Brooklyn Technical High School



Bias & Propaganda in the World: The Amanda Knox CaseScope & SequenceThis semester, we have read works that reveal very different views of the “same story.” What makes these stories so different? Bias and propaganda. Remember that bias occurs when the information presented is slanted towards a particular opinion—this can happen unconsciously, but if a writer is knowingly and consciously creating biased material, that material becomes propaganda that exists to serve the creator’s agenda. Bias affects not only the facts of the story but also how the story is delivered. In fact, some of you may have found that your opinions about Grendel changed quite drastically when you were able to read the story through his eyes and understand his background a bit more. Others of you may have found that Grendel’s story helped to solidify your initial notions of how he is presented in the epic poem, told from the voice of an “idealistic Shaper.”Nonetheless, our study of Beowulf and Grendel leaves us a bit disoriented on defining the “truth” (perhaps one of Gardner’s purposes?), and this is a “reality” that we have to face in our everyday world where bias infiltrates our news sources and shapes our personal beliefs and convictions—and until now, you may not have been consciously aware that this was happening; until now, you may have not questioned what you heard from a seeming “reputable” news source. However, this is the project to bring that bias and propaganda to a conscious level through the story of Amanda Knox. This is the project that will take you out of the cave and show you “The Matrix.”Morpheus: This is your last chance. After this,there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Swallowing the Red Pill: Amanda Knox & the MediaExcerpted from “Amanda Knox: A Content Analysis of Media Framing in Newspapers Around the World” by Deidre D. FreyenbergerGiven that the media is the primary source for information, it is important to understand the different ways the media frame prominent news information. This is called “faming theory,” and it explains the media’s influence on society. Tettah and King (2011) describe framing theory as how “an idea, issue or personality presented (framed) in the media influences how people think about that issue or personality” (p. 505). This framing [whether as unconscious bias or as conscious propaganda] influences the “truth” because individuals usually believe the media and form opinions based on information received from media sources-- regardless of whether or not the information is factual and objective. According to Chyi and McCombs (2004), “the news media often reframe the event by emphasizing different attributes of the event, consciously or unconsciously, in order to keep the story alive and fresh” (p. 22). As a result, it is often the case that various media outlets have differing viewpoints on high-profile news stories, [but this is not something that many people typically realize because they either don’t take the time to research the same story across sources, or they are still inside the cave and do not “see” the bias/ propaganda around them.]Agenda-setting theory relates closely to media framing. The salience of an object (the importance of an object) increases the amount of news coverage about the topic (Chyi & McCombs, 2004, p. 22). The topic could be a public figure, an issue, or any other topic, but news media has the power to increase the importance of a news story by the amount of time spent reporting on the issue or by the order in which the story is presented in a newscast, newspaper, or magazine. [For example, the most “important” stories (seemingly) usually appear at the top of the hour of newscasts or on the front cover of a newspaper or as the first article in a magazine. However, the public controls these stories because the stories that the public wants to see (typically the most sensational or the ones involving celebrities) are oftentimes the most prominent stories simply because they get ratings or they sell newspapers/ magazines. For example, back in 2007 when Britney Spears went on her media-dubbed “umbrella rampage,” that story took the focus, and at one point on CNN was the main story being covered while the story about the deaths of US soldiers in Afghanistan scrolled across the bottom of the screen. Whether these stories are the most “important” or not, their placement in the agendas of news sources carries over into public perception. This, in turn, communicates to the public the seeming importance or seriousness of an issue. This can result in a minor issue becoming a monstrous issue just because of how much (and what type of) coverage it receives by the media—all for the sake of ratings and selling copy.] [The Amanda Knox case illustrates the impact that framing theory and agenda-setting theory can have not only on the public, but also inside a courtroom.] In 2007, people from around the world became particularly interested in an international case involving the then 20-year-old Seattle native Amanda Knox, who was studying abroad in Perugia, Italy. According to on November 2, 2007, Knox’s roommate, Meredith Kercher, was found dead in the house they shared (Timeline of Amanda Knox case, 2011). Images of Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, emerged the next day of them kissing and going “lingerie” shopping after Kercher’s body was found. After changing her story while being questioned, Knox confessed that she was home when the murder occurred; subsequently, Knox and Sollecito were then charged with murder in July 2008. At the end of 2009, Knox and Sollecito were found guilty on all counts of stabbing Kercher and were sentenced to 26 years in prison even though there was little to no physical evidence (depending upon the source) linking Knox to the murder. She served four years of the 26-year sentence before the murder conviction was overturned on October 3, 2011 as the DNA evidence used to convict Knox and Sollecito was reported as unreliable. Knox was set free, and she returned home to the United States where she currently lives in Seattle. However, on March 26, 2013 (due to a loophole in the Italian court system that allows for retrial), Knox’s acquittal was overturned by the Italian Supreme Court, sending the case back to the lower court for reconsideration, which is still currently ongoing. Amanda Knox has chosen not to return to Italy for the second trial in the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher. [This case has received worldwide media coverage throughout the trial(s), spawned dozens of books, and even a few movies (one is being filmed even now in Italy starring Kate Beckinsale). The bias of the media has become a controversial topic since then, and people around the world have taken sides for or against Amanda Knox. Now, it is your turn to decide.] The ProjectThis leads us to the importance and aim of this project. If there is anything we have learned from reading Beowulf and Grendel, it is that point of view and bias can alter one’s perception of the “truth.” It is important to realize that the media carries this same power. For this project, you will examine the media’s portrayal of Amanda Knox throughout the saga of her trials, paying particular attention to how the media has framed her and what role bias or propaganda has played both in her conviction and in her acquittal. You will analyze news sources as wells as excerpts from Amanda Knox’s own memoir entitled Waiting to be Heard in order to arrive at your own version of the “truth.” Do you think Amanda Knox is guilty or innocent? It’s time to set the bias aside and seek out the “truth.” Your culminating assignment will be to compile your findings and conclusions into a notebook case study on Amanda Knox. Your team’s notebook will consist of four parts as outlined below. Your challenge is to research the case through the lens of the media in order to ultimately arrive at your own verdict of Amanda Knox.Please note that you will be working in groups of 4-5 people of your choice. In selecting your group members, please select wisely. I will NOT humor any complaints about a group member not doing his/her work. Part of doing any group project is to practice the necessary life skill of working in a group and with other people who have different strengths/weaknesses. This may present challenges, but you can find a way to work through it. Your entire group will receive the exact same grade, and if a problem arises in the process, I will simply defer to the sage words of Tim Gunn: “Make it work.” Part One: Meet Amanda KnoxIn order to assess the bias and propaganda of the media coverage on the Amanda Knox case, your group first needs to familiarize yourselves with the case and with publications about the case. To do this, please review the following documents to get you started (copies are in your group’s folder):Timeline of the Case- The Telegraph (many other timelines available online)“Amanda Knox: Prosecutor Sues Over her Book” including Italian article from OggiExcerpts from Amanda Knox’s memoir entitled: Waiting to be HeardOptional Websites to Consult: (also provides transcripts from the trials) Optional Books to Consult:Amanda and the Others-- Fiorenza Sarzanini A Death in Italy: The Definitive Account of the Amanda Knox Case—John FollainThe Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox—Nina BurleighHonor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox—Raffaele Sollecito & Andrew GumbelTrial by Fury—Douglas PrestonMurder in Italy: The Shocking Slaying of a British Student, the Accused American Girl, and an International Scandal—Candace DempseyAngel Face: Sex, Murder, and the Inside Story of Amanda Knox—Barbie NadeauCase Notebook Requirements for Part One:Create your team’s own timeline of the case from the murder through the most recent retrial.Provide a typed explanation (paragraph in 12 pt. font TIMES, double-spaced) of how your team arrived at your timeline. What sources did you use and why? How did you arrive at “what happened”? Write a paragraph reflection to accompany the timeline.Create a hypothesis: What is your initial reaction? Do you think Amanda Knox is guilty or innocent? Why? Write a paragraph reflection of how you arrived at your first verdict. You will test this hypothesis in parts two and three as you begin to deconstruct media coverage for bias and propaganda. Note that you may end up changing your verdict when all is said and done—that’s the point of creating a hypothesis and “testing” it. Part Two: Conflicting InformationOne of the most apparent signals of bias in comparing Beowulf and Grendel is the discrepancy in the information presented. While the epic poem suggests that Grendel “attacks” the men in the mead hall out of hatred, Grendel’s story is that they attack him. Likewise, different media sources sometimes present conflicting information, stories, and data that reveal the bias of the source. This certainly was the case for the media coverage on the Amanda Knox trials. Case Notebook Requirements for Part Two:Find 5 examples of discrepancies in the media coverage of the Amanda Knox case. This can span across several sources, or just a few… it depends on what you find. But, the key here is that you are looking for news coverage that presents very different views on the case—or even opposing facts!Include the sources that reveal these discrepancies in this section of the notebook & highlight where those discrepancies occur. Then write up a one-page TYPED report that explains how the sources show conflicting information and what effect this has on your opinions of Amanda Knox. This will begin the process of your initial look at the bias in the media coverage of the Amanda Knox case. Note—you can use sources from this section also in the next section.Part Three: Bias in the MediaFor this section of the case notebook, you will find examples of bias in the media coverage of the Amanda Knox case before you arrive at your own verdict. Below, you will find a list of different types of bias and a list of articles to get you started on your bias search. Bad news bias- Good news is boring (and probably does not photograph well, either). This bias makes the world look like a more dangerous place than it really is. Plus, this bias makes politicians look far more crooked than they really are.Concision bias a tendency to report views that can be summarized succinctly, crowding out more unconventional views that take time to explain.Expediency bias: Journalism is a competitive, deadline-driven profession. Reporters compete among themselves for prime space or airtime. News organizations compete for market share and reader/viewer attention. And the 24-hour news cycle--driven by the immediacy of television and the Internet--creates a situation in which the job of competing never comes to a rest. Add financial pressures to this mix--the general desire of media groups for profit margins that exceed what's "normal" in many other industries--and you create a bias toward information that can be obtained quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Need an expert/official quote (status quo bias) to balance (fairness bias) a story (narrative bias)? Who can you get on the phone fast? Who is always ready with a quote and always willing to speak (i.e. say what you need them to say to balance the story)? Who sent a press release recently? Much of deadline decision-making comes down to gathering information that is readily available from sources that are well known. This can affect the balance and the accuracy of information being presented, which is why we see retractions from news sources quite often. But unfortunately, once the wrong information is out there—it’s out there.Fairness bias: No, this is not an oxymoron. Ethical journalistic practice demands that reporters and editors be fair. In the news product this bias manifests as a contention between/among political actors (also re: narrative bias above). Whenever one faction or politician does something or says something newsworthy, the press is compelled by this bias to get a reaction from an opposing camp. This creates the illusion that the game of politics is always contentious and never cooperative. This bias can also create situations in which one faction appears to be attacked by the press. For example, politician A announces some positive accomplishment followed by the press seeking a negative comment from politician B. The point is not to disparage politician A but to be fair to politician B. When politician A is a conservative, this practice appears to be liberal bias.Headline bias -- Usually the reporter does not write headlines; an editor who carefully selects key words to catch reader attention in order to sell copy chooses them. Since many people just skim headlines, misleading headlines have a significant impact. A classic case: In a New York Times article on the June 1988 U.S.-Soviet summit in Moscow, Margaret Thatcher was quoted as saying of Reagan, "Poor dear, there's nothing between his ears." The Times headline: "Thatcher Salute to the Reagan Years." Quite different! Check to see if the headline relates to the story at all, or see if the headline has been so completely taken out of context as to be biased. Labeling – Bias by labeling comes in two forms.? The first is the tagging of conservative politicians and groups with extreme labels while leaving liberal politicians and groups unlabeled or with more mild labels, or vice versa.? The second kind of bias by labeling occurs when a reporter not only fails to identify a liberal as a liberal or a conservative as a conservative, but also describes the person or group with positive labels, such as “an expert” or “independent consumer group”.? In so doing, the reporter imparts an air of authority that the source does not deserve.? If the “expert” is properly called a “conservative” or a “liberal” the news consumer can take that ideological slant into account when evaluating the accuracy of an assertion.? When looking for bias by labeling, remember that not all labeling is biased or wrong.? Bias by labeling is present when the story labels the conservative but not the liberal, or the liberal but not the conservative; when the story uses more extreme sounding labels for the conservative than the liberal (“ultra-conservative”, “far right”, but just “liberal” instead of “far left” and “ultra-liberal”) or for the liberal than the conservative (“ultra-liberal”, “far left”, but just “conservative” instead of “far right” and?“ultra-conservative”; and when the story misleadingly identifies a liberal or conservative official or group as an expert or independent watchdog organization.Loaded Language—Pay particular attention to the word choice of the source. Does it contain any words that carry tone? Does it have any strong adjectives, images, adverbs, allusions, etc. that slant the information in a particular direction? Remember that the reporter has the power to select the words. What verbs did he/she choose to use? If the writer had a choice, why that word? If the article seems to have some strong language or any words that carry tone, then the article probably has loaded language and is biased. Mainstream bias, a tendency to report what everyone else is reporting, and to avoid stories that will offend anyone.Narrative bias- The news media cover the news in terms of "stories" that must have a beginning, middle, and end--in other words, a plot with antagonists and protagonists. Much of what happens in our world, however, is ambiguous. The news media apply a narrative structure to ambiguous events suggesting that these events are easily understood and have clear cause-and-effect relationships. Good storytelling requires drama, and so this bias often leads journalists to add, or seek out, drama for the sake of drama. Controversy creates drama. Journalists often seek out the opinions of competing experts or officials in order to present conflict between two sides of an issue (sometimes referred to as the authority-disorder bias). Lastly, narrative bias leads many journalists to create, and then hang on to, master narratives--set story lines with set characters who act in set ways. Once a master narrative has been set, it is very difficult to get journalists to see that their narrative is simply one way, and not necessarily the correct or best way, of viewing people and events.Omission – leaving one side out of an article, or a series of articles over a period of time; ignoring facts that tend to disprove liberal or conservative claims, or that support liberal or conservative beliefs; bias by omission can occur either within a story, or over the long term as a particular news outlet reports one set of events, but not another.? To find instances of bias by omission, be aware of the conservative and liberal perspectives on current issues.? See if both the conservative and liberal perspectives are included in stories on a particular event or policy.Point of View bias—This is the type of bias in which the point of view of the reporter affects the story outcome. Who is telling the story? What is that person’s background? This can cause the reporter to create other types of bias unknowingly OR knowingly if he/she wants to propagandize his/her point of view. Placement – Story placement is a measure of how important the editor considers the story.? Studies have shown that, in the case of the average newspaper reader and the average news story, most people read only the headline.? Bias by placement is where in the paper or in an article a story or event is printed; a pattern of placing news stories so as to downplay information supportive of either conservative views or liberal views.? To locate examples of bias by placement, observe where a newspaper places political stories.? Or whenever you read a story, see how far into the story each viewpoint first appears.? In a fair and balanced story, the reporter would quote or summarize the liberal and conservative view at about the same place in the story.? If not, you’ve found bias by placement.Selection of sources – including more sources that support one view over another.? This bias can also be seen when a reporter uses such phrases as “experts believe”, “observers say,” or “most people believe”.? Experts in news stories are like expert witnesses in trials.? If you know whether the defense or the prosecution called a particular expert witness to the stand, you know which way the witness will testify.? And when a news story only presents one side, it is obviously the side the reporter supports.? (Journalists often go looking for quotes to fit their favorite argument into a news story.)? To find bias by use of experts or sources, stay alert to the affiliations and political perspective of those quoted as experts or authorities in news stories.? Not all stories will include experts, but in those that do, make sure about an equal number of conservatives and liberals are quoted.? If a story quotes non-experts, such as those portrayed as average citizens, check to be sure that about an equal number come from both sides of the issue in question.Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers. Sensationalism may include reporting about generally insignificant matters and events that don't influence overall society and biased presentations of newsworthy topics in a trivial or tabloid manner.Spin – Bias by spin occurs when the story has only one interpretation of an event or policy—and spins it in a negative light or a positive light; spin involves tone – it’s a reporter’s subjective comments about objective facts; it makes one side’s ideological perspective look better than another.? To check if it’s spin, observe which interpretation of an event or policy a news story matches – the liberal or conservative.? Many news stories do not reflect a particular spin.? Others summarize the spin put on an event by both sides.? But if a story reflects one to the exclusion of the other, then you’ve found bias by spin.Statistical and crowd count bias—To make something seem more extreme (and therefore worth reading about), numbers can be inflated. “A hundred injured in air crash” can be the same as “only minor injuries in air crash,” reflecting the opinion of the person doing the counting. “A few dozen” can also be represented as “countless” or as “more than 20 with numbers rising.” Statistical information, including surveys, can be biased based upon how the survey was conducted (who was the control group?) or statistical information can be skewed depedning upon the controlling factors. This can lead to bias.Story selection – a pattern of highlighting news stories that coincide with the agenda of either the Left or the Right, while ignoring stories that coincide with the opposing view; printing a story or study released by a liberal or conservative group but ignoring studies on the same or similar topics released by the opposing group.? To identify bias by story selection you’ll need to know the conservative and liberal sides of the issue.? See how much coverage conservative issues get compared to issues on the liberal agenda, or liberals compared to conservatives.? For example, if a liberal group puts out a study proving a liberal point, look at how much coverage it got compared to a conservative study issued a few days or weeks earlier, or vice versa.? If charges of impropriety are leveled at two politicians of approximately equal power, one liberal and one conservative, compare the amount of coverage given to each.Subtext bias—Subtext is the power of what is not directly stated but what is implied by a text. What is the article implying to be true? Sometimes, these implications are false and based upon biased information or propaganda, which causes the entire source to become biased. For example, if an article about a specific rape case includes the victim’s sexual history, then the unstated subtext could be that the rape victim is at fault due to her “promiscuous” behavior even though the article does not directly state that connection. What’s the point in including this information anyway? Look for subtext and make inferences.Temporal bias- The news media are biased toward the immediate. News is what's new and fresh. To be immediate and fresh, the news must be ever changing even when there is little news to cover.Visual bias (by photo, caption, or camera angle)- News that is biased due to how it uses visual depictions. News is nothing without pictures. Legitimate news that has no visual angle is likely to get little attention, and sensational photographs gain lots of public attention and sell copy. Consider where a photograph is placed in the article and what the photograph depicts. Is the subject crying? Happy? Sad? Consider the angle. Consider the caption. There might just be visual bias going on. Optional Sources to use for this section (copies of these are provided in your group’s folder):“Think of Meredith Kercher not Bambi-eyed killer Amanda Knox”—The Mirror“Amanda Knox and the Foxy Knoxy Myth”— “Amanda Knox is ‘witch of deception’ says Lumumba lawyer” by the BBC“What’s in a Face?” by Ian Leslie for the British publication The Guardian“CNN Embarrasses itself with Amanda Knox Coverage” by Ann Coulter—American Publication“Amanda Knox Mistake Exposes the Media’s Guilty Secret” from the British publication The Guardian“How a na?ve kid from Seattle was coerced into confessing to a brutal murder and wound up sentenced to 26 years in an Italian jail” by Nathaniel Rich for Rolling StoneArticles from the British online publication entitled The Week plus the reader comments at the bottom“Everything Amanda Knox has been called in the UK and US tabloids”—“Meredith, the Supreme Court: ‘An erotic game gone wrong’”—Italian website: affaritaliani.it“Amanda Knox: ‘I was dancing in Meredith’s room’”—Italian website: affaritaliani.it“Witness: No emotion by Italy student slay suspect”— “US suspect in killing of British student described as ‘self-assured and cunning’”—English.pravda.ru“Amanda Knox says she is paying for Italian police mistakes”—“Raffaele Sollecito tells Meredith Kercher murder trial his love for Amanda Knox was a ‘fairy tale’”—.au—Australian News Online “On Being Off: The Case of Amanda Knox” by Tom Diblee for the Los Angeles Review of Books“The Amanda Knox Haters Society: How They Learned to hate me too”—Time World “Prosecutors: Revenge was Motive for Amanda Knox”—Fox News“DNA Evidence in Amanda Knox’s Trial Does Not Connect her to Murder Victim”—Washington Post“Amanda Knox: Behind the Hollywood smile, a liar, a narcissist and a killer”—The Daily Mail (UK)Case Notebook Requirements for Part Three:You must search and find 25 articles pieces of media coverage on the Amanda Knox case. You can use 10 articles from the list above, but the remaining 15 must come from your own research. Of the 15 that you research, 5 must come from countries other than the US or UK. To do this, please find news sources from foreign countries and search for “Amanda Knox.” If the news source is written in a foreign language that you do not know, please use Google translation options. Hopefully by doing this, you will be exposed to what other people around the world “see” as far as news is concerned. While you’re at it, why don’t you research the President and see how he is depicted in foreign countries? It will probably prove to be eye opening. Provide a copy of each of the 25 articles in your case notebook in chronological order based on date of publication. Be sure to include the source information on each article, including the publication, author, and date. Highlight and annotate each source for bias—please note that biased sources will most likely utilize more than one type of bias at a time, and you MUST find examples of all types of bias listed above somewhere amongst your collection of sources.Additional Source Requirements: Locate an additional 3 articles that you believe to be more “objective” and “trustworthy” and include them in this section. Also, locate 2 sources that you would call not just biased, but purposeful “propaganda” on the Amanda Knox case. Include those sources in your notebook. If the source is an entire website, print off a few pages that seem particularly biased. Provide an explanation (two page typed explanation using 12 pt font TIMES, double-spaced), comparing and contrasting the objective sources from the propaganda sources. How do these sources differ? Use specific evidence from the sources you have gathered to compare/ contrast them and reference types of bias in your analysis of the sources.Part Four: The VerdictWhy does it matter whether or not you think Amanda Knox is guilty? How does this apply to your life? Why does being able to detect bias or outright propaganda even matter? Well, here’s the vicious cycle that the media (as a business) creates: the information we know about most things comes from the media & the media depends on our viewership/readership in order to be in business. So, what happens in the midst of this is that facts are skewed in order to sensationalize stories for reader/viewer attention, and (as in the case of Amanda Knox), a jury of people that have been exposed to the media held her fate in their hands. These were people just like you and me. They watched television, and they read newspapers, magazines, and online websites. They saw the biased news; they heard the biased news, and then they were directed to determine the fate of this American girl who claimed that she was innocent; however, by that point, the media had already tried and convicted Amanda Knox before the real trial ever began. Ever heard of the play Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose? It’s a stage play about a single man who is able to turn an entire jury around. You yourself may serve on a jury someday; you yourself may someday hold an Amanda Knox’s fate in your hands… and this is just one of the myriad reasons how bias can affect your life. Being a well-informed citizen requires your ability to think critically about all things and to question how that monster (in the case of Grendel) became so angry in the first place.Case Notebook Requirements for Part Four:At this point in the project, you have compiled your observations on bias & propaganda in the media representation of Amanda Knox. Now, it’s your turn to decide the verdict. Do not be swayed by jury decisions in her trials. After all, history shows that a jury is not always right. And try not to be swayed by how she has been represented in the media (which has projected very misleading and opposing views of her to the public around the world). As a team, arrive at your own decision: guilty or innocent? Base your team’s verdict on what you have been able to derive from the sources you have researched. While there are many classified forensic documents and police/court records that you are not privy to, you have had at your fingertips what the public has had all along: the media. And the media has great power in the direction of any verdict. Begin with the verdict: “Our team finds Amanda Knox guilty/ innocent for the murder of Meredith Kercher.” Rationale. This is where you have to provide your rationale for your final verdict.Give a point-by-point, bulleted list of at least five reasons/ pieces of evidence to support your verdict.Then, for EACH bullet point, write a typed, explanatory paragraph, answering the following questions: How does this information prove your verdict? What sources support this conclusion? Use three quotations (textual evidence) to support EACH bullet point.Overall, you will have a minimum of 5 bullet points and 5 paragraphs with 3 quotations each. Counter-claims. This is where you have to discount any information that has been used to support the other side of the verdict. Give a point-by-point, bulleted list of at least three reasons/ pieces of evidence used to support the other side of the verdict.Then, for EACH bullet point, write a typed, explanatory paragraph, answering the following questions: Why is this information inaccurate or unreliable? Use three quotations (textual evidence) to support EACH bullet point.Overall, you will have a minimum of 3 bullet points and 3 paragraphs with 3 quotations each.Reflection.Write a one-page, typed reflection, answering the following questions:What have you learned about the power of bias and the power of propaganda from this unit?What surprised you? What did you already know?What will you do differently now after having completed this unit?Amanda Knox Case Notebook Rubric- 2XMFOLLOWING DIRECTIONSPart One:Timeline of Events_____/ 5Explanation of Timeline_____/ 5(typed paragraph, 12 pt font TIMES, double-spaced)Hypothesis_____/ 2.5Part Two:5 examples of conflicting information_____/ 5Explanation _____/ 10(one-page, typed, 12 pt font TIMES, double-spaced)Part Three:25 highlighted/ annotated/ biased articles_____/ 20(chronological order/ 15 of your own/ 5 from countries other than US or UK)3 objective articles_____/ 52 propaganda sources_____/ 5Explanation_____/ 10(two-page, typed explanation 12 pt font TIMES, double-spaced)Part Four:Final Verdict_____/ 2.5Rationale: 5 paragraphs with textual evidence_____/ 15Counter-claim- 3 paragraphs with textual evidence_____/ 10Reflection_____/ 5(one-page, typed explanation 12 pt font TIMES, double-spaced)TOTAL: _____/ 100___________________________________________________________________QUALITYOrganization_____/ 25Thoroughness of Explanations & Analysis_____/ 50Thoroughness of Source Annotations_____/ 25TOTAL: _____/ 100FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS + QUALITY/ 2 = ______/ 100 (TOTAL SCORE) ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download