POLS 319: Media and Politics: Analyzing News Sources

Instructions: Read the following questions to be aware of what you're looking for, and then skim through the article and respond to the following questions:

1. Who are the authors of this piece? Do you consider the authors & the newspaper a reliable source? Why or why not?


2. Many news sources contain factual information, specifically addressing who, what, where, when, why, and how (The 5 Ws and the H). 
   
   
   1. Does the article contain all of the 5 Ws and the H? Why might this context be important? Why is coverage important? 
   
   
3. Are there any opinions or assumptions present in this piece? 


4. Based on your overall assessment of the source, would you say this is a news article or a news editorial? Briefly discuss why the distinction is important for your assignment. 

Instructions: Read the following questions to be aware of what you're looking for, then skim through the article and respond to the following questions:

1. Who is the author of this piece? What is the significance of this? 


2. What is the purpose of this piece -- to entertain, to inform, or to persuade? How is this conveyed through tone? Consider the attitude with which the piece was written and the language used.


3. Discuss the accuracy of the facts used in the story. How do you know that the information is reliable and accurate? Cite one example from the source. 


4. Are there any opinions in this piece? If so, write down a few examples. What is the significance of this? 


5. After you skim through the piece, select the Abstract / Details icon next to the Full Text option above the article's text. What kind of information is on this page? Why might this be helpful in researching news? 


6. Based on your overall assessment of the source, would you say this is a news article or a news editorial? Briefly discuss why the distinction is important for your assignment.