Newspapers frequently are used by historians as primary sources. So this study of a current newspaper article which you locate is the study of what
Newspapers frequently are used by historians as primary sources. So this study of a current newspaper article which you locate is the study of what may very well become a primary source used by historians in the future. You are analyzing, not just summarizing, a newspaper article, either from a local paper or in an on-line newspaper such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Washington Post, Greenwood Commonwealth or any other United States or English language newspaper. This means CNN, yahoo, Fox News, MSNBC, Huffington Post, etc. are not eligible for these assignments. ONLY NEWSPAPERS/NEWSPAPER websites. You will receive a 0 for the assignment if you do not use a newspaper article. Articles from APnews.com are accepted for this assignment. The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news agency that is frequently used by newspapers around the nation. You can find them at: https://apnews.com/Links to an external site. You are to find a newspaper article, published between August 1 and September 27. The topic of the article must relate to African Americans [not Africans] and one of the following issues: the U.S. Supreme Court Slavery in the U.S. U.S. presidential elections Remember–as explained in the syllabus–NO QUOTES are allowed in the papers for this course. You will receive a 0 for this assignment if you ignore this requirement of NO QUOTES in your papers. Your paper is not a research paper. It is an analysis of one newspaper article. Your opinion on the topic of the article is NOT to be in the paper. Write in the third person–no I, you, we, us should be in your paper. Your reader should not be able to discern your race, your gender, your age, etc. Follow these directions for this assignment carefully. The rubric for the assignment should be considered when writing. Full points for each criterion are listed; the instructor will reduce the points if the criterion topic is not considered or is incomplete. Your essay must be at least 550 words in length and must address the numbered issues below. [Do not number these points or use them as headings in your essay –write an essay divided into paragraphs. Your paragraphs could have more than one of the required topics below.] Do not insert your opinion on the topic–for these assignments, your opinion is of no relevance. You are analyzing a newspaper article. 1. These articles must come from newspapers, not websites unconnected to a print paper, except for AP News. 2. Cite the article as follows: [Title of the article, author [if given], name of the newspaper, date of publication] AT THE TOP OF YOUR PAPER. Put your name at the top of the paper, as well. No repeat headers allowed in your papers. Length must be at least 550 words. 5 points [- 5 points if you use a repeat header–ask if you don’t know what this is, or look up the term online] Please don’t cite sources, as this is not a research article. 3. You are to summarize the article and the point of view of the author. 10 points 4. Then indicate whether your textbook sheds any light on the subject–suggest specific sections and chapters. 5 points Consider how the topic for the article, possibly under different terminology is used by the textbook. 5. Comment on how history is “used” by this author/journalist to support their points of view or illustrate subject matters they deal with. 10 points. 6. Have you learned anything from the article? 5 points You can use first person for this portion of your essay. 7. What are the specific sources the author(s) cite(s)/uses to support the article? How does the author prove to the reader that they have facts to back up their writing? [for examples, interviews of a particular person, a government document, a poster created for an event, etc.] 15 points For your article selection, DO NOT USE OPINION ARTICLES, EDITORIALS, BOOK REVIEWS OR COMMENTARIES. Choose investigative articles. You will lose 15 points on the assignment if you don’t select an appropriate article. 8. Finally, suggest two topics for which an historian in the future might use your chosen article as a primary source in their research. These are not topics necessarily regarding issues today, but what an historian, looking back at our time, might research and write about. Think about change over time.