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LESSON
PLAN: HOW THE MEDIA USES POLLING DATA IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COVERAGE
By
Lisa Greeves, an English and journalism teacher Subjects:
journalism, current events Estimated
time of completion: 1 class period plus homework Lesson
Objectives
Students will review
reasons for including polling data in media coverage of the 2004 presidential
election and will research
and analyze recent examples of polling data in journalism. Overview:
The
media's reliance on polling data as support or even as focus for their coverage
of candidates for office has changed over the years and seems to have reached
an all-time high. Explore with your students reasons for why the media rely on
this kind of data, reader/viewer reaction to this information, and whether or
not the actual article benefits from the use of polling data.
Materials Correlation
to National Standards
Activity
1.
Have students read the Newshour Extra article "Poll Crazy in Campaign Coverage".
2.
Have students read the article "Elections: The Polls, the Pundits and the
Elections of 2004 (you may want to assign this for homework prior to the class).
3.
Discuss with the class the following questions based on their readings: A.
Why do media outlets seem to rely on polling data so much in their coverage?
B.
Why do readers or viewers tend to doubt the validity of polls so much?
C. Define
the different types of polls: media polls, independent polls, private polls, exit
polls, etc.
D. What are the weaknesses of polls in general, in terms of covering
a national election like this?
E. Review the following passage from "Poll
Crazy": "A
poll just out is new: Sen. Kerry's or Mr. Bush's stand on an issue is not new…I
think a reason the media over-emphasize polls is that it allows a story to tell
something new." Explain
how some critics might view this reliance on poll data as an example of the media
creating the news instead of reporting on it. F.
Why is it so important for readers or viewers to educate themselves on poll analysis
before believing polls?
4.
For homework, assign students to research one or two regional or national newspapers
and one Web site for a national network news service (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox news,
or CNN). Select three articles from these media outlets that cover some aspect
of the Presidential election and that cite polling data in its coverage. Print
or clip the three articles. Next
read each article and highlight all passages that mention the polling data. Then
complete the worksheet about the three articles. When finished staple your articles
to the worksheet and turn in to your teacher for a grade. Extension
Ideas:
1.
Have groups of students create polling questions and conduct practice polls on
classmates about various current political issues (the economy, the war on terror,
the status of health care, the price of gasoline, etc.). Then have them write
up their findings in a report to share with the class. 2.
Research media coverage of past presidential elections to see how much reliance
was placed on polling data and what kinds of polling questions were asked. Assign
students to cover different election years and write up reports for a grade. Use
archives from news sources as well as archived polling questions from sources
like Gallup (http://www.gallup.com/poll/).
Standards
This
lesson meets the following standards set forth by the National Council for Teachers
of English, which governs high school journalism classrooms: Standard
6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g.,
spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to
create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
Standard 7: Students
conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and
by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety
of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate
their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
Standard
8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries,
databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and
to create and communicate knowledge. Standard
11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical
members of a variety of literacy communities. About
the Author Lisa
Greeves has taught journalism and English in two school systems in Virginia. She
has a B.A. in English and journalism and an M.A. in English. She wrote a chapter
titled "Vignette: Collaborating on an Editorial" for Applying NCTE/IRA Standards
in Classroom Journalism Projects, published by NCTE in 2002. She currently is
a tutor for Johns Hopkins' Center for Talented Youth's Distance Writing Program. To
find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman
at extra@newshour.org. | 
