Who Is the Subject, Who Is the Source?: Critical Media Literacy, Journalism, and the Ethics of Sourcing

Abstract

This practical manuscript presents a reading protocol for adolescents to support source analysis by exploring both how authors use sources and noticing when sourcing and subject are misaligned. We draw from critical media literacy perspectives on journalistic writing and ethical sourcing to design a classroom protocol for source analysis. We present this protocol as a vignette-in-action, including insights into patterns from class discussion. The manuscript concludes by discussing pragmatic differentiation approaches for the classroom in alignment with young adults’ evolving engagement with news media.