Media Report Analysis

Assignment: Media Report Analysis

Each student will be required to write a media report on a news article that they have identified.

Purpose:

This assignment aims to 1) to critically assess the validity of the information presented in news articles, 2) examine how global health issues are portrayed in the media, and 3) explore the media’s role in global health.

Guidelines:  

1. Read and analyze the media report and original research study. Write up your findings based on the criteria below. It is recommended that students read Dentzer (Communicating medical news – Pitfalls of health care journalism) prior to completing their assignment.  (see article in attachment)

Assignment Criteria:

• Introduction (1/2 page): Provide a brief introduction to the topic that is covered in your selected media report. For example, if the media report you selected is reporting on the results of an Ebola vaccine study trial then you might briefly describe Ebola (ie: what it is, how it is transmitted, risk factors, how it is treated), the recent outbreak (ie: countries involved, number infected, number died), and the current status of vaccine development for Ebola. At the end of the paragraph, introduce the media report and original research study and describe the purpose of the assignment. 
• Summary of media report (1/2 page): Provide a brief summary of your selected media report. Describe the topic of the media report, provide any key details about the study, and discuss the findings presented. Please note that this paragraph should only include information that you gather from the media report. Do not include additional information found in the original research study in this paragraph.

• Compare and contrast the media report with the original research study (2 – 3 pages): Explore the questions below when comparing and contrasting the two documents. Explain your responses and provide examples and evidence to support your findings.
  1. Highlights: What aspects of the original research study were highlighted in the media report (ie: certain results, details about the methods, location, etc)? Do you think these are the most important aspects of the research study – why or why not?

1. 2. Exclusions: What aspects of the original study were not included in the media report? Do you think it was okay for the journalist to exclude these aspects from the media report – why or why not?  Would the inclusion of any/all of the excluded aspects change the meaning or interpretation of the results in anyway – if so, how?

1. 3. Accuracy: Were the results reported in the media report accurate? Describe any inaccuracies or distortions. What results, if any, were not included in the media report and why do you think they were omitted?

1. 4. Conclusions: In what ways were the conclusions drawn the same or different in the media report compared to the original research study. Please note that in research study articles the conclusions are often presented in the “Discussion” section.

1. 5. Language: How did the language and tone differ in the media report compared to the original research study? Were different words used to describe scientific terms? Do you think the differences in language and style changed the meaning of the media report compared to the original research study?  

1. 6. Outside sources: Does the media report reference any other previous relevant studies? Why do you think it is important for journalists to reference other relevant studies when reporting on a newly published research study?

• Describe the journalist’s adherence to the Principles of the Association of Health Care Journalists (1 page): In this section, students will assess journalists’ adherence to ethical principles put forth by the Association of Health Care Journalists and its impact on the health information that the general public receives.  Follow the steps below:
  1. Review the principles under the sub-heading, “Professionalism, Content, Accuracy” on the Principles of the Association of Health Care Journalists website:  http://healthjournalism.org/principles (the link is also available in the “Class Assignments” folder in D2L).
  2. Identify 2 - 3 principles (bullet points under the “Professionalism, Content, Accuracy” section) that the journalist either strictly adhered to or clearly violated in your selected media report and describe how s/he adhered to or violated these principles.
  3. Explain how the adherence or violation of these principles impacts readers’ ability to get valid and accurate information.   

• Conclusion (1 page): In the conclusion section:
  1. Summarize the main findings from your media report analysis
  2. Determine if you think the media report accurately portrayed the original research study and provide your rationale
  3. Identify any lessons you learned about interpreting media reports on global health research studies

2. Cite your source(s) using APA format. Ideas and information that are not your own should be cited appropriately within the text and in the reference list at the end of the policy brief. Please use the APA (American Psychological Association) citation style. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic violation.