FILL OUT THE NEW ARTICLE TEMPLATE Monitoring Current Trends Template.rtf (CLICK ON LINK TO VIEW DOCUMENT)

Part I: Identifying a Current Event/Social Problem (1 Handout)

Find 3 newspaper articles written in the past two months about a current event, social problem, or social work/social welfare program. Most major newspapers in the country can be accessed online. This current event must be a factual news article, not an op-ed piece or an editorial. Students will receive the Monitoring Current Trends template in class to help start this assignment.

Part II: Write Your Professional Paper (2pgs)

Please remember that this is an academic paper so be certain to adhere to the Written Assignment Guidelines Policy located in the Course Policy section of this syllabus.

From a professional standpoint (not an essay), succinctly, critically, and deeply answer the following questions:

1. Describe the main points of the articles. Who wrote it and from what perspective? What is the social problem, policy, or program that this article describes?

2. What is the relevance of this article to course lectures, guest speakers, required readings and/or discussion sections?

3. What are some implications for social work practice, policy, or social programs?

4. What is the social justice issue(s) identified in your selected reading and how does it relate to themes explored in the course?

5. What kind of intervention(s) at the micro, mezzo and macro level has been proposed to address this injustice?

Part III: Write Your Essay Paper (2pgs)

1. Discuss your thoughts, feelings, and personal reactions to the article. What did you learn? Be specific and provide examples, if necessary.

2. Are there ways in which you feel you may have contributed to and/or experienced the injustice at any level?