There are 4 different assignments to complete, please read carefully! and answer all questions.
Skeptoid Extra Credit
Skeptoid Extra CreditOne of the numerous podcasts I listen to regularly is Skeptoid. It’s done by a guy named Brian Dunning, who has an interesting and rational way of thinking through popular topics in about 10-12 minutes. I don’t always agree with him, but I seem frequently to look at things in a different way after listening.
http://skeptoid.com/
If you want five points of extra credit, you can earn some through this assignment. Go to the Skeptoid.com website and listen to an episode. It has to be a “regular” episode on a single topic. Not one of the “Questions from Listeners” or “Things I Got Wrong” episodes. Then write a minimum 250 word response to the episode. Don’t retell the story. I will already know it. Just tell me what about the episode you thought was good or bad, right or wrong, and why.
You can only do this once. I can’t have folks ending up getting 1,500 points of extra credit by responding to every episode!
While the podcast doesn’t in most cases deal directly with topics related to government, it seems to me that government is, or should be, about critically thinking through issues calmly and rationally, and avoiding jumping to conclusions based on emotion or prejudice. That’s the best way to make decisions that affect us all.
I hope you find it interesting.
Final Deadline: May 9, 11:59 p.m.
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Conspiracy Extra Credit
Conspiracy Survey
This is just a little survey I wrote because I’m curious. If you complete it I’ll give you five points of extra credit.
As with all surveys like this, it is completely anonymous. I’ll just get consolidated results for the whole class, with no indication of who said what. Please, if you choose to respond, fully complete the survey and give honest responses. Remember no one can know they were your responses, so you can be totally honest. Thanks!
Deadline 11:59 p.m. on May 9.
p.s. In the grade book there are two columns for this, because with an anonymous survey one column has to be devoted to the little check mark that lets me know you’ve done it, and I have to enter your points in a second column.
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Fake News Extra Credit
- Fake NewsImagine you’ve just seen the following on Twitter or Facebook:
Do you accept it as true? Does the fact that you like Trump make you more likely to accept it as true? Or does that fact that you don’t like Trump make you less likely to accept is as true?
Describe the steps you would take to determine if this post was true or not.
Where would you look? What would you read? How would you investigate?
For a maximum of 10 points, write a minimum 250-word mini-essay discussing what you would do.
As always, you should use MLA format, meaning Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced, appropriate heading, with care taken in proofreading, spelling, paragraphing, word usage, etc.
You must provide a complete works cited page including links to all the sources you consult.
Deadline: May 9, 11:59 p.m.
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Library Extra Credit
Library Extra CreditFor a bit of extra credit, you can take some online classes offered by the library. Five points per class. Once you’ve taken the class you can take a screen shot of the certificate or badge and upload it at the link below (just click where it says “Library EC”). You need to pass the quiz to get credit. You can click on the link as many times as you need to, if you complete different classes at different times.
Here’s a link to the MLA class. Five points for completing the class and passing the quiz.
Here’s a link to the Research classes. There are three of these (Research 1, 2 & 3), and you will get 5 points for each one that you successfully complete.
That adds up to 20 points of extra credit possible from library classes.
If you’ve taken these classes before, that’s great, but you have to take it during this semester to get credit in this class. Having taken it before will make it easier, because you’ll probably already know all the answers. But it’s never bad to get a reminder of important information.
** Please be aware that there is a deadline to register to take the Research classes and it sometimes takes a of days to get this done. Plus, the library regularly shuts these classes down before the end of the semester. If you wait too late to get started you will not be able to attempt this extra credit. If you don’t get registered, or if you don’t complete the classes before they “go dark” I will NOT be able to help you! Don’t wait, if you want to do these classes! **
Final deadline: May 9, 11:59 p.m.
