Paper Topic 3

You have two options for paper 3:

1. Use what you have learned about the mass media to critically analyze news coverage of a recent issue. Draw upon material from lectures and the Paletz book, The Media in American Politics. Discuss the characteristic ways that the media cover the issue, and evaluate this coverage as good, bad, or some combination of the two. Be specific in talking about what the media do well, and what they don't do so well. Draw on examples from actual media coverage.
2. Analyze and evaluate a specific person's political judgment, inference, or decision, using concepts discussed in lecture and the Gilovich book, How We Know What Isn't So. An example might be a decision made by a leader (e.g., President Bush's decision to pursue war with Iraq), a persuasive argument (e.g., a newspaper editorial), or a description of a person's beliefs (e.g., an interview with a prominent newsmaker). Discuss whether, in your opinion, the person exhibits any of the biases, heuristics, or other cognitive shortcomings we have discussed. You may draw upon multiple examples if you wish. You may have to speculate a little, so be sure to support your arguments.

Drafts and Feedback. You are not required to turn in a rough draft of this paper. As always, I am happy to provide feedback on outlines, rough drafts, and ideas during office hours. I will not make extensive written comments on these papers, but I am happy to provide feedback on your paper in an individual meeting. If you would like to get your paper back, stop by my office next quarter or give me a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

A Note on Plagiarism. Plagiarism is pretending that another person's writing or ideas are your own. Plagiarism runs all the way from obvious cases of simply copying another person's paper (maybe changing a word or two here or there) to lifting a paragraph or sentence out of a book, to more "borderline" cases where the writer uses somebody else's ideas but doesn't give them credit. Ideas that are in common circulation (for example, that the media are biased) don't need citations. However, you do need to cite properly original theories or hypotheses (for example, the “hostile media effect”) even if that idea is stated in your own words. If you have any doubts about these rules, ask me.

Requirements. The paper must be 6-7 pages (not including bibliography, if needed), typed and double spaced. It is due by 5 pm, Wednesday, March 16th.