In Chapter 11 (Birkland 2020), the section “A Science of the Policy Process” dis

In Chapter 11 (Birkland 2020), the section “A Science of the Policy Process” discusses anecdotal vs. scientific evidence. Also, see Table 11.1 in Birkland (2020), which explains the difference between anecdotal and empirical evidence in policy debates. It is important to distinguish the two types of evidence in policy debates.
I previously introduced two questions that have risen to the top of the policy debate:
Are social distancing strategies such as stay-at-home orders desirable in slowing down the spread of a virus such as COVID-19? Why or why not?
Are social distancing strategies such as stay-at-home orders effective in slowing down the spread of a virus such as COVID-19? Why or why not?
To answer questions about the desirability or effectiveness of social distancing strategies such as stay-at-home orders in slowing down the spread of a virus such as COVID-19, you would need to research the issue.
For this activity, you are asked to 1) pick one of the questions that you would like to answer, 2) search news articles and 3) identify one news article that includes different types of evidence for your chosen question. While the evidence in the news article might be used either for or against social distancing strategies, I prefer you to find a news article that includes both types of evidence in Birkland (2020), Table 11.1.
To complete this assignment:
Find a news article from widely read news sites such as the NY Times, CNN, NPR, Washington Post, Fox, etc.
To make a decision about which site you would like to find a news article, take a look at the Media Bias Chart compiled by Ad Fontes Media.
Distinguish between anecdotal and scientific evidence used in the news article.
Download and complete the Evaluating Evidence Worksheet.docx