Truth or Truthiness? Stephen Colbert recently

added two new words to the English language: “truthiness” and “wikiality.”

Five years ago these two words would have made no sense.

What recent trend is Colbert capturing with these two words? Is this trend good or bad?

These materials are © 2008 Mary Anna Thornton, Conserve School, all rights reserved.

Comedy Central Website. www.ComedyCentral.com. 18 May 2008. <http://www.comedycentral.com/images/shows/colbert_report/downloads/colbert_wall1_1024.jpg>

To answer these questions …

1) Watch Colbert explainTruthinessandWikiality

2) Read this Washington Post article entitled

“Truth: Can You Handle It?”

3) Think about what this might have to do with IRM

Extra source: Wikipedia has a long entry on “truthiness” and a short section on “wikiality.” (“Wikiality” is covered in the general entry on Stephen Colbert.)

These materials are © 2008 Mary Anna Thornton, Conserve School, all rights

reserved.

Greg Williams. “Image:Truthiness comic.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons. 19 August 2007. 19 May 2008. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Truthiness_comic.jpg>

Answer the questions in one long paragraph (7+ sentences) with in-text citations and a “works cited” list

A really good paragraph has a:

• Topic sentence that declares your opinion• 3 or more details or examples that support

your opinion• A concluding sentence that summarizes

your opinion

I also want you to show me how well you can do:

• In-text citations• A “Works Cited” list

Open-book and open-Internet! Remember, there are a lot of sites on-line that give tips for creating citations.

Just please don’t e-mail one another. Remember, this assessment is not graded; it’s strictly for us to see how well we’ve taught you.

These materials are © 2008 Mary Anna Thornton, Conserve School, all rights reserved.

Topic sentence

Three supporting points with in-text citations

Concluding sentence

Works Cited

Your assignment ….

Extra points for truly outstanding paragraphs!

Answer these questions in a standard five-paragraph essay with in-text citations and a “works cited” list

A really good five-paragraph essay has:

• Introduction with a thesis that declares your opinion

• 3 main points that support your thesis• 3 body paragraphs that explain these 3

main points with support, reasoning, and examples

• concluding paragraph that summarizes your opinion

• In-text citations• A “Works Cited” list

Open-book and open-Internet! Remember, there are a lot of sites on-line that give tips for creating citations.

Just please don’t e-mail one another. Remember, this assessment is not formally graded; it’s mainly for us to see how well we’ve taught you.

These materials are © 2008 Mary Anna Thornton, Conserve School, all rights reserved.

Introduction with thesis, plus intro of 3 main supporting points

Three supporting paragraphs, each explaining one of the main points that supports your thesis

Concluding paragraph: sum up the really important parts

Works Cited

Ready for a bigger challenge?

Bonus points for truly outstanding essays!

When you’re done, please do the following:

Take the course survey.

Take the TRAILS information literacy test.