Political Issues - Research Day

PART I: Start by defining your issue and summarizing the main stances on it.
Visit isidewith.com again and find your topic (quick find: Control+F & type in your keyword)
1. Click “learn more” and use the provided information to write a short definition of your term in your
own words (do not simply copy and paste).
2. Click “other stances” and divide the options on the appropriate side of your “Yes/No Stances
Believe” chart (you may copy and paste).
3. If you believe any stances are missing, add those to your chart.

PART II: Next, research multiple sources with various perspectives on your issue

Find 2 informative video clips on your topic. The videos should represent different views on the topic,
though they need not be polar opposites.
1. Google search: [your topic i.e. GMOs, gun rights, etc.] + [one of the following sources i.e. BBC, The
Daily Show]
Video Sources: Mainstream: CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Al Jazeera
Opinionated: Liberal: MSNBC
Conservative: Fox News
Sophisticated: BBC, PBS
Satirical: The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight, SNL, Colbert, Kimmel
2. Watch the video and determine if it is:
a. Relevant
b. Informative
c. School-appropriate
3. If the video is not appropriate, try a different search and evaluate once more.
4. If it is appropriate, fill out the summary chart. Do this for 2 difference videos.

Find 3 articles on your topic. The articles should represent different views on the topic, though they need
not be polar opposites.
1. Google search: [your topic i.e. GMOs, gun rights, etc.] + [one of the following sources i.e. Wall
Street Journal, The Onion]
Newspapers: Mainstream: USA Today, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press
Opinionated: Liberal: Huff Post;
Conservative: New York Post, Washington Times, The Hill
Sophisticated: Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, New York Times, Wall
Street Journal
Satirical: The Onion

Magazines: Mainstream: Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report

Opinionated: Liberal: Rolling Stone, Progressive , New Republic,
Conservative: American Conservative, National Review, Weekly Standard
Sophisticated: Atlantic, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Economist, Foreign Policy

Internet: Mainstream: Associated Press, Reuters; Bloomberg

Opinionated: Liberal: Daily Beast, Alternet, Vox, Salon, Slate
Conservative: Drudge Report, Reason, The Blaze
Sophisticated: NPR, Politico, Propublica,
Satirical: The Onion
 2. Skim the article and determine if it is:
a. Focused and directly relevant
b. Informative (brings in new arguments and/or evidence to your issue)
c. Topical (immediate relevance, interest, or importance owing to its relation to current events)
3. If the article does not pass your evaluation, continue searching. It is VERY important that you take
your time choosing meaningful & diverse sources for this section.
4. If the article does pass your evaluation, add source information and link to the last research chart.

DUE BY THE END OF CLASS - SUBMIT ON GOOGLE CLASSROOM

❏ Part I Summary & Definition
❏ Part II Video Chart
❏ Identify 1 article source that you will analyze in class (Ms. Hue will print it for you so be sure that
the link is available on your chart)
Find FOUR articles on your topic. You need one for each type of news:
1. Mainstream, meaning ______________________
2. Opinionated, meaning ______________________
3. Sophisticated, meaning ______________________
4. Satirical, meaning ______________________

Match the following lists of news sources with one of the previous four types.
Newspapers: ____________: The Yale Record
____________: Huff Post (__________); New York Post, Washington Times, (___________)
____________: USA Today, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press
____________: Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, New York Times, Wall Street J

Magazines: ____________: Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report

____________: Atlantic, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Economist, Foreign Policy
____________: Rolling Stone, Progressive , New Republic (__________)
American Conservative, National Review, Weekly Standard (__________)

Internet: ____________: (__________) Daily Beast, Alternet, Vox, Salon, Slate; (__________) Drudge
Report, Reason, The Blaze
____________: The Onion
____________: NPR, Politico
____________: Associated Press, Reuters

Find FOUR articles on your topic. You need one for each type of news:
1. Mainstream, meaning ______________________
2. Opinionated, meaning ______________________
3. Sophisticated, meaning ______________________
4. Satirical, meaning ______________________

Match the following lists of news sources with one of the previous four types.
Newspapers: ____________: The Yale Record
____________: Huff Post (__________); New York Post, Washington Times, (___________)
____________: USA Today, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press
____________: Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian, New York Times, Wall Street J

Magazines: ____________: Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report

____________: Atlantic, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Economist, Foreign Policy
____________: Rolling Stone, Progressive , New Republic (__________)
American Conservative, National Review, Weekly Standard (__________)

Internet: ____________: (__________) Daily Beast, Alternet, Vox, Salon, Slate; (__________) Drudge
Report, Reason, The Blaze
____________: The Onion
____________: NPR, Politico
____________: Associated Press, Reuters