Research on Election Assignment Have a conversation with family/friends/coworkers about who they voted for, why, where did they learn about the candidate/positions/policies (i.e. source of information whether it’s traditional media, new media, friends, family trusted sources), etc….. and write a 4-5 page paper (12 pt NY Times font, double-spaced, normal margins, etc.) about that conversation.
Remember, no shenanigans with page length. Anything less than 3 full pages and I’m not even going to look at it.
Google it! Do some research on the elections and what the media is saying. This will help you spur conversation when the other person says they don’t know anything about it, give some specific details and ask them what they think.
When starting the conversation, start with, “my professor assigned this project to our class…” Even if your family/friends/coworkers etc. don’t know anything or don’t want to talk about it, usually they will be supportive enough to help you succeed and accomplish your assignment. People usually want to help. Especially family.
Ask 1) who did they vote for, 2) what did they know about the candidate that made them vote for them, 3) where do they get their info? (This last question you can pose to them as if you are asking them to help you find out more about the candidates, not challenging their knowledge.)
When writing your paper, reflect on the conversation in light of what you have learned about American’s political knowledge and media consumption. This is NOT an assignment designed to convince anybody of anything or start arguments. Avoid disagreements if at all possible.