Famous Journalist Research Project Name:______
The Assignment: You will research a famous journalist and present to the class your findings. You will introduce the journalist, describe his/her major accomplishments, why he/she is famous, how he/she got his/her start in journalism, pertinent personal information, and be able answer any questions from the journalism class. You should make yourself an "expert" on this person. You should know more about the person than you actually present. You will need to gather your information from a wide variety of sources: Internet, TV, magazines, newspapers, etc. You must include a list of all sources you consult. For modern day journalists, you MUST read/watch something they have done. (ie. If you were presenting on Barbara Walters, then you must actually watch at least one interview/story she has done, or a portion of one, if an entire story isn't available. If you choose a writer, then you must read at least ONE article written by that person.) Source Ideas: Biography.com, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN websites. I also have a handout from our librarian specific to this assignment.
The Presentation: You may be as creative as you wish to be. You may use note cards or you may memorize your presentation. You must have at least ONE visual!! Any visual must include information as well as be creative. Some possibilities include dressing as the character (if they have a distinctive way of dressing) & performing in first person (imitating the journalist), creating a video, PowerPoint or make a poster of the journalist’s life, a photo album, a stringbook of their works, make a video-tape of the person's work, or something else! The main idea: Be creative as well as informative. (Remember: You might need to include family, job, or personal history).
The Resume: You will create a resume of your (the journalist's) accomplishments/job history including a picture of the journalist. Resumes should be typed or very, very neatly hand lettered. Your resume should reflect your journalist accurately.
Due date timeline: •______- choose topic (verify with Mrs. Berry), begin library research •______- library research, daily grade •______- conclude library research and/or work on presentation/resume •______- give presentations to class, resumes due
Topics (choose a first, 2nd and 3rd choice):
Robert Sengstacke Abbott Benjamin Franklin Adolph S. Ochs The Annenbergs Philip Freneau Barbara Olson Christiane Amanpour Margaret Fuller Richard Outcault Susan B. Anthony William Lloyd Garrison Louella Parsons Peter Arnett Edwin Godkin Joseph Patterson Jill Arrington Ellen Goodman Ethel Payne James Gordon Bennett Katharine Graham Stone Phillips Carl Bernstein Horace Greeley Joseph Pulitzer Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Bryant Gumbel Ernie Pyle Cochrane Seaman) Sarah J. Hale Charles M. Schultz Edward Bok Alexander Hamilton E.W. Scripps Margaret Bourke-White Mary Hart Anna Quindlen Ben Bradlee Paul Harvey Ahmed Rashaad Ed Bradley John Hersey Dan Rather Mathew Brady Seymour Hersh Harry Reasoner Rick Bragg William Randolph Hearst Frank Reynolds David Brinkley Karen Hughes Grantland Rice Arthur Brisbane Herbert Block Jacob A. Riis Tom Brokaw Keith Jackson Geraldo Rivera Robert Capa Peter Jennings Cokie Roberts Harry Caray Monica Kaufmann Mike Royko Henri Cartier-Bresson Larry King Tim Russert Connie Chung Ted Koppel Diane Sawyer Samuel L. Clemens Charles Kuralt Dick Schaap Katie Couric Dorothea Lange Jane Seymour Walter Cronkite Matt Lauer Maria Shriver Alistair Cooke Frank Leslie Upton Sinclair Janet Cooke Walter Lippmann Lesley Stahl Howard Cosell Elijah Lovejoy John Stossel Bob Costas Joan Lunden John Cameron Swayze Stephen Crane Harry Luce Ida Tarbell Charles Dana Robert Maynard Greta Van Susteren Ben Day Col. Robert R. McCormick Dorothy Thompson Dorthea Dix (Elizabeth Anne O'Hare McCormick Henry Villard Meriwether Gilmer) Ralph McGill Barbara Walters Sam Donaldson Joseph Medill Ida B. Wells Matt Drudge H.L. Mencken Margaret Bourke-White David Douglas Duncan Ottmar Mergenthaler William Allen White Katherine Dunn Al Micheals Walter Winchell Peter Finley Dunne Bill Moyers Oprah Winfrey Alice Dunnigan Edward R. Murrow Bob Woodruff Alfred Eisenstaedt Thomas Nast Bob Woodward Dick Engberg Allen H. Neuharth Paula Zahn Douglas Edwards Debra Norville John Peter Zenger John Fenno Bill O'Reilly