Alternative Facts: Midterm Assignment (due
October 17)
For the midterm project, students will produce
a 3-page proposal and 2-page literature review (separate things, both double
spaced) in preparation for the final project. Choose one topic that we're
covering in the course and prepare to analyze its impacts on Bennington College
or the greater Bennington community (in the broadest sense). Your topic should
explore both the best understanding of a problem to date and also how this
understanding is reflected in various media, conversations, polls, etc. You
must address the following: Describe the tension between science and the
public. What interests might compel people to take different sides? And
lastly, how is it affecting us here at Bennington? You do not have to answer
these questions for the midterm, but you must start thinking through ways
of addressing them. Embed the research you have done (e.g. citations of
scientific papers, websites, books, interviews, etc).
Possible topics include:
á Climate Change
á Vaccines
á GMOs
á Astrology/Crystals/Witchcraft/Mysticism
á PFOA
á Influencing factors in
gender/sexual orientation
á Marijuana
á Holistic Medicine
Options for the FINAL PROJECT (due December
8) include:
Radio -- in teams of 2-3, students produce a
10-minute podcast. YouÕll present research and conduct interviews with
people who hold varying standpoints or possess expertise on the topic. If you
work in teams, you must make the case for why more than one person is necessary
and describe the division of labor in the team (who is primarily responsible
for what).
The Bennington Free Press -- Students write
three installments, each a 500- to 750-word article, about their topic (these
will be spaced out, so youÕll want to begin planning for this now). These
articles should be somewhere between a feature and a well-researched op-ed --
personal opinion is not irrelevant, it just has to be backed up by the DATA.
Photojournalism -- Students produce a photo
set that encompasses and explores their topic in some way. These can be
basic (you could go around campus or the Bennington area and photograph
applicable sites), or you might explore digital graphics/photoshop/collage.
You will turn in a Statement explaining your point of view, plus captions for each
photo.
Blog/Web pageÑStudents construct a blog page
or web page that contains images, narrative, graphs and figures, videos,
simulations. This must be an ambitious project with both narrative and visual
components. Again, if you work in teams, you must make the case for why more
than one person is necessary and describe the division of labor in the team
(who is primarily responsible for what).
Instructions for 3-page proposal (due October 17):
Double spaced, hard copy. Stapled.
The proposal will help you to organize and
initiate your final project in the second half of term. It should include
a description of your chosen topic, the form youÕve decided for your final
project (radio, articles, photojournalism, blog or website), and how youÕll use
this form to address the topic. The narrative must include:
á Title
á What is the topic?
What is the history of the problem? Who are the main players
(politicians, religious groups, liberals, wealthy, etc.)? How do you
observe it emerging at or in Bennington and the Bennington area? The larger
country or world?
á Why are you selecting a
particular form for your project? What expertise do you have or what must
you learn that will help you?
á How will you address
your topic in your work? If youÕre doing a radio piece, what sort of
content will you include and whom will you interview? If youÕre writing
articles, what is your point of view? If youÕre doing a photojournalism
project, what locations will you photograph and what styles will you employ?
Instructions for 2-page literature review (also
due October 17):
As weÕre learning in class, digging into the
research is the only way to really be informed about an issue. For the
literature review, youÕll find at least 3 sources on your specific topic that
will aid you (either through direct citations or just background information)
in your final project. These sources can include scientific studies, book
chapters, and reputable articles. YouÕll give a short summary of each
source and include the author, article/chapter title, book/publication of
origin, and the date it was published. Try to find different kinds of
sources -- a scientific paper, something with a historical overview, something
else thatÕs an opinion piece or an article for a more public audience.
A Few Notes:
á The radio project and
the blog/website can be done in groups because they may require the most labor
(somebody in your group should probably have the technical expertise to do a
podcast).
á Groups will turn in one
proposal TOTAL, but each individual member of the group must turn in their own
literature review.
á For class on Oct. 13, please come with a
topic and the selected form for your. Be prepared to talk about it.