This assignment can be used to assess students' learning related to media bias, critical thinking, narrative analysis, and information/media literacy.
ENGL 1800, Whalen Name: ________________________
News Story Evaluation Essay
Write an essay in which you evaluate how effectively four of the following news organizations report the same story: CNN, Fox, NPR, and either MSNBC or ABC News (your choice). The headlines from all four news organizations don’t have to match exactly, but the stories should cover the same topic or event during approximately the same time period. You may consider images, audio, and/or video coverage in addition to text.
You may choose the topic/news story you write about, but it should relate to something of significance rather than entertainment or pop culture.
Essay Requirements
Provide at least 1000 words* (minimum; there is no maximum length limit) of essay content that includes all of the following, not necessarily in this order:
headline appropriate for the topic and in a style similar to examples provided in our Harrower textbook and provided online.
thesis that indicates how effectively the news organizations reported the story according to the attributes of journalism we’ve studied.
For example, which organization provided the most complete coverage and why? Did all organizations provide complete coverage? Did one or more articles seem biased? a summary of the event or topic the news organizations reported:
What happened?
Who was involved?
When did the events take place?
support for your thesis in the form of MEAL Plan paragraphs.
quotes and/or paraphrases from at least two readings, videos, or handouts assigned for this class as part of the MEAL Plan paragraphs. Do not incorporate any other sources into your essay.
You do not need to use formal citation, such as MLA or APA, but you should indicate clearly who said each quote and where each idea/information comes from by referring to the author or article title.
Use first- or third-person point of view, no second-person point of view.
Include a link to each article you write about the first time you refer to it in the essay.
*Any essay that is shorter than four FULL pages cannot receive a grade higher than a C even if it is perfect in every other way.
Questions to Consider
In evaluating your four articles, here are some questions to consider. You don’t need to include the answers to all of these questions; choose those that are most appropriate for your news event/topic and your essay.
Positive attributes: Is the coverage complete? impartial? balanced? clear when indicating sources? organized according to the inverted triangle (see D2L Content)? led by a strong lead?
Negative attributes: Is the coverage confusing? incomplete? inaccurate? biased? unethical? poorly sourced? sensationalized? overreaching (veering into speculation or rumor instead of reporting)? persuading rather than informing?
Comparison and Contrast: Which details do all four articles include? Which details does one article include that another doesn’t? Does the focus of one article differ from the others? How does each article use images? sound? video?
Bias: Do you see any signs of bias in the coverage? If so, what? If not, how does the reporter/publication/station avoid bias? Give specific examples.
The following are aspects of reporting you might also apply to evaluating each news organization’s article. You do not need to answer these questions; they are merely intended to help you brainstorm content for your essay:
Identify the news organization’s primary audience and indicate how you identified it.
Does the organization state who its audience is? Who owns the organization? Who sponsors or provides monetary support for it? Who advertises on its site or during its coverage? Is it aligned with a particular political or social point of view? What clues to its audience are observable from its coverage of the story you selected to write about or from other sources (e.g., website headlines, advertising, editorials/editorial writers, etc.)?
Analyze each news organization’s coverage of the event.
Compare and contrast their coverage. Note what is missing from one and present in another.
Pay close attention to the language used: Does it reveal any bias? Does it sensationalize or simply provide factual information and allow viewers/listeners/readers to draw conclusions about the event?
Define the story’s scope: How broad or narrow is it? How much background information and context does it offer regarding the story?
Whom does the news organization interview? What is that person’s expertise? What is that person’s credibility?
How credible does the reporter/anchor seem to be as a journalist? Can you tell? If so, how?
How complete is the organization’s coverage of the story? Do you have questions about what happened after viewing/listening to/reading the coverage?
How many types of support and/or appeals does the news organization include in the story? What effect do they have on viewers’ understanding of the story?
Does the organization seem to have a bias or point of view it seeks to convey, or is it neutral? How can you tell?
Page 59 of our Harrower course textbook provides a checklist of additional criteria you can use to evaluate the news story.
Due Date: See the course calenda
Grading Criteria for Final Draft:
Introduction grabs readers’ attention, presents important background/context information, and indicates topic’s significance
Essay Content includes a summary of the news event/topic covered by the 4 articles
Essay Content evaluates each news organization’s coverage of the news event/topic according to the requirements above
Essay Content provides thorough support for each main idea
Essay Content applies attributes of journalism studied in ENGL 1800
Essay Content refers to 2 or more readings, handouts, and/or videos from ENGL 1800
Essay Content demonstrates complex thought about the topic and a creative approach to conveying the writer’s evaluation
Essay Content includes a link to each of the 4 articles
Essay Content clearly indicates the source of quotes and/or paraphrases
Thesis is revelatory; is clear and easy to identify; evaluates how effectively the 4 news organizations cover the event/topic
Organization is apparent, logical, and appropriate to the topic
Central Focus unifies the essay
Paragraphs include sufficient support for the main idea(s)
Paragraphs are unified by a main idea
Transitions used to connect ideas are elegant and effective
Quotes are relevant, chosen carefully, and incorporated correctly (sandwiched with attribution phrases); paraphrases are appropriate and correct
First- or Third-Person Point of View is used consistently; no second-person point of view is included
Grammar and Mechanics are correct
Total Points Possible: 100