This short activity looks at the political perspectives of magazines and newspapers.
Pull out your BLUE Evaluating Sources handout for guidance.
1. Take about five minutes to skim one of the three articles below.
2. Next, what clues do you notice for discovering the perspective of the journalist or interviewer? Do you notice any bias in favor or against the issues discussed? Does he/she reveal other perspectives or sides of the issue presented? (take a few notes)
3. Lastly, place the source of each article on the political spectrum (left, center, right)
Hint: it's okay to Google and even use Wikipedia, Omg! For this exercise, it's fine to talk out loud. Ask for help or clarification if you need it.
"Breaking point: Arizona congressman J.D. Hayworth on immigration"
1. Find a partner to work with and select one option below (#2-#6). For this exercise, you can use your research topic or your partner's or both. Use the Citing Sources tab on this guide to locate sample citations for the media format(s) you choose. Then complete #7.
2. Using OneSearch, find and cite one photograph from a newspaper. Then use Google to find a similar photograph and do the same.
3. Find and cite one film that relates to your research (use OneSearch, or if that fails, Google) and one YouTube video. It's okay if you only find a segment or clip rather than an entire film.
4. Find and cite one radio interview and one podcast having something to do with your topic. You can use Google and/or OneSearch.
5. Use the ARTstor database to register for a free account. Find an image relating to protest, prison, or a famous activist. Download your image and create both a citation and a caption for your image.
6. Most challenging: Find song lyrics for a song that relates to your topic. Then find an online performance of the song. Create citations for both.
7. Send your citations by email to Librarian: silversharpj@smccd.edu
8. Was this a challenging exercise? If so, look at your calendar and pick a time to meet with a librarian for free one-on-one help!