Rule #1 for writing a good article: minimize your barrier to entry. Write a paragraph first, break into another one, then another one and so on. Here are some questions to ask yourself about newspaper, TV and radio news. Sign up to receive all of FAIRs articles of media criticism and news analysis, sent directly to your email. Then jot down ideas for the following six sections. Think tanks partly funded by unions are often identified as labor-backed while think tanks heavily funded by business interests are usually not identified as corporate-backed.. Coverage of hate speech against gays and lesbians often fails to mention increases in gay-bashing and how the two might be related. For example, you may be writing a paper about policy change. Challenge the assumption directly. Often the most important message of a story is not explicitly stated. Political coverage often focuses on how issues affect politicians or corporate executives rather than those directly affected by the issue. We rely on your support to keep running. A classic case: In a New York Times article on the June 1988 U.S.-Soviet summit in Moscow, Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying of Reagan, Poor dear, theres nothing between his ears. The Times headline: Thatcher Salute to the Reagan Years.. Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline. You want to find a general statement proving what mainly causes the effects you are writing about. How many producers, editors or decision-makers at news outlets are women, people of color or openly gay or lesbian? A classic case: In a New York Times article on the June 1988 U.S.-Soviet summit in Moscow, Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying of Reagan, Poor dear, theres nothing between his ears. The Times headline: Thatcher Salute to the Reagan Years. Call or write the newspaper and point The key is to find the right balance. Read them all, then write your own articles modeled after them. How to write a research paper. In the article, Ross Gubermans Point Taken, How to Write Like the Worlds Best Judges, featured in the March edition of Appellate Issues, Attorney Wendy Coats provides an in-depth book review on Ross Gubermans Point Taken How to Write Like the Worlds Best Judge.. To read the full article How many of the experts these news outlets cite are women and people of color? We work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. A research paper is a piece of academic writing that provides analysis, interpretation, and argument based on in-depth independent research.. Research papers are similar to academic essays, but they are usually longer and more detailed assignments, designed to assess not only your writing skills but also your skills in scholarly research. Holding any value as more important than learning to be a good writer is dangerous. Youll find interesting articles to read on topics like how to stop procrastinating as well as personal recommendations like my list of the best books to read and my minimalist travel guide . Be aware of the political perspective of the sources used in a story. Find supporting arguments for each point you make, and present a strong point first, followed by an even stronger one, and finish with your strongest point. Opinion articles are sometimes called "op-eds," and these articles allow readers of a newspaper to voice their thoughts and ideas on topics ranging from local happenings to international controversy. Or sign up to receive our Weekly Update on Friday, with links to all our latest work. Consider the Rule of Three. Coverage of so-called reverse discrimination usually fails to focus on any of the institutional factors which gives power to prejudicesuch as larger issues of economic inequality and institutional racism. Since many people just skim headlines, misleading headlines have a significant impact. This will probably be your first effect. The Basic Story Outline. A large opening paragraph at the start of an article is a huge barrier to entry. Are lesbians portrayed as man-hating and gay men portrayed as sexual predators (even though a child is 100 times more likely to be molested by a family member than by an unrelated gay adultDenver Post, 9/28/92)? How to Write an Opinion Piece. Then jot down ideas for the following six sections. FAIR is the national progressive media watchdog group, challenging corporate media bias, spin and misinformation. Youll find interesting articles to read on topics like how to stop procrastinating as well as personal recommendations like my list of the best books to read and my minimalist travel guide . Ross Guberman, an authority on legal writing and the author of Point Taken: How to Write Like the Worlds Best Judges, said that Justice Gorsuch possesses the showier writing style. As you look over a list of topics, find one that really piques your interest, as you'll be more successful if you're passionate about your topic. Economics coverage usually looks at how events impact stockholders rather than workers or consumers. To find a good topic for an argumentative essay, consider several issues and choose a few that spark at least two solid, conflicting points of view. The Basic Story Outline. Coverage of rape trials will often focus on a womans sexual history as though it calls her credibility into question. Writing happens in specific, often prescribed contexts. The best way to structure a newspaper article is to first write an outline. Write a thesis statement. What is the race and gender diversity at the news outlet you watch compared to the communities it serves? To continue your outline, list your first statement or point. MORE INFO: Strong Body Paragraphs. Often bringing assumptions to the surface will demonstrate their absurdity. This is a key element of your essay as it sets out the overall purpose of the evaluation. The best way to structure a newspaper article is to first write an outline. Progressive and public interest voices were grossly underrepresented. Otherwise, they serve merely as megaphones for those in power. In order to fairly represent different communities, news outlets should have members of those communities in decision-making positions. 3 Conclusion. FAIRs 40-month survey of Nightline found its U.S. guests to be 92 percent white and 89 percent male. After the arrest of William Kennedy Smith, a New York Times article (4/17/91) dredged up a host of irrelevant personal details about his accuser, including the facts that she had skipped classes in the 9th grade, had received several speeding tickets and-when on a date-had talked to other men. Remember, this is just FAIR is the national progressive media watchdog group, challenging corporate media bias, spin and misinformation. If you think that B extends A, you'll probably use a text-by-text scheme; if you see A and B engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict. Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it. Does coverage of the drug crisis focus almost exclusively on African Americans, despite the fact that the vast majority of drug users are white? You can form topic sentences using these points. In instances where there is evidence of violence or of an unusual absence, law enforcement agencies in the United States often stress the importance of beginning an investigation promptly. Most reporters, for example, will not say directly that a woman deserved to be raped because of what she was wearing. Find a Good Topic and Point of View . Usually headlines are not written by the reporter. When media adopt loaded terminology, they help shape public opinion. Balanced writing means MORE INFO: Strong Body Paragraphs. Be aware, however, that the point-by- point scheme can come off as a ping-pong game. A similar survey of PBSs NewsHour found its guestlist was 90 percent white and 87 percent male. Media over-rely on official (government, corporate and establishment think tank) sources. Does coverage of women on welfare focus overwhelmingly on African-American women, despite the fact that the majority of welfare recipients are not black? As with any essay, your statement must be apparent and to the point. For example, many stories on parental notification of abortion emphasized the tough choice confronting male politicians while quoting no women under 18those with the most at stake in the debate. How to write a speech: step 1 - the audience. Find supporting arguments for each point you make, and present a strong point first, followed by an even stronger one, and finish with your strongest point. As a progressive group, we believe that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information. When you feel like you are about to lose the reader, include a few bullet points. To answer that question, I like to write about science-based ways to solve practical problems. Youth of color who commit crimes are referred to as superpredators, whereas adult criminals who commit white-collar crimes are often portrayed as having been tragically been led astray. To answer that question, I like to write about science-based ways to solve practical problems. Now, its time to wrap it up. In the thesis you should state the criteria being used to judge the item and state the value of the item . Most research papers conclude with a restated thesis statement. Polls show that this decision makes a huge difference in how the issue is perceived: A 1992 Louis Harris poll, for example, found that 70 percent said they favored affirmative action while only 46 percent favored racial preference programs.. Media have tremendous power in setting cultural guidelines and in shaping political discourse. Find the best topics to include in your essay by brainstorming causes and effects. Your thesis might read, Policy makers should take an incremental approach when making policy changes to reduce conflict, allow adjustments, and foster compromise. Each of the 3 reasons listed in your thesis will become its own main point in your outline. Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting124 W. 30th Street, Suite 201 It is essential that news media, along with other institutions, are challenged to be fair and accurate. The UK government website reads in large type, "You don't have to wait 24 hours before contacting the police." Review your research and notes. Remember, this is just In point-by-point, you alternate points about A with comparable points about B. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported. Newspaper articles on the most widely read pages (the front pages and the editorial pages) and lead stories on television and radio will have the greatest influence on public opinion. Any attempt to write fiction in order to make the world a better, fairer place is almost certain to fail. Do media hold some people to one standard while using a different standard for other groups? Please consider donating. Make it easy for your reader to be drawn in. 3 Conclusion. That ought to hit the spot, to be sure. Read them all, then write your own articles modeled after them. Look at where stories appear. Now, its time to wrap it up. For instance, in coverage of women on welfare, the age at which a woman had her first child will often be reportedthe implication being that the womans sexual promiscuity, rather than institutional economic factors, are responsible for her plight. The first step in challenging biased news coverage is documenting bias. To portray issues fairly and accurately, media must broaden their spectrum of sources. Review your research and notes. For instance, media often use the right-wing buzzword racial preference to refer to affirmative action programs. While writing can feel like an isolating, individual actjust you and the computer or pad of paperit is really a social act, a way in which we respond to the people and world around us. Consider the Rule of Three. For instance, FAIR found that in 40 months of Nightline programming, the most frequent guests were Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, Elliott Abrams and Jerry Falwell. We are not just writingwe are always writing to an audience(s) for some particular purpose. We expose neglected news stories and defend working journalists when they are muzzled. New York, NY 10001. It is rarely necessary to wait 24 hours before filing a missing person report. Most research papers conclude with a restated thesis statement.