essay 102
Essay Progression 1: Manipulating/Manipulated Memory
For this essay, we will be looking at memory and thinking about how it shapes our experiences and what we
believe to be true. Below are two prompt questions, but you are not required to write on either if they do not
peak your interest. If you choose, you can also find another angle you’d like to write about (such as collective
memory and its consequences). The condition is that it must be in some way related to memory manipulation, and
you must run the idea by me first.
1. Elizabeth Loftus, a psychological scientist who studies memory, discusses faulty eyewitness memories and
how it’s affected the lives of many defendants who were wrongly convicted. She argues that this might be
because people believe memory works like a recording device when it’s really more like a “Wikipedia
page: You can go in there and change it, but so can other people.” Scott Fraser, a forensic psychologist,
who also discusses the malleability of memory, encourages a scientific approach to the way memory is
handled in our judicial system.
The question, then, is: How does eyewitness memory work in our judicial system and how should it work? Is it right to use eyewitness memory in cases that might significantly change another person’s
life?
1. In her talk, Loftus mentions many instances where she and other scientists planted a “false memory” in
people in order to study how it works. She explains that these studies “are showing that you can plant
false memories and they have repercussions that affect behavior long after the memories take hold.” For
this prompt, you might want to think about the next part of her point: “along with this ability to plant memories and control behavior obviously come some important ethical issues, like, when should we
use this mind technology? And should we ever ban its use?”
Requirements:
1. Must be 4-6 pages 2. Must follow proper MLA Format (including a proper Works Cited page)
3. Must have at least 4 credible sources, 2 of which must be scholarly 4. Must have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion and demonstrate the ability to write an
effective thesis statement
DUE DATES: Thesis: DUE on or before midnight 5/16
Intro: DUE on or before midnight, 5/19 Draft: Due on or before midnight, 5/19 (essay does not have to be complete, but the more you have,
the better. Must be at least halfway done to receive credit)
Peer Reviews: will be enabled the moment it’s 5/20, and you will have until the end of 5/21 to complete the peer reviews.
FINAL DRAFT DUE: 5/28
Grade Breakdown (100 points total)
Paragraph Development/Organization = 25 points
Support/Sources = 25 points
Grammar/Style/Tone = 25 points
Works Cited = 25 points
Exercise 1: False Memory
The steps of this exercise:
1. For this exercise, you are to analyze the TED Talk “How Reliable is your Memory?” by Elizabeth Loftus. Remember that an analysis of a text is not a summary of it. It is your interpretation. Offer your insights
about this story.
2. It is a good idea to read the transcript as you listen to the TED Talk while annotating – be sure to be an
active reader.
Details of this exercise:
1. This assignment should be between 1 to 2 pages.
2. Adhere to MLA conventions.
Exercise 2: Research and Annotated Bibliography
The steps of this exercise:
1. This assignment asks you to begin your research for the essay.
2. Be sure to have a solid understanding of the prompt/question.
3. Now, think about your claim/thesis for this essay 4. Find at least 2 current sources (published in the last 8-10 years) that relate to your specific focus for this
essay. Narrow your search to fit your theme/argument.
5. Once you have found your sources, you are to create an Annotated Bibliography. An Annotated
Bibliography lists a brief summary of the article and how you might use it in your essay underneath the
citation. Visit OWL Purdue if you need examples: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/
Details of this exercise:
1. Must have at least 2 sources in the Annotated Bibliography
2. Must adhere to MLA format
3. Your annotations are brief but thorough
4. The point of this assignment is to help you with the research portion of your essay, so you may use the sources you find for your essay
DUE: before midnight 5/19
*This assignment is worth 30 points