International Issues Paper Instructions – Winter 2018

International Issues Paper Instructions– Winter 2018 You are required T

You are required to submit a one-paragraph summary explaining which recent international event you intend to write your paper on to your TA on the evening of February 12 (the night of the midterm). Ensure there are sufficient newspaper articles available to support your topic choice. The project aims to develop your critical thinking, research skills, and delve into an international issue of your choosing. It has two components: a collection of at least four current newspaper articles related to a single international event, and a 2000-word summary and analysis paper focused on these articles.

You will also need to include a works cited or bibliography page along with hard copies of each news article when you submit your essay on Monday, March 5. All materials are due to your TA in lecture on that date. Late submissions will incur a deduction of 10 points per day. The purpose of the paper is to analyze how historiography is influenced by news media, reflecting how history is a subjective product colored by biases, perspectives, and social values embedded in media representations of current events.

Choose a specific, recent international event from the past 60 days outside of the United States, ideally political or social in nature—such as a protest, an election, a law, a treaty signing, or a military action—focused on a single incident or action rather than ongoing conflicts or broad issues. For example, select a specific act of violence or a particular meeting, but not an ongoing civil war or broad humanitarian crisis. The event must have occurred on a specific day, not be a broad ongoing situation.

Collect at least four newspaper articles on the same event from different nations, with only one being from a U.S. source. Each article must be from a different country's newspaper, published within 48 hours of each other, and all within the past 60 days. Do not use op-ed or opinion pieces. Hard copies must be submitted with the final paper.

Paper For Above instruction

The final paper should be a minimum of 2000 words, double-spaced, using a 10-12 size font with standard margins, providing a comprehensive summary and critique of the selected articles. You should compare the articles to identify differences in emphasis, pattern, and framing, and analyze how each portrays the event and what that reveals about social values, biases, and perspectives. Reflect on how media production influences public perception and the formation of historiography, considering whether certain facts are emphasized or ignored in different reports, and how national interests or ethnocentric views might shape these portrayals.

In your critique, analyze the subtle distinctions between reports, how these differences might lead to varied interpretations, and the potential biases involved. Consider which sides of an issue are highlighted or marginalized and reflect on why these portrayals occur. Conclude with insights gained on the power of news media in shaping perceptions and historiography. The paper must include a bibliography of at least five credible sources, in addition to the hard copies of articles, and a word count statement. All materials—including the articles and bibliography—are due to your TA on March 5. This assignment counts for 200 points in your course.

Before starting the full paper, you must also submit a one-paragraph, typed summary, including your name, student ID, and email, describing your planned topic and approach, by February 12. Access to the necessary news articles is available via the university library’s Newsbank database, accessible through VPN for off-campus access.

References

• Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages. DOI or URL
• Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages. DOI or URL
• Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages. DOI or URL
• Author, D. D. (Year). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages. DOI or URL
• Author, E. E. (Year). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pages. DOI or URL