Authoritarianism 101 based on CAL-GETC STANDARDS – 2025

Given the course’s focus on public speaking, critical media consumption, and authoritarianism, the Cal-GETC Area 1C (Oral Communication) standards (see attached) are an excellent and appropriate fit—especially if the “Authoritarianism 101” module is framed around helping students identify, critique, and resist authoritarian rhetoric in public discourse.

✅ Why it fits:

This module can meet and deepen these required outcomes by:

• Teaching students to analyze and resist authoritarian rhetoric through the lens of rhetorical theory (ethos/pathos/logos, fallacies, propaganda, appeals to fear).
• Developing speeches that defend democratic principles, expose manipulative communication, and promote media literacy.
• Encouraging ethical speech grounded in truth and inclusion, directly countering the misinformation and exclusion often used by authoritarian figures.
• Engaging students in peer critique and reflection on how authoritarian messages gain power in a media-saturated world.

📘 Proposed Module Title:

Authoritarianism 101: Speaking Truth in a Post-Truth Age

🔎 Placement in Chapter:

This module belongs within the “Critical Media Consumption” chapter and serves as a bridge between rhetorical theory, current events, and ethical oral communication.

✨ Learning Outcomes for the Module (aligned with Cal-GETC Area 1C):

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Define authoritarian rhetoric and distinguish it from persuasive democratic discourse using the canons of rhetoric and Aristotelian appeals.
2. Identify techniques used in authoritarian communication, such as scapegoating, disinformation, emotional manipulation, and dog-whistle rhetoric.
3. Analyze historical and contemporary speeches or media messages that reflect authoritarian tendencies.
4. Evaluate credibility and bias in primary and secondary media sources.
5. Develop and deliver a persuasive speech that critiques authoritarian strategies and promotes democratic values using ethically sourced evidence.
6. Provide peer feedback that emphasizes rhetorical sensitivity, inclusiveness, and clarity.
7. Reflect on the ethical responsibilities of public speakers in resisting authoritarianism.

📚 Module Components:

1. Mini-Lecture: Authoritarian Rhetoric vs. Democratic Discourse
   • Define authoritarianism.
   • Common features: suppression of dissent, appeal to emotion over reason, manipulation of fear, mythologizing a “golden age.”
   • Case studies: Historical (e.g., Hitler, Mussolini), Contemporary (e.g., Trump, Modi, Bolsonaro, Orban).
   • Compare with democratic, deliberative rhetoric.
2. Critical Media Activity:
   • Analyze clips from speeches, press conferences, or social media posts.
   • Use ethos/pathos/logos and media bias checkers to deconstruct the message.
   • Ask: What’s the guiding thesis? Who is being persuaded? What tools are being used to persuade?
3. In-Class Persuasive Speech Assignment:
   • Prompt: “Defend a democratic value (e.g., freedom of press, voting rights, academic freedom) under threat from authoritarian discourse.”
   • Include peer feedback guided by ethical and rhetorical standards.
4. Reflection Journal Prompt:
   • “Describe a moment when you noticed authoritarian rhetoric in the media or in a conversation. How did you respond? How might you respond differently now?”

💡 Bonus Discussion Questions:

• When does persuasion become propaganda?
• How can we speak ethically in a time when disinformation is widespread?
• What responsibilities do public speakers have in a democratic society under threat?

Summary:

✅ Best fit: This module supports Cal-GETC Area 1C—especially the bullets about:

• Rhetorical theory
• Critical analysis of discourse
• Ethical communication
• Practicing speeches and peer critique

Additional Authoritarian Modules, Lesson Plans, and Activities

“Module: Authoritarianism and the Rhetoric of Power”

Objective:

To teach students how to analyze and critically engage with manifestations and consequences of authoritarianism through public speaking, using rhetorical canons and ethical communication practices.

Module Structure:

1. Theoretical Section (Lectures + Discussions)

• What is authoritarianism? (social-political context, historical and contemporary examples)
• The rhetoric of authoritarian leaders: how ethos, pathos, and logos are used to manipulate.
• Manipulation and logical fallacies in authoritarian discourse.
• Ethics of public speaking: how to talk about oppression and violence without reproducing harm.
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) in communication: how to be ethical and respectful when addressing difficult social issues.

2. Practical Section – Speech Analysis (Rhetorical Criticism)

• Analyze authoritarian speeches: Hitler, Putin, Orbán, Trump, Mussolini, etc.
• Analyze anti-authoritarian speeches: Martin Luther King Jr., Navalny, Václav Havel, Nelson Mandela, etc.
• Assignment: identify logical fallacies, rhetorical strategies, ethical violations.

3. Practical Section – Speech Creation (EX: Problem–Cause–Solution Structure)

Each student will prepare a persuasive speech using the required “Problem – Cause – Solution” format:

• Problem: e.g., suppression of the media under authoritarian regimes.
• Causes: concentration of power, censorship, propaganda.
• Solutions: strengthening democratic institutions, education, civic activism.

Suggested Speech Topics for Students:

1. How authoritarianism threatens academic freedom.
2. Why independent journalism is a threat to tyranny.
3. The role of propaganda in sustaining authoritarian regimes.
4. Censorship as a form of violence.
5. How the language of power disguises oppression.
6. Why voting matters in the face of authoritarianism.
7. The intersection of authoritarianism and racism.
8. Women under authoritarian rule.
9. How youth can resist autocracy.
10. What it means to speak truth in a climate of fear.

Evaluation (aligned with assignment rubrics):

• Clear speech structure.
• Depth of argument and use of credible sources.
• Correct APA oral citations.
• Ethical and inclusive communication.
• Effective visual aid.
• Persuasive and impactful delivery.

Additional/Optional Assignment:

“Module: Authoritarianism and the Rhetoric of Power”

Objective:

To teach students how to analyze and critically engage with manifestations and consequences of authoritarianism through public speaking, using rhetorical canons and ethical communication practices.

Module Structure:

1. Theoretical Section (Lectures + Discussions)

• What is authoritarianism? (social-political context, historical and contemporary examples)
• The rhetoric of authoritarian leaders: how ethos, pathos, and logos are used to manipulate.
• Manipulation and logical fallacies in authoritarian discourse.
• Ethics of public speaking: how to talk about oppression and violence without reproducing harm.
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) in communication: how to be ethical and respectful when addressing difficult social issues.

2. Practical Section – Speech Analysis (Rhetorical Criticism)

• Analyze authoritarian speeches: Hitler, Putin, Orbán, Trump, Mussolini, etc.
• Analyze anti-authoritarian speeches: Martin Luther King Jr., Navalny, Václav Havel, Nelson Mandela, etc.
• Assignment: identify logical fallacies, rhetorical strategies, ethical violations.

3. Practical Section – Speech Creation (EX: Problem–Cause–Solution Structure)

Each student will prepare a persuasive speech using the required “Problem – Cause – Solution” format:

• Problem: e.g., suppression of the media under authoritarian regimes.
• Causes: concentration of power, censorship, propaganda.
• Solutions: strengthening democratic institutions, education, civic activism.

Suggested Speech Topics for Students:

1. How authoritarianism threatens academic freedom.
2. Why independent journalism is a threat to tyranny.
3. The role of propaganda in sustaining authoritarian regimes.
4. Censorship as a form of violence.
5. How the language of power disguises oppression.
6. Why voting matters in the face of authoritarianism.
7. The intersection of authoritarianism and racism.
8. Women under authoritarian rule.
9. How youth can resist autocracy.
10. What it means to speak truth in a climate of fear.

Evaluation (aligned with assignment rubrics):

• Clear speech structure.
• Depth of argument and use of credible sources.
• Correct APA oral citations.
• Ethical and inclusive communication.
• Effective visual aid.
• Persuasive and impactful delivery.

Additional/Optional Assignment:

“Persuasive Speech: Problem/Cause/Solution Format”

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to craft and deliver a Problem-Cause-Solution persuasive speech that identifies a pressing issue, analyzes its root causes, and proposes actionable solutions. Students will apply rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos), conduct credible research, and adapt their message to a specific audience by considering their demographics, identities, and values. Through this structured speech, students will improve their ability to communicate complex social or political problems in an organized, clear, and persuasive manner.

Rationale:

Many of the world’s most urgent challenges—from environmental crises to social inequities—require thoughtful public discourse and effective advocacy. This assignment provides students with the opportunity to investigate a real-world issue, break down its contributing factors, and offer solutions grounded in research and ethics. By following the problem-cause-solution model, students learn how to move beyond surface-level discussions, critically examine systemic barriers, and inspire meaningful change. This assignment reinforces vital skills in persuasive communication, audience awareness, and civic engagement—skills applicable across academic disciplines, professional careers, and community leadership.

Structure:

• I. Introduction

1. 1. Attention Getter: (Grab the audience’s attention here by starting to build either pathos or logos – consider using a powerful story/example/quote, startling statistic, or thought-provoking rhetorical questions)
   2. Background & Audience Relevance: (Give a 1-2 sentence summary that starts to paint a vivid picture of the problem/issue that is the focus of your speech. Connect your audience to this issue by analyzing your audience’s demographics/intersectional identities and how this issue might specifically impact them)
   3. Speaker Credibility: (Explain why you are credible to talk about this topic by including your experience, your passion, and your research on this issue/problem)
   4. Thesis: (One sentence summary of your speech. For a persuasive speech, this should be a cohesive summary of the problem and the action(s) that you’re trying to convince your audience to take – change of value, belief, or policy. For example: “Reliable access to clean water is a basic right and remains a consistent issue in many areas of this country which is why we must implore our government to pass the Clean Water Act.”)
   5. Preview of Main Points: (Briefly preview the problem, cause, and solution and include clear signposts. For example, “First I will present the problem with lack of access to clean water, then why this problem persists, and finally why the Clean Water Act would solve this issue and give reliable access to this basic need”)

Transition to 1st Main Point: Signpost (“First”), and preview (“I will start by sharing how lack of clean access to water presents significant negative effects for communities around our nation”)

• II. Main Point 1: (Outline of the problem – brief sentence that goes over the negative effects/outcomes of the issue)

1. 1. Sub-point A: (An in-depth presentation of the quantitative effects – consider finding sources that provide statistical and numerical data of the issue)
      • • Include an oral citation for a scholarly source in either subpoint A or B. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author & credentials) in an (article/study/book/journal/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”
        • (Example: According to physicist and astronomer James H. Jeans, in his journal article published in the Scientific Monthly in January, 1932 “The sun probably moves round the hub at 200 miles per second, and takes something over 200 million years to perform a complete revolution.”)
   2. Sub-point B: (An in-depth presentation of the qualitative aspect of the problem – consider finding brief or extended examples/stories of the problem’s impact)

Transition to 2nd Main Point: Signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have covered the problem with…”), preview (“next, I will go over what causes this problem to occur”)

• III. Main Point 2: (Brief sentence that covers the cause(s) of this issue/problem)

1. 1. Sub-point A: (First cause – remember that a cause is why this issue happens, not the negative effects. Negative effects are the problem and would belong in MP1. For example, if we are discussing lack of access to clean water, a cause of this could be poor funding, failing infrastructure, policies/laws that are either in place, or not, that prevent this issue from being fixed/corrected.)
      • • Include an oral citation in any of the subpoints A, B, and/or C. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author) in an (article/video/magazine/website/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”.
          
        • (Example: According to Dennis Overbye in his article published in the New York Times on July 10th, 2020 “The visible universe of stars and galaxies, cosmologists like to say, is like snow on mountaintops or lights on dark, distant Christmas trees.”).
   2. Sub-point B: (Second cause/Second aspect of the cause)
   3. Sub–point C: (Any other relevant causes that might contribute to this problem – remember that many issues have more than one reason why they exist. Even if your speech is not trying to address all of the causes, it’s good communication ethics/ethos to at least briefly address the often complex reasons why an issue exists

Transition to 3rd Main Point: Signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have covered the cause(s) of this issue”), preview (“finally, I want to argue what we need to do to solve this problem”)

• IV. Main Point 3: (Outline of the solution/s)

1. 1. Sub-point A: (First solution/First aspect of the solution – remember that the solution should match what you are advocating for and directly relate to the cause. For example, a policy speech where you argue that part of the reason why an issue exists is because a law/policy is, or is not, in place, this would be the place where you advocate for that policy change. Go into detail about what this policy/law is and why it would attempt to solve the problem. If the speech is a question of value, then this would be a good place to advocate for personal change in behavior because it is the right thing to do. You would want to give specifics to your audience here about what they can do to be a part of the right choice.)
      • • Include an oral citation in subpoints A and/or B. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author) in an (article/video/magazine/website/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”.
   2. Sub-point B: (Second solution/Second aspect of the solution – this would be a good place to advocate for more personal change. If the speech is a question of value, what can we do as individuals to make the right choice or change in our lives? If the speech is a question of policy, how can your audience push for a policy change by voting, calling, writing, protesting, etc. to our government for change)

Transition and Signal to Conclusion: Signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have covered the solution”), and include a phrase that tells us you’re moving to your conclusion (“I will bring this speech to a close”)

• • V. Conclusion

1. 1. 1. Review Main Points: (Copy and paste the preview from your introduction and change the verbs to be past tense (“First, we talked about the problem of…then we considered contributing factors to this problem, including…and lastly, we covered some possible solutions such as…”)
      2. Restate Thesis: (Restate your thesis from your introduction)
      3. Memorable Closer: (The last thing you’re going to say in your speech – this is your last opportunity to call your audience to action, so be creative and strong in your last statement)

References 

Last name, First Initial (Year, Month Date). Title of article in italics. Name of Source, volume(issue), page numbers.  URL 

Last name, First Initial (Year, Month Date). Title of article in italics. Name of Source.  URL 

Example APA Reference for Scholarly Source (delete before submitting):

Jeans, J. H. (January, 1932). Beyond the Milky Way. The Scientific Monthly, 34(1), 35–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/15156

Example APA Reference (delete before submitting):

Overbye, D. (2020, July 10). Beyond the Milky Way, a galactic wall. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/science/astronomy-galaxies attractor-universe.html 

APA Reminders (delete before submitting):

1. List should be in alphabetical order by author’s last name or source/organization name (if author is not present)
2. Author’s last name should appear first, followed by a comma and first initial of first name 
3. Year always comes first, before month and date and should be in parenthesis 
4. If there is no date, use (N.D.) 
5. If there is no date, use retrieved from date before URL. Example: Retrieved January 21st, 2020, from URL.
6. Use Chapter 7 for further help formatting both references and in-text oral citations

“Persuasive Speech: Three Argument Format”

Objective:

The goal of this assignment is to develop and deliver a persuasive speech that demonstrates a clear understanding of audience analysis, argumentative structure, and rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos). Through this assignment, students will select a timely and significant issue, craft a compelling argument that seeks to change audience values, beliefs, or actions, and support their claims with credible, scholarly evidence. This assignment emphasizes oral communication, critical thinking, research integration, and effective organization.

Rationale:

Persuasion is a foundational skill in both academic and civic life. Whether advocating for policy changes, addressing social injustices, or encouraging action within a community, the ability to construct and deliver a well-reasoned and emotionally resonant argument is vital. This speech assignment challenges students to connect with a real audience by analyzing their identities, tailoring their message to be relevant and impactful, and supporting their claims with credible research. By practicing persuasive speaking, students will enhance their public speaking confidence, sharpen their critical reasoning, and develop strategies for ethical and effective advocacy in diverse contexts.

Structure:

• I. Introduction

1. 1. Attention Getter: (Grab the audience’s attention here by starting to build either pathos or logos – consider using a powerful story/example/quote, startling statistic, or thought-provoking rhetorical questions)
   2. Background & Audience Relevance: (Give a 1-2 sentence summary that starts to paint a vivid picture of the problem/issue that is the focus of your speech. Connect your audience to this issue by analyzing your audience’s demographics/intersectional identities and how this issue might specifically impact them)
   3. Speaker Credibility: (Explain why you are credible to talk about this topic by including your experience, your passion, and your research on this issue/problem)
   4. Thesis: (One sentence summary of your speech. For a persuasive speech, this should be a cohesive summary of the problem and the action(s) that you’re trying to convince your audience to take – change of value, belief, or policy – for example: “Reliable access to clean water is a basic right and remains a consistent issue in many areas of this country which is why we must implore our government to pass the Clean Water Act.”)
   5. Preview of Main Points: (Briefly preview the three arguments that support your thesis and include signposts – for example, “First, I will argue that the Clean Water Act can eliminate lead and other toxins in our water, then I will describe how the Clean Water Act can reduce water waste and meet the needs of a changing climate, and finally, I will prove that the Clean Water Act would produce much needed jobs.” or by saying, “Today I will argue three reasons why the Clean Water Act is an important piece of legislation in providing more people with access to clean water. First, it can…”

Transition to 1st Main Point: (Signpost (“First”), and preview (“I will start by arguing how the Clean Water Act will eliminate toxins and poisons from water systems”)

• II. Main Point 1: (First argument that supports your thesis – what is your first distinct reason why your audience should change their values, beliefs, or actions?)

1. 1. Sub-point A: (First aspect of your argument and supporting evidence for argument. For example, if your first argument is that the Clean Water Act will eliminate toxins, then you might want to go over examples/stats here of how many people have been impacted by toxic water and build proof that there is a problem)
      • • Include an oral citation for a scholarly source in either of the subpoints A, and/or B. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author & credentials) in an (article/study/book/journal/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”.
        • (Example: According to physicist and astronomer James H. Jeans, in his journal article published in the Scientific Monthly in January, 1932 “The sun probably moves round the hub at 200 miles per second, and takes something over 200 million years to perform a complete revolution.”).
   2. Sub-point B: (Second aspect of your argument and supporting evidence for argument. For example, here you might want to go over aspects of the policy that specifically address and try to fix toxins in the water. You would want to provide supporting evidence for how the policy plans to address this issue)

Transition to 2nd Main Point: Signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have argued that the Clean Water Act will solve toxicity in our water”), preview (“next, I want to argue that the Clean Water Act will help us become more water wise”)

• III. Main Point 2: (Second argument that supports your thesis – what is your second distinct reason why your audience should change their values, beliefs, or actions?) 

1. 1. Sub-point A: (First aspect of your argument and supporting evidence)
      • • Include an oral citation in subpoints A and/or B. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author) in an (article/video/magazine/website/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”.
        • (Example: According to Dennis Overbye in his article published in the New York Times on July 10th, 2020 “The visible universe of stars and galaxies, cosmologists like to say, is like snow on mountaintops or lights on dark, distant Christmas trees.”).
   2. Sub-point B: (Second aspect of your argument and supporting evidence)

Transition to 3rd Main Point: Signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have argued that the Clean Water Act will help us become more water wise”), preview (“finally, I want to argue that the Clean Water Act will provide us with more jobs”)

• IV. Main Point 3: (Third argument that supports your thesis – what is your third distinct reason why your audience should change their values, beliefs, or actions?)

1. 1. Sub-point A: (First aspect of this argument and supporting evidence)
      • • Include an oral citation in subpoints A and/or B. To cite properly, fill in as much of the following statement as possible:
        • According to (author) in an (article/video/magazine/website/etc.) published on (publication source) on (date) “insert quote”.
   2. Sub-point B: (Second aspect of this argument and supporting evidence)

Transition and Signal to Conclusion: signpost (“Now”), review (“that I have argued how we can create more jobs with the passing of the Clean Water Act”), signpost (“Lastly”), and include a phrase that tells us you’re moving to your conclusion (“I will wrap this all up”)

• V. Conclusion

1. 1. Review Main Points: (Restate the preview from your introduction and change the verbs to be past tense) (“First, I advocated for…then we considered another reason for the importance of the Clean Water Act, which is…and lastly, I argued that…”)
   2. Restate Thesis: (copy and paste your thesis from your introduction)
   3. Memorable Closer: (The last thing you’re going to say in your speech – this is your last opportunity to call your audience to action, so be creative and strong in your last statement)

References

Last name, First Initial (Year, Month Date). Title of article in italics. Name of Source, volume(issue), page numbers.  URL 

Last name, First Initial (Year, Month Date). Title of article in italics. Name of Source.  URL 

Example APA Reference for Scholarly Source (delete before submitting):

Jeans, J. H. (January, 1932). Beyond the Milky Way. The Scientific Monthly, 34(1), 35–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/15156

Example APA Reference (delete before submitting):

Overbye, D. (2020, July 10). Beyond the Milky Way, a galactic wall. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/science/astronomy-galaxies attractor-universe.html 

APA Reminders (delete before submitting):

1. List should be in alphabetical order by author’s last name or source/organization name (if author is not present)
2. Author’s last name should appear first, followed by a comma and first initial of first name 
3. Year always comes first, before month and date and should be in parenthesis 
4. If there is no date, use (N.D.) 
5. If there is no date, use retrieved from date before URL. Example: Retrieved January 21st, 2020, from URL.
6. Use Chapter 7 for further help formatting both references and in-text oral citations

“Propaganda in the Media: Factchecking Assignment”

Objective:

To learn how to recognize propaganda, manipulation, and logical fallacies in public messages, and to prepare for crafting a persuasive speech based on real-world cases.

Rationale:

Authoritarianism cannot be meaningfully studied without analyzing media. Propaganda is one of the main tools used by authoritarian regimes to shape public narratives and suppress dissent.

Fact-checking is directly linked to critical thinking, which is emphasized in the Oral Communication (Cal-GETC) standards: students must be able to search for, evaluate, and use credible sources—both when analyzing others’ speeches and when developing their own.

This is excellent preparation for persuasive speaking: students can first learn how to identify lies and manipulation in media/speech, and then use those examples as case studies in their own presentations.

It also promotes media literacy and rhetorical sensitivity: DEI principles require students to recognize how discriminatory narratives are created and spread—especially within authoritarian contexts.

Structure:

Connection to Standards and Assignments:

Rubric for “Propaganda in the Media: Factchecking Assignment”

PROPAGANDA IN THE MEDIA: FACTCHECKING  ASSIGNMENT 

ASSIGNMENT RATIONALE 

Nowadays, when discussing propaganda, we should understand that fake news  has become a noticeable part of it. This assignment aims to learn how to  factcheck news and speeches. During completing assignments, we know in  practice how to use open sources, data, and documents to identify what is  behind us: false, true, mostly false, or mostly true, and where is the border  between them.  

ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS 

Overview 

This assignment allows you to explore practical methods of fact checking for  media’s materials, social media, and politicians’ statements, which should form  the basis for work with fake information used for propaganda. The final project will be a deep factcheck of one of the politician’s statements, for which you’ll  need to work with open sources, documents, and experts. 

PART I: FACTCHEK ARTICLES  

(20 POINTS)  

For this part of the assignment, you’ll receive three articles: one about the  economy, one about policy, and one about culture, and then need to factcheck  them. To do so, follow the instructions:

Elina Nikolskaya 
Associate Basic Course Director (COMS 1030) 
Ohio University

 
The first part of the task: read and reflect 

• Read the articles carefully  
• Understand the context: which publication published the material?  Who is the author? For what audience is this text written? 
• Underline in each article the places where errors are possible:  dates, numbers, historical events, quotes.

The second part of the task: FactCheck 

• Check if the information you underlined is correct or not (you have  to work with open sources such as other articles, books, interviews, and primary  sources (interviews, social networks) if we are talking about quotes.) Remember  to use what kind of factchecking methods we discussed during the class.  
• Check out the source, which the author used.  
• Afterwards, write in a Word document what kind of mistakes you  find, describe, and correct them.  

Remember to submit the Worksheet to Canvas by the due date. 

PART II: ANALYZE THE TEXT  

(30 POINTS) 

During the class we discussed that articles and speeches can contain facts and  opinions and sometimes to achieve propaganda goals, facts can be replaced by  opinions. Due to this people, who explore propaganda, should be enable to  distinguish one from another and understand the difference between them. For  this task, you’ll receive the text and then need to analyze it following several  steps: 

The first part of the task: read and reflect 

• You need to read the text carefully.  
• Underline with straight-line information, which can be considered  as fact (remember that the fact is a statement that can be checked)  3. Factcheck these facts: are these facts true or false?  
• Underline with a wavy line of information that can be considered  as an opinion.  

The second part of the task: analyze and answer the questions

In a Word document you should answer the following questions: 

Elina Nikolskaya 
Associate Basic Course Director (COMS 1030) 
Ohio University 

• In this text have you found more facts or opinions?  
• What kind of information do you consider as fact and why?  • Are these facts true, false, mostly true, or mostly false?  • What kind of information do you consider as opinion?  • For which purpose this text was written?  
• How do you think the reader can react to this text?  
• Do you think the author of the text was biased or not? Explain your  answer.  

Remember to submit this on Canvas by the due date. 

PART III: DEEP FACTCHEKING OF POLITICIAN’S STATEMENT  (50 POINTS)  

For this task, you’ll receive the statement of one of the political figures. The  statement will not just be true or false but mostly true or mostly false, which are  more complex concepts that we discussed in previous lessons. Completing the  task, you need not only to separate facts from opinion, and verify information  but also to check how logical the politician’s conclusions are. For this task, it’s  very essential not to rely on your attitude towards a politician or a political party  and not draw conclusions about it the statement is mostly false or mostly true  before you do your research.  

The first part of the task: read and reflect 

• Read the statement carefully and find when and where the  politician said it. For your understanding of the context, define the  circumstances, study where this politician was, and what was going on in that  country at that moment or before, if it’s necessary.  
• Underline opinions and facts, which help you to understand with  which parts of the statement you can work. Remember that we can’t verify  someone’s opinion.  

The second part of the task: start your FactCheck  

In this part of the task, you need to explore facts, that the person uses. It can be  the mention of events, documents, statistics, statements by other politicians or  organizations, etc. Сheck this information using a search for original sources,  social media, official documents, and statistics. After this research, you need to  understand which facts are true, false, mostly false, or mostly true. 

Elina Nikolskaya 
Associate Basic Course Director (COMS 1030) 
Ohio University 

The third part of the task: facts and conclusions 

Compare facts that the politician mentioned with his conclusion. Analyze why  he used this information and what conclusions he/she came to. Remember that  true facts can be used in a false context, leading to false conclusions.  

The fourth part of the task: Presentation 

Develop and then present in the class a 5–10-minute presentation during which  you should answer on follow questions:  

• What statement did you analyze?  
• Who said it? Where? When? Try to explain more details, that you  found about context.  
• Explain your fact-checking in detail. What did you verify and how?
• If you find evidence that the facts have been distorted, provide it.
• Explain how the facts used by the politician are related to his  conclusions 
• Give your assessment: the statement is mostly true or mostly false?  7. Answer the main question: why was this statement made and what  goals did it pursue? 

Grading 

The feedback and grading will be based on the following evaluation rubric:  depth of understanding of the context and reasons for the statement, level of  fact-checking, working with found information and comparing it with the  statement, analysis of how this statement could impact the audience, ability to  consistently talk about the research conducted and its conclusions.  

ASSIGNMENT’S CONNECTION TO OVERALL COURSE  OBJECTIVES 

This assignment meets the following objectives:  

• students will learn to conduct an in-depth analysis of media  materials and statements of politicians  
• students will understand the difference between fact and opinion,  which is key to the study of propaganda  
• students will be able to find connections between statements,  articles, political and historical context

Elina Nikolskaya 
Associate Basic Course Director (COMS 1030) 
Ohio University

ASSIGNMENT’S GENERAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completing this assignment, you will be able to 

• Learn how to analyze and factcheck media materials and  politicians’ statements 
• Learn how to work with open sources of information 
• Draw a logical conclusion 
• Understand the main difference between truth and lies from rather  untruth and rather lies, which are the main means of propaganda • Know how to correlate media materials and statements of  politicians with political, historical, and economic contexts 
• Effectively demonstrate the results of your research