Basic Media Literacy Course
58-70 Points Possible
Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart (Originally Jan. 2023):
Best, most reputable and unbiased sources of information: toward the top and toward the middle.
Module 1: Media Preview, Bias, Subjective vs. Objective
Module 2: Newspapers
Module 3: How to Find Credible Sources
Unit Assignment List
Module 1: Bias, Subjective vs. Objective
Lesson 1.1: Preview of Unit
Lesson 1.2: Bias
1.3: Subjective vs. Objective in Newspapers
1.4: Subjective vs. Objective, con'd
1.5: Write a News Story I
Module 2: Newspapers
2.1: Parts of a Newspaper
2.2: Review/ Media Literacy Terms
2.3: Movie Summary and Movie Review
2.4: What is Media Literacy and Should it Be a Class?
Media 2.4: What is Media Literacy and Should it Be a Class?
Assignment: 3
Online News Story (if you prefer)
2.5: Media Literacy Vocab I
26: Media Literacy Vocab I, con'd
Module 3: How to Evaluate Information Sources
3.1 "Students Have Dismaying Inability to Tell Fake News from Real" article and response
Media 3.1: Fake News
Assignment: 6
3.2 Primary & Secondary Sources Puzzle & Journal
3.3 PolitiFact Quiz for Checking Source Reliability (practice)
For this assignment, you'll need live links...they are below. You can still write your answers on paper, but you'll need these links!
Media 3.3: PolitiFact Quiz:
How to Tell Fake News from Reputable 5 English Points
Step One: Choose one of the following articles linked below according to your birthdate:
January/ February: Article #1
Borrowers Should Prepare to Start Paying Back Student Loans This Summer. Many Aren’t Ready. (Time Magazine 3/2/23)
March/ April: Article #2
Former U.S. Soldier Gets 45 Years for Helping Neo-Nazi Group in Plot to Kill U.S. Troops. (NBC News, 3/3/23)
May/ June: Article #3
How a Minnesota Hockey League Helped a Ukrainian Refugee and Her Family Feel At Home (CBS News, 3/4/23)
July/ August: Article #4
Prince Harry and Meghan Have Been Evicted From Their U.K. Home. (Time Magazine, 3/2/23)
September/ October: Article #5
Students Switch Up College Plans as States Pass Anti-LGBTQ Laws (NBC News, 3/4/23)
November/ December: Article #6
Voting Rights Restored to 55,000 Minnesota Felons Under New Voting Law (ABC News, 3/4/23)
Step Two: Go to the online quiz at https://www.politifact.com/article/2017/jun/19/real-or-fake-tour-fake-news-quiz-find-out/
3.4 Reading & Writing Wednesday: Star-Tribune "How to Find a Job"
Media 3.4: "How to Find a Job" article in the Star-Tribune
Assignment: up to 4 depending
3.5 Media Bias Chart--How to Use
Media 3.5: Using the Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart
Assignment: up to 4 depending
Link to the Interactive Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart
Link to a YouTube Tutorial on how to use the Interactive Features
3.6 Comparing Media Bias Checkers: COMPLETE 3.5 BEFORE STARTING THIS ASSIGNMENT.
Media 3.6: Comparing Bias Checkers 2 points
For each of the three news sources listed below, check them on ALL THREE checkers to see if the bias checkers agree or not:
Checker A: Ad Fontes Interactive Media Bias Chart
Scores both on BIAS and on FACTUAL RELIABILITY
Bias: 0 to 42 (Right) or 0 to -42 (Left)
Checker B: All Sides Media Bias Chart
Scores ONLY on Bias
Far Left (dark blue), Left (blue), Center, Right (light red), Far Left (dark red).
Checker C: Media Bias Fact Checker (search engine click on “read more”)
Scores ONLY on Bias
Left// Center Left// Center Right// Right
Also categories for Questionable (really, really unreliable!), Conspiracy, Pro-Science, etc.
Example:
A: ___36.90___ Reliability _____11.79_______ Bias
B: ____Far Right________ Column
C: __Questionable Source–Extreme Right Bias_____Category
Do these bias checkers agree or disagree? How much?
They all have Fox news on the Right side of center, but they vary greatly as to how extreme. A has the bias very small, B has it strong bias, and C has it super-extreme right bias.
3.7 How to NOT Spread Fake News I COMPLETE 3.5 AND 3.6 BEFORE STARTING THIS ASSIGNMENT.
3.8 How to NOT Spread Fake News II COMPLETE 3.5, 3.6, AND 3.7 BEFORE STARTING THIS ASSIGNMENT.
3.9 Consequences of Fake News: Last lesson of this course!
Media 3.9: Consequences of Fake News
Assignment: 2
Link for Assignment Video: https://libguides.exeter.ac.uk/fakenews/consequences
EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT:
Up to 12 points