Research Methods in Journalism
Social Science Journalism

 

Summary of last lecture

Sources of information for a journalist
1. People
 
2. Other publications: newspapers,  magazines, books, pamphlets and newsletters of business and community establishments.
 
3. News releases -
from public relations people can be a valuable source of information and story ideas.
 
4. Social services directory -
contains information about agencies that provide social services.
Can help you identify agencies in your community.

5. Government reports -
from Washington contain  statistics about almost everything,
e.g. census reports, income, education and other statistics.
 
6. Your newspaper - Consult previously published stories
 
7. Advertisements -
 
8. Wire copy -
from news agencies or other news services.
 
9. Local news briefs -
 
10 The reporter -
Checking the facts

 

Introduction to Social Science Journalism

What is social science?

Involves asking questions in order to give people knowledge about issues.

Use of FACTS and STATISTICS (numbers)

Key role is to educate society about issues by giving TRUE, FACTUAL and UNBIASED information.

 

 

The social science methods in journalism.

 

 

AVU-IUP Certificate in Journalism

Interwise lecture.

 

Monday July 5 and Wednesday July 7.

15 HRS Interwise Connectivity tests. Once you are connected please wait while we get others connected too.

16 HRS: Announcements and other introductory comments. Summary of last lecture

16:30 HRS Lecture begins.

17:00 HRS Break

17:10 HRS Lecture continues.

17:40 HRS Lectures ends.

Please  view your CDs/Videos immediately after the lecture.

The session is recorded. If you should lose connectivity please do not worry. You can always replay the lecture. Ask your IT representative how to replay the lecture.

Please review the day’s assignments. You will have about two weeks to work on the assignments and  submit them.

Submitting your assignments:

Use one or more of the following ways:

1.              Send them through the webCT. If you do not as yet have an ID or password your  facilitator will supply you with a temporary one.

2.              Send your assignment to your facilitator who will forward it to  me.

3.              Send your assignment directly to me by ordinary email. I have two emails smukasa@adelphia.net OR Mukasa@iup.edu. Please CC your facilitator.

 

 

 

Research Methods in Journalism
Social Science Journalism

 

Summary of last lecture

Sources of information for a journalist
1. People
 
2. Other publications: newspapers,  magazines, books, pamphlets and newsletters of business and community establishments.
 
3. News releases -
from public relations people can be a valuable source of information and story ideas.
 
4. Social services directory -
contains information about agencies that provide social services.
Can help you identify agencies in your community.

5. Government reports -
from Washington contain  statistics about almost everything,
e.g. census reports, income, education and other statistics.
 
6. Your newspaper - Consult previously published stories
 
7. Advertisements -
 
8. Wire copy -
from news agencies or other news services.
 
9. Local news briefs -
 
10 The reporter -
Checking the facts

 

Assignment: Draw up a list of TEN names of organizations/ministries, names of their directors/heads/ and contact phone numbers.

 

Introduction to Social Science Journalism

What is social science?

Involves asking questions in order to give people knowledge about issues.

Use of FACTS and STATISTICS (numbers)

Key role is to educate society about issues by giving TRUE, FACTUAL and UNBIASED information.

 

 

 

The social science methods in journalism.

 

Look at an issue.

For example

Example 1.

Charcoal burning in Somaliland

 

Here is the story written by Ahmed Adan - Somaliland

Govt official says charcoal burning is a big environmental problem in Somaliland

The depletion of tress in Somaliland is worsening, a government  official  has said.

Speaking during an interview Director General (DG), Mohamed Jama Farah, of the Ministry of Rural Development and Environment  said the situation was  deteriorating because the only energy for  cooking and heating in Somaliland is charcoal in urban centers and  firewood in rural areas.

“The fast growing cities and towns have caused extensive burning of trees for charcoal to meet the demand,” he said.

 

 

What do we know so far about this story.

1.  depletion of trees is worsening

2.  charcoal is only energy for cooking and heating.

3.  towns and cities are growing fast.

 Is this information enough to help us educate society? No.

 

What new knowledge do we need to educate society?

 

1.  depletion of trees is worsening.

Social science questions.  How many trees were depleted. Or what area was depleted  this year? Last year? Two years ago? Do the trends show the depletion is on the rise? Level? Or going down? (Source of information: Go to your government statistical office, or ministry of agriculture. Or check the Internet?)

If depletion is on the rise how much  of the land will be depleted in 20 years, 30 years etc.? (Use Excel spreadsheet to do the calculations)
 

2.  charcoal is only energy for cooking and heating.

How many people use charcoal for cooking and heating this year? 400? 700? 1000? How many people used charcoal for cooking and heating last  year? 400? 700? 1000? More? (Who is likely to keep such information: Ministry of agriculture? Government statistical office?

Are the numbers of people using charcoal increasing? By how much?

What alternative sources are there for heating and cooking? (Sources of information: Government, private sector, NGOs, Universities?)

What do charcoal users think about  their dependence on coal. Can they use other alternatives? 
 

3.  towns and cities are growing fast.

How many people were in towns last year? This year? What is the rate of increase? (Source of information: Government statistical information. Others?)

 

 

 

Example two:

 

$15 million to fight HIVAIDS in The Gambia

By Olymatou Cox The Gambia

The World Bank has loaned The Gambia $15 million to  fight HIV AIDS, an official in the ministry of health said yesterday.

In an interview  the Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr. Yankuba Kassama said  while The Gambia had the lowest AIDS rate in the region  government was seriously committed to fighting  the disease.

Kassama said The Gambia  is the only country where AIDS treatment is free.
He said his ministry is doing a lot to improve the medical and health situation in The Gambia.

“We  have got a lot of support from the leadership.We are trying to improve on primary health care, provide preventive medicines all over the country and having qualified doctors sitting at the door steps of people's houses,” Dr. Kassama said.

“Health has been made very accessible and affordable to the Gambian population. It is very important to improve our primary health system and we are doing quite a lot to really prevent people from having both communicable and non communicable diseases,” he added.

Stressing that  that the government is doing everything possible to tackle the HIV/AIDS problem in The Gambia Dr. Kassama said:  “We are leaving no stone unturned in the fight against HiV/AIDS pandemic. The rate is 2.1 percent, which is comparatively lower if compared to other countries in Central and East Africa. But we are not complacent even if we have one case, we are taking it seriously.”

Dr. Kassama said the government is so seriously committed to it that “we now have the National Aids Council, which is chaired by the President himself.”

The government obtained a World Bank loan of 15 million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS. There is also the National Aids Secretariat which is under the office of the president and also National Aids Control Programme.

There have been a lot of IEC programmes on radio, television, newspapers, as well as posters and other visual aids.

He  said The Gambia is the only country in West Africa in which people are being treated free of charge.

“It is very expensive and it costs a lot of money and a lot of effort, but the government is doing it for the Gambian people. You just go across the border in Senegal and you will pay a lot of money just to see a doctor, and if you see a doctor he will just prescribe and give you a prescription and you have to go and buy every thing outside,” he said.

Asked about untrained people who have their own pharmacies and treat  Dr. Kassama said  this would  soon be a thing of the past.  A few weeks ago Dr. Kassama established the Gambia Medical and Dental Clinic(GMD). It is an independent body which is responsible for the registration of doctors and dentists who wish to practice in the country.

“Nobody has the right to practice medicine or dentistry without being properly registered by the council,” he said.

 

Social science questions:

The World Bank has loaned The Gambia $15 million to  fight HIV AIDS, an official in the ministry of health said yesterday.

What exactly will the $15 million be used for? How much for buying drugs? What brand of drugs? How much for public educations? ETC.? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

1.  Is the first loan from the World Bank to fight AIDS? Are there are other loans or grants  in the past from other organizations or countries? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

2.  About how many AIDS patients will benefits from this loan? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

 

Kassama said The Gambia  is the only country where AIDS treatment is free.

1.  How many people are infected with AIDS in The Gambia? Is the rate increasing or decreasing? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

2.  How many people have been treated so far? This year? Last year? Two years ago?

3.  Are the numbers of people treated going up or going down? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

4.  How much does it cost Government to fights and treats HIVAIDS in The Gambia? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

5.  How long has Government been fighting AIDS? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

 

We  have got a lot of support from the leadership.We are trying to improve on primary health care, provide preventive medicines all over the country and having qualified doctors sitting at the door steps of people's houses,” Dr. Kassama said.

1.  How many primary health care facilities have been established in the country?

2.  How many people are treated at each primary healthcare?

3.  What kinds/brands of preventive medicines are provided?

4.  How many doctors have been deployed as part of the program to treat HIVAIDS?

5.  Are condoms promoted to prevent AIDS? Why? Or Why not? (Source of information: Ministry of Health? the National Aids Secretariat ? National Aids Control Programme?)

There have been a lot of IEC programmes on radio, television, newspapers, as well as posters and other visual aids.

1.  How many programmes have been aired so far?

2.  What is the CONTENT of the programmes? What EXACTLY do they say?

3.  Give examples of what the messages say.

4.  What has been the impact of the  media messages? (Source: Media editors, Newspapers, Ministry of Health, IEC)

Example 3. Women launch campaign against female genital mutilation

 

Halima Abdi –Somaliland

Women have launched a campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM) the practice of circumcising women. At a recent  conference women heard that  FGM is dangerous to women’s health. This was after Maryan Guhad Ali an FGM practitioner demonstrated how it is practised.

She said FGM  is painful and scathing. It involves cutting out all parts of the female child’s external genitalia.

“ I used to remove the clitoris and the adjacent labia and join the sides with thorn,”she said.

 

Maryan who has not practised FGM for the past one year said women or mothers are the ones who are too attached to the ritual and they are the ones who can end it.

 

Fatuma Adhan a mother who participated in the seminar said she didn’t and will not pass the cross-cultural and across-religious ritual to her 17- year- old daughter.

Social science questions

Women have launched a campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM) the practice of circumcising women

1.  What is the history of FGM? How widely practiced is it in your country? In Africa?

2.  What  groups in your country have joined to fight against FGM?

3.  How exactly will the campaign against FGM be done? Through the media? Community meetings?

FGM is dangerous to women’s health

1.  How does FGM affect women’s health? (Source doctors, psychiatrists? Experts?)

2.  How many women have been affected by FGM in your country?

FGM  is painful and scathing. It involves cutting out all parts of the female child’s external genitalia.

1. How many women have undergone FGM in your country?

mothers are the ones who are too attached to the ritual and they are the ones who can end it.

1.  Why are mothers attached to the ritual? (Source: mothers, doctors, cultural experts, newspapers)

2.  What will  it take to make women end it?

3.  Can government end it?

4.  Is government doing anything to end it? Or is government supportive of it?

5.  Have there been any prosecution? People brought to courts for practicing FGM?

6.  Do young  girls have legal rights to decline FGM?

a 19-year-old woman who participated in the seminar said she didn’t and will not pass the cross-cultural and across-religious ritual to her daughter

1. What are some of the experiences of young girls/women? (Source: Interview  women who are for and against FGM)

What social science questions would you  ask for your story which was published in the African Star?

Hargeisa water supply problems to be solved in eight weeks

By Haibe Garas -- Somaliland

Hargeisa the capital of Somaliland has in the last several weeks been faced with shortages in water. The Central government and the Hargeisa Local Council were both criticized by the public for neglecting to do something about the water problem.

Full Story

 

Operation Cleanup.

Women complain of restrictions.

By Fatou Badjie--The Gambia

Women who participated in a recent campaign to clean up the environment have complained that they were disenchanted with the whole exercise, despite “wholeheartedly participating in it.”

They complained that they were barred from going to the market in the morning, which is their normal routine.

Pay your bills..or or join Baba Jobe Jammeh tells area councils

By Muhamed Jatta –The Gambia

President Jammeh has told residents of Basse that the acute lack of electricity in the provincial capital for the past seven months, was not due to sabotage but to huge arrears amounting to millions of Dalasi owed Nawec by the Basse Area Council. He called on the town council to settle their bills if they want Nawec to operate there.

Police say immigrants causing increase in armed robberies

Sarata Jabbi  -- The Gambia

The Gambia is experiencing armed robberies  partly because of immigrants from war-torn countries, a police officer  has said.

 

Smoke at your peril!

Doctors warn of dangers of smoking

By Sulayman Makalo --The Gambia

African Star Reporter

Twenty five of Gambians, mostly youths, smoke. Yet tobacco is the cause of many diseases.

 The Director of the Disease Prevention at the Department of State for Health and head of the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Unit Dr Kebba Manneh has said that tobacco usage worldwide has become a global epidemic and its health consequences in both the developed and the developing world are devastating.

 

Lecture 2. Public Opinion.

Introduction to Public Opinion

 

 

Opinions Consists of

1. Beliefs: Anything a person says is or must be or should be.

I believe I will be a government minister one day.

I believe I will a lucky winner of the state lottery someday.

What do you believe?
 

 

·2.. Values: The most important beliefs.

I believe in being honest and truthful.

I believe in God/Allah.

 

What value do you believe?
 

 

·3.. Attitudes : Biased judgments about people

Europeans are imperialists, colonialists.

African leaders are dictators.

Whites are racist.

Africans are lazy.

Women are more honest than men.

What attitude do you hold?
 

 

4. Opinions : Judgments about people. Judgments are usually based on some proven facts.

Cecil John Rhodes was an imperialist.

Siad Barre was a dictator.

John Vorster, president of apartheid South Africa was a racist

His father -in -law is very lazy.

Dalia is more honest than her husband.

What opinion do you hold?

Based on the above examples: What is the difference between an attitude and an opinion?
 

 

Public opinion is a combination of beliefs, values, attitudes and opinions.

 

Public opinion must be expressed by many people.
 

 

Which of the following is public opinion?

 

According to Mama Jammeh the president is doing as good job. Therefore Gambians think the president is doing a good job.

 

According to an opinion poll 1,000 Gambians said the president was doing a good job. Therefore  Gambians think the president is doing a  good job.
 

 

 

Ahmed Adan of Hargeisa said  he thinks charcoal burning is  dangerous to the environment. Therefore all Somalilanders think charcoal burning is dangerous to the environment.

Journalists surveyed 500 Somalilanders who said charcoal burning is dangerous to the environment. Therefore Somalilanders  believe charcoal burning is dangerous to the environment.
 

 

Public opinion is a sum total of opinions expressed by  many people.

 

 

 

1. Historical origins of public opinion :

• Public Opinion is a product of the Enlightenment and philosophical ideas of John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778)
   

In the middle ages (14^th Century) peoples opinions were based on superstition. They were considered a lower form of knowledge. Nobody paid much attention to opinions.
 

Age of Enlightenment brought new forms of knowledge based on scientifically determined fact as opposed to speculation.
 

Science and technology brought new form of opinions based on scientific discoveries, For example earth was round not flat.
 

Scientifc opinion became higher form of knowledge
 

Personal opinion became lower form of knowledge.
 

English Philosopher, John Locke and French Philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau EQUATED personal opinions to scientific opinions in society.
 

Public opinion  was seen as Social pressure

Popular opinion came to be seen as form of social pressure to conform to morals or tradition, or a form of social control.
 

 

We behave the way do because of public opinion or social pressure.
 

Locke’s 3 laws

•  John Locke (1690) identified three laws that govern human conduct;
   
• a.  the divine law; belief in supremacy of God/Allah. Example: Worshipping three times a day for Muslims. Or worshipping on Sundays for Christians.
   
• b. the civil law ; belief in law of the  country. Example. paying taxes, not stealing, obeying the country’s laws.; and
   
• c. the law of opinion or reputation; belief in social pressure or social morals. For example not going in public naked, or wearing men’s clothes if you are woman or women’s clothes if you are a man, not eating  food from the plate with your mouth!
   

 

• Class discussion
• What one thing would you not do because of
• Religious beliefs?
• Country’s  laws?
• Public opinion?
   

 

Origins of Public Opinion

• Public Opinion:  Coined (1744) by  Rousseau "l'opinion publique" to refer to collective judgments outside the sphere of government.
   

1. Peoples opinions are important in maters of government.

2. A democratic government is a government that listens to the opinions of the people.
 

Public Opinion in Africa.

 

Do African governments ever listen to public opinion?

Public opinion is important in a democracy.
 

 

Role of  Journalist is to understand and promote public opinion and promote it .

 

Journalists should write stories based on what people think about issues that are important to them. It is hoped that Governments in Africa will listen to the people’s voices as expressed through the media.
 

 

Do journalist know what issues are important to the people of Africa?

How can journalists tell what is important for the purposes of  finding out public opinion?
 

 

Assignment: Go through the newspapers and magazines. Look at the Letters to the Editor page.

List  about 10 issues people are writing about in the letters to the editor.