Comm 102

COMM 102 Major Individual Assignment

Fall 2013

3.0 Media Critique: Content Analysis

Critique Exercise using content analysis techniques. This will be the basis for class discussion during

week 9.

Value: 15%

Due: Week 9

For face-to-face classes, bring a rough draft with APA cover page to the first class session of the week. (If your must be absent, this may be emailed to the instructor by the appropriate time.)

For on-line classes, post your exercise to the identified discussion forum by Wednesday noon.

After the class discussion, you may revise your critique based on the discussion for final turn-in by 11:59 PM on Sunday night.

3.1 The Articles

In the year 2012 The Economist ran 16 articles that included the topic of economic development in

China including one cover story. You may find all 16 articles here by using the Library’s advanced

search engine. Use the following delimiters:

Journal Title/Source: “The Economist”

AND Subject Terms: “economic development”

AND Subject Terms: China

Set the publication date delimiter to 2012 (Left side of page)

Read the cover story, “The Visible Hand.” 21 January 2012, Vol 402, Issue 8768.

Then read “Crony tigers, divided dragons.” 13 October 2012, Vol 405, Issue 8806.

Then randomly select four more articles from the remaining 14 articles.

You may randomly select by flipping a coin, rolling dice, or numeric coding and then consulting

a random number table.

3.2 The Analysis

Your task is to perform a content analysis of the six articles in order to determine the perspective of The

Economist on economic development in China. This perspective is determined by evaluating what kinds

of slanting or bias might be present in the reporting. Potentially The Economist is neutral regarding

China’s economic development simply describing characteristics, but more likely it will raise both the

positives and the negatives of China’s economic development in relation to other benchmarks such as

human rights, the environment, corruption, civil unrest, human health and longevity, or other

countries, etc. So the perspective will be determined by comparison.

Coding

Operational definition of perspective

The perspective of The Economist will be seen as positive, negative, or neutral by the ratio of

positive to negative points of comparison with other benchmarks.

Code each article in relation to this operational definition.

Data collection

1. Counting

In your examination of each article count how many times positive terms or phrases are used to

describe Chinese economic development and how many time negative terms or phrases are used.

Negative terms include:

Dirty, slow, corrupt, unequal, weak, polluted, risky, deteriorating, etc.

Positive terms include:

Clean, rapid, honest, egalitarian, strong, prosperous, improving, growing, etc.

2. Points of comparison/benchmarks

In determining a value, the points of comparison or benchmarks are essential. Identify the benchmarks

used in the articles, whether they are countries, global indices of development, emotional descriptors,

or specific points taken from a non-Chinese situation.

3.3 The report you turn in

1. Coding

Explain how you reviewed the articles, what you looked for and how you counted it.

2. Summaries

Write a one paragraph summary of each article (3-5 sentences).

Following the summary list the following:

Positive descriptors: Number, best example

Negative descriptors: Number, best example

Primary point of comparison/benchmark (this is a judgment call on your part)

3. Table of results

Then produce a table that summarizes the articles as a whole.

Article title Number of positive descriptors

Number of negative descriptors

Primary benchmark

Total

4. Conclusion

Examine your table of results. Do you believe The Economist has taken a positive, negative, or neutral

position with regard to economic development in China? In 250 words or more, explain what

perspective you think it has. Provide supporting evidence taken from your table. Explain how the

benchmarks guide your interpretation.

5. List in APA format all the articles with which you worked to produce your result.

The completed project must be in APA format with a title page. Please correctly reference any material

you quote or refer to in your report.

Send the final version electronically as an attachment to [email protected]. Name your attached

file using the following format: YOURLASTNAME-ContentAnalysis. You may use Windows-Word or .rtf

files. Do not uses spaces in your file name. (Do not submit .pdf files.)

Marks will be deducted for late assignments. No project will be accepted unless the rough draft was

ready by the start of the class/required initial post time, earlier in the week.

3.4. Evaluation Rubric:

The assignment will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Submitted on-time and according to instructions (10%)

Uses 6 articles appropriately (10%)

Good summaries & evaluations (30%)

Good table (10%)

Good conclusion (20%)

Accurate APA referencing (5%)

Appropriate English including good grammar, spelling, sentence structure and style (15%)

Especially poor contributions toward any specific criteria may receive a negative mark that reduce the

value of the total project mark.