Evaluating Scientific Accuracy and Partisan Bias in News Reporting

• Critical Analysis of Media Bias in Current Events: A Comparative Study
• Evaluating Scientific Accuracy and Partisan Bias in News Reporting
• Assessing Media Literacy through Comparative Analysis of Recent Events
• Dissecting News Bias: An Analysis of Scientific Accuracy and Reliability
• Understanding Media Influence: Analyzing Bias and Accuracy in Current Event Reporting

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PART 1: ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT BENCHMARK ASSIGNMENT

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS BEFORE BEGINNING

Analysis and Critical Self-Assessment Assignments offer students the opportunity to earn completion points by meeting the minimum benchmark requirements through successful demonstration of student learning outcomes A, B, C, D, E, and F, ( knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis).

NOTE: This is a completion point assignment. It is pedagogically designed to ensure students accomplish the learning objectives and minimum benchmarks through its full and proper completion.

NOTE: By FULLY and PROPERLY completing ALL prompts and requirements for BOTH parts of this assignment, students will have accomplished the learning objectives and met the minimum benchmarks in order to earn its points.

OVERVIEW

Analyses require students to find three different articles from assigned areas within the Media Bias Chart, read them, analyze and evaluate each article against the text (and the other two articles) for scientific accuracy, factual reporting, and partisan bias.

PART 1: Students will write TWO (2) 3-5 page Analyses in essay format by implementing all requirements, instructions, and prompts/questions below. Each Analysis must examine a different recent / current event topically relevant to one of the allowed text chapters.

PART 2: Students will then produce a critical evaluation and assessment of their Analysis by implementing all requirements, instructions, and answering all prompts/questions using a provided rubric.

NOTE: Analyses must be written for those who may not be familiar with the topic, the science, or the quality of their news/media sources. Use clear explanations and paraphrasing for all source excerpts, examples, concepts, theories, and key terms. Write for a non-academic audience in 3rd person (still a formal essay).

NOTE: NO DIRECT QUOTES FROM ANY SOURCE ARE ALLOWED . ALL source excerpts / examples / concepts / theories / key terms / trends MUST be clearly explained and paraphrased in the students’ own words and include an in-text citation.

Analysis 1: The topically relevant recent/current event for Analysis 1 must be topically relevant to a topic within text chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6.

Analysis 2 : The topically relevant recent/current event for Analysis 1 must be topically relevant to a topic within text chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and/or 12.

NOTE: Students must “read ahead” for their choice of allowed topics and chapters to complete Analysis 2 ( see above).

PART 1: THE ANALYSIS

Each Analysis requires students to use FIVE (5) sources. These are:

i. The allowed chapters from the course text for that Analysis.

ii. THREE (3) different news sources from specific assigned areas within the Media Bias Chart (see below), and

iii. The assigned FAQ answers from the methodology section of the Media Bias Chart website (see below).

Students will use these 5 sources to *evaluate*, *analyze*, and *determine* the differences in scientific accuracy, partisan bias in analysis, and factual reporting among their three news sources covering their recent/current event.

 

1. To begin, students should use the Table of Contents in the text (from the assigned Analysis chapters above) for brainstorming/topic ideas on recent/current events to source and analyze.

NOTE : Once the student has a topic in mind, begin with a simple Google “news” search to find a recent or current event related to their topic.

 

2. With their recent/current event now selected, students should proceed by exploring and familiarizing themselves with the Media Bias Chart and its Methodology FAQ’s .

NOTE : The Media Bias Chart has a free static version that students should download and save . It also has an interactive chart that students may find useful when searching sources from the specific assigned areas. This resource is free to use (though students will need to enter some basic info).

Go to the Media Bias Chart website’s methodology page and read the following THREE (3) points from the Methodology FAQ’s ( NOTE: Students will use and cite these in their Analysis):

How exactly do your analysts rate articles and episodes?

How did you develop this methodology? How did it evolve over time?

What else should I know about the methodology?

Choose and read ONE more point from the Media Bias Chart’s Methodology FAQ you find

interesting ( NOTE : You will use and cite this in your Analysis).

 

 

3. With their chosen recent/current event in mind, students must search for three (3) news source articles about their event from three specific assigned areas within the Media Bias Chart:

The first required source must be found within the two middle columns for Bias (“ Middle”) and within the top two rows for News Variability and Reliability (“Thorough Fact Reporting or Fact-Dense Reporting” or “Mix of Fact Reporting and Analysis or Simple Fact Reporting”) E.G. ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, AP, Reuters, NPR, WSJ.

The second required source must be found within the Bias columns (“skews left” or “strong left”) and within the row “Analysis or Wide Variation on Reliability” for News Variability and Reliability . E.G. Daily Beast, WaPo, CNN.

The third required source must correspond with the second source in both Bias and News Variability and Reliability. The third source must be found within the same but oppositely corresponding partisan bias column (“skews right” or “strong right”) and within the same row “Analysis or Wide Variation on Reliability”. E.G. Daily Mail, New York Post, News Nation.

NOTE : This process will take some time. That is the point .

 

4. Once a student has found their THREE (3) source articles reporting on their event, the student must carefully read each article and thoughtfully consider and choose the best combination of THREE (3 total) analytically appropriate (correct) theories, concepts, key terms, or key trends from the allowed text chapters that best represent actual scientific knowledge and factually accurate information .

 

 

5. With their combination of THREE (3) required theories, concepts, key terms and/or key trends, students should net carefully evaluate and notate each news source for ALL the following:

A. Whether/how it factually and accurately explains and represents current scientific understanding/research on the event/topic in any analysis it offers (compared against the theories, concepts, key terms, and key trends from the text).

B. Evidence of each source’s scientific accuracy (or inaccuracy) in reporting or analysis (as compared to the text and one another).

C. Evidence of each source’s partisan bias in reporting (compared/contrasted against one another).

D. Evidence of each source’s overall variability and reliability (compared/contrasted against one another AND the science within the text).

NOTE: Students should find evidence for ALL items A. – D. above within EACH source article. Making notes while reading each source article will be helpful.

 

6. Students will then begin writing their Analysis by integrating; their article notes from #5. A.-D.; their 3 theories/concepts/key terms/key trends; and the Media Bias Chart’s methodology FAQ’s in order to *evaluate*, *analyze*, *determine*, and explain the differences in scientific accuracy, partisan bias in analysis, and factual reporting (variability and reliability) among their three news sources compared to the text covering their recent/current event (see sections iii, iv, and v below).

 

 

ANALYSIS ESSAY PROMPT / SECTION REQUIREMENTS

 

NOTE: Analyses MUST be organized using ALL the following sections AND in this order.

i. Catchy Title with your First and Last Name

ii. Introduction to event/topic and a well-thought-out thesis statement on the challenges of cognitive dissonance and the role of media literacy & scientific literacy in accurately understanding, communicating, and addressing the challenges and needed solutions for the people affected by this topic to a larger public (this should be written last and use excerpts from your Conclusion).

iii. Source #1 Evaluation . Use the pre-work in #4 and #5 to analyze, assess, and evaluate the scientific accuracy, partisan bias in analysis, factual reporting – variability and reliability) of this source compared to other sources and the text using your article notes. Address ALL prompts from #5. A. – D. here.

iv. Source #2 Evaluation Use the pre-work in #4 and #5 to analyze, assess, and evaluate the scientific accuracy, partisan bias in analysis, factual reporting – variability and reliability) of this source compared to other sources and the text using your article notes. Address ALL prompts from #5. A. – D. here.

v. Source #3 Evaluation . Use the pre-work in #4 and #5 to analyze, assess, and evaluate the scientific accuracy, partisan bias in analysis, factual reporting – variability and reliability) of this source compared to other sources and the text using your article notes. Address ALL prompts from #5. A. – D. here.

vi. Academic Sociological Conclusion – Using the information they discovered in the Introduction Discussion, and prompts #2, #3, & #5 – Students should integrate their sociological knowledge, scientific literacy, and media literacy about their topic to discuss: the influence of scientific literacy and media literacy in proliferating (or assuaging) cognitive dissonance as it influences and affects the larger public’s understanding of the political, cultural, and/or social issues surrounding the life chances for the people affected by their topic.

vii. Include a Reference List with working links to ALL 3 source articles. Include the Media Bias Chart and the text.

 

NOTE! ENSURE ALL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS (BELOW) ARE MET

 

ANALYSIS FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

NOTE : Students must paraphrase ALL examples and excerpts from source articles and the text in their own words AND include a simple in-text citation when doing so. NO direct quotes are allowed.

Each Analysis must meet ALL of the following formatting criteria:

i. Students must submit their Analysis as a Word document (.doc or .doc) in Canvas *before* the submission window closes.

ii. Students must use MLA or ASA format styles for their essay, in-text citations, and reference list.

iii. Essay is 3-5 pages in length – not including front or back matter (title & reference list).

iv. No bullet points. Proofread, spelling, sentence structure, and grammar checked.

v. Formal essay format (3rd person).

vi. Include ALL sections above.

vii. Integrate ALL fully and properly answered prompts and ALL pre-work extensively and as required.

viii. Include in-text citations for every source excerpt/example and concept/theory/key term/trend used.

ix. Complete academic reference list (including text & Media Bias Chart) with working links to ALL 3 source articles.

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