Controversial Issue Portfolio Project

 
Project description
MY TOPIC: My portfolio topic will be on whether or not social media/social networking is good for society. I know a lot about the topic and the power social media has become in society, especially with companies. Of course I could go on about social media and the power it has on our young adolescence (common knowledge) but I am going to cover how it affect big business and marketing. Social media has become a phenomenon that many people are very curious about. My job will to put everything on the table that deals with social media while using critical reasoning to explore the controversial topic.
A couple of questions I want to bring out in my research would be to ask how does social media play in advertising with big corporations. Also want to know how social media impacts the business world with employees. Finally, want to know how profitable social media can be and the new trends in social media and if it is “acceptable” to make money off young kids.
Critically evaluating both sides, presenting the various arguments from both sides, analyzing, from your perspective, critically, the reasoning, ideas, views and thoughts presented in the arguments or positions taken.

DIRECTIONS:
For this project, you will select a controversial issue to analyze. Please note, however, that this assignment is not a research paper on the controversial issue itself, but rather an evaluation of the coverage of the topic. The Portfolio Project is designed to

A) assess your understanding of how to analyze information based on the principles of strong critical thinking, and
B) evaluate your ability to write an argumentative essay that is logical, valid, and credible.
Again, our goal here is an analysis of how the information is presented, not a review of the issue itself.

Directions:

Select a controversial issue. The issue may be national, international, or regional in nature, but it must have clear differences in values with rival causes for and against the issue.
In order to best research and explain the controversial issue, locate at least four different news articles from four different media sources. Compare the articles to determine the facts presented and note any biases.
In addition to the four news articles, locate at least two scholarly articles from the CSU-Global Library on your chosen issue OR on media bias or another topic pertaining to the coverage of controversial issues. (NOTE: The scholarly articles you use will depend on the controversial issue you have chosen to study.)
Keep in mind the following eight key questions that you should use in evaluating any problem that has been presented:
a. Purpose: What is the purpose of the problem or issue? Is the purpose of the problem clearly stated and implied?
b. Question: Is the question clear and unbiased? Are the purpose and question relevant to one another in the solution that is presented?
c. Information: Is there relevant and accurate evidence and information cited for the problem? Does the solution consider the complexity of issues?
d. Concepts: Are the concepts clearly defined and understood to be objective?
e. Assumptions: Are questionable assumptions clarified? Are these assumptions biased?
f. Inferences: Is there an explanation of the reasoning skills used to determine how the solution is reached?
g. Point of View: Are multiple points of view considered and analyzed in reaching the solution?
h. Implications: Is there an understanding and consideration of the consequences of the solution?
You will also want to incorporate terms and concepts from the class content pages and module readings. When analyzing and researching your sources, other guiding questions to ask yourself include:
What are the issues, the reasons, and the conclusions?
What do the words mean?
How have the assumptions been made?
Is the evidence reliable, and why or why not?
When are numbers informative?
Where are the rival causes?
Your paper must:
cite at least six sources (but feel free to cite more): four newspaper articles and two scholarly articles. (The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these resources. Do not use the textbook.)
incorporate terms and concepts from the class readings and lecture pages
be 8-10 pages in length, not including the reference page
include a reference page (which does not count toward the page requirement)
be formatted according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.