This document contains information about a class discussing fake news and how to evaluate the reliability of news sources. It includes discussion prompts about three news sources the teacher assigned and how to analyze the genre of a New York Times news article. The document also lists upcoming assignments, including Journal 2 due Monday, Paper 1 due the following Friday, and a reading and discussion post assigned as homework.

1. EWRT 2
Day 4
Who is affected by Fake news?

2. New York Times Evening Briefing Quiz!
 1. What did the Syrian government do last week that caused the US (and
allies) to fire missiles at various Syrian facilities this weekend?
In response to Syria’s action, the US Ambassador to the United Nations
announced sanctions against which country? (President Trump later canceled
those sanctions.)
 2. Over the past week, James Comey has severely criticized President Trump
(and the President called him a “slime ball”). What position did Comey
previously hold?
 3. Last week, investigators raided the office and homes of Michael D. Cohen.
What is Cohen’s relation to President Trump?
 4. The President has reportedly asked his advisors to look into the US joining
the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. Why is this surprising?
 5. Paul Ryan announced last week that he will retire. What position does he
currently hold?
 6. New medical research suggests that adding immunotherapy to
chemotherapy can increase survival time for people with which type of
cancer?

3. CREM “Field Trip”
 Two Possibilities:
 The Tech Museum of Innovation in SJ.
 San Jose State (transfer-related tour, etc.)
 Put your preference on your participation slip for today.

4. What participation looks like today
 1. You can get a total of THREE (3) participation points today.
 2. Two of those points are from full class discussion. Say two things (ask a
question, answer a question, respond to a classmate) and you get a point for
each.
 This includes responses in our discussion of the NYT quiz.
 3. We’re going to do a group activity. If everyone in your group speaks AND
one person from your group presents your result to the class, each member of
your group gets 1 point for today.
 4. Keep track on a slip of paper and turn it in at the end.
PUT YOUR NAME and DATE ON IT.

5. Who is being affected by fake news?
 Sources
Before we even talk about the content, who did research on the three sources
that I assigned?
We haven’t read anything from these three sources. What do you know about them?
Why should you trust them (or not)?
 Why do you think I chose these three articles?

6. Genre Analysis: A New York Times story
 Groups: Groups of four. Everyone must
talk in your group. Choose someone to
report back your results to the class: if
someone in your group has not talked in
discussion today, they should report at
least part of your results to the class.
 What to do: Re-read the article together.
Slowly. Stop frequently to talk about how
it is written.
 Genre questions:
 1. What is the style of an article like this?
Sentences, paragraphs, point-of-view,
where the key information is located, etc.
 2. What things about the article give you
confidence that this is solid,
reliable journalism? In other words, what
about this article makes it
seem trustworthy? See of the list of
helpful questions at right.
ACCOUNTABILITY: What characteristics of the article create the
impression that someone is taking responsibility for the contents
of this article? If you wanted to know more about who this
article is coming from, how accessible is that information? If
something in the article turns out to be wrong, how confident
are you that this news source would take responsibility?
THOUROUGHNESS: How can you tell that the author of the
article has done useful research? Have they asked the right
questions? Have they talked to the right people? How can you
tell?
LACK OF BIAS: What characteristics of the article suggest that
the author and/or the news source is not letting their own
opinions bias the reporting? How do they report the story in a
way that seems "objective" rather than biased or "subjective"?
FAIRNESS: How does the story treat its sources fairly? How does
it make it clear that the reporter has considered multiple
opinions? How can you tell that the reporter is letting sources
speak in their own words?
TRUTH: If one of the sources is making a false claim, can you
rely on this story to provide a factual response?

7. Upcoming Assignments
 Journal 2 due Monday. Available on
Canvas.
 Paper 1 due next Friday, Apr 27, 9
AM on Canvas.
 Homework for Monday
Reading on Canvas.
 Discussion post by Sunday night, 6
PM.