Diego Goentoro / WR 13300 / Due In Class on 10/28 (10 points)!

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Research Essay Proposal/ Exploratory Draft !

Part 1: Research Proposal!

YOUR NAME:!
Diego Goentoro!

TOPIC (I am studying):!

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I am studying conspiracy theories and researching the differing opinions between the average listener and
people with higher authority and power. The specific event I will be looking at in greater depth in my
research paper is the bombings that occurred on September 21st, 2001 (twin towers in particular) and the
variety of conspiracy theories that exists surrounding the event.!

RESEARCH QUESTION(S) (because I want to find out):!

Major Research Questions!
- Why do conspiracy theories exist in the first place?!
- How are evidences supporting conspiracy theories proven to be free of fallacious and construed information?!
- To what extent does time play a role in evolving conspiracy theories?!

Minor Research Questions!

- How biased, if any, are conspiracy theories?!
- What are the potential consequences of ignoring conspiracy theories?!
- What are the implications of conspiracy theories? !

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AUDIENCE & SIGNIFICANCE (in order to help _____ understand):!

- The audience of conspiracy theories is for everybody. Just like any security threat, acknowledging and
understanding the existence of conspiracy theories and the viable evidence it holds is extremely important.
Transparency to the people is essential to run a harmonious and trustworthy community. Being an Indonesian
and have lived in Indonesia for my entire life, the effects of a lack of transparency continues to become a major
threat of the society to strive and continue developing.!

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CONTEXT (This issue is important and timely because):!

- This issue is not just important for me, but for everyone because knowledge has become more important than
ever. In recent news, Putin threaten Obama that he would release concrete evidence that the bombing of the twin
towers was in fact an inside job. As it is a very bold statement, the people of America in particular have to be
greatly concern to what more the American government could have potentially hide from the public and even
worse in the future.!

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EXHIBIT (To illustrate my discussion of _____, I plan to focus on _____):!

- To illustrate my discussion of conspiracy theories, I plan to focus on examples and how its individual context
and audiences has played a role on its impact. I will exhibit my argument throughout my essay holistically when
possible to relate and appeal to every reader. It will also exhibit a wide range and reliable sources to enforce the
points made to make the research essay an accurate and precise depiction of the implications it has in real life.!

KEY SOURCES FOUND SO FAR:!

i) MLA Citation!
ii) Type of source? News article? Scholarly Journal Article? Book? Website? Other?!
iii) What does the source offer your project? Background? Statistics? Theory? Argument? Counterargument?
Example?!

1) September 11: Evidence to the Contrary!

ii) Documentary!
iii)!

2) 9/11 False Flag!

ii) Documentary!
iii)!

3) Terrorstorm!
i) TerrorStorm: A History of Government Sponsored Terrorism. Prod. Alex Jones. Dir. Alex Jones. Alex Jones
Productions, 2006.!
ii) Documentary!
iii)!

4) Loose Change!
ii) Documentary!
iii)!

5) Fahrenheit 9/11!
i) !
ii) Documentary!
iii)!

6) Inside Job: Unmasking the 9/11 Conspiracies!

i) Fahrenheit 9/11. By Michael. Moore. Dir. Michael. Moore. Studio Canal, 2004.!
ii) Book!
iii)!

7) The 9/11 Conspiracy: The Scamming of America !

i) Fetzer, James H. The 9/11 Conspiracy: The Scamming of America. Chicago: Catfeet, 2007. Print.!
ii) Book!
iii)!

8) Hijacked Jets Destroy Twin Towers and Hit Pentagon in Day of Terror!
ii) Newspaper Article!
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iii) Counterargument!

9) While America Slept: The True Story of 9/11!

ii) Online !
iii) Counterargument!

10) 9/11 in numbers!

ii) Statistic!
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iii) Counterargument!

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Part 2: Exploratory Draft!

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1)!
You should begin with a statement of what you hope to accomplish with the project, and!
with what audience (e.g., I plan to argue that the NCAA must revise its existing social media!
policy in order to combat the recent increase in recruiting violations). Explain why you find!
this topic interesting and important. Provide relevant background information to show the!
existing conversation around your topic and the new perspective you hope to offer through!
your project.!

- I plan to argue and debate with the authenticity and the validity of the reports that has been given to the
average viewer by the American government. In addition, I will also research on the impacts and implications
conspiracy has to the average viewer that has been greatly influence by the media. I am very interested with this
topic because transparency of government activities have always been a great interest of mine as I see it as a
great danger to society. If they have to ability to hide something so controversial, what else are they hiding away
from us. I think transparency is very important because the country I grew up in, Indonesia, had very little
transparency which created a very adverse and hostile situation for moments in time. The conversation is mainly
going to be the contrasting views on what happen in 9/11, hopefully, I am able to interests my readers to become
more inquisitive and question more of what is reported by the media. !

2)!
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Identify and discuss the intended audience for this project and what this audience has at!
stake in the topic you are researching. Questions to help you identify an audience: Who will!
benefit? Who will lose something? Who is in a position to be persuaded to follow the new!
course of thinking/action for which you plan to argue?!

- The people that will benefit from my research essay is for the most part everybody except for the people hiding
the truth. Everyone seeks the truth and buy giving another perspective with concrete evidence, readers are able
to decide for themselves with affirmation which one is the truth. The people that will lose are the people or
organization that may be exposed to hiding the truth way from the people. !

3)!
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How do you imagine your essay unfolding at this point? What are the distinct claims/points!
you anticipate making in order to convince your audience of your arguments quality and!
relevance? Provide a tentative outline.!

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I am going to separate my essay into two main parts. First, what is reported by the media and second, the
conspiracy theories revolving around the event. These two main parts will act as a counter arguments and
provide a holistic element to my research proposal that will allow the audience to decide for themselves what
is fact and what is fiction. The points that I am going to elaborate will convince my audience by providing a
variety of resources and numerous statistics and data. !
Tentative Outline:!
- Introduction!
- What actually happen!
- Introduction of Conspiracy Theories!
- Conspiracy Theory 1!
- Conspiracy Theory 2!
- Evaluation of both what is reported in the media and conspiracy theory!
- Conclusion!

4)!
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Discuss what sources youve found so!
far and what other ones you would like to look for.!
What kind of evidence will your audience expect? How will you accommodate those!
expectations? Who do you anticipate might disagree with you, and why? What evidence will!
they likely point to?!

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September 11: Evidence to the Contrary!

9/11 False Flag!
Terrorstorm!
Loose Change!
Fahrenheit 9/11 !
Inside Job: Unmasking the 9/11 Conspiracies !
The 9/11 Conspiracy: The Scamming of America !
Hijacked Jets Destroy Twin Towers and Hit Pentagon in Day of Terror!
While America Slept: The True Story of 9/11!
9/11 numbers!

- In addition to the resources I have found above, I did a lot of prior research through short video clips of the
actual event, media reported on the day and soon after and the conspiracy theories and debates. Since its a
conspiracy theory, I feel that audience will expect evidence on a surface level. However, there will be hard
statistics that will be found from sources that is unbiased. I feel my research paper may come across as highly
controversial because it is contrary to the popular belief. They will feel like this using their past experience; they
are unwilling and unable to see the truth because they do not want to accept the information that is provided to
them (disbelief that they have been tricked and manipulated) !

5)!
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Fifth section: Share any concerns or questions you have about the project. Where do you!
anticipate running into problems?!

- One of my only concerns and problems is the the controversy my research paper can cause. Knowing victims
of the 9/11 event, it is very hard for them to accept that their very own government would do such a horrible
thing to their own people. Furthermore, it is very hard for the average reader to be able to willingly trust the
information that has been given because it is not coming from a viewpoint of high authority and power. !