The third writing assignment of the semester asks you to imagine that you are a professor of journalism from an alien civilization on a planet in the Andromeda Galaxy. You and your colleagues at your...

Instructions are in the document attached. Please follow them as closely as you can.


The third writing assignment of the semester asks you to imagine that you are a professor of journalism from an alien civilization on a planet in the Andromeda Galaxy. You and your colleagues at your university study human culture on earth through films, television programs, and other mass media. You are especially fascinated with why so many Americans (versus other people on earth) believe in the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life.   In order to understand this aspect of American popular culture, you have won a grant from your department to travel to earth in 1991 to study the Gulf Breeze UFO incident. While on earth, you will assume the identity of a journalist working for a newspaper in Pensacola, Florida. As part of your grant, you are expected to write a two-page report in English in which you explain (a) why so many people believed Ed Walters’ claims that he had witnessed UFOs—despite evidence suggesting that he was lying, and (b) what the Gulf Breeze UFO controversy tells us about who defines what is real and what is “fake news” in America. Is it the church, the government, the media, university professors, politicians, civic groups, or even individual citizens? An important note: Your department chair hates Stranger Things, and will not accept any report that mentions it.     You are expected to turn in the paper by 11:59 PM CDT on April 20, 2020 to the class' D2L Dropbox. You also must fully participate in the class’ Week 14 D2L online discussion (at least one substantive comment, and 2 substantive responses) to get credit for your paper. Papers that are either longer or shorter than two pages or use–in any way, including paraphrasing–a source other than Craig Myers’ book War of the Words, won’t be accepted.   Please remember that all papers must be typed, double-spaced, in twelve-point font for standard paper (8.5” by 11”).  They should have one-inch margins all around.  Please indent the first line of each paragraph. You need references not only for direct quotations, but also when paraphrasing or referring to any section of your source.  When using direct quotations, make sure that they are well integrated in the body of your own sentences to form full and clear sentences. Indent and single-space long quotations (more than two lines or so). You may use either the MLA or Chicago system of citation for direction quotations—as long as you are consistent.