I. INTRODUCTION: DEFINING YOUR AREA OF COVERAGE AND EXPERTISE

A. Example: Trump

B. Example: Syria

C. Example: Brexit

II. THE STARTING POINTS

A. DEFINE YOUR TOPIC

B. DEFINE THE CONTEXT

C. ESTABLISH A BASE OF KNOWLEDGE

1. Researching the Case

2. Recognizing Media

3. Identifying the Sources

D. DEFINE YOUR “SPACE”

E. TRUST NO ONE (AT THE BEGINNING)

F. TEST YOURSELF: A “BEGINNER’S GUIDE” TO….

Syria:

Islamic State:

Iran and Nuclear Weapons:

IV. THE REACTIVE CASE — US ELECTIONS

A. Building a Base of Expertise

http://fivethirtyeight.com/politics/

B. Watching the Mainstream

C. The Media and the Candidates

1. Websites
2. YouTube
3. Social Media Accounts

D. But How Do You Move from “Reactive” to “Pro-Active” — You Have to Redefine Approach and Context

https://theconversation.com/us-midterm-results-six-key-issues-and-what-they-mean-for-the-countrys-uncertain-future-106467

V. THE REPORTING CASE — THE MIDDLE EAST

A. Building a Base From the Ground Up

B. Moving Beyond the Mainstream

C. Making the Most of Social Media — Triangulating

VI. THE INTERPRETATIVE CASE — SYRIA

A. Building the Base

B. “Reading Between the Lines”

C. Keeping Focus

D. Dissecting the Myths

E. Staying Engaged

VII. THE “JOURNALIST” V. THE “ACADEMIC”

A. The Base is the Same

B. But Starting from The Story Rather Than The Hypothesis

C. Building to an Analysis

VIII. CONCLUSION: CONTROL AND AUTHORITY