COM 4300 Topic in Journalism POLS 4490 Special Topics Political Communication in American Elections 

E-Portfolio Assignment

Due: Monday, April 25, 2016 (5pm)

Score: 10% of student’s final grade

Richard McLaughlin.

 

This e-portfolio assignment is a “capstone” summary reflection of the student’s coursework and experiences. To satisfy this requirement, on the class blog, students should:

1.  Identify and discuss the significance of three key concepts you learned this semester.

The most important thing I learned is confirmation bias. This is when people actively seek out information that suits their own opinions and prejudices, if you look at how people seem to become more set in their ways and opinions it makes a lot of sense.. The second things I learned which would seem basic is political communication. Which is simply any communication that occurs regarding politics. But it’s something much more, it’s a definition that’s also an open ended question. Depending on who you ask the definition would be restricted to televised debates or could include relatives and friends discussing who they are voting for. I also learned objectivity which is the opposite of Gonzo Journalism (the best translation of what that means is outlaw investigative spy type journalism. Objectivity is more than refraining form putting your own opinion into a paper, its about providing facts that back up your statements.

Describe each of the journalism and research projects you worked on this semester, including a specific description of your role in each:

My role for the content analysis was writing about Sanders appeal to young people vs. Ted Cruz.

For my news story I went to the Bernie sanders rally and gathered interest from his supporters and also talked to one of his advisors. I later wrote about those interviews and how those interviews shaped my perception.

During the second news story I did a horrible job. I’ll admit it. I got greedy, tried to get a presidential candidate to answer a question that I was very concerned about and wanted to post on my blog the YouTube channel I’m working on. I allowed my priorities to be divided and for emotion to cloud my judgment. The only interview I got besides that of a cameraman were of very low quality.

For the second content analysis I got an interview with Dr. Swent. I did an interview and later collected note for Parker and Gabe when they did their interview with him although it wasn’t needed I am still glad I did it. I also contributed my own writing to the paper.

During the third content analysis I got coded the democrats for the fact sheet. I also gave the speech for my group which was quite an experience, usually you have other group members to back you up if you stumble, being their, alone, and a little bit panicked was a good experience in thinking on my feet.

2.  Upload at least one visual from the course projects (photos, audio/video from interviews, charts from content analysis/field research projects, etc.) with a description:

I was unable to do this. My phone doesn’t work well and I couldn’t afford to rent a camera. The few picture I took were of poor quality. If I learned something from this exsperience it was that I need to brush up on my photography skills because they are poor.

3.  Discuss and elaborate on how you did or did not successfully accomplish each of the four expressed learning objectives (listed below) for the course. 

•        Demonstrating the ability to produce high quality research projects relating to political communication in American elections:

I hit and missed on this subject, I’ve never done research projects of this nature despite being a college graduate. I’m proud of my work on the Sanders project but feel I did a mediocre job on other projects.

•        Accurately describing and providing critical perspectives on the intersection between political communication and American elections:

I believe I did this quite well. What I’m most proud of is when I provided that intersection in mentioning how reality TV and pop culture conditioned us from birth for the Trump candidacy.

•        Producing high quality political journalism on the theme of American elections:

I believe I did this effectively though not as well as a I could have. Part of the problem is I began to hate the subject, not politics, not issues but the election, delegates, power, elites, media, it seemed so soulless that I started to have trouble looking at the paper I was writing thinking about how I would like to write about how I actually felt. But that’s not what journalism is about, or at least not what objective journalism is about. I remember when a group member told me I couldn’t say that politicians are dishonest by nature, apparently a common belief most Americans have is illegitimate.

 

 

•        Respectfully observing American political communication processes in practice:

I failed at this, I fell flat on my face doing this. And I’m quite proud of it. It made me realize that journalism or at least this type of journalism is not for me. I want to do investigative journalism where I am more a soldier on a mission. I want there to be meaning to what I do, I want to enemy to fight and a cause to believe in. I know one of the things that led to fissures in my team was when I tried to confront Kasich about his support to Ukrainian militia groups. This is not the actions of an objective journalism, this is the action of someone who is acting more as an agent provocateur.

This is why I am not pursuing this career, the career of a mainstream journalist covering politics as either a local or national level, I give up this dream, .. We certainly need people to be objective journalism but I will never be one of them. I want a life that gives me meaning where I’m not just trying to get to the center of power, I want a job where I actively try to shape the world into a better place. I still have political opinions but currently I want nothing to do with America’s political system. my dream know is to find a job where I feel fulfilled, where I feel I am making a difference.