Adding Immigrants Quantitative Sources for Latino Histories

Immigration News Critique

Critical analysis of a news media article about immigration, immigrants, or minoritized communities.  This is an opportunity for you to show your skills evaluating a journalist’s argument and use of quantitative evidence in covering immigration for a general audience.  

You will share your critique in a 5-paragraph blog post, and in a 3-minute class presentation.  

Students sign up for a date throughout the semester.  50 points.

Blog Posting: you can watch a video of me posting the image and story, or a general tutorial on posting in WordPress.

Assignment Specifications

Blog post

  • Select a reputable media story about immigration or immigrant communities from the past two months that has not already been presented (note: you CAN choose a significant update / new development of an ongoing story.)
  • At least 24 hours before your chosen class session, write a 5-paragraph blog post that includes at least one paragraph each that:
  • Paragraph 1: Summarizes the current event and identifies key people and institutions
  • Paragraph 2: Analyzes the central message of the story, considering the journalist’s point of view, tone, and depiction of immigrants / minoritized communities.
  • Paragraph 3: Analyzes the quantitative evidence provided (if any). What numbers/statistics/charts does the journalist present? Do they follow the Purdue OLW rules for writing with statistics? How good is the data? What context is given for its interpretation by readers? If there is no quantitative information, what additions do you think would be useful? Why?
  • Paragraph 4: Analyzes the qualitative evidence provided (if any). What does the journalist include, and how does that contribute to the story’s message? What other information would be helpful?
  • Paragraph 5: Concludes with your evaluation of the journalist’s use of evidence, and how it relates to class themes.
Additional Post Specifications
  • Support your analysis with specific examples from the news story and from class.
  • Indicate all sources of information (whether quoted or paraphrased) with clear citations.
  • Include an embedded link to the media story.
  • Include at least one image.

Class Presentation:

On your class date, present a 3-minute overview of your story, focusing on what is happening, how it is depicted in your source, why it is significant, and how it links to course themes.  Please make sure to keep it concise/under time.

Rubric:

  • Format: Assignment fulfills criteria for content, clear writing, use of links and images, and citations.

  • Summary: Forum post presents a clear, focused summary of the event.

  • Article Analysis: Thoughtful analysis highlighting the journalist’s argument, use of evidence, tone, and depiction of immigrants/immigration.

  • Analysis of Quantitative Sources: Perceptive consideration of the journalist’s use (or lack of) quantitative sources. Discussion of any statistics or suggestions for statistics that might be useful demonstrates your quantitative literacy.

  • Analysis of Qualitative Sources: Perceptive analysis of the journalist’s use of qualitative sources and how they shape the impact of the news story.

  • Presentation: Clear, well organized presentation that highlights key points of the topic and engages audience.

  • Course Themes: Clear links drawn to course themes and larger issues in immigration history.

I’ll leave my feedback on Moodle.

Sources for Immigration News

You’re not restricted to this list: this is just to help you get started!  You are also welcome to use non-English sources, as long as you can present them to the class. 

Please don’t use an “AP” or “Reuters” report.

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