Reference no: EM133719621

Assignment: Political Websites Reports and Comparison Essay

Internet Report

As the course's learning objectives include familiarity with the Internet when conducting research and the application of critical thinking skills to the analysis of US politics, there is a relevant assignment based on Internet research that is required of all students. It consists of a student evaluation of three Web sites clearly pertinent to the topics covered in this course.

Choice of which specific web sites to review is yours, but your choices should be limited to the following categories:

1) Candidates or elected leaders (candidates might be chosen especially if there is an election taking place soon - you can choose state, local or national races to cover; an elected leader can be a national, state or local leader).

2) Political parties (Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, etc.)

3) Interest groups (Sierra Club, National Rifle Association, American Associate of Retired Persons, etc.), These are groups that have an explicitly political role- they seek to influence policy. There are many groups that might do worthwhile things for the environment, consumer safety, disease alleviation, etc. but do not have political advocacy explicitly as part of their mission. Try to stick to those whose role clearly includes an attempt to influence policy. You will need to discuss how the organization chosen is not just a "non-profit" group, but one with an clear desire to shape policy by lobbying, influencing its membership to be aware of political issues, helping members communicate, donate or otherwise influence elected officials.

4) Media covering politics or government such as the Washington Post, CNN, and New York Times. A choice in this area should strive to discuss how well the site covers the politically relevant news and thus should involve more than one example. It should NOT be just about one article found within, e.g., the Washington Post website.

You must include a comparison of at least two political parties or elected officials/candidates' sites among the three you are reviewing.

This means that every paper will include either two political parties and/or two candidates/elected officials. You can choose interest groups or media sites for the other one. If you prefer you can do three political parties (obviously here including minor parties like Green or Libertarian) or three candidates or elected officials.

Remember that candidates or elected officials for the House of Representatives as well as the US Senate are available. Thus, you could compare two candidates/elected officials for the House of Representatives or two candidates/elected officials for the US Senate. You might compare two candidates/elected officials for US Senate and an interest groups involved in issue advocacy (e.g., about guns, abortion, environment, workers' rights, business). During an election period, you might target a race for Senate that seems very competitive in states such as Maine, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia. Naturally candidates running for office in Maryland are fine as well. You could compare how the candidates focus on different issues and appeal to different parts of the electorate in reflecting on the "effectiveness" of the site. Naturally, outside of election periods, you will need to focus more on elected officials.

Goal: Review at least three appropriate Web sites and rate them using the criteria noted below. Make at least one recommendation for improvement for each site.

The first paragraph should describe the site and indicate in what ways it is relevant to this assignment.

Six criteria to be used include:

1) Ease of Use: It is well organized? Are the different sections clearly distinguished from one another? Are the various tools used to access certain functions (videos, simulations, documents) clearly set out? Would a novice get lost in it?

2) Visual Appearance: How effectively does it use graphics? Is the screen display appealing? Is the presentation cluttered with ads, too many font changes, strident colors, a poor balance regarding spatial organization? Is the design sophisticated or amateurish?

3) Usefulness of Content: How could a student of American government benefit from the material presented? To whom is the information on the site directed - average citizens, strong partisans, policy makers, those with especially high levels of interest in a single issue? How credible are the sources for the points raised - are points raised those offered by recognized experts, party representatives, candidates, strongly ideological individuals, etc.?

4) Effectiveness: How well does the web site communicate persuasive and accurate information about the candidate, party, interest group, or media news?

5) Usefulness of Hyperlinks: Does the site use both internal and external hyperlinks. How relevant and accurate do they seem? Are the links current (or even active)? Should others have been included?

6) Originality: Does it offer anything distinct or special - does it appeal to specific audiences by including sections for particular groups - age, ethnicity, gender, and the like?

7) Overall Grade: What is your overall appraisal? Would you recommend this site to others? Did your examination of the site add to your understanding of American government and politics?