Misinformation: 5G Cause of Covid-19
Using an understanding of rhetoric and genre to identify and debunk misinformation.
Identifying rhetorical features of misinformation—particularly what makes a particular piece of misinformation spread.
Project Description;
For this project, you will choose a piece of misinformation that has circulated widely through any platform of your choice—basically, one that people have actually fallen for. You will then rhetorically analyze the piece of misinformation and its effects. Here are some questions to answer while you are analyzing your chosen artifact.
Where is this misinformation spreading?Consider how the platform can aid in this spread—for example, is it on a mostly video platform where people tend to take things at face value?
Is it on a platform where people share articles but don’t typically read past the headline?
What sources can you trace this piece of misinformation to?
If you can’t find the origin, just try to trace it up as high as it can. Consider who benefits from this misinformation spreading.
Who is the audience?
Also consider how this particular piece of misinformation caters to this audience.
How and why do you believe this misinformation is spreading?
What makes this misinformation compelling to its audience?
What evidence can you find to the contrary?
How would you go about debunking this misinformation?
Your finished paper will be 3-4 pages long, double spaced.
