What to do: Review the instructions for the third writing assignment.
Objectives
 Develop and exhibit understanding of authors’ arguments by using them to analyze a news story
 Make an original argument or evaluative claim about peace by criticizing, defending, complicating, applying, or extending the authors’ arguments
Directions
Select a news article from the past year and analyze it using one of the assigned course readings. To analyze a news article with a course reading means making an argument in defense of some thesis that relates the two texts. Your analysis should be roughly 550. Be sure to include the word count at the beginning or end of your assignment as well as a copy of the news article itself.
If you are having trouble deciding how to relate your chosen reading to the article, consider the following questions:
 Why does that reading help you understand and evaluate the news reported in that story?
 How does the news story complicate the argument advanced in the course reading?
 What concepts does the news article use that the reading calls into question?
 Drawing from both the course reading and the news article, what (if anything) should be the practical response to these political developments?
Note: these are just suggested questions to get you thinking; you will not have the space to answer all these questions adequately in the length allowed.
Important
In addition, you may find it helpful to look at these sample news analysis assignments that students have submitted in the past. They are not perfect, but they are very good B-range submissions that might be a useful model for you.
 PDF of sample news analysis #1: IS2800 model news analysis 1.pdfDownload IS2800 model news analysis 1.pdf
 PDF of sample news analysis #2: IS2800 model news analysis 2.pdfDownload IS2800 model news analysis 2.pdf
Finally, you may find it helpful to review the rubric for the assignment:
 PDF of the assignment rubric: IS2800 response paper rubric.pdfDownload IS2800 response paper rubric.pdf