Description
Context: We will now turn our attention to the topic of conspiracy theories. As many of you know, conspiracy theories can be a lot of fun; for example, many people believe in UFOs and ghosts. However, conspiracy theories can also be potentially harmful or even lead to worse consequences like death. In an article we will be reading called, "Conspiracy theorists, Far-right Extremists Around the World Seize on the Pandemic," the authors claim (in reference to COVID-19): '“Honestly, it’s a dream come true for any and every hate group, snake oil salesman and everything in between,' said Tijana Cvjetićanin, a fact-checker in the Balkans who has watched ultranationalist groups promoting hate-filled messages on social media about the coronavirus, often against Jewish communities." As you can see, this is a controversial issue and can definitely have real-world ramifications.
Writing Assignment (worth 100 pts.): You will write a five-seven page, research-based, informative and argumentative essay, in which you focus on one conspiracy theory (or multiple conspiracy theories if they connect to a larger subject--like mass shootings, pandemics, war, religion, etc.). You are required to have at least five sources for this essay (two of which must be from this Unit and the rest will be additional sources based on your own research). There is more information on sources later in the Prompt.
The Purpose of this Essay: To inform your audience about a conspiracy theory and make an argument about how this conspiracy has impacted or influenced society. To help you create and formulate your thesis and argument (once you decide on your topic), I would suggest answering the following questions. They should also be addressed throughout your essay, but please do not organize your essay as if each paragraph is answering a different question.
Questions:
- What are the origins of your conspiracy theory? What are the main points or parts of this theory?
- Who and/or what started this theory?
- When was this theory created, and how long has it been going on for?
- Is there any truth to this conspiracy?
- What types of effects has this conspiracy had on society?
- What should be done by social media, the individual, or other groups to prevent these conspiracy theories from spreading?
Writing a Strong Argument: Keep in mind, to build an effective argument, you need to present the best positions/claims, which support your ideas as well as demonstrate why the best positions against your ideas (the counter argument) are insufficient. If you email me with a question or comment about this essay assignment, I will give you two extra credit points. Also, the more articles you read, the more familiar you will become with this subject, so even if you already have certain ideas about conspiracy theories, try to be open to diverse perspectives and ideas. In the end, this will make you an effective critical thinker.
Now, many of these conspiracy theories have been around for many years (anti-Semitism and Holocaust deniers) and others are quite new (QAnon and COVID-19). There are no restrictions, but you might think about choosing one that is more recent (say, in the past 10-15 years).
Requirements for Sources:
- Your essay must have at least five credible/reliable sources (at least two from our class and three from your own research). You may have more than five, but no more than eight
- You must include at least one article from the electronic databases (they can be accessed through the library’s homepage)
- You can use magazines, newspapers and books
- Limit your use of general websites (Yahoo, CNN, etc.)
- Do not use general encyclopedic works (e.g., the dictionary, the Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia) in your essay
- You may also conduct interviews and perform surveys
- Start researching as soon as possible
**Remember that a well-researched paper will include a variety of sources. Also, for academic papers, books and scholarly journals tend to provide the most credible information.
In the end, a successful essay should have:
- A thoughtful, analytical and persuasive purpose
- A thesis statement which makes a claim about your topic
- Cohesive, focused, body paragraphs with topic sentences that support your thesis
- At least five credible sources (two from this Unit) but not more than eight (see requirements above)
- Summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations of your sources
- A Works Cited page and in-text citations using MLA format
- A logically progressive structure
- Audience awareness (persuade and educate your readers)
- A consistent style (sentence variety, minimal repetition, engaging and meaningful word choices) and an appropriate tone (more formal and tempered—not arrogant or preachy)
- Few grammatical errors
- 5-7 pages typed (this does not include your Works Cited page), double-spaced, and formatted in MLA style
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Surname 1
Name
Tutor
Affiliation
Date
Researching Conspiracy Theories: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
Conspiracy theories can best be characterized as manipulative clarifications of a critical
event that took place in history. Some hold half-baked ideas of how various events took place;
however, many are not trustworthy. They, however, help give answers to some profoundly
searched after inquiries and questions by the public. New theories are being made each day, and
the makers go after the obliviousness and ignorance of people in society. The world is a scary
place, and these theories are intended to give a feeling of solace and control to different
circumstances. Conspiracy theories become far much spread globally and simpler to be found in
the current society because of the advancement of social media and how effectively available data
has become. These theories are developed to engage the obliviousness and alertness of the overall
population.
It is also important to note that Conspiracy theories help explain events that have occurred
and seem rather odd with nor definitive explanation as to why such a thing happened. The
government also has a huge part in controlling conspiracy theories by being open with the public
and telling them the truth about specific historical events (Leigh 102). When the government hides
or concerts different versions of a story to the general public regarding the causes of an epidemic,
political events, murder, or shooting, people tend to come up with their theories to try and get
answers and understand why certain things happened.
Surname 2
Numerous conspiracy theories are believable, regularly wild, clarifications of critical
historical events. Scholars normally reject traditional sources and proof. These theories are
regularly not distributed on academic and dependable websites or peer-reviewed articles yet are
introduced by somebody who has persuaded themselves that there is truth in their hypothesis.
Those scholars have invested time into investigating and framing a balanced and believable and
acceptable concept based on conspiracy hypotheses and events surrounding them. Scholars are
periodically presented to others that accept the same theories as them, (Film 24). It gives them a
feeling of belonging, sharing these theories with people who also believe and accept their premises.
Social media assumes a tremendous function in the turn of events and the spreading of
conspiracy theories. At some random second, one could scan the web for government involvement
during fear-based oppressor assaults or even proof of extraterrestrial life. Numerous theories can,
without much of a stretch, be shared with mainstream social...
