This is one of the two required written primary source assignments that you must do to pass this course. One is required before the midterm exam. If you did not do that first paper, the highest grade you can attain in this class is a D–if you have the points for a D. This is one of the two available after the midterm exam. 60 points possible. Although your final grade in the course is determined by number of points earned, if you do not do BOTH of these assignments, the highest grade you can receive is a D, no matter the number of points you earn.
Newspapers frequently are used by historians as primary sources. So this study of a current newspaper article which you locate is the study of what may very well become a primary source used by historians in the future. You are analyzing, not just summarizing, a newspaper article, either from a local paper or in an on-line newspaper such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, Washington Post, Greenwood Commonwealth or any other United States or English language newspaper. This means CNN, yahoo, Fox News, MSNBC, Huffington Post, blogposts or URL texts that end in .org, etc. are not eligible for these assignments. ONLY NEWSPAPERS/NEWSPAPER websites. You will receive a 0 for the assignment if you do not use a newspaper article. Articles from APnews.com are accepted for this assignment. The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news agency that is frequently used by newspapers around the nation. You can find them at: https://apnews.com/Links to an external site.
Ask the instructor if you are unsure if what you have chosen is a newspaper article–pose any such questions at least the day before the paper is due. This request must come at least two days before the assignment is due. She will only confirm that it is a newspaper article, not if it is a good one for the assignment–that is part of your task.
You are to find a newspaper article, published between September 28 and November 3. The topic of the article must relate to African Americans [not Africans] and one of the following issues and you must place under the article citation which of the following topics relate to your essay:
second amenment rights or gun violence
gerrymandering
African American farms and farmland
Remember–as explained in the syllabus–NO QUOTES are allowed in the papers for this course. You will receive a 0 for this assignment if you ignore this requirement of NO QUOTES in your papers. Your paper is not a research paper. It is an analysis of one newspaper article. Your opinion on the topic of the article is NOT to be in the paper. Write in the third person–no I, you, we, us should be in your paper. Your reader should not be able to discern your race, your gender, your age, etc.
Follow these directions for this assignment carefully. The rubric for the assignment should be considered when writing. Full points for each criterion are listed; the instructor will reduce the points if the criterion topic is not considered or is incomplete.
1. These articles must come from newspapers, not websites unconnected to a print paper, except for AP News.
2. Cite the article as follows: [Title of the article, author [if given], name of the newspaper, date of publication] AT THE TOP OF YOUR PAPER. Put your name at the top of the paper, as well along with a designation of which of the three topics you are considering in your paper. No repeat headers allowed in your papers. Length must be at least 550 words. 5 points [- 5 points if you use a repeat header–ask if you don’t know what this is, or look up the term online] Please don’t cite sources, as this is not a research article.
3. You are to summarize the article and the point of view of the author. 10 points
4. Then indicate whether your textbook sheds any light on the subject–suggest specific sections and chapters. 5 points Consider how the topic for the article, possibly under different terminology is used by the textbook. Please do think about this.
5. Comment on how history is “used” by this author/journalist to support their points of view or illustrate subject matters they deal with. 10 points.
6. Have you learned anything from the article? 5 points You can use first person for this portion of your essay.
7. What are the specific sources the author(s) cite(s)/uses to support the article? How does the author prove to the reader that they have facts to back up their writing? [for examples, interviews of a particular person, a government document, a poster
created for an event, etc.] 15 points For your article selection, DO NOT USE OPINION ARTICLES, EDITORIALS, BOOK REVIEWS, BLOGPOSTS OR COMMENTARIES. Choose investigative articles. You will lose 15 points on the assignment if you don’t select an appropriate article.
To repeat: each assignment must be turned in by 11:59 pm on the date it is due. They must be at least 550 words in length, deal with one of the three topics listed above, cover the eight numbered issues above, and must be dated in the designated dating range for the assignment in which you are turning in the paper–September 28 – November 3, 2024 for this assignment. The article’s topic and text must have something specific to do with African Americans and one or more of the issues cited above.
Outcome 1–follow written directions, including firm due dates;
Outcome 3– analyze the basics of how historians interpret historical evidence through contemporary newspaper articles;
Outcome 4–explain how contemporary news articles use historical evidence.
Do not submit your essay before looking at the rubric to be sure you have covered each criterion. Full points for each criterion are listed; the instructor will reduce the points if the criterion topic is not considered or is