Analysis over the book, The Journalist and the Murderer.
Analysis over the book, The Journalist and the Murderer.
Paper details
1,000-1,200 word paper:
The Journalist and the Murderer: The paper on The Journalist and the Murderer will measure your comprehension of this book, a classic and controversial account of the ethics of source-reporter relationships—even when the source is a convicted murderer.
Author Janet Malcolm writes that author Joe McGinniss, lawyer Daniel Kornstein, and writers William F. Buckley and Joseph Wambaugh believe that “the whole future of journalism may depend on the writer’s freedom to dissemble…” Summarize the four men’s arguments for misleading subjects, including a brief direct quote from each, using parenthetical citations. Discuss which ethical principle seems to guide their reasoning. Briefly offer your own view on McGinniss’s behavior towards MacDonald (cite at least three examples of his ethically questionable actions); which of the ethical principles we’ve discussed guided your thinking?
The paper should be packed with references from the text: paraphrase; don’t use up huge chunks of space directly quoting the book. I’ll be looking for evidence you read the book and evaluating how well you understood the issues it raises about reporter-source relationships. Include a word count or I’ll deduct 3 points. Use MLA parenthetical citation for references from the text; I’ll deduct a point for each missing citation. It looks like this. (p. 37) Avoid misspelled words, incorrect words, or grammatical errors, which will lower your grade. Tip: Use an active voice; avoid redundancies and vague generalities. And don’t call this nonfiction book a novel!