Personal Finance GNED 1066 Article Critique Assignment – (25%)

Course Instructor: Wes Ayranto

Submit assignments by emailing them to: [email protected]

Assignment Goals. There are many articles written on personal finance. The challenge is to determine the value of these articles with respect to accuracy, clarity and bias. The intention of this assignment is to practice critical assessment of such articles. Specifically, the goals are:

1. To evaluate the accuracy of generalizations, clarity of presentation, and bias in the newspaper article.

2. To explain how the issues discussed in the article affect individuals or families in Canada (be careful if you select an article from the US as it may not apply to Canada).

3. To express how you can apply the information in the article to help you make better financial decisions.

4. To gain experience in expressing ideas in written form.

Written Assignment Overview – 25% of course mark – see Evaluation Criteria for Article Critique Assignment and Check List below.

How to get started….

Find an article from an online source, a newspaper or other current publication, printed no earlier than 2018, reason being, a lot has changes since then, and I mean a lot. Pick an article that relates to the topics we are studying in this course. (minimum 1 page or 700 words, 2 pages preferred).

 Note: You will be asked to explain how the issue discussed in your article affects individuals or families in Canada, so be sure that your article is relevant to Canada’s economy – not just the US. Please ensure you provide a copy of the article so I know what you are referencing.

If you are using an online source, be sure to provide the article title and include a direct link to the internet page address where I can see the article).  If you are using a paper source, like from a printed magazine or newspaper, be sure to provide the title of the article, the name of the periodical and date of publication and upload a scanned copy of the article to include it as past of your submission. • If I am unable to access the article you are critiquing because you did not provide a working link or copy of the article, I will be unable to mark this assignment and you will receive a grade of 0.

Be sure to Summarize the significant points made in the article. (maximum 1 page). Evaluate the article and explain the reasoning using the following criteria:

(a) accuracy (check other sources or the textbook to see if the information is accurate) (b) bias (i.e. has the author selected information to present one point of view rather than a balanced one?) (c) complexity level (i.e. technical; for the reader who is well informed but not a specialist; or popular – give some examples of vocabulary) (d) clarity of presentation (is the information presented in a logical and clearly understood fashion?) (e) source of information (does the writer mention sources or quote other experts to validate the article?) This evaluation should be concise but be sure to explain the reasoning behind your evaluations and use examples if necessary to illustrate your points.

Be sure to explain how the issues discussed in your article affect or can be beneficial to individuals or families in Canada. Explain why you chose this article and discuss how you, personally, can apply the information from the article to aid you in making better financial decisions (minimum 1/2 page). APA Report Format The report MUST be word-processed, MUST be double spaced when applicable, and MUST be written in a standard typeface such as Times New Roman, Courier, or Arial, in 12 point font size. Include a title page as outlined in Cites and Sources, one-inch margins and double spacing.  Spelling and Grammar. Evaluation Criteria for Personal Finance – Article Critique Assignment Check List

Your final assignment should be 2 pages of a well crafted and concise work of literary art detailing what the article is about and why its relevant. By following the above criteria, you should manage just fine.

 Grading Method

Category

Complete y/n

Target mark

Actual mark

Summary

5

Evaluate accuracy of article

4

Evaluate bias of author

4

Explain why this article is relevant and beneficial to Canadians

5

Explain why you chose this article

3

APA Formatting

2

Spelling and Grammar

2