Assignment

Assignment Option

no new messages Objectives:

4.1

Instructions

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Grading

Review the Week 4 readings and videos.

PART ONE -- 600 words or more.

Watch this short YouTube video on "Confirmation Bias and Politics" to give you a foundation for your paper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMtD_4p1mFw

Write an essay with the following guidelines:

· Choose a political or social issue that you feel strongly about.

· Explain where you acquired your information on that subject (news articles, videos, TV broadcasts, memes, a religious text, friends, family members, etc. -- be specific and name the sources, assuming there was more than one source).

· Research and select three sources that present the OPPOSITE opinion on the issue you've chosen. Be sure to name/cite those sources and briefly describe the main differences between your opinion and what you've just read.

· Explain how your opinion has been influenced after reading the information that does not align with your original opinion. For example, did you discover new data that you were unaware of? Were there elements of the opposite argument that you did agree with? etc.

· Discuss what role confirmation bias may have played in this exercise. (If your opinion has not changed at all, explain why.)

PART TWO -- 400 words or more.

Go to each of these sites: Politicfact.com, Factcheck.org and Snopes.com

· On Factcheck, go to "Ask Factcheck" to see the most recent checked stories.

· On Politifact, go to the "Truth-O-Meter" and select "All" to see the top checked stories.

· On Snopes, go to "What's New" and see the top debunked stories.

Select one story from each site (three total) that you found to be interesting or informative.

· Briefly describe each story (be sure to indicate which story came from which site) and if you were aware of confirmation bias while selecting or reacting to those stories.

Format consistent with APA formatting guidelines.

Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.