Assignment Instructions/ Description
Due Dates: October 20,2017
3.5 pages not include work cited page
Purpose:
For this essay, you will synthesize ideas from several sources to create an explanatory synthesis essay.
Overview:
Using the sources provided, explain the current conversation about children using iPads or tablets. (1) Discuss how children are using them (provide examples), (2) parents’ concerns about the usage, and (3) what the experts say about the issue. All of this should culminate in your thesis: (4) what are the guidelines for young children and iPad use?
Explanatory Synthesis Essay:
An explanatory synthesis explains a topic in a clear and organized manner in order to help readers understand it. (This is not an essay where you will argue your opinion about the topic or give your personal response.) You will extract information from several sources to aid you in the explanation of your topic. The information that you extract will be incorporated into your essay through summary, paraphrase, or direct quote. You will need to focus your essay around a thesis statement. The guidelines above in the overview will help you focus your essay and your thesis.
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Required Sources:
Hannah Rosin: “The Touch-Screen Generation” (RWACI 397-405)
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/04/the-touch-screen-generation/309250/
Paula Cocozza: “Are iPads and Tablets Bad for Young Children?” (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/08/are-tablet-computers-bad-young-children
Alison Gopnik: “Is ‘Screen Time’ Dangerous For Children?” (The New Yorker)
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/11/28/is-screen-time-dangerous-for-children
Organization:
Follow this organizational plan for your essay: introduction with thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
· Introduction (One paragraph): Your introduction should introduce the idea of the iPad/tablet and its prevalence in modern day homes. Here you will provide a brief background. State your thesis around the idea of iPad usage: what are the guidelines for children?
· Body Paragraphs: (Minimum of three/you will probably have more) Address the following:
o How do children use iPads (provide specific examples)?
o What are the concerns that parents have about iPad usage?
o What do the experts say about usage? Is it safe? Are there guidelines?
· Conclusion (One paragraph): Wrap up your essay by answering “So what?” In other words, what is significant and important about the issues you have raised in your essay? Why bother writing about this topic in the first place? Why does it even matter?
Requirements
· Page length: Minimum of 3 but no more than 4 pages—page count does not
include the works cited.
· Basic Essay Structure: Title, introduction with a thesis, at least three body
paragraphs with topic sentences, and a conclusion.
· Source Integration: You must integrate at least two quotes or paraphrases from
one or more sources in each of your body paragraphs. You can integrate more than one quotation or paraphrase in each of your response paragraphs, but you should avoid having more than six to seven lines of quoting per one full page of typed text. You should also not have more than four lines of quoting per each quote. In other words, no block quotes!
· Point-of-view: You should write this essay completely in third person point-of-view. Do not use first person pronouns (I, me, my, us, we, our, etc.) or second person pronouns (you, your).
· Use proper MLA format and documentation of sources.
· Works cited page.
· Peer Review: You must have a complete draft of your essay and meet all
Requirements, including the works cited page, to receive full credit for the peer review.
· You must submit a paper copy of the essay in class on the due date. You must also submit a copy of the final paper on Blackboard through SafeAssign by the due date above. Any papers not submitted on SafeAssign will earn no more than half credit, which will be a failing grade. Any papers submitted on Blackboard but not in class will have a deduction of 10 points from the final grade for failing to follow the instructions.
· You will use only the required sources to develop and write your essay, so do not do any other outside reading or research to complete this assignment. For example, do not turn to Wikipedia or any other encyclopedia or dictionary to help you define terms and develop concepts. Remember that submitting work with ideas from others is plagiarism. Please see the syllabus and/or come and see me if you have any concerns about plagiarism. Even if you document a source that I did not assign, your essay will fail because I expect you to master and apply the concepts in the sources that I assign, not other sources.
Your essay will be evaluated on:
Ø Formatting: demonstrates mastery of MLA format.
Ø Unity: maintains focused paragraphs without getting off track or repetitive.
Ø Development: elaborates and explains thoroughly through reasoning as well as specific details, examples, and descriptions.
Ø Organization: constructs well-developed, unified, and coherent paragraphs with strong topic sentences and effective transitions.
Ø Reading Comprehension (Coherence): demonstrates a clear understanding of the sources used and a mastery of the ideas presented.
Ø Integration of Sources: incorporates carefully selected passages that support your thesis and are integrated carefully and effectively into the text using the “sandwich” method.
Ø Style and Readability: Uses language with confidence and proficiency. Demonstrates sentence variety. Avoidance of 2nd person (you, your).
Ø Documentation: uses correct in-text citations as needed.
Ø Works Cited Page: includes correctly-formatted page.
Ø Grammar/Mechanics: uses correct grammar and mechanics throughout.
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