national constitution center – constitutioncenter W r i t i n g

Instructions:

Watch All The President’s Men (Links to an external site.). I suggest you take notes during the viewing of the film. Taking notes helps you organize your thinking about the film, making it easier to craft your spoken essay

Watch the film All the President’s Men, 1976 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
After performing the above, proceed to the article titled The Legacy of Watergate: Five Ways Life Changed After the Scandal https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-legacy-of-… or (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

Creating the Spoken Video Essay

A five 5 page paper can undoubtedly become a 3-8 minute video assignment. Creating the video may mean taking pictures, grabbing clips from the web, and putting it all together in a coherent fashion to get the point across. In addition to putting thoughts together in a cohesive manner, the objective of this assignment is for students to improve speaking skills, learn how to craft and write their “speech,” and finally use technology in the process. For clarification on How to create and submit media submission in Canvas link (Links to an external site.).

Your task is to create a 3-8 minute video that will identify the film, address how the main character(s) dealt with an ethical decision, and subsequently addresses the consequences of that decision. The video submission must be at least 3 minutes but no longer than 8 minutes.

Introduction: Begin your video essay with a clever hook to persuade the instructor to watch until the end. This can be a question, quotation, or some creative statement to draw in the audience. Then, narrate a short synopsis about the movie. This can include background information from some of the primary sources you read in this assignment. For example, what historical event is depicted in the film, the period and place of the film? You may also include specific characters and the historical figures depicted. If any information is fiction, you may add this here as well. Finally, end your introduction with your thesis statement regarding the argument you are going to make.

Evidence Statement: Choose the main character(s) that had to make an essential ethical decision. This decision should relate to a belief that something is right or wrong. In other words, describe the importance of character(s) decision-making. (Understanding ethical issues.) Then, describe in your own words the choice(s) specific characters had to make and the direct outcome(s) of those decisions.

Objectivity Statement: What would you do? If you could walk in the footsteps of these character(s) and be in the same situation, what actions would you have taken in those same circumstances? Describe an alternative option for the character(s) aside from the film. Which would you deem morally/ethically wrong? Which decision would be morally/ethically right? Provide evidence and justify your response for each. (Understanding choices and actions)

Objectivity Statement 2: What if you were responsible for a similar situation today, in 2021? What would you choose to do? How does this present era define your actions differently? What would/could be the long-term consequences of your actions? Have consequences changed over time for similar activities like these between the 1970s and the present? Is this change, if any, changed for better or worse? (Understanding consequences.)

Finale: Finally, bring everything together by re-stating your initial thesis (argument). Provide a summary of your key points, and they must all relate to your original thesis statement. Conclude your spoken essay with something relevant and thoughtful about what you learned regarding choices and consequences and their ability to set a precedent in history.

Submission:

1. Upload your recorded video spoken essay to Canvas for evaluation. Please be sure to edit and proofread and title the assignment. You do not have to respond to any colleagues. The Writing Center is available for assistance in learning to self-edit if you do not have much experience. This is utilized to write out your thoughts and organize them before recording and submitting your assignment. Use the Chicago Manual of Style footnotes and endnotes for film and media (Links to an external site.) for citations and submit these along with your video essay in Canvas. I am available to assist you! However, do not wait until the last minute to complete this assignment as you have to study for finals.

Your submission is evaluated based upon how well you respond to the prompts using the rubric provided in Canvas as a guide. Respond to the discussion question in a 3-8 minute video. You must include character names, places, information, newspapers, etc., to back up your argument for full credit. Here are some ideas to help get you started in the process

How this film reflects an individual’s or group’s personal responsibility to get at the truth.
Why is it essential that history reflects the truth and how personal responsibility is an agent in a thriving free democracy?

You may use these bulleted items below to help you organize your thinking. You do not have to use any of the examples here, but they can help bridge and or align your thoughts to complete the assignment.

Is it necessary in a democracy to have a free press, and if so, why?
What would happen if the journalists gave up or the editors told them to back off?
Should Journalist be permitted to use anonymous sources? Why?
How has technology and social media transformed journalism?
How did the decision of two reporters affect the perspectives of the groups we discussed earlier in this unit?
How has journalism changed since the era of the Watergate Scandal?
What were gender roles like during this era?
What role did the Watergate tapes play in Nixon’s downfall?
Woodward and Bernstein kept their primary source a secret for over 30 years. What is the importance of newspaper reporters keeping their sources confidential?