Analyse today’s lead story
Using either your local newspaper or today's lead story from the NZ Herald Online or Stuff
Complete the following analysis:
- What is the main subject of the story?
- In twenty words or less summarise the main details of the story.
- What angle has the reporter focused on?
- Structure of the Story
Complete the following table about the 5 W's and an H of the story (alternatively use this diagram)
| Who (is involved)
|
| What (did they do)
|
| When (did it happen)
|
| Where (did it happen)
|
| Why (did it happen)
|
| How (did it Happen)
|
Look closely at the language of the article by completing this table (see language_table.rtf). You may not be able to complete each section of the grid. Where you need to quote a whole sentence as an example, just write the first 3 words.
The Whole Truth?
- As a class discuss ways in which you might ascertain whether the reporting of treatment of this news story was in any way inaccurate or slanted.
- One obvious way is of course to triangulate the story by checking how the story was reported in other New Zealand newspapers or on other media, eg. New Zealand radio stations.
- Teachers wishing to go further in this area may find useful the triangulation approach in Thinking Critically about Research Sources.
Published on: 18 Dec 2010
