Media Evaluation

Whether we like it or not, we are surrounded and affected by politics. Many people use the Internet as their chief source of information, and often our first instinct when we want to learn about current events and issues is to do an Internet search. Where do you get your information about news and current events? For your first activity you will begin to explore the Internet for political science information.

Using this Internet Evaluation and Newspaper Evaluation Template fill in your own criteria for the last two columns. Then choose the sites in either Group One or Group Two to complete an evaluation using the Internet Evaluation Form you created.

Internet Sites:

Group One

1. Brookings Institution
   A private not-for-profit organization devoted to independent research and innovative policy solutions
   
   
2. Policy Network
   An international think-tank to promote and cross-fertilize progressive policy ideas among centre-left modernizers.

Group Two

3. Heritage Foundation
   A conservative and influential US think-tank.
   
   
4. ReclaimDemocracy.org
   Dedicated to restoring democratic authority over corporations, reviving grassroots democracy, and revoking the power of money and corporations to control government and civic society.

Then, compare the Wall Street Journal to one of the two national newspapers, The New York Times or the Washington Post, and complete the evaluations on them using the space provided on your form.

Newspaper Sites

1. Wall Street Journal
   
   
2. New York Times
   
   
3. Washington Post
   

Look for quality of information and evidence of bias as you complete your evaluation form and include that information in the comments section.