Samantha Creasy

12 July 2017

TOPIC PROPOSAL FOR EXTENDED INQUIRY PROJECT (EIP)

1. Introduction/Overview of Topic that interests you - 300 words

I would like to explore what it means to be civilized in a modern world of technology. The
concept of creating a civilized world will incorporate how language is used in a civilized manner
and how civilized communication will be needed in order to continue a livable world. Use of
language from news broadcasters to individual citizens is now important. Anyone can use
technology now to communicate with a wide spread audience. Their opinions and ideas may
inspire conflict that works to harm the balance of civility. Even personal communications are
now open to critique by the public.

The idea of freedom of press and transparency in government, I feel are vital to a healthy
civilization and are relevant to this topic. The actions and resulting communications of political
institutions help to create and maintain our societies. As discussed in the forum about Theuth, a
civilized society relies on learning from its past. Now the past and present have a permanent and
quick impact on our civilization. A societies livability may be in question if we can not maintain
a balance socially and politically as we hide behind screens when communicating and do not
consider the consequences of our language.

Writing on the internet allows individuals to share their ideas and opinions widely and quickly.
This can destroy a civilized society by creating chaos or by distributing false information. The
topic of fake news has become very popular as multiple genres of communication have been
abused by releasing false information to the public. This false information or negative rhetoric
and their effects interest me.
2. Initial Inquiry Question(s) - 100 words (approximately)

How has technology(past and present) changed humanity and how we use language?

Can dialogue be redirected in today's media to have a more positive and less caustic effect on
viewers? Is the rhetoric used by the media inflaming viewers and contributing to strife between
parties or nations?

Is our access to free speech hurting or enhancing our civilized world? What happens when it is
limited?

Does access to free speech make for a more livable world, even if it allows for the disclosure of
negative information or creation of conflict?
3. Your Interest in this Topic - 200 words

Language, writing and then printing had extreme impacts on humanity. The increased efficiency
in which information is produced, stored and distributed has made its largest leap with modern
electronic technology. The general estimate by data scientists is that 90 percent of data that
exists was generated in the last two years. IBM estimates 2.5 exabytes were created daily in
2012(Watson). We have had an explosion of information and ease of communication in the last
century with the introduction of television and personal computers. The media now has a wider
audience due to ease of distribution and also distance of distribution. We no longer are limited to
a physical area in which a newspaper is distributed. The individual also has gained power in the
ability to communicate with a large audience without needing the platform of a newspaper or
television network to do so.

With this fast paced shift in how we communicate, I find that the access to information and the
speed of its distribution to be worthy of investigation. Researching the effects of communication
on our evolving humanity will help create a useful inquiry project on the history of language and
how it has shaped our humanity. Looking into its creation and the addition of writing and
printing will give a way to compare the impact of electronic technology.

4. Next Steps - 200 words

My next steps will include seeking out sources to answer my inquiry questions. Sources will
include online journals, nonfiction books and personal experience. I have already reserved
several hard copies of books related to civilization and humanity at the library. These sources
will be evaluated for their relevance to the topic question. Those worth using will be added and
described in the annotated bibliography.

After adequate sources are found, I will try to synthesize the three questions. The ideas of
humanity, civilized world and how language builds humanity will need to be combined. My
writing method usually starts with an outline from my sources. Then I will work to weave them
together to answer the inquiry questions. The sources will act as evidence that will support my
final work. My inquiry questions may need to be adjusted based on the findings during the
research phase.

After generating a rough draft, I hope to share my writing with a classmate or friend. Sharing the
draft before submission will allow for time for feedback and edits before submission. A tool that
is very useful for me is to talk through my topics and ideas. My mind learns and analyzes
information well when explaining something verbally.

Sources Cited:
Watson Marketing. "10 Key Marketing Trends for 2017." IBM. N.p., 2017. Web. 14 July 2017.