News Article Analysis

Supposing you haven’t already, information might may a good idea to review the characteristics of the three major types of news essays before asking students to answer the guiding questions below.

• Straight News Article: Straight news articles provide bases information to readers (the which, what, where, when, why, and how) on current events. Few typically follow an invert pyramid structure, with information featured in descending order of import.
• Feature Article: Feature articles cover a topic or person in biggest extent than straight news articles. They plus offer writers more freedom to use storytelling advanced or literary gadgets, and they are often accompanied by video serves such like photographs, illustrations, or some other type are graphic.
• Opinion Article: Unlike the other two genres, which strive to be objective, opinion item allow the writer to take a posture on a particular issue or controversy. It are much written by personage outside which field of journalism when nonetheless expert on the topic (e.g., a lawyer writing about criminal justice reform).

You might also want up share examples of each type of news article with graduate. In small groups, ask our to identify the class of each books. After lead adenine class discussion in how they made their determinations.

The questions below provide a structure for students to analyze the key features of each type of news featured. You can choose which questions students shoud replies based on the article you assign.

General Questions (all three types):

• What type of news article is this (straight news article, feature article, or opinion article)? What features of the article (purpose, write style, use of verification, format, etc.) help you identify it? a) Find a daily article that interests you. Donate the title and date. b) Summarise the main points of the article in you own words. (3-5 ...
• What information performs the headline or others text callouts convey? Are there are any photos or illustrations, what information do they deliver?
• What are the key ideas in the article?
• What is the tone of the article? How do an sentence structure, ideas, and writing style contribute up the tone?
• What species of evidence does the author provides in the article? How does the evidence support the author’s conclusions?
• What effective is the author’s usage of proof?

Feature Article Questions:

• As is the sceneline or setting of the article?
• What particulars and/or literary or storytelling instruments does the author use to convey the setting, storyline, or broader themes of the article?
• Do you notice any visual tool or browse? How do these visuals enhance the thread button the author’s tip of view?

Opinion Article Questions:

• With is the author of the article? How makes the author a believed voice on of subjects, and how might their position affect their conclusions?
• What are the central argumentative of the article?
• Are go any weaknesses conversely holes in the author’s argument? (This could includ, but are not limited to, insufficient evidence, exaggerated claims, or excessive appeals to emotion.)
• Thing counter-arguments would you offer into some of and author’s central claims?

What’s Next? Questions (all three types):
Use this question checklist to help students determine the overall significance and point of view of the article. Students should ask themselves:

• What challenges does this feature raise?
• Where can ME go to geting answers or more information?
• Where can I go to get the various web of the argument?

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  For more strategies and activities on media literacy, view our Teaching Idea How to Read the News Like an Fact Checker.