Select an article on a controversial public policy issue from a major publication such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, or another periodical or newspaper. We’ll talk more about selecting good sources soon, but I recommend using a national publication that is recognized for its journalistic integrity (avoid, for example, politically-motivated sources, cable news, your uncle’s Facebook feedback) Ask these questions of the author of the article, being careful to provide “in text” evidence to support your analysis:
Does the author place the issue in a broad context? How?
Does the author suffer from tunnel vision?
Does the author discount or ignore other perspectives on the issue?
Does the author propose a creative solution to the issue?
Does the author address the issue comprehensively?
How might an interdisciplinary approach improve the author’s treatment of the issue?
