Our second formal written assignment is going to allow you to choose among 5 different TED talks. You’ll watch the video and then write a paper.

Hopefully you all have been exposed to “Ted Talks.” This is how Ted Talks describes it’s organization:

TED is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 110 languages.

Your paper should be 2 pages. That means a FULL two pages, not 1.5 pages.

Answer the following questions:

1. What’s the title and/or topic of the Ted Talk you chose? How long was it?

2. Who was the speaker in the Ted Talk you chose?

3. What is the speakers’ background, or what makes them qualified to talk on their particular topic?

4. What was the main idea or main argument of the talk?

5. Tell me about at least two ideas that you learned from this talk, and explain why those ideas/points are important.

You don’t need a References page, but you do need a Cover page.

Type your paper in Times New Roman 12 point font, double spaced, 1 inch margins. (APA format)

The assignment is worth 120 points. No late papers will be accepted.

The following are 5 titles and short descriptions of “TedTalks” of which you can choose for your first written assignment. You find these onTED.com (Links to an external site.) or on YouTube.

1. “We need to talk about an injustice…”

Bryan Stevenson, a human rights attorney, talks about injustices in the criminal justice system.

2. “Lessons From Death Row Inmates”

David Dow, a defense attorney and professor of law, talks about his experiences with death row inmates and what he has learned.

3. “A Vision of Crimes in the Future”

Marc Goodman, a future crimes consultant for several governments around the world, gives his insights into what the future of crime may hold.

4. “Global Crime Networks”

Misha Glenny, a journalist who focuses on international organized crime rings, provides us with an in-depth look at organized crime.

5. “The Problem With Eyewitness Testimony”

Scott Fraser, a forensic psychologist who specializes in human memory, discusses eyewitness accountability and accuracy, and the effect of psychological matters and brain recollection on witness accuracy.

TED TALK RUBRIC