As explained in the syllabus, I have asked you to turn in three reflection pieces during the semester, which will be based on your daily reading/awareness of the news as reported in the New York Times. For these reflection pieces, you should choose either an individual article to critique, or an issue that has been covered in a number of articles. I am interested in your ideas about the issue itself, and how it has been reported. Try to think critically about the issue – what questions does it raise in your mind, is there another way to understand the issue (other than the one presented in the article)?

I expect you to demonstrate two things. First, I’d like you to show you have a general knowledge of the issue involved. This knowledge can be demonstrated by a short summary of the article and its most salient points. Alternatively, you could summarize the course of events to which the specific article is referring (this may mean referring to the development of an event or issue as it has been tracked over a series of articles). Be careful, however; your critique as a whole should not simply be a summary.

More important than a demonstration of your basis of knowledge on the issue is your reaction to the issue you have chosen to examine. This can take one of several forms, and should make up the majority of your critique. (You may want to combine two or more of these suggestions):

1. Analyze how this issue pertains to some of the issues we've discussed in class.
2. Describe how you feel about this issue and whether you agree or disagree with the point of view (if any) expressed in the article. If you do this, be sure to elaborate: on what do you base your opinion? What is satisfactory or unsatisfactory about the merits of each side of the issue for you? If it is not a controversial issue, how do you feel about this issue and why? What personal knowledge or experience can you bring to bear?
3. Critique the Times’ handling of this issue. Is the article you have selected fair in its reporting? Has the Times overemphasized or under-emphasized the issue in your opinion? Why/How? How does the Times’ coverage of this story/issue compare with the coverage given in other news media outlets? What difference might this make?

Be sure to proof-read your critique. Make sure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Be concise -- make the best use of the space allotted (each word should make a clear contribution to the message you are trying to convey about this issue/article). Make sure that the structure of your critique is straightforward (Introduction, body, conclusion…). Finally, please cite the article(s) that pertain to your issue at the end of your reflection piece. If you have any questions, please feel free to stop by during office hours, call (x8324), or e-mail me (sean.duffy@quinnipiac.edu). Good Luck!