The purpose of this essay is to determine your ability to identify sources of media bias.
You are to find one article from each of two magazine or newspaper Web sites that deal with the same story. Remember, it has to be the same story–the idea here is that you want to compare how each newspaper handles the same story.
The article must deal with an issue that covers US elections of voting. Make sure it is not an editorial. In addition, you cannot use any article that was discussed in class– you must find articles we haven’t discussed before.
You are to write a 400-word essay on the article. Your essay must include a summary of what the articles say (in your own words), and include an explanation of three major ideas that are in the article that relate to voting or elections. In addition, it must include a comparison of how the two newspapers covered the story. This comparison should include any sources of bias (where the story is located in the paper, how long it is, the use of opinions in the article, differences in information that each story contains, who owns the newspaper, etc.), and your evaluation–which article covered the story better, and why?
Points will be awarded for this activity as follows:
The links for each article are submitted as part of your essay (no points will be awarded for this activity if the links are not attached)
The essay is at least 400 words long (no points will be awarded for this activity if the essay is shorter);
Your essay includes a summary that includes the major ideas of the article (0-2 points);
Each of the three major ideas you raise thoroughly explains the relationship of the idea to elections or voting (0-3 points for each idea.)
Your essay includes a thorough evaluation of possible sources of bias (0-2 points.)
