Policing in America
LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: Approximately 1500-2000 (try not to exceed) thoughtful and descriptive words, single-spaced (subheadings), 1” margins, APA documentation.
Please use the information in this document to help guide your success on your CI exercise. Your work is evaluated on how well you adhere to these guidelines and course objectives.
Final submissions of CI exercise must be posted no later than 11:59 on due date: Aug. 9th (firm) with peer review and author’s note.
First:
- Identify a social phenomenon, e.g. Healthcare, Capitalism, Education, Climate Change, Gun Control, Voting Rights, Immigration, Policing in America, Environmental issues, War, LGBTQ rights, Reproductive Rights, White Supremacy/Nationalism (just to name only a few). Make sure that it is social and not specific. For example, Trump, Impeachment, etc. are important political issues but the topic is too specific to gain a broader perspective of issues circulating in society and impacting the vast majority of people. The issue does not have to be only an American issue, but it must be able to be found in news outlets in America. DO NOT choose an issue specific to your field.
- Look at two op-ed ( opinion/editorial) columns or two news articles on the same issue but presented in different sources. Avoid satire, fake, or extremist sources. If in doubt, ask!
- Make sure the sources are comparable – e.g. CNN–FOX are comparable, New York Times-Washington Post are comparable. The Guardian -The Economist, are not comparable.
By comparable, I mean that the writers are doing similar work. For example, The NY Times and Washington Post are similar kinds of news sources because their writers are journalists not just commentators or pundits. These news sources are both produced daily rather than weekly or monthly periodicals. The comparable articles do not have to be necessarily oppositional.
– Some Acceptable options: ( CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, ABC, NBC, or CBS(Online); or canvas leading Newspapers (NY Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald etc.), News Magazines: US News and World Report, Time. Also, The Guardian, Vox and Politico are also acceptable. Most of these are accessible online or through NU library (Links to an external site.). The articles must have named authors. Don’t use anonymous or Associated Press.
REPEAT: We’re examining broad social phenomena not be news about something in your field.
You may share articles on the discussion board if you have questions about whether they are acceptable for this assignment.
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Preliminary Work:
Read and Annotate each article: Make sure you discern the main arguments from supporting details. Make note of how the writers are using people, ideas, and facts/artifacts to support their claims. Think about what the use of these elements does to aid in the understanding of the news? You may want to make a brainstorming list.
Please use the information in this document to help guide your success in your CI Analysis. Your work is evaluated on how well you adhere to these guidelines. In the “real” world attention to detail and following instructions could be the difference between a promotion and the unemployment line. Share each section of the exercise with your peer review partner to manage your time. Please give a few days for adequate Peer Reviews.
FORMATTING:
- When posting & saving your documents use this format – last name, first initial, CI. docx or pdf.
- Title page: ALWAYS! Provide a running header according to APA Style guide
(Running Head) Current Issues
Title Page: (centered on the page)
Full Name
Dr. Pearson
English (course & section)
(Due) Date
- Your title – It should reflect some view of the social phenomena and what you have gleaned from the analysis. It should be attention-getting.
- Abstract: Overview of your analysis and conclusions made from your analysis. Operates separately from the paper.
ORGANIZATION:
Use subheadings. Write concise, objective paragraphs. Don’t make any comparative claims until the concluding paragraph. Cite additional sources only when necessary. Limit quoted material. (Hint: strong topic sentences are essential to orient your reader about how to interpret the analysis).
- An introductory statement: the exigence for writing about the social phenomenon. Simply explain what it is and why it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the issue. Identify the news sources (not the articles) which you will analyze. (~100 words)
- Summaries: summarize each article ( Not more than 5 sentences) for each, with a transition phrase, such as “in other news”, or “Turning to ______” between summaries.): DON’T USE COMPARATIVE LANGUAGE or make any arguments regarding the effectiveness or value of one article over the other.
A summary is a brief overview of the article. who (author), what (topic/title of news), when (date), where (periodical)
The main argument, how the writer constructs the story, and the results or take-aways.
NO opinions or interpretations
Use summarizing language – See signal phrases
No lead-ins or plot summary
- Writers’ Orientation. (50 words/each article): Who are the writers? Specialties? Length of time with source and topic? (requires research)
- Audiences/Readers: (requires research)—Do not exceed 100 words per article
- Primary audience: Who are the likely readers of this news? Research the demographics, distribution, etc. Note the readers’ characteristics: age, education, socio-economic status, geographic location.
5. Means of Persuasion: What is the rhetorical appeal or situation the author uses to execute the news? (See Covino & Jolliffe) 100 words each. Select the most prevalent in the article. Don’t try to touch on them all.
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- Logos – Writer appeals with logical reasoning relying on statistics and data arising from research.
- Pathos – Writer appeals with emotion-evoking terms such as “he lamented” or “in an attack on…”
- Ethos – Writer appeals with a sense of authority or consensus. He assumes his audience naturally would agree.
- Kairos – Writer’s appeal is timely; it has just the right impact for a specific audience at the exact moment for impact. For example, the writer discusses a news event on climate change but invokes the current presidential candidates’ responses as perhaps a political point of interest to make the discussion impactful.
6. Logic and Reasoning: This is closely related to appeals except that logical fallacies look at the effectiveness of appeals to support their arguments. For example, an article may use lots of emotional appeal for one audience and logical (logos) for another. You should understand whether the reasoning makes sense and whether is it’s fairly applied (doesn’t manipulate). Pay close attention to the kinds of logical reasoning by reviewing “Logical Fallacies.” (100 words each)
7. Disciplinary Perspective: Requires Research. (Do not exceed 300 words) Find an article by someone in your field of work or study, how have they (Marketing Analyst, Financial Analyst, etc.) address or discuss the issue (not the specific news itself?) Don’t be vague. Engage in rigorous due diligence and thoroughly investigate your major/profession. How does the field respond to or think of the social phenomenon? This is not your opportunity to muse about your own ambition. It is an opportunity to educate yourself and your audience about the work environment and how public discourse operates within it.
You may expand your search to professional organizations, foundations, conferences, journals, & social media platforms to gain broad perspectives. Make sure to clearly summarize the article or source before making the connection.
8. Conclusions (500- 1000 words): What did you learn from the analysis? What observations about the various perspectives and rhetorical “moves” made to address the social phenomena and persuade the audience? Make this a robust, and convincing argument supported by your analysis.
A. What are the implications for how news could be interpreted?
B. How has this analysis impacted your response to the news and the issue it’s addressing?
C. What did you learn from the articles (both or one) specifically makes you respond that way? What are your thoughts about your discipline’s perspective or take on the issue?
It is appropriate to use first-person point of view here. However, eliminate wordiness by not using phrases such as, “in my opinion,” “I believe,” “I agree,” or “I think.” Be deliberate.
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