San Jose State University History of the American Press Paper
Question Description
For this assignment, you will provide a critical and constructive analysis of the textbook, A Narrative History of the American Press. You will use a journalistic style appropriate for an A&E-like review. For starters, keep in mind a few submission and mechanical issues:
Submit your assignment via Canvas upload, as a Word Document only (no other formats)
Use correct citation style for quotes. I will accept footnotes, endnotes, or APA citations, but use only one citation style consistently and correctly (APA is preferred in JMS).
Your papers must be typed, double spaced, and 2 to 3 pages less than two pages (or exactly two pages) will result in a deduction for content. Use standard margins, 12-point Times New Roman font.
If you submit your review late, you will lose a letter grade for each day past deadline.
Tips for Content: Your paper should reflect the best qualities of journalistic style. Keep in mind, professional journalists avoid the use of first person (“I”) pronouns, even when providing subjective analysis. In other words, it is possible (and preferred) for you to write a review with third-person constructions. And, while there is no single way to construct a review, the following structure can help organize your approach. You should remember to build a narrative with a thesis that runs from the beginning to the end of your analysis.
Introduction: Summarize the focus of your review as clearly as possible to build your thesis.
Context: Explain key concepts from the book that stand out to you.
Depth: Describe the essential w/w/w/w/w/h of the book not all, but major ones (themes).
Interpretation: Based on your reading of the book, in your own words (without a first person narrative or overly subjective language) provide a “so what?”
Conclusion: How does the “so what?” (above) apply to a study of journalism history? Does the book succeed in this respect, or does it leave room for additional development?
Please Note: For this particular exercise, which is admittedly a peculiar one, I want to emphasize the importance for you to be as critical and constructive as possible. Your analyses in the above areas may have direct applications on future (possible) editions of the book, and I am genuinely interested in seeing what areas of the text you would like to see tuned. If at any point, you see the need for passages to be clarified or even corrected, please make a note of it the best reviews help elicit improvements, and I look forward to your feedback.
Grading: I will reference the following criteria for grading your reviews.
Content (40/100): Include throughout a clear explanation of the essential w/w/w/w/w/h of the book and display an understanding of why the issues featured in your analysis had historic and journalistic significance.
Interpretation (40/100): Integrate a thesis into your paper by describing the relevance of the text in the study of media history. Your thesis should be original, accurate, and based on themes explored in class this semester.
Mechanics (20/100): Mechanics include grammar, spelling, and your writing clarity. Sloppiness will count against you. Mechanics also include your skill in attributing information. Facts are important, and incorrect facts may cost a letter grade or more.
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