Topic: Social Science and the Mass Media: Contrasting Images of Reality.

Check out "Reality Check; You Can't Believe Everything You Read. But You'd Better Believe This" for some interesting ideas and insights on evaluating information.

Due: First class week 2

Text: Moore and Parker, Chapter 1, What is Critical Thinking

Assignment: Find two news articles from the last 30 days that treat a social issues(s). Preferably, you will find these articles in the The Los Angeles Times, New York Times are Wallstreet Journel. Any large metropolitan newspaper (The Bakersfield Californian is not a large metropolitan newspaper) is acceptable (web copies of articles are not acceptable.  I want you to develop critical skills in reading a newspaper not the internet at this point).  One of these articles should clearly show the characteristics of the mass media image of reality (Possible characteristics: news bite by bite, a dramatic picture, focus on unique personalities and or unique event, bad news --hard news, content determined by business goals); the other article should be selected to show evidence of social scientific reasoning (Possible characteristics: search for patterns [nomothetic vs. idiographic explanations], social facts, scientific techniques for gathering evidence, etc.).

For each of the two articles type a 100 word paragraph, more or less, in which you show exactly how the one article illustrates the mass media image of reality and then type a second paragraph in which you show exactly how the other article illustrates the characteristics of social science reasoning. In your paragraphs be as specific as possible, state in the first sentence, your topic sentence, which image of reality is being illustrated, state exactly which sections of the article illustrates which characteristic(s) of the mass media image and which characteristic(s) of sociological reasoning. Where possible apply the concepts in chapter 1 to both articles by identifying the major issue (I--green pen) and related;  claims (C--yellow pen) (objective and subjective), the argument (A--red pen), facts (F--blue), opinions (O--black underline).  The original article or a Xerox copy must be attached to your paper. No web articles are acceptable.

Type one final paragraph that differentiates a scientific approach from a popular media approach. In this paragraph you should list and identify the characteristics that describe a scientific article and list and identify the characteristics that describe a mass media article. Explain which characteristics you believe best differentiate between Social Science and Mass Media. Evaluate and explain which image of reality best follows principals of critical thinking as you currently understand it.

HINTS: Remember your audience, someone like yourself who is not in his class. The reader should be able to read your paper and then classify articles given to him/her as either Social Science or Mass Media. Select your examples carefully. The better your choice, the easier it will be to identify characteristics and differences. The mass media article you select will probably not have all of the characteristics of mass media reality; the social science article you select will probably not have all the characteristics of social science reasoning. However, the more characteristics you can find of mass media reality in the one article, and of social science reasoning in the other article, the better you will be able to understand and explain the differences.

Assignment content will be evaluated on the following criteria:
NOTE: Class members are expected to have unique articles. Same group members should have different articles!

(1) Typed professional quality of your paper--your name, class, date and assignment number should be on the top right of your paper. Proper referencing (APA, MLA, etc. Check here for formatting styles or use the style in your text) identifying the sources should be included at the end of your paper.  A Xerox copy or the original articles must be attached to your paper.

(2) Precise use of concepts. The concepts you use should be used correctly; be certain that you understand them.  Look up terms you do not understand.

(3) Appropriateness of the news items to your purpose. Your chosen article should provide a good illustration of the image of reality you are illustrating.

(4) Subtlety or profundity of the annotation. This is a rather more subjective criterion. It identifies the difference between acceptable and accurate work on the one hand, and, on the other, really interesting work.  In other words, the difference between "C" or "B" work and "A" work

(Your grade will be a check 3 points (A-B), 2 points (C) , 1 point (D), or -3 points (F), or +1 point (A+). Very few if any +1 grades are given.

Bring your newspaper articles to the next class and be prepared to discuss this assignment.

**NOTE: An outline of Mass Media and Social Science images of reality will be linked on the syllabus after everyone's assignment is turned in.  The goal is for you to use your critical thinking skills in differienting the diffirences between Mass Media and Social Science not just follow diffirences I outline.