COMM 8:  Group Discussion -- Professor John A. Cagle

Second Assignment

To my group discussion students,
Greetings!

I will be with you in person on Thursday 2nd Sept.  We will begin to get to know each other then.  In this class you will not only know me, but know the names of all the other students in class.  Until then, I want you to read the assignment below and complete it before the next class.  Print a copy of your work and have it ready to turn it at the beginning of class on Thursday.

This second assignment requires some homework before class analyzing the materials you gathered for the First Week Assignment.

The first thing to do is to carefully read these materials on our COMM 8 homepage:
Issues in Problem Analysis (ppt)
Problem Analysis

Now take a look at the materials you gathered on the controversy in New York over building a mosque near the 9/11 site and on a controversial problem selected by you. Some of the statements will be on one side of the controversy and some will be expressing opposing feelings and positions. We are next going to learn about some of the ways these "disagreements" differ from one another. The underlying thing or question that people are arguing about is called an issue. Now take each of the "statements" you found and try to determine what kind of issue this statement is meant to address.

On Thursday in class, we will divide the class into groups and discuss that you have found.

Please type a report of you work, print a copy to turn in at the beginning of class Thursday, 2nd September. Print an extra copy for you to use in class on Thursday.

Hope you see you personally soon.

John Cagle
Professor of Communication