Assignment Sheet: Shattered Glass
Minimum length: Four complete pages
Minimum Amount of Sources: Must use at least two sources.
Introduction: Begin the essay with a hook or attention grabber to draw the reader into the essay. Then tell the Stephen Glass story in your own words. You should not summarize any
particular source. Instead, tell the story of Stephen Glass and the controversy at the New Republic in your own words. Do not get bogged down in the details of the movie. Concentrate
on answering the questions readers need answered to understand your essay. Who is Stephen Glass? Where did the story take place (not city, but company)? When did this happen? What
did he do? How did he do it? Why is this important? You may write this without using sources, but any specific details you look up must be cited to the source they came from. The
last sentence in the introduction must be your thesis, which must directly answer the prompt
question, “How did Stephen Glass get away with writing false stories for so long?”
Body Paragraphs: (Must have at least three, but may have more). Each body paragraph should be focused on one specific reason that Stephen Glass got away with writing false stories for so
long. The paragraph must begin with a topic sentence that lays out the specific reason this paragraph will discuss. Then explain the reason in more detail and support it with specific examples, quotes, and paraphrases from sources. Use examples to show that this reason
applies to the Glass story, and use your own analysis to explain why this prevented editors from catching his deceit. Everything in the paragraph must be about this one specific reason.
Any information from sources must have a parenthetical citation showing where it came from.Solution Paragraph: (Must be one of these paragraphs, but can be more). Take one paragraph to offer possible solutions to the reasons you have identified in your body paragraphs. What could editors do differently to prevent this happening again? What policy or legal changes
should be made to prevent writers doing this in the future? Use a topic sentence to establish the overall focus of this paragraph. With each proposed solution, explain how this would have changed the Glass story if it was in place. Any information coming from sources must have parenthetical citations showing where it came from.
Conclusion Paragraph: Use a traditional conclusion paragraph to restate your thesis and topic sentences and then lead the reader out of the essay.
(1) https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1998/09/bissinger199809
(2) http://penenberg.com/story-archive/hack-heaven/
(3) https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelnoer/2014/11/12/read-the-original-forbes-takedown-of-stephen-glass/?sh=1691766a683a
(4) https://pando.com/2014/01/27/no-second-chance-for-stephen-glass-the-long-strange-downfall-of-a-journalistic-wunderkind/
(5) https://newrepublic.com/article/120145/stephen-glass-new-republic-scandal-still-haunts-his-law-career