Project 3: Analyzing Multiple Sides Presentation and Report
Length: 2,100-2,400 words for the report and 12-15 minutes for the presentation
Citation Requirements: at least five outside sources and three sources from our class readings in MLA format
Presentation Format: Powerpoint, Google Slides, Canva or Prezi
Report Format: Microsoft Word or Google Doc (no pdfs, please)
Due dates: multiple. See below
Point value: 50 points
Assignment Summary: In groups of 4-5 students, you will craft a presentation and write a report comprised of the following sections:
Issue Overview:
The opening of your project should introduce the issue you have selected and utilize sources in order to provide a historical context of your issue and a sense of what the main arguments are on either side.
Key Players:
You will select two people and/or companies/organizations that vociferously support one side of the issue and two people and/or companies/organizations that vociferously support the opposing side. You will analyze what digital platforms they use and the kind of arguments they make.
Lessons Learned About Digital Discourse:
In this section, you will share some conclusions about the way that opinions are voiced and disagreements are articulated in digital spaces based on what you discovered through your analysis.
Citation Requirements: at least five outside sources and three sources from our class readings in MLA format
Presentation Format: Powerpoint, Google Slides, Canva or Prezi
Report Format: Microsoft Word or Google Doc (no pdfs, please)
Due dates: multiple. See below
Point value: 50 points
Assignment Summary: In groups of 4-5 students, you will craft a presentation and write a report comprised of the following sections:
Issue Overview:
The opening of your project should introduce the issue you have selected and utilize sources in order to provide a historical context of your issue and a sense of what the main arguments are on either side.
Key Players:
You will select two people and/or companies/organizations that vociferously support one side of the issue and two people and/or companies/organizations that vociferously support the opposing side. You will analyze what digital platforms they use and the kind of arguments they make.
Lessons Learned About Digital Discourse:
In this section, you will share some conclusions about the way that opinions are voiced and disagreements are articulated in digital spaces based on what you discovered through your analysis.
What issues should we select to explore?
You can choose any issue that is of interest to your group as long as there is disagreement around it. There are issues that are clearly linked to the major challenges of our time, like climate change, racism, and the multiple refugee crises erupting around the world. There are issues that at first seem to be related to something trivial, like a group of fans being upset by Netflix’s reboot of the 1980s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon. However, upon closer exploration, you will notice that many of the complaints stem from the fact that the reboot provides the character Teela with more prominence and with feminist storylines that the original never featured. In other words, much of the fan distress comes from discomfort or all-out outrage at having a powerful, opinionated woman on a show whose original version was reliably male-centric four decades ago. Getting bent out of shape over a cartoon like He-Man may, on the surface, seem like a trivial endeavor. However, it is in fact a way for people to express their views and frustrations around gender, whether they think feminism has gone too far or that it hasn’t gone far enough.
Most topics that become highly contested in digital spaces are part of larger conversations around issues like race, sexuality, gender, social class, age, ability, ideology, nationality, ethnicity, and so on. As you unpack why a particular topic resonates with people and causes them to argue with each other in digital spaces, make sure to get at the ideological root of the disagreement. Your analysis should remain focused on how ideological roots drive the debate.
As a group, you should choose a topic that at least some of you are really interested in and that other members of the group wouldn’t mind learning more about. Make sure that the underlying topic being explored, such as social class or ability, is something everyone in the group would like to learn more about.
Most topics that become highly contested in digital spaces are part of larger conversations around issues like race, sexuality, gender, social class, age, ability, ideology, nationality, ethnicity, and so on. As you unpack why a particular topic resonates with people and causes them to argue with each other in digital spaces, make sure to get at the ideological root of the disagreement. Your analysis should remain focused on how ideological roots drive the debate.
As a group, you should choose a topic that at least some of you are really interested in and that other members of the group wouldn’t mind learning more about. Make sure that the underlying topic being explored, such as social class or ability, is something everyone in the group would like to learn more about.
How many sources do we need and what do you mean by the issue’s “historical context”?
You will need to have at least five outside sources and three sources you cite from our class readings (the latter includes anything I have assigned for us to engage with together). Outside sources can include anything from books and peer-reviewed articles which you can find at our MSU Library to articles from publications like The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal to videos in which experts (professors, scholars, activists) discuss the issue. You will use MLA in order to engage with these sources. If you need more information on how to use MLA, you can find it at the Purdue OWL.
By historical context, I mean a sense of how this issue came about. You’ll want to address the following questions about your issue:
By historical context, I mean a sense of how this issue came about. You’ll want to address the following questions about your issue:
- What are the origins of the issue you’re exploring?
- When did your issue become a source of discussion and discord in digital spaces? Was there an event that precipitated its prominence in those spaces?
- What groups tend to be involved in this issue? This can be a matter of demographics (age, gender, race, nationality, etc.) but also of actual groups (members of organizations, fans of a particular sport or musician, etc.)
- What are the main arguments on either side of the opinion divide?
How do we select the key players we’ll feature?
In terms of the kinds of users you will examine, the category is quite open. It can be:
You can use any combination of these. It can be all people, two companies and two people, or three organizations and one company.
For most issues that unfold in digital discussions there are various tiers of engagement. Generally, there are a number of leaders in the discussion. Usually, leaders were some of the original users to initiate the conversation or they have a certain amount of influence because of their professional clout or because they have a substantial amount of online followers. Then you have regular users who deeply care about the issue and engage with it passionately and often, sometimes creating social media accounts dedicated especially to that cause. Lastly, you have users that only engage with the issue from time to time and that are not particularly influential in digital spaces. You should choose your key players from the first two tiers, not the third.
- A person. Activist Tarana Burke originated #MeToo and Senator Tim Scott is a vocal #AllLivesMatter supporter.
- An organization. Defend the Family promotes the idea that marriage should only be between people of opposite sexes while Survival International seeks to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples around the world.
- A company. Second Chance is a company that helps felons find work and Koch Industries is a strong force behind the movement that questions climate change.
You can use any combination of these. It can be all people, two companies and two people, or three organizations and one company.
For most issues that unfold in digital discussions there are various tiers of engagement. Generally, there are a number of leaders in the discussion. Usually, leaders were some of the original users to initiate the conversation or they have a certain amount of influence because of their professional clout or because they have a substantial amount of online followers. Then you have regular users who deeply care about the issue and engage with it passionately and often, sometimes creating social media accounts dedicated especially to that cause. Lastly, you have users that only engage with the issue from time to time and that are not particularly influential in digital spaces. You should choose your key players from the first two tiers, not the third.
Once we have our key players, how do we analyze them?
You’ll want to look at the platforms and media they tend to use. Some of them may limit themselves to Tweets and opinion pieces, while others may rely on video content and appearances on TV and the radio. You want to research how they are getting this message across and how they disseminate their content. Do they, for example, use their Instagram account to highlight their latest appearance on NPR or Fox News? How are they making sure their supporters have access to the content they are creating about a particular topic? Do they engage with those who support their claims? Do they engage with those who disagree with them? What is the tone of their engagement?
Once you give us a sense of where and how they are supporting the issue, you want to address the main arguments they are making. Most people have a few ways in which they argue for something and they repeat those arguments over various occasions and media.
You’ll break down your analysis of their arguments in two ways. The first is the actual arguments they are making. What are the key points they keep repeating about the issue? The second way is how they are making these arguments. Are they using personal stories about their own experience or about others they’ve met? Are they using research to back themselves up? Are they using logic or rather trying to stir the emotions of their audience?
Once you give us a sense of where and how they are supporting the issue, you want to address the main arguments they are making. Most people have a few ways in which they argue for something and they repeat those arguments over various occasions and media.
You’ll break down your analysis of their arguments in two ways. The first is the actual arguments they are making. What are the key points they keep repeating about the issue? The second way is how they are making these arguments. Are they using personal stories about their own experience or about others they’ve met? Are they using research to back themselves up? Are they using logic or rather trying to stir the emotions of their audience?
What should we talk about in the “Lessons Learned” section?
Here you’ll want share the strategies/ideas/peculiarities that stood out to you as you analyzed your issue and how it gets discussed in online spaces. You can write about who gets to have the loudest voices, about the strategies that seem to work better for different camps, about the ways in which audiences engage, and so on. You’ll want to give us four to five takeaways you noticed and tell us how you got to those conclusions.
How will our groups be selected and how do we divide up the work between us?
You will select your own groups in class. Students will share the issues they are interested in and you’ll join groups based on similarity of interests.
In terms of dividing the work, there are four or five of you per group and there are three main sections, however, I would not advice that you divide up the work per section. The “Lessons Learned” section, for example, should be quite simple to complete once you’ve done your previous two sections, so giving that to someone as their only contribution would mean that the workload is not distributed in a balanced manner. My strong recommendation is that everyone should work on all the sections together. You can divide up the research and writing for the “Issue Overview” section between all members. For “Key Players,” if there are four of you, each one of you can be in charge of one of the Key Players. If there are five of you, one of you can focus more on the “Issue Overview” section (with help from others) and not work on a Key Player. You should all collaborate on writing the “Lessons Learned” section when you have completed drafts of your previous sections.
In terms of dividing the work, there are four or five of you per group and there are three main sections, however, I would not advice that you divide up the work per section. The “Lessons Learned” section, for example, should be quite simple to complete once you’ve done your previous two sections, so giving that to someone as their only contribution would mean that the workload is not distributed in a balanced manner. My strong recommendation is that everyone should work on all the sections together. You can divide up the research and writing for the “Issue Overview” section between all members. For “Key Players,” if there are four of you, each one of you can be in charge of one of the Key Players. If there are five of you, one of you can focus more on the “Issue Overview” section (with help from others) and not work on a Key Player. You should all collaborate on writing the “Lessons Learned” section when you have completed drafts of your previous sections.
What is the difference between the presentation and the report?
Both of them contain similar information but they are delivered differently. For the presentation, you will each take turns presenting the areas you researched and wrote for the report. That means that all of you will present more than once as you share with us what you came up with for each session. You don’t need to read the report word by word but simply give us a gist of your findings as we look at the information in your Powerpoint/Google Slides/Canva/Prezi slides. The slides should provide citations for the information you share with us.
The report will contain a more detailed and carefully worded account of what you discovered as you researched the issue and the key players involved in it.
The report will contain a more detailed and carefully worded account of what you discovered as you researched the issue and the key players involved in it.
Project Presentations
Initial Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation
Due: 10/18
You will give a 5-7-minute presentation (which you can design in Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi) during which you will answer the following questions for us:
Revised Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation
Due: 11/3
You will give a 5–7-minute presentation (which you can design in Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi) during which you will answer the following questions for us:
Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Draft Presentation
Due: 11/15 and 11/17
You will deliver your draft of your Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Presentation with the class. Each member of the team will take turns giving their part of the presentation.
Delivery: Upload to our Google Drive folder titled “Project 3 Draft Presentation.”
Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Final Presentation
Due: 12/6 and 12/8
You will deliver your final Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Presentation with the class. Each member of the team will take turns giving their part of the presentation.
Delivery: Upload to our Google Drive folder titled “Project 3 Final Presentation.”
Due: 10/18
You will give a 5-7-minute presentation (which you can design in Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi) during which you will answer the following questions for us:
- What issue are you thinking of researching and why? If you’re trying to choose between two or three issues, make sure to list them all and we’ll help you figure out which one to engage with.
- What key players are you thinking of focusing on? Again, feel free to have more than the required four and ask us for advice on whom you should choose.
- What roles are you each playing in the project?
- What challenges are you worried about?
- What questions do you have for us as you work through the project?
Revised Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation
Due: 11/3
You will give a 5–7-minute presentation (which you can design in Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi) during which you will answer the following questions for us:
- What issue have you selected?
- What sources are you using for your research?
- What are your four Key Players and why did you select them?
- What are your initial findings in terms of the strategies your Key Players use?
- What roles are you each playing in the project?
- What challenges are you worried about?
- What questions do you have for us as you work through the project?
Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Draft Presentation
Due: 11/15 and 11/17
You will deliver your draft of your Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Presentation with the class. Each member of the team will take turns giving their part of the presentation.
Delivery: Upload to our Google Drive folder titled “Project 3 Draft Presentation.”
Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Final Presentation
Due: 12/6 and 12/8
You will deliver your final Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Presentation with the class. Each member of the team will take turns giving their part of the presentation.
Delivery: Upload to our Google Drive folder titled “Project 3 Final Presentation.”
Assignment Delivery
Please complete your report in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and title it using Project 3 and your last names, i.e. Project 3 LastName1 LastName2 LastName3 LastName4. Email your essay to [email protected] by 11:59pm on 12/10. The subject of your email should be Project 3.
Assignment Deadlines
10/18: Initial Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation.
11/3: Revised Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation.
11/15 and 11/17: Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Draft Presentation.
12/6 and 12/8: Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Final Presentation.
12/10 by 11:59pm: Analyzing Multiple Sides Report due.
11/3: Revised Thoughts on Project 3 Presentation.
11/15 and 11/17: Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Draft Presentation.
12/6 and 12/8: Project 3 Analyzing Multiple Sides Final Presentation.
12/10 by 11:59pm: Analyzing Multiple Sides Report due.
What if I still have questions?
Come to office hours, email me, talk to me before or after class.