Assignment:
ESSAY TWO: Research and FAKE NEWS
Overview
Essay 2 will be moving into the final major research project for this course, which will be a researched argumentation paper. You will be given a prompt for essay 2, asking you to research and make a well informed argument about a topic.
To start that process off, I wanted to introduce us to the ideas of research a little more fully, as well as to help us consider the questions of how best to use research - i.e. what should we do with the evidence ("research") we find.
We live in interesting times. So that's why we have this assignment.
By the time this writing assignment is done, you should have a clear idea of how to do research, of how to use sources, of how to cite sources, and also how to explain an argument well.
Assignment:
In 1100 words minimum, please define what fake news is by using two examples of fake news - neither example should be openly satirical; both should be more polemic, i.e. ideologically based, i.e. making a "fake news" argument based on a skewed or openly false reading of evidence.
This essay should be typed, double spaced, in times new roman 12 point font. The essay should follow MLA formatting, and thus should have a works cited page. It should also use direct quotes, and summary from the two "fake news" sources you find, AND it should explain what makes them fake news, and use them to help the reader understand YOUR definition of fake news.
HINTS TO HELP WITH RESEARCH and THE ESSAY:
1) DO keep track of everything you read. Remember, if you use a source, whether you directly quote it, or just summarize it in your own words, you will need to acknowledge that in your essay to avoid plagiarism. So for each article you read, save the article, and think about, when you're writing your essay, whether or not you end up using the article.
2) Feel free to use these sources as a starting point:
a. https://imgur.com/gallery/iPLkz
b. https://docs.google.com/document/d/10eA5-mCZLSS4MQY5QGb5ewC3VAL6pLkT53V_81ZyitM/preview
c. https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/11/18/my-fake-news-list-went-viral-but-made-up-stories-are-only-part-of-the-problem/?utm_term=.00c6fabf91d4
d. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/facebook-fake-news-fact-checkers-232444
e. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/24/using-fake-news-against-opposing-views/
3) Realize - there is NO set definition for fake news. You have to determine and provide a definition, which covers your two chosen news articles and also is extrapolated from the two "fake news" stories you find. You're welcome to use the above sources, or other sources you find on your own, to supplement your understanding.
4) Realize, though, that YOU ultimately have to provide YOUR definition, and your rational/argument for your definition, in order for your essay to be successful. Also realize that, although the term "fake news" is one that can easily and obviously be defined in many different ways, it still requires an argument to defend - it isn't enough to just say, "and that's my definition."
5) Know that "Fake News" is a complex term, and will require careful consideration to define.