Assignment 1 Task Sheet: Forum Discussion and Annotated Bibliography

Title: Analysing Discrimination, Oppression and Social Injustice in Media

Objective: The objective of this assignment is to encourage students to critically analyse

media articles that may perpetuate oppression, discrimination or social injustices for certain
groups in society. Students will select a relevant news or media article (that they will also
use for their major assessment), post it to the course forum, explain their choice, and provide
an annotated bibliography for at least one academic source related to their chosen group or
article. Additionally, students will engage in discussion with their peers by commenting on
another student's post, fostering valuable discussions, and raising thought-provoking
questions.

Instructions:

Step 1: Select a Media Article

 Choose a recent news or media article that highlights discrimination, oppression,

social injustice, microaggressions, or stereotypes directed at a particular minority
group (based on race, gender, LGBTQIA+, disability, or any other relevant groups).
Ensure the article is long enough to form a discussion about (not just a quick
headline), has been published within the last year and is published in English.

Step 2: Forum Post

 Post the selected media article to the course forum. Start a new post for your article.
 In your forum post, provide a brief explanation of why you chose this article. Discuss
what specifically intrigued you about the article and its relevance to the course
material.
 Outline the key aspects of the article you intend to focus on, considering factors such
as language, tone, framing, and the use of stereotypes or biases. Discuss how these
elements contribute to the negative portrayal of the minority group.

Step 3: Annotated Bibliography

 Provide an annotated bibliography for at least one academic source that is relevant to
your chosen minority group, or the issues presented in the media article. Remember
in your major assessment you will be using academic sources to prove or dispute
claims made in the media article.
 In the annotated bibliography, include a citation in APA7 and a brief annotation
(approximately 50-100 words) summarizing the source's key points and its relevance
to your chosen topic.

Step 4: Engage in Discussion

 Read and comment on at least two other student's forum post. Your comment should
add value to the discussion by raising thought-provoking questions, providing
additional perspectives, or suggesting ways to strengthen their analysis.

Submission Guidelines:
  The forum post should include a direct link to the media article.
 Annotated bibliographies should be well-organized and follow citation formatting
guidelines (e.g., APA7). A template will be provided for this part of the task.
 Forum comments should be respectful, constructive, and relevant to the
discussion.

Grading Criteria:

 Selection of an appropriate media article and rationale (2 marks)

 Clarity and relevance of the chosen aspects of the article for analysis (10 marks)
 Quality and relevance of the annotated bibliography (5 marks)
 Engaging in valuable and respectful discussion with peers (10 marks)
 Adherence to submission guidelines (3 Marks)

Due Date: All original posts as well as discussion posts should be completed by Friday 5pm
of Week 5.

Note: If you have any questions or need further clarification, please reach out to your
instructor.
Media Analysis and Forum Discussion Assignment Rubric
(Total Score: 30 points scaled to 20%)

Needs
Criteria Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor
Improvement
Step 1:
Selection of
2 1.5 1 0.5 0
Media Article
(2 points)
Exceptional
selection of a Good Adequate
Limited
recent, relevant, selection of a selection of a
selection of a
and substantive recent, media article,
media article,
Appropriateness media article relevant, and with a Inappropriate
with an
of Article demonstrating a substantive rationale for or no article
unclear
Choice profound media article the choice, selection.
rationale,
understanding of with a clear but may lack
depth, or
discrimination rationale for depth or
relevance.
and social the choice. relevance.
injustice issues.
Step 2: Forum
5 4 3 2 0-1
Post (10 points)
Exceptional
Good
explanation of
explanation Adequate
why the chosen Limited
of the reasons explanation
article was explanation of
for the article of the article
selected, the article No
Explanation of choice, with choice, but
demonstrating a choice with explanation
Article Choice a clear the rationale
deep vague or provided.
understandin may lack
understanding of unclear
g of the depth or
the article's rationale.
article's clarity.
relevance to
relevance.
course material.
Exceptional
articulation of
Good
key aspects to be
articulation
analysed, Adequate Limited
of key
including articulation articulation of
aspects to be
language, tone, of key key aspects
analysed with No
Focus on Key framing, and aspects to be with vague or
a clear articulation
Aspects stereotypes, analysed but unclear
understandin provided.
showing a may lack connections to
g of their
profound depth or negative
contribution
understanding of clarity. portrayals.
to negative
their contribution
portrayals.
to negative
portrayals.
Step 3: 5 4 3 2 1-0
 Needs
Criteria Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor
Improvement
Annotated
Bibliography (5
points)
Good
Adequate
Exceptional annotated
annotated Limited
annotated bibliography
bibliography annotated
bibliography with sound
with some bibliography
with thorough research and
research and with minimal Poor or no
research and relevance to
relevance, research and annotated
clear relevance to the chosen
but may lack relevance, bibliography
the chosen topic, topic, with a
depth or lacking clear provided.
Quality of demonstrating a clear
clarity in understanding
Annotated strong understandin
summarizing of key points.
Reference
Bibliography understanding of g of the
key points. provided was
the source's key source's key
Reference not in APA7
points. points.
Reference provided was format or was
provided was in APA7 missing.
Reference Reference
in APA7 format with
provided was in provided was
format with major errors or
APA7 format in APA7
some minor missing.
with no errors format with
errors.
no errors
Step 4: Engage
in Discussion 5 4 3 2 1-0
(10 points)
Adequate
Good
Exceptional engagement
engagement
engagement in in discussion Limited
in discussion
discussion, with engagement in Poor or no
with valuable
providing comments on discussion engagement
comments on
Contribution to valuable and another with minimal in discussion,
another other
Discussion – thought- students' or low-value or comments
students'
Post 1 provoking forum posts, comments on lack
forum posts,
comments on but some another relevance and
contributing
another students contributions students' value.
positively to
post enhancing may lack forum posts.
the
the discussion. depth or
discussion.
relevance.
Contribution to Exceptional Good Adequate Limited Poor or no
Discussion – engagement in engagement engagement engagement in engagement
Post 2 discussion, in discussion in discussion discussion in discussion,
providing with valuable with with minimal or comments
valuable and comments on comments on or low-value lack
thought- another another comments on relevance and
provoking students post students' another value.
comments on a contributing forum posts, students'
second students positively to but some forum posts.
 Needs
Criteria Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor
Improvement
contributions
post, enhancing the may lack
the discussion. discussion. depth or
relevance.
Adherence to
Submission 3 2.5 2 1.5 1-0
Guidelines (3)
Good Adequate Limited
Exceptional
adherence to adherence to adherence to
adherence to
submission submission submission Poor
Compliance submission
guidelines, guidelines, guidelines, adherence to
with Submission guidelines, with
with minor with some with several submission
Guidelines a well-organized
errors or issues related issues related guidelines.
and error-free
inconsistenci to submission to submission
assignment.
es. guidelines. guidelines.
Total Score
(out of 30
points):

This rubric outlines the specific criteria for each step of the assignment, with corresponding
descriptions for different performance levels. The total score for each student can be
calculated based on the assessment of their performance in these criteria.

Annotated Bibliography Entry TEMPLATE

APA7 Reference:
Author(s): [Author(s)' Last Name, First Initial(s)]

Publication Year: [Year]

Title of Article: [Title of the Article]

Source Title: [Title of the Journal or Book]

Volume and Issue (if applicable): [Volume and Issue]

Page Numbers: [Page Numbers]

URL (if it's an online source): [URL]

Annotation: [Write a concise summary (approximately 50-100 words) of the source,

including the main topic, research methods, key findings, and its relevance to your chosen
topic. Explain how this source contributes to your understanding of the issues presented in
the media article, or potentially disproves claims made within the article]

You can fill in the placeholders with the specific information for the academic source you've
chosen for your assignment. This template follows the general format of an annotated
bibliography entry in APA7 style, which includes the author's name, publication year, article
title, source title, volume and issue (if applicable), page numbers, URL (if online), and a brief
annotation summarizing the source's content and its relevance to your analysis.