1 CHNS 2614 UNDERSTANDING NEWS ABOUT CHINA News comparison report/In-depth news report (50% of unit assessment), S1 2021 You must complete all assignments to pass the unit. Instruction: Complete a news comparison report or in-depth news report as detailed below as the final assessment of this unit. Word requirement: 2,500 words maximum (There is no allowance for exceeding the word limit.) Every word in your submission including the in-text citations but excluding the reference list, counts towards the word count. (Please use the parenthetical system of referencing (http://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/content.php pid=160012&sid=1353511) and the APA 6th citation style (http://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/content.php pid=160012&sid=1509941) Marks will be deducted pro-rata for under- or over-run of word length. For example, a submission of 2,600 words exceeds the maximum limit by 100 words (4%); 4% of the total marks of this assignment will be deducted. Submission and deadlines: 1) Submit a Word (not pdf) document to Canvas Assignments by 9 am, June 12 (Saturday). 2) Include in the file name “news comparison” or “indepth news report topic 1 (or 2).” 1. News comparison report Aims: This assessment task is designed to motivate and examine your learning on: 1) concepts of news analysis and evaluation, 2) application of concepts in analysing and evaluating news, 3) processes about news production, and 4) the news media systems in China and beyond, as discussed in the unit by writing a news comparison report of two English-language news articles. Task in detail: 1) Select two English-language news articles of your choice that report on the same news event about Greater China published by two different news organisations. You are free to use news articles you read for your news presentation or news discussion preparation for the news comparison report, so long as the selected two articles make a good pair for comparison and contrast. However, you are not permitted to use news articles that the instructor has discussed in class. These news articles must be published after 1 July 2020. It is important that you do not choose news commentaries or analysis pieces as the scope of these articles will vary too much to be easily comparable. An event is a happening that takes place in a specific time and space. Examples: a train accident, the release of a particular report, the statement made by a particular official. 2) Say which news reports you are comparing at the beginning of your Word document such as in this format: News comparison report of: 2 Allison, (2019, February 7). Chinese Network’s Washington Bureau Registers as Foreign Agent. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02- 07/chinese-network-s-washington-bureau-registers-as-foreign-agent O’Keeffe, K. & Viswanatha, A. (2019, February 5). Chinese State Media Giant CGTN Registers as Foreign Agent in U.S. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-state-media-giant-cgtn-registers-as-foreign-agent- in-u-s-11549387532 3) Apply the methods of qualitative analysis of news frames discussed in the unit to compare and contrast the two news reports. There are many methods of analysing news. Make sure that you apply what is discussed in the unit. Try to identify specific news frames and the framing devices deployed. 4) Applying theories and concepts about news production and knowledge of news media systems, give an interpretation of the differences and similarities found between the two reports. 5) You are expected to give in-text citations and a list of cited works in a reference list. Do not include any item in the reference list that is not cited in-text. The reference list does not count towards the word length. Marking rubric Criteria % Richness of analysis of framing with well supported evidence 50 Sound interpretation of framing comparison results with knowledge of news production and news media system 30 Accurate information about the news reports, original and effective expression, grammar, punctuation, spelling 20 Total 100 2. In-depth news report Aims: This assessment task is designed to motivate and examine: 1) your learning about news resources about China, 2) your learning about concepts of news analysis and evaluation of news articles published about the same news issue, 3) your application of concepts of news analysis and evaluation, and 4) your critical reflection of your own engagement with the news media, through constructing an in-depth news article following specified standards. Task in detail: Choose one of the following topics to write a piece of the same genre as in-depth news report published by credible news organisations. Please make sure that your piece is not a commentary piece or analysis piece. In other words, you are not meant to express your opinion or point of view directly. Instead, you should select facts of events to be reported, news sources to be quoted, and background information to be included carefully, and arrange them in an appropriate structure of information. Aim to provide concrete and specific information (not a general overview). The information should be sourced from a diverse range of news manufacturers–including different Western and Chinese media—giving voice to a diverse range of stakeholders (people and organisations related to 3 the issue). Information from the sources and stakeholders together should offer multiple and divergent perspectives about the issue. The content of the piece should be current, including the latest developments of the issue, although some of what happened in the past should be included as necessary background information. A minimum of 10 references is expected. Topics: 1. A series of events in 2020 have soured the diplomatic relations between China and Australia. Write an in-depth news report that explains what, why and how this has happened. 2. China’s military airplanes flew into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone many times in the past few months. Write an in-depth news report that explains what, why and consequences of the moves. Marking rubric Criteria % Accuracy and richness of background and current facts 30 Multiple and divergent sources of news manufacturers and stakeholders 20 Coherent integration of facts and perspectives 20 Original and effective writing, grammar, punctuation, and spelling 20 Proper and correct citation of credible sources with accurate reference list in APA 6th style 10 Total 100 Total marks for the above criteria are multiplied by the “Fulfilling requirement of assignment” factor, which ranges from “1” to “0”. This factor takes into consideration the content requirements stated above, and relevance of your piece to the assignment.
