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Workshop on Covering Elections
March, April 2004


James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication
Training and Research

IREX U-Media Program

Dnipropetrovs'k and Vynnytsia

Day 1 Session I  
    Introduction of Topic and Participants
    Deciding Whom You Are Writing For
    Deciding Who Controls the Issue Agenda
    Steps in Organizing Pre-Election and Election Coverage
    Outlining the Issues
    Marshaling Resources
    Staff Training
    Doing Background Work
     
Day 1 Session II  
   

Special Issues in Pre-Election Coverage

    Doing Background Checks on Candidates
    Examining Past Voting History
    Monitoring Campaign Contributions
    Monitoring Advertisements
    In Terms of Accuracy
    To Identify Candidate Strategies
    Presentation of Pre-Election Stories
    Building Election Guides
    Providing Registration Assistance
    Providing Voting Assistance
     
Day 1 Session III  
    Planning Post-Election Coverage
    Telling Not Only Who Won But Why
    Discussing Policy Implications of Vote Outcome
    Examining Election Difficulties
    Examining Election Fraud
    Ethics and Election Coverage
     
Day 1 Session IV  
   

Learning About Audience Needs and Concerns

    Conversations Within Newsroom
    Review Past Coverage
    Conversations With Family and Friends
    Talking With Other Citizens
    Using Focus Groups
    Using Poll Data
     
     
Day 2 Session I  
    Legal Issues in Covering Election
     
Day 2 Session II  
   

Evaluating Poll Data

    Possible Problems with Sampling
    Possible Problems with Question Wording
    Understanding the Basics of Sampling
    Defining The Population
    Understanding Sample Selection
    Probability
    Non-Probability Sampling
     
Day 2 Session III  
   

Interpreting Sample Statistics

    Using Sample Error
    Interpreting Change Across Time
    Interpreting Differences Between Groups
    Understanding Issues of Measurement Error
    Examining Question Wording
     
Day 2 Session IV  
   

Using the AP Check List For Evaluating Polls

    Summary of Workshop Discussions
    Evaluation and Presentation of Closing Session
     




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