Newspaper Analysis – Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter, “A Tale of Truth and Two Journalists”, March 27, 2000
IN REPORT MAGAZINE
Appropriate for students:
Grades 10 – 12
Curriculum Fit / Specific Expectations / Learning Outcomes:
Please select outcomes you wish to cover from either social studies or history and prepare an assessment to share with students at the outset.
Materials Required:
- Copies of the article for each student. See 2.13.6
- Copies of the questions for analyzing an article. See 3.2.6, Activity 2
Set-up Required:
N/A
TASK
Read Ian Hunter’s article, “A Tale of Truth and Two Journalists”, March 27, 2000 in Report Magazine and answer the following questions:
Student Handout
Questions for analyzing an article
Read Ian Hunter’s article, “A Tale of Truth and Two Journalists”, March 27, 2000 in Report Magazine and answer the following questions:
- What event led to the writing of the article?
- What is the main idea of the article?
- Select several facts/arguments (3 minimum), which support the main idea.
- Does the author provide enough factual material to support his ideas (quotes witnesses, provides statistics, states his sources of information? Was he an eyewitness to events; or was the information obtained through a news service?
- Is the reportage, in your opinion, true, balanced or biased? Explain.
- Are different viewpoints presented? Is this article an editorial (author’s own ideas), is it informative, is it convincing, is it balanced?
- What do you think of the article and its point of view? Explain.
Questions for analyzing Ian Hunter’s article, Specifically.
- How did Muggeridge and Duranty present events in Ukraine in 1933?
- What explanation is given for the discrepancies between the two journalists? Who, in your opinion, told the truth?
- Write a short letter to the editor about how you feel about Duranty and his Pulitzer Prize for journalism?