Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.
Background: Gen Z has a problem. This generation grew up with the Internet, and has access to more information that any people in history. But is all this information reliable? The article that your best friend texts you—is her source a good one? The alarming story your uncle posts on Facebook—is it real? Separating facts from “fake news” has become an issue for everyone in society, even college students. We have read and discussed several articles on the challenges your generation faces with misinformation, and on ways to determine source credibility.
Unit 3 Articles/Sources:
“College Students Struggle to Identify False Information Online” by R. Burr
“Faced With a Daily Barrage of News, College Students Find It Hard To Tell What’s Real and What’s ‘Fake News’” by Molly Callahan
“Tips for Students on How to Identify Fake News” by University of North Dakota
“How to Identity Fake News in Ten Steps” by Pfeiffer University
“Five Tips to Spot Misinformation” (video) Washington Post
Essay Assignment Using information from the above sources, explain your generation’s struggle with misinformation, and explain ways to vet written sources for credibility. Then, give an example of a questionable article/post that you have found, and explain how you determined whether it was reliable.
Essay Guidelines:
Focus your essay on a clear thesis which responds to all parts of the essay assignment. Note that your thesis may need to be a few sentences.
Your audience for this essay is your peers—young people who may not understand the problem of misinformation, or how to combat it
To answer the essay question fully, your reader will need evidence that misinformation is a problem for young people; reasons for the spread of misinformation; consequences of misinformation, and ways to identify misinformation. Note that you won’t be able to list every tip for combatting it; focus on several that you deem important. Tip: it will help your reader if you explain the tips that you use to determine if your source is credible.
You may revise the work you have already done in class and for homework for all parts of this essay, including your analysis of a questionable source
Paraphrase information from readings carefully and synthesize when appropriate. Give examples that “show” your reader what you are saying. Comment on your evidence, using explanation and analysis to show how your ideas are related to each other and to your thesis.
Include a complete introduction and conclusion, and provide transitions between and within paragraphs in your final draft
use APA in-text citation, and include a References page
Final draft length: 4- 5 pages
Your final draft should show significant revision, and be free of major grammar errors.
You will submit your final draft to turnitin.com on Ilearn.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.