Fake News & Disinformation

PROJECT 2: Fake News and Disinformation
YOUR AUDIENCE
A general audience of your peers who have some familiarity with the topic but have neither read
the articles nor seen the videos you cite.
DIRECTIONS
Purpose: For this 3-4 page paper, write an argument asserting and supporting a position on the
issue of the rise of fake news and disinformation online.
Successful papers will
1) clearly explain the issue and give any necessary background information;
2) state your position on the issue;
3) successfully counterargue relevant opposition, and
4) smoothly incorporate references to multiple sources
PROMPT
 Choose one of the following research questions (number 1, 2 or 3) as a focus for your
paper.
 Use the question(s) as a prompt for research and writing. From this, you will create a
strong main claim (thesis statement) that will drive your argument.1
 Regardless of which question you choose, you must engage in outside original research to
help you gain a better picture of the issue at hand.
1. In “How Your Brain Tricks You into Believing Fake News,” author Katy Steinmetz
discusses how the Stanford History Education Group “has given scores of subjects
such tasks in hopes of answering two of the most vexing questions of the Internet age:
Why are even the smartest among us so bad at making judgments about what to trust
on the web? And how can we get better?”
For this option, write an argument in which you assert and support a position
answering to the Stanford History Education Group’s questions in the quote above.
2. Is democracy at risk due to fake news & disinformation?
3. Should online media and social media platforms be held accountable for distributing
fake news & disinformation? If yes, how? If no, why not?
Reminders
 Use MLA format for citation and Works Cited pages.
 Use a minimum of 5 sources, one of which must be from class readings
 Make sure your argumentative essay is at least 4 complete pages
 Make sure your paragraphs follow the AXES structure (assertion, explanation, evidence, significance).
 Make sure your counterargument refers to specific points the opposition makes and demonstrates that your
position is better, clearer, and more logical.

1 Remember, a question is not a claim – it only implies a claim, though not necessarily a particular claim.