Internet Exercises

 
Before you begin writing your report check out the Instructions

1	How to Evaluate a Website		Theory of Media Politics
	Media coverage of the Abortion Issue		Media and Campaigns
	Comparing Media		Public Misconception of War in Iraq
4	Alternative Media vs. Mainstream		Coverage of War on Terror
	Myth of Liberal Media	10	Social Media and Politics

     1. How to Evaluate a Web site

One of the problems of the Internet is the reliability of information.  How can a person determine the validity of what appears on a Web site?  In other words, who and what can you trust?   In order to determine if a source can be trusted you need to view it critically. Cornell University Library has a list of five criteria to help you with this task.  Select a media website  and see if you can apply the five criteria to it. In your paper explain whether or not the website gives you enough information to apply each of the criteria.  If not, explain what is missing.  Determine if the site you choose can be trusted or not.  Base your opinion on the information obtained from Cornell unless you consider other criteria more important.

                         Checklist for an Informational web page 

http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webcrit.html

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2. Media Coverage of the Abortion issue

• For this assigment there are two articles to read:  Abortion Coverage Leaves Women Out of the Picture, and Pro Abortion Bias Detailed by L.A Times.  The first is from FAIR and the second is from MediaWatch.  In your paper describe what is said in each of these articles and then evaluate them as to fairness and accuracy.  If you need definitions for these concepts you can check with the link in the first assignment at the Cornell library.  In your paper explain what these articles tell us about the media in the U.S. 
• The first article is at:  http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1483
• The second is at:  http://www.uky.edu/AS/PoliSci/Peffley/475MediaWatch%20--%2008-01-1990%20--%20Study%20Pro-Abortion%20Bias%20Detailed%20By%20L_A_%20Times.htm

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  3. Comparing Media on the Internet and in Print

  Pick a newspaper of your choice.  It can be a national newspaper such as USA Today or the New York Times or a local paper such as the Chicago Tribune.  Compare a print copy of the paper with the on-line version of the paper.  What is the same? How do they differ?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of media.

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  4. Alternative Media outlet vs. Mainstream Media

  For this assignment take any of the papers listed in Assignment 3 or any other news outlet such as CNN or ABC and compare news coverage over a three day period with an alternative media such as Democracy Now or the Washington Times or Fox News over the same period of time.  In your paper be sure and compare the news stories, amount of coverage.  If it is electronic media identify who the guests were and what commentary on the news was provided.  Do a analysis of the data you collected.  You should also provide your opinion of the different coverage and explain what you think the information you gathered tells us about the media in the U.S.  
      

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  5. Myth of the Liberal Media

  Watch this video about media by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky.  In your paper describe the reasons they give to suggest that the media in the U.S. does not have a liberal bias.  What are some of the reasons why they state that the contention that there is a liberal bias persist. Do an analysis of their conclusions and then include your opinion.  Be sure and include examples that support your arguments.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlyb1Bx9Ic

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     6. Theory of Media Politics

In this article by John Zaller suggest that there are three important actors in shaping the news:  politicians, journalists, and citizens.  Write a paper explaining his theory and then do an analysis of his conclusions.  What does he mean by media politics as a system of politics?  How reasonable are his arguments.  Can you give examples to confirm or deny what he is saying.  Be sure and include your opinion in all this. http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/faculty/zaller/media politics book .pdf

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   7. Media and Campaigns

For this assignment there are two articles to read. The first is Polling, Politics, Media and Election Campaigns, and the second is:  Wining the Media Campaign How the Press Reported the 2008 General Election. In your paper describe what is said in each of these article about how the media reports on polling and the candidates.  What is the data saying about the coverage.  Is it bias, if so, in what direction?  Be sure and include in your paper an analysis of what these two reports tell us about media in the U.S.
http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/5/635.full
http://www.journalism.org/node/13307

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8. Public Misconceptions of the War in Iraq

Read this article on the public perceptions of the War in Iraq.  What explanations are given for the misconceptions of much of the public about factual information.  In your paper describe what the findings are and what implications are for both the media and democracy in the U.S.  Be sure a give an analysis of what you think are the reasons for public misconceptions.  What does this data tell us about the sophistication of the pubic in understanding foreign policy and the role of the media in all this.

http://www.uky.edu/AS/PoliSci/Peffley/pdf/475 PIPA MisperceptionsofIraqWar_10_02_03.pdf

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    9. Coverage of the War on Terror

Read this article on media coverage of the War on Terror.  War on Terror Mainstream Media and Propaganda.  Write a paper identifying the major conclusions from the article on this Global Issues blog.  Describe the credential for the author.  Tell what you think about this new concept of citizen journalist.  Do you feel this is a legitimate form of media that should be considered as creditable as media in the mainstream or are you less likely to believe what this author is saying.  Explain your position.  Also, be sure and detail the arguments made in the article and evaluate each of  them.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/352/mainstream-media-and-propaganda#AllSidescanhavePropaganda

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  10. Social Media and Politics

Read this article on the functions of social media in election campaigns.  In your paper describe what social media are and how they are being used by candidates.  Tell what are the advantages and disadvantages of using these new media.  Tell what place you feel these media will have in the future.  Do you think they have the potiential to replaced the traditional advertising campaign?  See if you can figure out if most candidates are using them and what impact they are having.

http://mashable.com/2011/11/17/social-media-political-campaigns/

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Instructions for Written Assignments: Final versions of the papers are due at the end of the semester.  The week of the final exam.  I will give specific dates for each assignment. Choose any 3 of the projects from the list of 10. If the links do not work copy them from the bottom of the assignment.  Theses are the resources you will need to answer the questions.  Read the assigned web posting carefully and answer all the questions listed in the assignment. Write a report approximately 3 to 5 pages in length, double spaced with 1 inch margins. Return them to me in-class or vis email.

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