Plan for Essay 1

Introduction

Dot points relevant to general background information and lead-in sentence (s)

the usage of the term post-truth and fake news increased considerably during the lead up and aftermath of the 2016 US presidential election (Source 5) also relevant to the most recent election involving Trump and Sanders.

Define misinformation, malinfromation and disinformation. (Source 3)

Refer to these as a collective so either information disorder or post truth crisis.

Discuss reasons for bad information if made deliberately (Source 5) -

Making money - exaggerated news with shocking headline gets attention and promotes more clicks, promoting sales of advertising (Source 2 and 3).

Discrediting an individual example such as propaganda for politics

Selling a product

Deliberately causing confusion

Manipulation

Discuss how these aid in the creation of the post truth crisis.

Thesis Statement

Sentence stating the focus of the essay (including key concepts and limiters) and map (essay sub-topics)

This essay will outline how the post truth crisis or misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are caused, focusing on how people transmit fake news through trusting others around them, how the use of social media motivates transmission and how humans often long for a sense of belonging therefore conform and strengthen bias ideas.

Essay Body

Body paragraph 1

Topic Sentence-

A clear cause of the post truth crisis is through social transmission where false information is spread between trusted communities.

Topic information and relevant sources

Explain that people are social learners meaning usually individuals learn ideas and beliefs from those around them. (Source 1)

Through basic human nature people are most likely to trust others in the same community who have these same beliefs and ideas.

Discuss gullibility, willingness and vulnerability to share and believe in bad information. (Source 1 and 3)

Mention how trust in institutions in falling (Source 3)

Mention Contagion- stimulating representation of human social interactions then studying to compare to real world.

Agents not only learn from their own experiences but also from their neighbours. Touch on community. (Source 1)

Body paragraph 2

Topic Sentence-

Research has proven that social media has a major impact in the creation and spread of bad information.

Topic information and relevant sources-

Social media allows bad information to spread more widely and faster than anything ever before. (Source 2)

Fake news is more effective on social media as people exposed to it share it widely amongst people who trust them (Source 1)

Mention how social media collects/ presents stories from wide varieties of outlets regardless of quality, reliability or political learnings of the original source. (Source 2)

Discuss in detail algorithms, analyses users past browsing behaviours, provides this user with items similar to what they have shown interest in (Source 2 and 4)

Filter bubbles- individuals are increasingly consuming only news that matches with their earlier tastes, and so supports, rather than challenges, their worldview. (Source 2, 4 and 5)

Tie similarities between algorithms and filter bubbles. (Source 5)

Discuss memes people more likely to share and why? (Source 3)

57 percent of people say they expect to see inaccurate information on social media, but they continue to choose social media as a news source due to convenience (Source 5)

Body paragraph 3

Topic Sentence-

Bad information is caused through conformity as humans have the basic need to belong to a specific group or community.

Topic information and relevant sources-

Define and discuss social proof (Source 4)

No independent verification on news, those who want confirmation will need to actively seek it. Humans are too comfortable to do this and usually wish to stick with a crowd, therefore it is hard to separate people from those beliefs they already have. (Source 4)

Define and discuss conformation bias- leads to people putting more into information that confirms their beliefs and discount information that doesnt. (Source 2 and 4)

Possibly use small Trump example. (Source 4)

Discuss evidence the idea of reinforcing individuals opinions through spending more time with like minded people. (Source 4)

Detailed description of Echo Chambers- persons views are reinforced but never challenged, therefore distorting views on reality. (Source 4 and 5)

Mention how exposure to differing environments can make people aware of biases and how it affects beliefs (Source 4)

Mention imagined communities and how it affects bias and conformity (Source 4).

Conclusion

Concluding statement

As this essay has explained, it is clear that social trust, social media and social conformity aid in the cause of the post truth crisis.

Assessment 1: Plan for Essay 1

ESSAY-PLAN TEMPLATE

Introduction

Introductory material

Dot points relevant to general background information and lead-in sentence(s)

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Thesis Statement (part of introduction paragraph)

Sentence stating the focus of the essay (including key concepts and limiters) and map (essay sub-topics)

Essay Body

Body paragraph 1

Topic Sentence (relate to thesis statement)

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Topic information (dot points) and relevant sources

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