This write-to-learn and discussion assignment sequence was developed by computer
science faculty.
QU101 Newspaper Assignment Overview (page 2)
QU101 Newspaper Assignment Guidelines (page 6)
QU101 Newspaper Assignment In-Class Exercise (page 10)
QU101 Newspaper Assignment Student Writing Sample (page 12)
QU 101 The Individual in the Community
Fall 2011 – Hoffman
Newspaper Assignment – Every Friday
This semester we will be using The New York Times and several news sources that cross cultural,
ethnic, and international boundaries to explore recent events as they relate to the six course
questions. Events reported in The New York Times provide opportunities to examine the course
themes through issues such as the economy, the environment, age, gender, and race as they occur
in the world around us. By Wednesday each week you will be assigned a common reading from
The New York Times. From a list of news sources, you will select an article on a related topic.
Lastly, you will identify connections between the two news articles and a course reading. Each
Friday, one group will lead in-class discussion on the issues raised by your investigation.
Wednesday Assignment: Due by Friday at 7:00 am on your Newspaper Journal
Each Wednesday you will be assigned a common reading from The New York Times. For the
common reading you need to select the most important sentence or passage. In your Newspaper
Journal on Blackboard record the sentence or passage, and briefly explain why you chose it.
Now, write a one paragraph summary of the article.
From the list of news sources (excluding The New York Times,) select an article on a related
topic. Each member of your group (more detail below) must use a different news source. For the
article you select you need to select the most important sentence or passage. In your Newspaper
Journal on Blackboard record the sentence or passage, and briefly explain why you chose it.
Now, write a one paragraph summary of the article. Include a link to the article in your journal.
From the current course reading(s), select a sentence or passage that creates the strongest
connection to the two news sources. In your Newspaper Journal on Blackboard record the
sentence or passage, and in some detail explain the connection you found and why you think it is
important.
Friday In-Class Discussion
You will be assigned to one of four groups. Each group in turn will be responsible to lead
discussion based on the common reading. Over the semester each group will lead discussion
three times. The entire class will receive one grade for the quality of discussion based on
discussion guideline below. For the last 5 minutes of class on Friday, you will answer the
following three questions.
1. On a 1-10 scale, how many of the five in-class discussion characteristics have been
satisfied?
2. Justify your score.
3. From class discussion today, what is the most interesting or provocative idea. Briefly
explain why.
In-Class Discussion Guidelines
In-class discussion provides an opportunity for the class to meaningfully investigate at topic in
some depth. For a discussion to be meaningful, it must demonstrate evidence of critical thinking.
Therefore, during class discussion you need to demonstrate the following characteristics of
critical thinking.
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Prioritize: What is more important and why.
Translate: Express someone else‟s ideas in your own words.
Analogize: Express a connection between one concept and another.
Analyze: Break a larger concept or idea into smaller components.
Synthesize: Build a larger concept from small components.
To create an environment where critical thinking can emerge for the entire class, the following
must occur. These are the characteristics you will use to rate in-class discussion.
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Participants come prepared.
Participants contribute equally.
Participants make clear reference to appropriate readings.
Participants contribute meaningfully moving the discussion forward.
Participants treat each other with courtesy and respect.
If you are not comfortable participating in discussion; you might think about participating in the
follow ways.
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organizing, leading
summarizing, restating, clarifying
offering examples from the text
asking questions
commenting or giving an opinion
making a suggestion
asking for clarification
reacting to comments
analyzing the text, a comment, or the discussion itself
restarting the discussion
filling in a hole
arguing a point
asking for new information
asking for comments or reactions
making connections with other texts, situations, or discussions
The grade the class receives for in-class discussion is based on how closely the class average
agrees with how I score the class. If the class average differs from my grade by more than one
(on the 10 point scale) the class will receive my grade. If the class average differs from my grade
by over two points the class will receive my grade minus one. If the class average differs from
my grade by less than one the class will receive my grade plus on point.
News Sources
The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/ (The course newspaper)
Aljazeera: http://english.aljazeera.net/
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
The New York Beacon: http://newyorkbeacon.com/news/default.asp
The Philadelphia Tribune: http://www.phila-tribune.com/index.asp
Indian Country: http://www.indiancountry.com/
Native American Times:
http://nativetimes.bizweb5.tulsaconnect.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Asian Week: http://www.asianweek.com/
The Times of India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/
San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.signonsandiego.com/
The News (Mexico): http://www.thenews.com.mx/home/tnportada_h.asp
The Houston Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/
The Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
The Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/
The New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
The Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/
The International News (Pakistan): http://www.thenews.com.pk/default.asp
The Sydney Morning Herald: http://www.smh.com.au/
The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Note: You may suggest that a news source be added to this list. If appropriate, it will be
considered.
Newspaper Assignment – Groups
Group
1
2
3
4
Members
Lead Discussion
September 9
October 7
November 4
September 16
October 14
November 11
September 23
October 21
November 18
September 30
October 28
December 2
QU 101 The Individual in the Community
Fall 2011 – Hoffman
Newspaper Assignment Guidelines
For The New York Times article:
1. Select the most important sentence or passage,
2. Briefly explain why you chose it, and
3. Write a one paragraph summary of the article.
For an article selected from the list of news sources (excluding The New York Times):
1. Select the most important sentence or passage,
2. Briefly explain why you chose it,
3. Write a one paragraph summary of the article, and
4. Include a hyperlink to the article.
For the current course reading:
1. Select a sentence or passage that creates the strongest connection to the two news
sources, and
2. In some detail explain the connection you found and why you think it is important.
Your responses need to be posted to your Newspaper Journal on Blackboard by Friday at 7:00
am.
Your entry needs to be 400-600 words in length.
Be objective and specific, and avoid opinion.
Newspaper Assignment Written Response Rubric
Criteria
New York Times Article Response
Excellent (5 pts)
Full passage present and quoted.
Briefly explains reason passage
selected.
Fair (4-2 pts)
One of the “Excellent” components
missing or poorly done.
Poor (1-0 pts)
More than one “Excellent” component
missing or poorly done.
One of the “Excellent” components
missing or poorly done.
More than one “Excellent” component
missing or poorly done.
One of the “Excellent” components
missing or poorly done.
More than one “Excellent” component
missing or poorly done.
Response is within100 words over or
under the word limit.
Response is well over 100 words over
or under the word limit
One paragraph accurately and
concisely summaries key points of
article.
Alternate News Source Response
Full passage present and quoted.
Briefly explains reason passage
selected.
One paragraph accurately and
concisely summaries key points of
article.
Links to article.
Course Reading and Connection
Response
Full passage present and quoted.
Describes connection clearly in one or
two sentences.
Persuasively argues for connection.
Argument is objective and avoids
opinion or excessive emotion.
Evidence from each news article
argument.
Overall Response
Response is 400-600 words in length.
Newspaper Assignment In-Class Discussion Rubric
Criteria
Participants come prepared
Excellent (10-8 pts)
All students have completed the
written response.
Fair (7-4 pts)
No more than 3 students have failed
to complete the written response.
Poor (3-0 pts)
Over 4 students have failed to
complete the written response.
All course readings are carefully
annotated.
Some course readings are minimally
annotated.
Few course readings are annotated.
Participants contribute equally
All students contribute to the in-class
discussion
No more than 3 students fail to
contribute to in-class discussion
Over 4 students fail to contribute to
in-class discussion
Participants make clear reference to
appropriate readings
All students have access to
referenced texts that are assigned
course readings
A small number of students do not
have access to referenced text that
are course readings
Few students have access to
referenced texts that are course
readings.
Key references to the texts are made
frequently.
Some key references to the texts are
omitted, but most are clearly made.
Most key references to the texts are
omitted.
All references include author, page,
and line numbers.
Some references omit author, page,
or line numbers, but most do.
Most references omit author, page, or
line numbers.
References are used to support all
facts or points of argument.
Some facts and point of argument are
not supported by references.
Most facts and points of argument are
not supported by references.
All participants contribute by
providing objective insights,
comments on others’ insights,
question others’, or synthesize others’
contributions.
Most participants contribute by
providing objective insights,
comments on others’ insights,
question others’, or synthesize others’
contributions.
Few participants contribute by
providing objective insights,
comments on others’ insights,
question others’, or synthesize others’
contributions.
Participants avoid opinion and overly
emotional responses.
Some participants contribute opinion
or are overly emotional responses.
Most participants contribute opinion
or are overly emotional responses.
All participants refer to others by first
name.
Some participants do not refer to
others by first name.
Few participants refer to others by
first name.
All participants are allowed to
complete their contributions without
being interrupted.
Some participants are interrupted
while they are speaking.
Participants are regularly interrupted
when they are speaking.
No one is personally attacked;
however, ideas may be debated.
Some students are personally
attacked instead of ideas being
debated.
Students engage in personal attacks
rather than debate ideas.
All participants are attentive while
Some participants are inattentive or
Participants contribute meaningfully
moving discussion forward
Participants treat each other with
courtesy and respect
Most participants are inattentive or
others are speaking.
are distracted by other activities.
are distracted by other activities.
QU 101 The Individual in the Community
Fall 2011 – Hoffman
Newspaper Assignment: In-Class Assignment on Friday, September 2
In class today we will model what is expected of you as participants and leaders in discussion based on the newspaper articles and
connections to course readings that you prepared. As groups design in-class discussion, your experience today provides one strategy.
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Organize yourselves into your newspaper assignment groups. Once you are in your groups, share the connection you found between
The New York Times article and your alternate news source article, and the course reading. Select the one that your group thinks
makes the strongest or most meaningful connection. Craft one sentence that best captures the connection, and write it on the board.
(10 minutes)
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Organize yourselves into a big circle. Let‟s take some time to discuss the connections. In turn each group share the sentence, briefly
describe the connection, and why it is the strongest or most meaningful. Once each group has had an opportunity to share and discuss
the connection they selected, we need to shift discussion to think about how these connections relate to identity. What do they tell us
about how we form our own identity? What do they tell us about how our identities are formed by others? (25 minutes)
—
On the index card provided, answer the following three questions. (5 minutes)
1. On a 1-10 scale, how many of the five in-class discussion characteristics have been satisfied?
2. Justify your score.
3. From class discussion today, what is the most interesting or provocative idea. Briefly explain why.
—
Let‟s take a few minutes to consider your performance in class discussion today. (10 minutes)
Newspaper Assignment - Student Work and Comments – November 14 (Hoffman)
Nov 14: The New York Times articles for this week are "Generation O Gets Its Hopes Up" (November 9, 2008) by Damien Cave. The course
readings this week are “A Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen” (pp 426-427) and King‟s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (pp 428-444) in The
Individual in the Community.
Student A
1. “All of this happened because of you,” the e-mail message said. “We just made history.”
I picked this as the most important passage of the article because it exemplifies Obama‟s goal and what the article describes as „Generation
O.‟ His supporters felt a special connection with Obama because of the extent he went to by utilizing text messages, emails and Facebook
postings continuously. By using “we,” this quote is giving credit to his supporters and phrased in a way to make them feel pride,
accomplishment and part of the campaign.
This article focused on a fresh perspective for the nation and determining the events that lead to a desire for this. The most important aspect of
the article was how the writer evaluated communication. According to him, the younger generation places high value on casual
communication and informal tone; they feel comfortable and at ease like they would with a friend, even if the communication is through the
Internet. In contrast, the older generation views this as dangerous and not natural to the maturing process of learning things do not always go
as planned that should be taking place. The article concludes with evaluating Obama‟s challenge as not only the nation‟s issues, but to balance
his support between the younger and older generation but proving to be an advocate for tradition as well.
2. “I knew that he was running an extraordinary campaign in extraordinary times. Possessed of a preternatural self-confidence, he stuck to his
strategy no matter the polls. He brooked no dissension among his staff. He exploited the technology favored by the young to raise more
money than any candidate in the history of the American presidency.”
http://www.phillytrib.com/tribune/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=953:tucker110908doc&catid=19:the-philadelphiatribune
I chose this passage because it explained Obama‟s “glass is half full” campaigning, during which he never allowed negative press to deter his
outlook on the presidency. This in turn leads to the theory that Obama had such strong support because like the first article stated, America
wanted a fresh new perspective from years with an unpopular president.
This article, titled “Racism isn‟t dead, but Change is really here,” similarly talked of how Obama used technology to his advantage throughout
his campaign. The primary focus however, was on how the results of the election promote hope and progression, even though it is unfamiliar
grounds for the nation. As the title suggests, the article is written from the point of view of someone who believes that racism has narrowed
considerably, just is not yet at the extent of extinction. While exploring this issue, the article concludes that Obama will probably not be able
to deter racism more effectively, he is not the “messiah whose coming ends bigotry and inequality for all time,” he will just simply be
president.
3. “Responsible citizens have undertaken to work on various problems which cause racial friction and unrest. In Birmingham, recent public
events have given indication that we all have opportunity for a new constructive and realistic approach to racial problems.” 426
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all
indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States
can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.” 429
The two readings from this week connect directly to the second article. Just as the second article concerned, Obama as president will not be
the “end all” of racism forever in the United States. He will however, be the president, the leading force in the United States, which could be
very influential towards the cause. The quote from “A Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen,” “opportunity for a new constructive and
realistic approach to racial problems” ties into a nation voting for leadership from the first African American president. The second article
relates to this with its statement that despite the narrowing margin, racism still exists. The quote from the reading acknowledges this as well
and approaches this how the author did from the second article, with the vision of opportunity. The quote from King‟s letter writes of the
opportunity for no one individual to feel like an outsider, or inferior, as a citizen of the United States. The first article also connects to the
opportunity for change with its description of Obama‟s transformation of communication and how he is striving to make both generations, the
younger and the older, both content-in other words to have no one feel like an outsider by advocating too much tradition or too much
change. Overall, these sources promote change and opportunity that is brought on by the election of Obama and that the challenges he will
face have been building up for generations.