This document provides directions for a class assignment where students are asked to: 1) Post a news article related to microbiology along with a PDF and text summary of the article. 2) Provide additional relevant background information from course materials to provide context. 3) Analyze how the news source may have skewed the information. 4) Respond to at least one other student's post with a thoughtful question. 5) Answer at least one question about their own posted article.

1. Micro In The Media
Directions

2. • Each person is to respond to this thread with a web link to your news story
and a PDF of the news article they plan to share with the class. You can
now edit your original post with a text version of your presentation.
• Students are not permitted to share the same news story another student
has already posted. If you are posting a news article on the same topic
another student has already posted, your article must be significantly
different. Your article should either present new information or an
opposing view point.
• It is your responsibility to review all the articles listed before posting your
article to ensure there are no redundant articles. Please be sure to scroll
down AND to review all pages of the discussion board. Do not just review
the most recent posts.

3. Grading
• Selected a news article related to microbiology that meets the criteria below (25 points)
• Shared a topic not previously presented on.
• Or shared new information, an opposing view point, or alternative interpretation to a story shared previously.
• Provided at least 1 additional piece of background information, germane to the story, that provides additional insight to the topic. (25 points)
• This means you must look up additional information. The most likely source of information is either the lab manual or the text book.
• You do not need to provide a works cited list or parenthetical references, BUT a phrase like the ones below are expected.
• "According to the lab manual...”
• "Based on my readings of Chapter 7 in Brock, Biology of Microorganisms...”
• "The OpenStax Microbiology textbook indicates that...”
• For example, if you present on peaches contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, then you should look up disease pathways in the
textbook or culture methods for this organism in the lab manual to share with the class.
• Explain how the news source may have been skewed (15 points)
• Was it an inflammatory post designed to instill fear of vaccines?
• Was it a neutral presentation of information from the CDC?
• Was it a buzz feed post that incorrectly presented information?
• Was it an attention grabbing head line with a news story about information scientists have known about for decades?
• Responds to at least one other student's discussion board post (20 points)
• All students must receive at least one response before any student receives a second response.
• Please be sure to review the entire discussion board.
• The board may be split across multiple web pages. Please review all of them to make sure everyone gets at least one question from a fellow student.
• The response should be a thought-provoking question indicating that you have read and thought about the article and the poster's review of the
article.
• Answer at least one question about your article (15 points).