   POST:  Explain the three articles you are using and your approach.  Include at least two paragraphs of your Rough Draft, and give feedback about other people’s ideas and paragraphs.   What do you think of the writer’s main idea?  Responses to the articles?  Analysis?