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Katheryn Reese

Professor Speiser

Writing 2

13 June 2017

WP1 Revision Sheet

For Writing Project 1, I had some difficulties with repetition of phrases and ideas

throughout my paper. Though some were simple things such as the phrase climate change or

the word extremely, overusing these words can distract the reader from what is trying to be

said, since readers often lose interest when things are repeated multiple times.

Additionally, Professor Speiser suggested also discussing the fact that social trends do

indeed change peoples perception and expectations of certain genres. Nothing ever stays the

same, especially with social media and technology trends, so adding this gives a taste of the other

side of the argument, showing the reader how those that oppose my argument might perceive the

differing genres. I exemplify this at the end of page three and into page four, where I added a

paragraph explaining the varying trends in todays society and how that can affect the legitimacy

of the source. Many people have different opinions that span an entire spectrum, so showing

different viewpoints adds an open-minded tone to the paper that was lacking before. My goal in

writing this is not to shut down other peoples ideas and tell them they are wrong, rather just to

share my stance on this topic backed with evidence.

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Twitter vs. News Articles: The Search for a Credible Source on Climate Change

A growing concern in todays society is changing climate patterns and the protection of

the environment. This has become an even more heated topic after the election of President

Donald Trump and his views on the subject. In a technologically advancing society, online media

is the fastest and most accessible way to be informed of something. Twitter is one readily

available forum where people share ideas and opinions on various topics instantaneously. At the

click of a button, people like Donald Trump can reach millions of people within seconds, and

once the tweet is out there, its out there for good. Another source of information on topics like

this are news articles, such as CNN or the New York Times, which can easily be accessed online

today. Though both are easy ways to obtain information on a variety of topics while having the

ability to impact many people, they have varying levels of credibility based on Twitters

informal nature and the expected heightened formality of news articles, therefore catering to

different audiences.

Social media sites like Twitter and Instagram, though made for everyone, are often

geared toward a younger audience. Not all young people sit down and read news articles

everyday, so places like Twitter are where many younger generations spend a lot of their time.

This outlet for younger generations to express how they feel and learn about whats going on in

the world has advantages and disadvantages. A place like Twitter allows people to connect from

all over the world, something they would not have done otherwise. However, with that comes

different opinions and information presented to these people, often without the evidence needed

to make a solid claim. If a child reads tweets from Donald Trump saying climate change is a

hoax, simple as that, who is to say that child might not start to believe it, since that is the only
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information they are presented with. With the constraint of 140 characters in one tweet, it can

lead to bold statements lacking evidence to try and get the point across faster. Donald Trump

speaks his mind that climate change is not as important as others are making it seem through his

tweets, The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to take U.S.

manufacturing noncompetitive (Twitter, D. Trump). Statements as bold as this catch peoples

eye but none of what he has said is backed with evidence. The credibility of the person

constructing the tweet is usually the only source of reliability one can count on when reading a

tweet rather than the tweet itself.

Because of this dependence on the creator of the tweet, the first place people look to once

they have read a tweet is who sent it, which can make a world of difference. Barbara Boxer,

former Democratic U.S. Senator from California tweeted recently, Earth to Donald Trump: its

not the Environmental Pollution Agency, its the Environmental Protection Agency (Twitter, B.

Boxer). Here is a very strong opinion offered by a credible member of government, but that is all

it is, an opinion. There simply is not enough space to back up claims with evidence, which is

why Twitter relies more on a pathos dependent environment. As time goes on however, people

seem to start trusting information they get from places like Twitter more, partly due to the

growing need for efficiency and immediacy in our technologically dependent society.

Although this is true in most cases, since the rapid advancement of technology in the past

couple decades, some people are starting to get very comfortable with relying on sources like

Twitter or Facebook, since it is more accessible these days. As Twitter grows, more people use it

and become dependent on it, using it as a legitimate source since that is what is most common

nowadays. Though a big portion of credibility relies on the source itself, another part are the
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fluctuating trends during that period of time. If Twitter is in, then people are more likely to use

it frequently, and will rely more heavily on it, depending on its credibility for a lot of

information. But the people referred to that move with the trends are more often than not a

younger audience, leading to a key difference between these two genres; the audience.

News articles often bring a different crowd than found using Twitter. Though there are

exceptions to those that view them, authors of news articles usually have an older targeted

audience. This is typically not the same type of people you find on Twitter, hence why these two

genres are vastly different. Having more than 140 characters to write on a topic as dense as

climate change is much more beneficial when getting all the facts on a certain topic. Discussed in

a CNN article, the latest signing of an executive order puts American jobs above climate change,

The order represents a clear difference between how Trump and former President Barack

Obama view the role the United States plays in combating climate change, and dramatically

alters the governments approach to rising sea levels and temperatures -- two impacts of climate

change (CNN, 3). Cited quotes and information, as well as an unbiased presentation of facts and

stories, are all found in news articles giving people all they need to formulate their opinion and

not feel swayed in one direction.

Sure, Twitter is quick and easy, but there is no way of knowing if you are getting the full

story. In a NASA news article, they have found that February 2017 was the second-warmest

February in 137 years of modern record-keeping... (NASA, 1). Factual evidence does a lot to

the credibility of a source, or genre of sources, and this use of logos often helps people create

their own opinion. The formality that comes with writing a news article brings a level of

professionalism and seriousness along with it, contrary to genres like Twitter and social media.
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Since there is not much of a filtering or editing process to Twitter, this greatly affects the

legitimacy of what is said.

The writing process that goes into each are two extremes and affect the way people see

each genre. For news articles, there are many people that read and edit it before they even think

to release it to the public. Fact checking and editing are huge parts of successful and

well-respected news articles, but are rarely thought of in the world of Twitter. News articles are

often used as sources when backing up a claim with evidence, but you would rarely see a Tweet

used legitimately as a source for a writing piece. If people went around sharing information

about things like science and politics and citing Twitter as their main source, not many people

would take them too seriously. The content of what is discussed directly affects the way it will be

perceived.

Though Twitter and news articles have their glaring differences, they often work together

to provide a successful form of communication for people. The stigma of the unreliability of

Twitter may never fully leave, but things like news articles are there to confirm or deny what can

be found on Twitter. Whether it is a simple as tweeting a picture to show solidarity, or messaging

different people, it provides a window of opportunity to get in touch with all kinds of people.

Because of Twitters informal nature the two genres of different audiences, maintaining the

constant connotation that Twitter is meant for a younger audience. In contrast, news articles,

though also online, still have the reputation for being geared toward an older audience. The two

combined can create a middle-ground for communication, where factually-based evidence works

together with an open forum of discussion. But separately, the credibility of Twitter deters some

people from it. When people in leadership positions tweet things such as, Any and all weather
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events are used by the GLOBAL WARMING HOAXSTERS to justify higher taxes to save our

planet... (Twitter, D. Trump), it can be hard to think there is any credibility in this form of

communication. Though two separate genres that complement different kinds of people as well

as different aspects of life, both Twitter and news articles serve significant purposes in todays

technologically advancing world to both inform the public of important information and keep

people communicating with each other.

Works Cited

Boxer, Barbara. Twitter. Twitter, 06 Apr. 2017. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

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Merica, Dan. "Trump Dramatically Changes US Approach to Climate Change." CNN. Cable

News Network,

29 Mar. 2017. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.

NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies. "February 2017 Was Second-Warmest February

on Record." Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. NASA, 14 Mar. 2017.

Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

Trump, Donald J. Twitter. Twitter, 26 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 Apr. 2017.