Papers should be 3 pages, double-spaced (11 or 12 pt font) in length. Structure them thusly:

1.    What for you were the most important points that you took from the readings, discussion and lecture material for the week? This is an exercise in abstract thinking—what is the ‘big picture?’ You should touch on each reading assignment, discuss any common threads between them, or differences. I want to see what you got out of the readings and the week’s topic, and gauge your depth of understanding. I’m not looking for book reports here—do some summary, but your paper should be no more than 1/3 summary (and no less than 2/3 analysis).

2.    Demonstrate you read the discussion board. I don’t need a play-by-play blow of people’s postings, I just want you to demonstrate you went through the postings, and got something out of the process. How did people respond to the material for the week? What was your take? Just keep in mind—take a stand, but don’t make points if you’re not going to support them with evidence or logic.
3.    Standards. This is making up for your having missed the discussion boards, so I expect the same amount of intellectual effort to go into the make-up. Good writing, use of complete sentences, paragraphs to change ideas, citing of authors’ works at the end. Demonstrate you’ve been through all of the readings and lecture material.

Articles/lecture material:

http://blackboard.eou.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-591772-dt-content-rid-1080394_1/courses/SOC205_66143_W14/JunkFood13.pdf

http://www.globalissues.org/article/159/media-conglomerates-mergers-concentration-of-ownership

http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/findings/vnrs

https://people.eou.edu/socprob/readings/week-2/charles-pierces-premises-of-idiot-america/

https://people.eou.edu/socprob/readings/week-2/some-news-sources/