CTS ASSIGNMENT 2 GUIDE
Assignment 2:
Read the article below and compile a Case Study Analysis Report addressing the assignment tasks that follow.
Source: UN Women (2021) Sixteen Defining Moments for Gender Equality in 2021. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2021/12/sixteen-defining-moments-for-gender-equality-in-2021 (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Sixteen defining moments for gender equality in 2021 As 2021 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at some of the major moments for gender equality and women’s rights from the past 12 months. From women at the forefront of the ongoing fight against COVID-19, to new laws to support survivors of gender-based violence, from women in the highest political offices to eliminating gender stereotypes in advertising, join us in celebrating some of the small and big strides for gender equality in 2021. Power and politics 1. Women reach highest levels of decision-making In 2021, eight countries have elected or sworn in their first woman Head of State or Government, with Barbados, Estonia and Moldova having women as President and Prime Minister for at least part of the year. The year started off with Kaja Kallas taking office in January as Estonia’s first woman Prime Minister. Samia Suluhu Hassan became Tanzania’s first woman President in March. In May, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa was elected Prime Minister of Samoa. June saw Robinah Nabbanja nominated to the role of Prime Minister of Uganda. Najla Bouden Ramadhane was named Tunisia’s Prime Minister in September, making her the first woman to lead a country in the Arab region. After a 2020 decision that Barbados would become a Republic, the first presidential election held in October 2021 saw Sandra Mason become the country’s first-ever female President. Sweden’s parliament voted in Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister in November. In December, Xiomara Castro was elected President of Honduras, and she will officially take office in 2022. Overall, 2021 was a good year for women in politics. Albania has a record-setting 70 per cent women cabinet, Germany got its first gender-equal cabinet, and Iraq and Kosovo exceeded their gender quotas for parliament. In January Kamala Harris took office as the first woman Vice President of the United States. Harris is notably also the first Black-American and Asian-American to fill the role. 2. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization In March, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala took office as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, making her both the first woman and the first African to hold this position in the organization’s 26-year history. Okonjo-Iweala is no stranger to shattering glass ceilings, having been the first woman to become Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. Laws and policy 3. Spain strengthens rape laws Spain approved a bill defining all non-consensual sex as rape, in a move meant to centre survivors and toughen penalties for perpetrators. The new legislation comes in the wake of the 2016 “wolf pack” gang rape case, which sparked national outrage. Based on a “yes means yes” model, it will require explicit consent for sexual acts. Spain joins 11 other European countries who have expanded their legal definition of rape in this way. The bill also reclassifies street harassment and female genital mutilation as criminal offenses and introduces imprisonment for work-related sexual harassment. 4. Lebanon makes progress towards ending child marriage The Higher Islamic Council in Lebanon approved a Family Law amendment, including a new chapter on the marriage of minors. The new legislation bans the marriage of children under the
age of 15 and stipulates that girls must give their consent to marry, or else the marriage can be annulled. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 100 million girls were expected to marry before their 18th birthday in the next decade. Now, due to the economic shocks, insecurity and school closures, up to 10 million more girls are at risk of becoming child brides, unless countries around the world take urgent action to drive change. Ending child marriage — any formal marriage or informal union involving a child under the age of 18 — is part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 5. Marriage equality advances around the world Switzerland announced that same-sex couples would be able to marry or convert their registered partnerships into marriage in the country, following a popular vote on the subject in September when 64.1% supported same-sex marriage. In December, Chile’s Congress passed a law to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the 31st country where same-sex marriage is legal. While there are still 69 countries that have laws criminalising homosexuality and a long way to go until there is universal recognition that love is love, 2021 saw some promising moves to decriminalise same-sex partnerships. In February, Angola signed into law a revised penal code to allow same-sex relationships and ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. With a landmark decision in March, a Japanese court ruled that the government’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, paving the way for marriage equality. 6. Chile sets new gender equality standard in constitutional drafting In May, Chile elected the world’s first gender-equal constitutional assembly, which activists say could help set a new global standard. Chile’s current constitution, drafted in 1980 during the Pinochet dictatorship, does guarantee non-discrimination based on sex, but does not ensure women’s rights within marriage and restricts their sexual and reproductive rights. It has also been criticized for failing to provide healthcare, education, and other social protections. Calls for a new constitution were amplified during a popular uprising in October 2019, and an overwhelming 79 per cent of Chileans voted in favor of a constitutional assembly with gender parity. Science and technology 7. Women continue leading COVID-19 research and response Nearly two years since COVID-19 was declared to be a pandemic, every corner of the world has felt the devastating impacts of the virus. As health and care workers, women and girls have been on the front lines of response, but they have also been leaders in research and innovation. Throughout 2021, vaccine rollouts increased around the world, thanks to many women scientists and experts. From teenager Amika Chebrolu’s research on the lead molecule to selectively bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit the virus, to the critical research pioneered by women researchers like Kizzmekia Corbett, Katalin Karikó, Özlem Türeci and others, the distribution of vaccines around the world has been a critical tool in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. 8. New Nasdaq policy requires diversity on company boards A new policy requires that the roughly 3.000 companies publicly traded through Nasdaq, the US-owned electronic stock exchange, have at least one woman on their board of directors. A recent review found that about 75 per cent of the Nasdaq listed companies, primarily tech-related and growth companies, did not meet the threshold. The new policy, a major step in assuring women’s leadership in private-sector leadership, also requires racial diversity, and the inclusion of at least one board member who self-identifies as LGBTIQ+. 9. Recognizing the contributions of Henrietta Lacks In October, the World Health Organization honoured and remembered the legacy of Henrietta Lacks, a Black American woman and mother. Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, but cells taken from her, without her knowledge or consent, were commercialized and distributed around the world. The HeLa cells, have contributed to nearly 75,000 studies, paving the way in advancements across medicine including polio vaccines, HIV/AIDS medications and breakthroughs in in-vitro fertilization and vital COVID-18 research. By recognizing Henrietta Lacks’ life and legacy, WHO is calling attention to and looking forward to collective action to rectify and eliminate inequality and unjust disparities in global health.
Sport 10. The most gender-equal Olympics With a year of delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics kicked off on 23 July 2021 with almost 49 per cent of participating athletes being women, making it the most gender-balanced Games in history. For the first time, there was at least one female and one male athlete in each of the teams participating in the Games, and a sporting schedule that gave equal visibility for men and women’s events during primetime hours. The first modern Olympic Games held in 1896 in Athens did not feature a single female competitor. Arts and entertainment 11. Women directors finally get more recognition Chloé Zhao made history this year at the Oscars, when she became the first woman of colour and the first woman of Asian descent to earn best director at the Academy Awards. The “Nomadland” director was only the second woman to win the award, following the footsteps of Kathryn Bigelow, who won for directing “Hurt Locker” in 2010. This was also the first year ever that two women were nominated for best director. In fact, during the 93-year history of the Oscars, only seven women have been nominated in the director category, including 2021 nominees, Zhao and Fennell. The Golden Globe awards also recognized women directors’ achievements with three women who have been nominated in the best director category. This was the first time more than one woman has been shortlisted in a single year. Previously, only five women were ever nominated in the 77-year awards history. 12. A Dutch museum permanently features women artists For the first time in its 200-year history, the Rijksmusem in Amsterdam announced that three 17th century paintings by women artists will be placed on permanent display. The three works, The Serenade by Judith Leyster, the Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch by Gesina ter Borch and Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase by Rachel Ruysch, are now on display in the Gallery of Honour, alongside the museum’s other most-prized Dutch masterpieces. 13. Lego announces the end of gender bias in their toys Following a global survey commissioned by Lego and conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, the Danish company announced they’ll take steps towards removing gender-bias in their toys and marketing, including stopping the use of labelling toys ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys’. Lego will also work to expand the diversity of characters and roles represented in their products, in the hopes of every child being able to identify with the toys. Women leading action 14. Generation Equality Forum sets course to accelerate action Kicking off in March in Mexico, and concluding at the Paris Forum in July, the Generation Equality Forum brought together government, civil society, philanthropy, private sector and youth activists and launched a five-year action journey to drive progress towards gender equality. With nearly USD 40 billion in investments, as well as ambitious policy and programme commitments, the Forum convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of France and Mexico, marks a critical moment in women’s rights and equality movements, especially as the world assesses the impact of COVID-19. 15. Maria Ressa wins Nobel Peace Prize Maria Ressa, alongside Dmitry Muratov, was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in safeguarding freedom of expression. Ressa, the co-founder of the digital media company dedicated to investigative journalism, has long used her work as a journalist and author to expose abuses of power in the Philippines. Ressa is the 18th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize since its inception in 1901, and the first person from the Philippines. 16. Afghan women speak truth to power On 15 August 2021, Kabul fell to the Taliban, drastically impacting the lives of all Afghans, especially Afghan women and girls. Girls are banned from attending secondary school, women are unable to continue work, and violence against women is on the rise.
Against all odds, many Afghan women took to the streets in protest. Others persisted to speak out in different ways, to safeguard their human rights. One delegation travelled to New York to participate in a series of events and high-level meetings at the United Nations Headquarters on the sidelines of the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. The group, including parliamentarians, women’s rights advocates, journalists, civil society leaders, and researchers, called for women’s full and equal participation in humanitarian assistance, peace efforts, and governance.
Read the article on the assignment brief –assignment 2: “Sixteen defining moments for gender equality in 2021” and perform a Case Study analysis by providing a correct response to the following in the report format:
- Apply an understanding of logical reasoning to analyse the arguments presented in the above article. [40 Marks]
- Apply your acquired critical evaluation skills to evaluate the sources of information in the above article. [40 Marks]
- In your conclusion, comment on evidence of a systematic and rigorous process adopted by the author in producing the above article. [20 Marks]
Suggested structure:
Main Topic: Analysis of Logical Reasoning and Evaluation of the Sources of Information: “Sixteen defining moments for gender equality in 2021”
Subtopic 1: Introduction (Approx. 200 words)
Write only one paragraph covering the following points
Introduce the case study
Explain the importance of logical reasoning (include a citation)
Explain the importance of critical evaluation of sources of information (include a citation)
Conclude with a transition sentence indicating that the case study analysis will build upon these points
Subtopic 2: Application of Logical reasoning to analyse the arguments presented (720 words)
Write four paragraphs: approximately 180 words per paragraph
The general structure of a paragraph (all 4 paragraphs will have the same structure):
Identify an argument and explain the rules/ observations/ conclusion used in the argument. Accordingly, identify the type of logical reasoning used in the argument: Inductive/ deductive/ abductive
Keywords: Argument, general rule and/ or observation, conclusion, logical reasoning (this word must be there in all four paragraphs)
(In this section, you are analysing the arguments made by the author in the article. Therefore, citations are not required)
Subtopic 3: Critical evaluation of the sources of information (720 words)
Write four paragraphs: approximately 180 words per paragraph
The general structure of a paragraph (all 4 paragraphs will have the same structure):
Identify a source (from the list of references provided at the end of the article) and the information taken from the source. Evaluate the source and information using the CRAP test criteria: Currency, Relevance, Authority, and Purpose
Keywords: Source, currency, relevance, authority, purpose (these words must be there in all four paragraphs)
Subtopic 4: Conclusion (360 words)
Write one paragraph of approximately 360 words
Summarise the main points discussed above in your answer.
Comment about the systematic and rigorous nature of the development of the article: order of the presentation of arguments, traceability of references and reliability of evidence presented
As subtopic 4 (answer to the 3rd question) is your conclusion, citations are not required
Do not write another conclusion. The answer to the 3rd question is your conclusion.
Keywords: systematic, rigorous, traceable, reliable (these words must be there in the paragraph)
Subtopic 5: List of references: List the reference in Harvard style –You may use tools such as Microsoft Word References or websites like http://www.citethisforme.com
List of references: organise in alphabetical order
Note:
Always use the third-person language or passive voice in academic writing. Do not use first person or 2nd person language (do not use words such as: do not use words such as I, we, me, us, you, our)
Please do not write in another language and rely on translation software: this is an academic malpractice
Always paraphrase (write in your own words). Do not copy and paste. It is considered plagiarism!
Formatting: Use only one font type and size. Ensure justification of the text.
Use subtopics, transition words/lines, and paragraphs to organise your work. Proofread your spelling and grammar before submitting. Grammarly® could help.
When you include a picture or table, provide a citation to the source document, as it is not based solely on your own research. Google is a search engine, not a source.
Avoid using inverted commas unless referring to a title, quotation, or name of a person, place, or organisation.
Do not reproduce the assignment instructions as subtopics in your answer. Create your own appropriate topic headings.
Avoid using numbers, bullet points, and questions in academic writing. Write in paragraph format.
Avoid using artificial intelligence (AI) to create your work. This is considered academic malpractice. If detected, your work may be rejected, and disciplinary action could follow. If you use AI for your reference, you are expected to acknowledge and reference it as guided in the assignment brief.
The example answers are meant to help you understand the structure of a good answer but are not complete answers to the questions. Do not paraphrase the example answers or follow the exact style. Take inspiration and independently develop your response.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BELOW ASSIGNMENT IS AN EXAMPLE WITH ANSWERS PROVIDED TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TYPE OF ANSWERS EXPECTED. FOR YOUR ACTUAL ASSIGNMENT, REFER TO THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF.
Read the case study below and compile a Case Study Analysis Report addressing the assignment tasks that follow.
Source: Sussman, D.D. (2020). ‘Three reasons why banning plastic bags is problematic’. The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-why-banning-plastic-bags-is-problematic-142671 (Accessed: 15 August 2023).
Note: The article is modified for assessment purposes
Three Reasons Why Banning Plastic Bags is Problematic
There has been a growing trend of restrictions and bans on plastic bag use worldwide. By mid-2018, over 127 countries had enacted regulations limiting their use, a more than threefold increase over the last decade. The latest adherents are Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the second-largest polluter of plastic waste into the oceans, and Japan, which ranks second for volume of single-use plastic packaging per person. On July 1, both Jakarta and Japan banned the use of free plastic bags at checkout counters. These recent policies in Jakarta (an outright prohibition) and Japan (a surcharge) are important steps by politicians towards shifting away from a linear economy in which resources are often used once and then discarded. They should indeed decrease the number of plastic bags that end up in landfills, clog sewer systems, spoil our landscapes, degrade into secondary microplastic pollution and kill wildlife. They may also raise environmental consciousness among consumers. Despite the good intentions of these new rules, plastic bag bans are problematic for a few reasons. They are not the largest sources of plastic pollution Plastic waste is indeed a very serious problem. Humans use as many as 1 trillion single-use “carrier bags”, about 128 per person per year. The total for all single-use plastic is much greater, at 150 million tons per year. Think of this as 19.23kg of single-use bottles, cutlery, straws, packaging and more for every single person on the planet. However, the latest research shows plastic bags make up only a fraction of marine debris in the waters of Greater Jakarta. Thin or thick plastic wraps and sacks constitute just over 13.5% of all debris items found and 8.5% of their weight. In Japan, plastic shopping bags account for only about 2% of all plastic waste produced in the country. Moreover, while plastic bags are visible to us all, we need to remember that what is in them is often more harmful to the environment than the bags themselves. For example, products with heavy plastic packaging and containers can weigh many times more than the bag. Or consider the actual items, from toxic cleaning solvents, to high-food-mile imported strawberries, to soda in an aluminium can. Consumers may shift to worse alternatives Evidence from previous plastic bag restrictions shows this does reduce their use, but sometimes leads to more environmental harm if customers switch to other materials with larger resource footprints. Paper bags can require 400% more energy to make, not to mention the harvesting of trees and use of noxious chemicals in production. Growing cotton “requires land, huge quantities of water, chemical fertilisers and pesticides”. Plastic bags use fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource, and are permanent, entering the waste stream forever. They may cause more pollution on land and in waterways, but have less effect on climate change and land use than other types of bags. Biodegradable bags, perhaps surprisingly, could be “the worst option” in terms of their impact on climate, harm to soil, water pollution and toxic emissions. In the end, a decision on the type of bag becomes about which particular environmental issue takes priority. Consumers, who feel good about not using plastic bags, may do more harm in other ways Researchers in psychology have observed people often harm the environment when they try to save the planet. For example, they might buy more of a product, like groceries, because they are labelled as eco-friendly. This is related to the concept of compensatory behaviour. For example, people may feel that, since they recycle, they don’t need to consider the extra meat they ate that week. Or because they walked instead of driving to the store, they deserve to buy an extra piece of clothing. Sometimes compensatory action takes the form of attempts to account for previous harms. For example, buying carbon offsets for flying might make a passenger feel good, but from an environmental perspective it’s less desirable than not boarding in the first place.
The point here is that reducing plastic bag use might grant people mental licence to take other actions that are more detrimental to the environment. So where does this leave us, and what should we do? What’s next? Ultimately, the greatest gain from plastic bag bans and pricing is probably in shifting environmental outlooks. Research connects charges for plastic bags to attitudinal changes among consumers, including support for additional environmental policies. There can be broader shifts in norms, as “the emergence around the world of an anti-plastic bag norm has been rapid and widespread”. The hope is that increased consciousness in this part of our lives will raise awareness about environmental impacts and alter behaviour in other ways. This leads to some insights about bags. For example, according to the UN Environment Programme, a cloth bag used between 50 and 150 times will have a lower climate impact than a single-use plastic bag. When it comes to a plastic bag, if you want to want to halve the environmental harm, use it twice. Drop it to 25%? Use it four times. Reduce the impact by 90%? Use it ten times. And if we do get reusable bags, we really need to re-use, re-use and re-use them. As an article in Popular Science has pointed out: “Regardless of the material, the best bags are the ones you already own.” In the end, should plastic bag bans be banned? Not exactly, but the entire story of their effects must be more closely considered.
References (Sources of Information)
Adler, B. (2016) Banning Plastic Bags Is Great for the World, Right? Not So Fast. Available at: https://www.wired.com/2016/06/banning-plastic-bags-great-world-right-not-fast/ (Accessed: 10 July 2020).
Associated Press (2019) Big Plastic User Japan Fights Waste Ahead of G-20 Summit. Available at: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2019-06-25/big-plastic-user-japan-fights-waste-ahead-of-g-20-summit (Accessed: 10 July 2020).
Cho, R. (2020) Plastic, Paper or Cotton: Which Shopping Bag is Best?. Available at: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags/ (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Chrobak, U. (2018) Plastic bags are still bad for the environment, despite misleading reports. Available at: https://www.popsci.com/plastic-bag-better-than-reusable-tote/ (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Clapp, J. and Swanston, L. (2009) Doing away with plastic shopping bags: international patterns of norm emergence and policy implementation, Environmental Politics, 18 (3), pp.315–332. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09644010902823717 (Accessed: 09 July 2020).
Cordova, M.R. and Nurhati, I.S. (2019) Major sources and monthly variations in the release of land-derived marine debris from the Greater Jakarta area, Indonesia, Scientific Reports, 9(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55065-2 (Accessed: 09 July 2020).
Edgington, T. (2019) Plastic or paper: Which bag is greener?. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47027792 (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Ekvall, T., Liptow, C. and Miliutenko, S. (2020) Single-use plastic bags and their alternatives Recommendations from Life Cycle Assessments. Available at: https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-use-plastic-bags-and-alternatives-Recommendations-from-LCA-final.pdf (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Excell, C. (2019) 127 Countries Now Regulate Plastic Bags. Why Aren’t We Seeing Less Pollution?. Available at: https://www.wri.org/insights/127-countries-now-regulate-plastic-bags-why-arent-we-seeing-less-pollution (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Lindwall, C. (2020) Single-Use Plastics 101. Available at: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101#what (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Nielsen, T.D., Holmberg, K. and Stripple, J. (2019) Need a bag? A review of public policies on plastic carrier bags – Where, how and to what effect? Waste Management, 87, pp.428–440. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.02.025 (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Sörqvist, P. and Langeborg, L. (2019) Why People Harm the Environment Although They Try to Treat It Well: an Evolutionary-Cognitive Perspective on Climate Compensation. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(348). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00348 (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
The Japan Times (2020) All Japanese stores to charge shoppers for plastic bags from Wednesday. [online] The Japan Times. Available at: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/30/national/all-japan-stores-to-charge-for-plastic-bags/ (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Thomas, G.O., Sautkina, E., Poortinga, W., Wolstenholme, E. and Whitmarsh, L. (2019) The English Plastic Bag Charge Changed Behavior and Increased Support for Other Charges to Reduce Plastic Waste. Frontiers in Psychology, 10 (266). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00266 (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
Assignment Task:
Perform the Case Study evaluation by providing a correct response to the following: - Apply an understanding of logical reasoning to analyse the arguments presented in the above article. [40 Marks]
- Apply your acquired critical evaluation skills to evaluate the sources of information (hyperlinked and marked in blue text in the article) in the above article. [40 Marks]
- In your conclusion, comment on evidence of a systematic and rigorous process adopted by the author in producing the above article. [20 Marks]
Example answers to the above questions (please note that this is just a skeleton example of the required answer, you are expected to meet the word limit with further analyses:
Question No 01. Apply an understanding of logical reasoning to analyse the arguments presented in the above article. [40 Marks]
Example answer: (all four paragraphs will have the same structure: make sure your answer has the exact words marked in bold below)
One of the arguments made by the author in the article is that as paper bag production consumes a lot of energy and resources in its production process, paper bags also adversely affect climate change. The general rule applied in the argument is that everything that consumes a lot of energy and resources during its production process adversely affects climate change. The author has observed that paper bag production consumes a lot of energy and resources in its production process. On that grounds, the author has concluded that paper bag production adversely affects climate change. As the conclusion is derived from a general rule and specific & complete observation, the author has used deductive reasoning to build this argument.
Write 4 paragraphs like the above. Start each paragraph, by mentioning the argument you have chosen to analyse. Then explain the arguments by providing premises/ rules/ observations/ conclusion of the argument. Accordingly at the end of the paragraph explain the type of logical reasoning: Inductive/ deductive/ abductive used in the chosen argument. Use the above bold keywords in your answer.
Question No 02. Apply your acquired critical evaluation skills to evaluate the sources of information in the above article. [40 Marks]
Example answer: (all four paragraphs will have the same structure: make sure your answer has the exact words marked in bold below)
One of the sources of information used in the article in the case study is a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) publication: “Plastic or paper: Which bag is greener?”. This article was published in 2019 which is one year ago when compared to the published year of the article in the case study which is 2020. Considering the topic and the industry, one year is
not a long time ago and can be considered as a source containing current information. The article carries a lot of relevant information regarding the topic of the article in the case study: “Why Banning Plastic Bags is Problematic”. It talks about the pros and cons of plastic and paper bag usage in relation to their environmental impact. The publisher of the article is the British Broadcasting Corporation, a British public-funded and independently governed media organisation that is popular for unbiased and reliable information (Waterson, 2021). The author of the source article is Tom Edgington and on a simple Google search, it is understood that he is a very experienced reporter with many publications on reliable media including BBC. This gives him some authority to talk about a burning issue of the society such as the usage of environmentally friendlier wrapping. Yet, his education does not reflect scientific knowledge in relation to the topic of the article and there is room to question the authority (Edgington, n.d.). The purpose of the article is to discuss the adverse issues of banning plastic bags and neither the publisher nor the author is directly connected to the plastic bag manufacturing industry. Therefore, the article seems to be free from biases.
Write 4 paragraphs like the above. Start each paragraph, by mentioning the source of information you have chosen to evaluate. Then use the CRAP criteria to evaluate the chosen source of information. Accordingly, at the end of the paragraph explain the credibility of the chosen source of information. Use the above bold keywords in your answer.
Question No 03. In your conclusion, comment on evidence of a systematic and rigorous process adopted by the author in producing the above article. [20 Marks]
Example answer: (the paragraph will have the same structure: make sure your answer has the exact words marked in bold below)
The article is an eye-opener for the people who think banning plastic bags is a panacea for the environmental prolusion. The author mainly discusses three reasons why banning plastic bags is problematic in the article. It is apparent that the author has taken a rigorous and systematic approach when developing the article. The author has given a clear introduction to the article at the beginning, letting the reader know exactly what to expect in the rest of the article. In the body of the article, he brought in arguments in a systematic manner to prove why banning the usage of plastic bags could be problematic. The main arguments discussed are plastic bags are not the largest sources of plastic pollution, consumers could shift to worse alternatives and those who feel good about not using plastic bags could do more harm in other ways. The author presents evidence to prove those arguments: there are altogether 14 references. Except for two references, all others are traceable. Most of them are from reliable and globally acceptable sources such as BBC, Science Direct Journal and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The author has made the article even more reliable with in-text citations to indicate what information has come from where. This has made the evidence more traceable.
Write 1 paragraph like the above. The answer to the 3rd question should be given in your conclusion. Summarise the main points discussed above and comment about the article’s systematic development (order of the presentation of arguments) and rigorous development (traceability of references and, reliability of evidence presented). Use the above bold keywords in your answer.
Edgington , T. (n.d.) Tom Edgington – Senior reporter & digital lead, BBC Verify – LinkedIn. Available at: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tom-edgington-bb96568 (Accessed: 30 November 2023).
Waterson, J. (2021) What does impartiality mean? BBC no-bias policy being pushed to limits, The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/nov/12/what-does-impartiality-mean-bbc-no-bias-policy-being-pushed-to-limits (Accessed: 23 November 2023).
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