The Two-Column Format Divide several

USING YOUR LEARNING STYLE 93_—-“—–m”­ ———–~- ….~..-­

CHAPTER 4 RESPONDING CRITICALLY TO TEXT AND IMAGES fiGURE 4.5 Sample Two·Column Journal Format —-.—~——“-

FIGURE 4.4 Sample Open-Page lournal Format

People are alwayS distracted because they are surrounded

by many choices.

People make choiceS about what is

Who deddes what is polite and what is rude, Where do the

standards come from?

Changes in

~ ~

older generations always complain about a loss of civility

lr’Ia’pr 2:enerdtlons•

What some people view as rude! others see as

normal behavior.

The Two-Column Format Divide several pages of your journal into twO vertical columns. Ifyou journal on a com­ puter, you can insert a table with tWO columns. Label the left side “Quotations” and the right side “Responses.” Under “Quotations,” jot down five ro ten quotations from the text. Choose remarks that seem important-that state an opinion, summarize a view­ point, and SO forrh. In the right column, next to each quotation, write your response to the quotation. You might explain it, disagree with or question it, relate it ro other mation in the teading or in another reading, or tie it to your own experiences. The column format forces you to think actively about an essay while you quesrion what have read and draw connections. Because it provides more structure than the format, students who tend to be pragmatic or concrete learners may find ir effcc

Figure 4.5 followS the two-column format. In rhis emry, the writer has ered several possible ropics-types or degrees of rudeness, the meaning of

economically disadvantaged,” and self_centered behavior. You may find it useful to paraphrase the quotation before writing your r

Paraphrasing forces you ro think about the meaning of the quotation, and ideas writing may come to mind as a result. To use paraphrasing, add a “Paraphrases” umn to your journal berween the “Quorations” column and rhe “Responses”

For “American Jerk’ or another essay, write a response in your

pa;Je ~”‘r the two-column formal.

Use a Reading-RespOnse Worksheet

An easy way to record all of your ideas about a reading in onc place is to use a response worksheet. The worksheet guides your response while directing your A blank worksheet is shown in Figure 4.6 on page 94. Notice that it includes

Responses

This statementimplies that racial jokes and talking on your cell phone are somehow on the same level of rudeness.

There is a distinction b&Vreen ‘poor’ and ‘sodo­ economicatly disadvantaged,’ and it’s an impor­ tant one. ThenrSt term has to do with money, but the second one also has to do with culture and opportunitieS.

seoond is that sunlight contains tiny spores ige in the cerebel1llm, making the infected they are the center afthe univ.rse:

This is a joke, butthe author is saying that every­ one sees themselves as important; this 1S a bad thing; and scl1ools, churches, and parents teach this message to cI1ilrlren to bllild self-esteem.

your first impressions, a summary, connections to your own experiences,

for analysis, and additional sources.

Your Learning Style

are a verbal or social learner, you probably find reading a comfortable and way to obtain information. If you are a spatial !earner, though, you may

images (like those in videos and films) to printed text. Regatdless of style, most of your assignments will be in print form. Therefore, you

learning style in a way that enhances your reading and writing. guidelines fOf active reading and response are tailored to the various

styles:

a spatial learner, create mental pictures of people and places_ For exam’ple, the essay “American Jerk,” on p. 54. you might create a mental im­

behaving rudely. In addition, use graphic organizers and diagrams e ideas in an essay. As you annotate, use symbols to connect the ideas

etween paragraphs (for example, see the symbols listed for the reading-

on p. 34). learnet, discuss a reading assignment with a classmate both before Pr<:view the essay together, sharing ideas about the topic. After discuss your reactions to it. In both instances, use the Guide to Chapter.3 (p.48)and the Guide to Responding to Text in this

to get started. . .­ abstract learner, a creative learner, or both, you may overlook details

focus on the “big ideas” and overall message of a reading. Be sure to points and to concentrate on faCts and supporting details.

Learnl,,!/ Style Optlof>s

..

 

 

~______,_.___v ___14 CHAPTER” i RESPONDING CRITICALLY TO TEXT AND IMAGES

FIGURE 4.6 Sample Reading·Response Worksheet

READlNG·RESPONSE WORKSHEET TITLE: ________•_________________

AUTHOR:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

SUMMARy’ _______________________

CONNECTIONS TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES: ________•_______

ANALYSIS Qssue, aspect, feature, problem) 1. ____

ADOITIONAL SOURCES OR VISUALS (if needed)

1. __

USING YOUR LEARNING STYLE 96

• If you are a concrete learner, a pragmatic learner. or both. you may like to focus on details instead of seeing how ideas fit together and contribute to an author’s overall message. Use graphic organizers to help you create a larger picture. Try to make the essay as “real” as possible; visualize events occurring or the author writ ­ ing. You might visualize yourself interviewing the author, alone or with a panel of classmates .

• Ifyou are an emotional learner, you may focus on your feelings about people or events in the essay and overlook the wayan author uses them to convey an overall message. Keep rllis question in mind: How does the author use these people or events to get his or her message across?

• Ifyou are a rational learner. you may see how logical or dear the presentation of ideas is and overlook more subtle shades ofmeaning. Be sure to annotate, which will draw OUt your personal reactions to a piece ofwriting.

I Essay in Progress 4

Discuss “American Jerk” with a classmate. Make notes as you discuss. If you chose an. … other essay, pair up with a classmate who also chose that essay, or ask your classmate

to read the essay you have chosen.

in Progress 5

two- to four·page paper in response to “American Jerk’ or the essay you en. Use the following steps to shape the ideas you generated in Essays in 1 to 4:

Reread the writing you did in response to the reading. look for ideas that seem worthwhile and important enough to become the basis of your essay.

Look for related ideas. Try to find ideas that fit together to produce a viewpoint or position toward the reading.

Do no! attempt to cover all your ideas. Your essay should no! analyze every aspect of the essay. Instead, you should focus on one feature or aspect.

a sentence that states your central point. This sentence will become your For more on tnesis 5tatement.~, seestatement. It should state what your essay will assert or explain. Chapter 6 For more on organizmg

ideas and evidence from the reading to support your thesis. Your thesis your idea;, see Chapter 7. To help backed up by specifics in the reading. you revL~eyour essay, 51?€’ Chapter

‘Our ideas into essay form. Your paper should have a title, introduction, conclusion.

‘ur essay. Be sure that you have explained your ideas clearly and have support from the reading for each one,

for accuracy and correctness. Use the Suggestions for Proofreading in 10 (pp. 221-22).

 

 

96 CHAPTt:R 4 RESPONDING CRITICALLY TO TEXT AND IMAGES .. ~__ ~ _ ,_ c_,_________~ ._-“”••

I

Introduction: Identifies the artide Vaccaro is responding to

How to Approach the Student Essays in This Book

Use the following suggestions when reading student essays:

Read an essay several times. During your first reading, concentrate on the writer’s message. Then read the essay again as times as necessary to analyze its writing features. For example, first notice how w·:·· r <unnorred the thesis statement,

and then look at the language used to create a • Read with a pen or marker in hand. As you

emphasized in the chapter, mark or annorate them . • Focus on characteristics. Each in Part 3 presents the characteristiCS of a

particular method of organization. how the student essay demonstrates

some or all of that method’s characteristics . • Focus on techniques. Each chapter in Part 3 ofTers specific techniques and

gestions for writing a particular type of essay. Review these techniques and

how the writer applied them. • Focus on what is new and different. Ask yourself the following questions as you read:

What is the writer doing that you haven’t seen before? What carches your attention? What works particularly well? What techniques might be fun to try? What techniques would be challenging to For if a writer begins his or her with a

consider you could use a mikinl! statistic to your essay.

• Use student essays to train your critical ably good models, they are not Look ror ways Once you can see ways to improve someone else’s essay, you

to analyze and improve your own writing . • Use graphic organizers to grasp tbe essay’s structUfe. In Part 3, a or­

ganizer is presented for each method of organization. Compare the essay to the

graphic organizer, noticing how the essay contains each element.

Students Write

Karen Vaccaro wrote the following rice how Vaccaro analyzes Schwartz’s

in response to “American Jerk.” As you read, no­ about civility and the lack of it in our society.

“American Jerk”? How Rude! (but True)

In his article ‘American Jerk: Todd Schwartz claims that Americans today are both the most

and the least civil we have ever been. Although the painful truth in these observations is a bit hard

to take, Schwartz eases the reality by providing a great deal of humorous relief.

In her thesis statement Vaccaro states how her Ideas dilfurrioli!~~·

is an apt one, and most of hj~Qbservll\jbnS aboOt”oUr clfrrentcultUII! are accul1lt.e, !)ut some obselVations and accusationsar~ blOad generalizations that don’t always hold true.

“Wl! ha~….,.ef Deen,rru;u:e cooc.emJ;9 ~~out..th~ fe:lings of minority groupS, the disabled, and the disadvantaged: Schwartz writes in paragraph 3, and he is right:We have beto/ll~ a culture obsessed with being PC (politically correct). 1 often carefully choose and often second,

guess the words I us~ to describe anyone of a different race or physical or mental ability, for Vaccaro agrees with SchwartL.

STUDt:NTS WRITE 97

fear of offending anyone. And yet many people I encounter seem hardly concerned about of­

fending me. Schwartz is right that “we have never been less concerned about the feelings of

anyone with whom we share the road, the Internet, or the movie theater” (para. 3). Cyclists

seem to have taken over city streets and even shout insults at me when I am walking in a cross·

walk (and they are breaking the law by ignoring a red light). Despite many methods used to dis­

courage theater goers from using their cell phones, cell phones ring during films, concerts, and

plays. In fact, last week I was at a live theater performance, and in the middle of an important

scene, a cell phone rang in the audience ­ twice.

In another example of how (overly) civil we’ve become, Schwartz writes, “Schools won’t let 3

teachers use red pens to correct papers because •.. self-esteem might be bruised” (para. 4).

This reminded me of the teaching internship I did while studying abroad in China one semes­

ter, I taught an English writing course to Chinese high school students. One day I was marking

up the students’ papers with a red pen (as I thought teachers were supposed to do). Another

American teacher said, HI thought teachers weren’t supposed to mark students’ papers with red

pens anymore,” I asked if red was offensive to Chinese students. “No,” she answered. “Some of

my teachers back home in America said it’s because red is a harsh color that really stands out

from the black and white,” ‘Well, yes, r thought that was the point,” I said. “But it can make some students feel bad,” she responded. “That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard: I said as

I went back to marking my students’ papers with the red pen. Have we become so “civil” that

we’re afraid to teach students? Don’t young men and women come to class expecting to learn

something. knowing that at some point they will need to be corrected to see their mistakes so

there are the less civil aspects of our culture, as Schwartz so accurately points out. We

have become obsessed with reality television shows that often take adva ntage of the

and embarrassment of others, In addition, “giant assault vehicles” (para. 7) dwarf other

the road, guzzle gas, often take up more than one parking space, and seem unnecessary on

gadgets that we ignore real human-to-human interactions. ‘We’re all talking

all the time: Schwartz writes, “but it’s ever more rarely to the people we are actually

8). I have noticed that my boyfriend often whips out his new iPhone. Even when we’re

talking, catching up after days of not seeing one another. he’s playing a new game,

a new app, or chatting with his friends. I myself can be guilty of this rude behavior.

I am spending time with one mend but will be texting another friend. I know it’s rude,

anyway (usually because the friend I’m with is doing the same thing and therefore it

We no longer realize how rude it is to divide our attention between two sources in­

OIlY 1l1eli<l or loved aneotfr fUTI, UriilMffiltf .mentfon.

I must disagree with Schwartz, though. is his sweeping, unfounded statement that we

in “what must certainly be the rudest era in history” (para. 5). Really? Are we ruder

Vaccaro offers examples of lack of concern.

Vaccaro connects Schwartz’s Ideas to her

Vaccaro identifies another of Schwartz’s points that she .grees with and admits that she Is guilty of it as well.

Vaccaro mOVes to’ points with which she disagrees.

 

 

l

PREWfUTlNO: HOW TO FIND AND FOCUS IDEAS 118 CHAPTER 5 ——-~'”—–.-.—.

to Chapters 21 and 23,

teaming SIyfe Options

Exercise 5.11 Visualize ane nf the followi”” ,iludljom. Make notes on or sketch what you ”see.” Include as

manydetaib

1. A traffic jam 2. A couple obviously “in love’

3. A class you recently attended

4. The campus snack bar

5. A sporting event

Researching Your Topic Do some research on your topic in the library or on the Inremet. Reading

about your topic may suggest new approaches, rcveal issues ,4″rPTmine what you do and do not already know about

useful for an assigned essay with an unfamiliat

want to learn more about. notes wnHe teading sources. In addirion, be sure to record the publication

will need to cite each source (author, tirle, page

on). If you use ideas or information from sources in to the sources of the borrowed material. While research may to concrete or rarionallearners, all students may need to use it at one time or

depending on their topic.

Exercise 5.12 Do library or Internet research to generate ideas on one ofthe narrowed topics listed

here. 1. A recent local disaster (hurricane, flood)

2. Buying clothing on e·Bay 3. Preventing terrorism In public buildings 4. Controlling children’S access to television programs

5. Reducing the federal deficit

Exercise 6..4-3·

Choose twO prewriting techniques discussed in this chapter that appeal to you. with each method by generating ideas about one ofthe topics from the previous exercises the chapter. These topics are listed in Titble 5.3. Use a different topic for each prewritlNg

technique you choose.

DISCOVERING IDEAS TO WRITE ABOUT 119

Essay in Progress 3 Keeping your audience and purpose in mind. use one of the prewriting strategies discussed in this chapter to generate details about the topic you narrowed in Essay in Progress 2.

TABLE 5.3 Broad Topics from Chapter 5 Exercises

Divorce Senior citizens Metl1:alltln~ss Vear’rou~dschQonl\g Cont!Ompg~hlldte!,:s ac.c.·e..s.5..t~0._te._l_ev_is.I._o_nc_•.”-… “…_._•..• Pres);uresoncQllege students The caOlpu5 newspaper Learning a foreign language Financial aid regulations Characteristics of a good teacher Attempts to encourage healthier eating on campus Aclass you recentlvattended T~

(continued on next:page)

 

 

i

NARRATION’ RECOUNTING EVENTS 240 CHAPTER 11

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT

The following guide will lead you through the process of writing a narrative essay. Although your essay will be primarily a narrative, you may choose (0 use one or more other patterns of development as well. Depending on your learning style, you might

I..ef1rning Style Options decide to start at various pOlms and move back and forth within the process. If you are a spatial learner, for example, you might begin by visualizing and sketching the details of your narrative. Ifyou are a social learner, you might prefer to start out by evaluating

your audience.

The Write a narrative essay about an experience in your life that had a significant effect on you or that changed your views in some important way. Choose your own topic or use

one from the list below:

1. An experience that caused you to learn something about yourself 2. An incident that reveaJed the true character of someone you knew 3. An experience that helped you discover a principle to live by 4. An experience that explains the personal significance of a particular object 5. An incident that has become a family legend, perhaps one that reveals the charaaer

of a family member or illustrates a dash of generarions or cultures 6. An incident that has allowed you to develop an appreciation or awareness ofyour

eth nie identity

The. readers of your campus newspaper are your audience. Ai; you develop your narrative essay, be sure to consider using one or more of the

For more on df!su’iptIOll GIld other patterns of development. You might use description to present details about a family member’s appearance, for example, or comparison and contrast to compare

Chapters 72 (1m) 15. your attitudes or ideas with those of a parent or child.

Generating Ideas Use the following steps to help you choose a topic and generate ideas about the experience

or incident you decide to write about.

Choosing an Experience or Incident That Leads to a Working ThesiS Be sure that the experience you write abollt is memorable and vivid and that you are comfortable writing about it. When a draft is nearly complete, no student wants discover that he or she cannot remember important details about the experience

that ifddts nOt fulfill: the r~.::nts ofthe assignm!,nt._ The following suggestions will help you choose an experience:

6. 1. You can probably eliminate one or more broad topic choices right away. List that remain across the tOP of a piece of paper or on your computer screen-for

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT 241

example, Learn about Self, A Principle to Live By, and Family Legend. Then brain­ storm about significant experiences or incidents in your life, and write each one beneath the appropriate heading.

2. Brainstorm with another srudent, disalssing and describing experiences or incidents that fit one or more of the suggested topics.

3. Flip through a f.:uniIy photo album, or page through a scrapbook, diary, or yearbook. Your search will remind you ofpeople and events from the past.

4. Work backwards. Think of a principle you live by, an object you value, or a family legend. How did it become so?

5. Using freewriting or another prewriting technique, write down any experiences or incidents that come to mind. The memory ofone incident will trigger memories of other incidents. Then sort your list to see if any of these experiences or inci­

dents fulfill the assignment.

fl<periment and use whatever suggestions prove helpful to you. After you have chosen one, make sure that you can develop it by formulating a working thesis.

Ei’.$ay in Progress 1 For the assignment given on page 240, use one or more of the preceding suggestions to choose an experience or incident to write about, and formulate a working thesis for

your choice.

.Considering Your Purpose, Audience, and Point of View

you have chosen an experience or incident co write about, the next step is consider your purpose, audience, and point of view. Recall from Chapter 5 that

essays have one of three possible purposes-to inform, to express thoughts or or to persuade. Thinking about your audience may help you clarify your and decide what to include in your essay. For this Guided Writing Assign-

your audience consists of readers of your campus newspaper. You should also on a point of view. In most cases, you will use the first person to rclate a

experience.

Details about the Experience or Incident step involves recollecting as many details about the experience or incident as

and recording cllem on paper or in a computer file. Reenact the story, sketching r scenes in your mind. Identify key actions, describe key participants, and ur feelings. Here are a few ways to generate ideas:

the experience or incident in your mind. Ifyou have a strong visual mem­ dose your eyes and imagine the incident or experience taking place. Jot down

see, hear, smell, and feel-colors, dialogue, sounds, odors, and senSa­

how ~se detaihrnakeY911 feel, .. the following headings on a piece of paper, or type them on your computer Scene, Key Actions, Key Participants, Key Lines ofDiahgue, and Feelings.

list ideas under each heading.

Learning Style Options ‘Ill Ii

For more on prcwritil1g sUategiE’5,

5€e Chapter 5

ror more on purpo .. e, a!ldief’lce,

and pomt ofVII:\¥, sec Chapter $,

Pp. /06-9.

Leoming Style Option’

 

 

242 CHAPTER 11

ror more on :sensory details, see ChIJpter 12, pp. 270·71.

NARRATION: RECOUNTING EVENTS

3. Describe the incident or to a friend. Have your friend ask YOll questions as you retell the story. Jor the details rhat the tetelling and questioning help

you tecall. 4. Consider different aspects of the incident or experience by asking who, what,

when, where, how, and why questions. Record your answers.

In addition, as you gather details for your narrative, be sure to include the types of details that are eSsenrial to an effective narrative:

• Scene: Choose relevant sensory details. Include enough detail about the place where the experience occurred to allow YOUt readers to feel as if they ate there. Details that appeal to the senses work best. Also try to recall important detail, that direct your readers’ attention to the main points of the narrative, and avoid if£ei­

evant details that distract readers from the main point. • Key actions: Choose actions that create tension, build it to a climax, and

resolve it. Be sure to “,ather details about the conflict of vour narrative. Answer

the

events How was it

experience or incident occur?

What were its short- and long-term outcomes?

What is its significance now? Key participants: Concentrate only on the appearance and actions of those people who were directly involved. People who were present but not part of the incident or experience need not be described in detail or perhaps even included.

• Key /ines ofdialogue: Include dialogue that is interesting, revealing, and related to the main point of the story. To make sure the dialogue sounds natural,

read the lines aloud, or ask a friend to do so. • Feelings: Record your feelings before, during, and after the experience Or incident.

Did you reveal your feelings then? If so, how? How did others react to you? How do you feel abour the experience or incident now? What have you learned from it?

P,’o~res:?:

For the experience or incident you chose in Essay in Progress 1 (p. 241), use one or

more of the preceding suggestions to generate details.

Evaluating Your Ideas

Evaluate the ideas yOll have about your narrative. You want to make sure ~’Oll have enough detalls to incident vividly and meaningfully.

Begin by rereading everything YOll have written with a critical eye. As you do, add dialog…” de,,;uiptu.u.s ..o£.actions,.Qr details as they corne ro mind. the most relevant material, and cross out any material th,;:t does noi”clirect1y your main point. Some students find it helpflll to read their notes aloud. If yOIl are working on a computer, highlight usable ideas by making them bold or moving them

to a separate page or document for easy access when drafting.

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT 243

Trying Out Your Ideas On Others

When you are satisfied with the details you have generated about your incident or experience, you are ready to discuss your ideas with others. Working in a group of two or three students, each student should narrate his or her experience and state the main point of the narrative. Then work together to answer the following questions about the narrative.

1. What more do you need to know about the experience or incident?

2. What is your reaction to the story?

3. How do the events of the narrative support or not support the main point?

Essay in Progress 3

Gather your prewriting and any comments you have received from your classmates or instructor, and evaluate the details you have developed so far. Based on your findings, generate additional details. Highlight the most useful details, and omit those that do not support the main point.

Developing Your Thesis

Your thesis should make dear the main point of your narrative. YOII should already have a working thesis in mind. Now is the time to foclls it. For example, a student who brainstormed a list of ideas and decided to write about her fumily’s antique silver plat­

the following focused thesis statement for her narrative.

The silver serving platter, originally owned by my great-grandmother, became our most priled mmily heirloom afrer a robbery terrorized ollr mmily.

that the thesis identifies the object, introduces the experience that made the valuable family possession, and expresses the main point of the . ltement may be placed at the beginning of a narrative essay. In

Face” (I)P. 229-30), for example, the thesis appears near the beginning be

in Progress 4

Develop a thesis statement for the narrative you worked on in Essays in Progress 1 to 3. sure the thesis expresses the main point of the incident or experience you have cho·

to write about.

you havt atl’iesis,yoU tf\ay netii’t6″ d{l some addlti6tl’atl’rewntihg t6 Collect for the thesis, including dialogue, action, and details. YOllr prewriting at this

may involve elaborating on some of the details you’ve already collected. Be sure events and details (COntribute to the tension or Sllspense of the narrative.

For more OT”J the5i5 stuternenb, see

Chapter 6, pp.12S-28.

See Chapter 6, w’128-3Udi’ .. , . more on 5upporti”q a thesis with eVIdence.

 

 

s

lave the op. tS computer t.

technique

:hat you

jily observe. you work

gnment

the wtiter’s ,nt inform,· :onvey their CIS on giving “.rinen for a m readers of lCteristics of

:er’s purpose S only what )servalion or ~scription of to the expe­ ‘and the ex­ also include :0 helo read-

f view, think mates. How the

unt

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT 281

Choosing an Aspect of Your Subject to Emphasize Almost any subject you choose will be made up of many more details than you could pOSSibly include in an essay. Start by selecting several possible slants, or angles on your J()4-6 subject that you would like to emphasize. If your subject is a person, you might focus on a particular character trait, such as compulsiveness or sense of humor, and then generate a list of descriptive details that illustrate the trait. To describe an object, you might emphasize its usefulness, value, or beauty. Choose the one slant that seems most promising and for which you generated plenty of sensory details.

ES1’2W in Progress 2 Using one or more prewriting techniques, come up with several possible slants on your subject and details to support them. Then choose the slant about which you can write the most effective description.

Collecting Details That Describe Your Subject

Once you’ve decided on a slant to emphasize, you’re ready for the next step-collecting and recording addirional sensory details. The following suggestions will help you gener· ate derails:

1. Brainstorm about your subject. Record any sensory details that support the slant /.earning Style Options you have chosen.

2. Try describing your subject to a friend, concentrating on the slant you have For more on gcnerotmy detail”, chosen. You may discover that details come quickly during conversation. Make notes on what you said and on your friend’s response.

3. Draw a quick sketch ofyour subject and label the parts. You may find yourself additional details as you draw.

4. Divide a piece of paper or a computer file into live sections. Label the sections sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. Consider the following characteristics in developing sensory derails.

TABL.E 12.1 Characteristics to Consider In Developing Sensory Details

Sight Sound Smell Taste Touch

-Color Volume Agreeable! Pleasant! Texture disagreeable unpleasant

Pattern Pitch Strength Salty, sweet, Weight sour, bitter

Quality Temperature

 

 

282 CHAPTER 12 DESCRIPTION: PORTRAYING PEOPI.E, PLACES, AND THINGS

Finding Comparisons and Choosing a Vantage Point

Try to think of appropriate comparisons-similes, metaphors, or analogies-for as many details in your list as possible. JOt down your comparisons in the margin next to the televant details in your list. Don’t expect to find a comparison for each detail. Your goal is to discover one or twO strong comparisons that you can use in your essay.

Next consider whethet to use a fixed or moving vantage point. Ask yourself tbe following questions:

1. What vantage point(s) will provide the most useful information? 2. From which Vantage point(s) can I provide rhe most revealing or striking details?

Use one or more of the preceding suggestions to develop details that support the as­

pect of your subject that you are emphasizing. Then find comparisons and decide On a

vantage point

Evaluating Your Details

Evaluate the details you have collected to determine which ones you can use in your essay. Begin by rereading all of your nOtes with a critical eye. Highlight vivid, conetei!! details that will create pictures in your reader’s mind. Eliminate vague details as well as those that do nOt support your slant on the subject. If you ate working on a highlight usable ideas by making them bold or moving them to a separate page document for easy access when drafting.

Trying Out Your Ideas on Others

Working in a group of two or three students, discuss your ideas and details for this

chapter’s assignment. Each writer should explain his or her slant on the subject and

provide a list of the details collected for the subject. Then, as a group, evaluate the

writer’s details and suggest improvements.

Essay in Progre.ss 4 Use your notes and the comments of your classmates to evaluate the details you haw)

collected so far. Omit irrelevant and vague details, and add more vivid and concrete

tails if they are needed.

Creating a Dominant Impression

As noted earlier, think of the dominant impression as a thesis that conveys your point and holds the rest of your essay together. The dominant impression also a mood or feeling about the subject, which all other details in your essay support. The dominant impression you decide On should be the one about feel most knowledgeable and confident. It should also appeal to your audience, an unusual perspective, and provide new insights on your subject.

 

 

Attitudes toward Work 80th ‘Selling in Minnesota’ (Chapter 11, pp. 254-56) and “Defining a Doctor, with a Tear, a Shrug, and a Schedule’ (pp. 403-5) explore attitudes toward work.

Analyzing the Readings

1. What different attitudes toward wor\( do the readings present? 2. Watch a television program, and then write a joumal entry analyzing the attitudes

toward wor\( that the characters exhibit. How closely do the characters’ attitudes match the attitudes presented in either reading?

ESs8yfdea Write an essay explaining your attitude toward wor\( and comparing or contrasting it to the attitude presented in either of the readings.

403

I had two interns to supervise that month, and the minute they sat down for our first meeting, I sensed how the month would unfold.

The man’s white coat was immaculate, its pockets empty save for a sleek Palm Pilot 2 that contained his list of patients. The woman used a large loose·leaf notebook in. stead, every dog·eared page full of lists of things to do and check, consultants to caU. questions to ask. Her pockets were stuffed. and whenever she sat down, little hand­ books of drug doses, wadded phone messages, pens, high lighters. and tourniquets spilled onto the floor.

The man worked the hours legally mandated by the s.tat~. nota minlJtem()J:e,<IIId il N~!lUmerlll\e!rtdi\Slderably tess. He was seldom i~ the hospital before 8 in the morning

and left by 5 unless he was on call. He ate a leisurely lunch every day and was never late for rounds. The woman got to the hospital around dawn and was on the move for the rest of the day. Sometimes she went home when she was supposed to, but some. times, jf one of her patients was particularly sick. she would sign out to the covering

402 CHAPTER 15 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

4. Explain how boys and girls play differently, according to Goleman. 5. Explain the meaning ofeach of the following words as it is used in the reading:

epitomizes (para. I), articulating (4), ostracism (5), vendettas (5), disparity (6), and empathic (7).

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

]. What is Goleman’s thesis? 2. IdentifY the purpose of the essay, and list the points of comparison. 3. For each point ofcomparison, evaluate the evidence Goleman offers to substanti­

ate his findings. Do you find the evidence sufficient and convincing? Why or why not? What other information might the writer have included?

4. What types of detail~ does Goleman provide to explain each point of comparison? 5. Do you think Goleman maintains an objective stance on the issue, despite his gen­

der? Explain your answer.

Thinking Critically about Text and Visuals

1. Discuss the type of organization used by the author (poinr-by-point, subject-by­ subject, or mixed). Does the organization seem to affect the author’s fairness? Do you detect any bias? If so, explain.

2. How does the use of quotations around the word “unreasonable” (para. 1) affect its connotation?

3. How does the real-life example in patagraph 1 affect the essay and particularly its tone?

4. Do you consider the essay to be primarily mct, opinion, or informed opinion? Jus­ tifY your answer.

5. What key ideas from the essay do the photographs on p. 399 illustrate?

(~O?~NECTIONS)

_______________.__ ._._______ ~B~!~~_’! DEFINING A

Reacting to the Reading

I, Do you think any of Goleman’s generalizations about men and women are inac­ curare and, if so, which one(s)? Discuss the evidence, ifany, that would prove Goleman wrong.

2. In your journal, describe a situation from your experience that either confirms or contradicts one of Goleman’s generali7.adons.

3. Make a list of the emotional differences and resulting behavioral conflicts berween men and women that you have observed. Decide which differences are explained by Goleman. Write an essay reporting your findings.

4. Write an essay contrasting the emotional behaviors of a couple you know.

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST COMBINED WITH OTHER PATTERNS

In the following reading, notice how Abigail Zuger uses comparison and contrast to explain a change that is occurring in the training of doctors and in expectations for medical students’ behavior.

Defining a Doctor, with a Tear, a Shrug, and a Schedule Abigail Zuger

Abigail Zuger is associate professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Phy­ sicians and Surgeons and senior attending phYSician at 51. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, both in New York City. She has been caring for HIV·infected patients in the New Yor\( area since 1981. and her experiences working in the early years of the AIDS epidemic led her to write Strong Shadows: Scenes {rom an Inner CityAIDS Clink (1995). Zuger is an associate editor of Journal Watch, an online medical digest, and frequently writes on medical subjects for a vari­ ety of publications. This essay was published in the New York Times in 2004.

 

 

404 CHAPTER HI COMPARISON AND CONTRAST —‘~–~–“”””””'”-~-‘-‘

intern and keep working, often talking to patients’ relatives tong into the night. “I am

now breaking the law,” she would announce cheerfully to no one in particular, then

trot off to do just a few final chores.

The man had a strict definition of what it meant to be a doctor. He did not, for instance, 4

“do nurses’ work” (his phrase). When one of his patients needed a specimen sent to the

lab and the nurse didn’t get around to it, neither did he. No matter how important the job

was, no matter how hard I pressed him, he never gave In. If I spoke sternly to him, he would

turn around and speak just as sternly to the nurse. The woman did everyone’s work. She

would weigh her patients if necessary (nurses’ work), feed them (aides’ work), find salt·

free pickles for them (dietitians’ work), and wheel them to X-ray (transporters’ work).

The man was cheerful, serene, and well rested. The woman was overtired. hyper·

emotional, and constantly late. The man was interested in his patients, but they never

kept him up at night. The woman occasionally called the hospital from home to check

on hers. The man played tennis on his days off. The woman read medical articles. At

least. she read the beginnings; she tended to fall asleep halfway through.

I felt as if I was in a medieval morality play’ that month, living with two costumed

symbols of opposing philosophies in medical education. The woman was working the

way interns used to: total immersion seasoned with exhaustion and adrenaline. As far

as she was concerned. her patients were her exclusive responsibility. The man was an

intern of the new millennium. His hours and duties were delimited; he saw himself as

part of a health-care team. and his patients’ welfare as a shared responsibility.

This new model of medical internship got some important validation in the New England Journal ofMedicine last week, when Harvard researchers reported the effects of reducing interns’ work hours to 60 per week from 80 (now the mandated national

maximum). The shorter workweek required a larger staff of interns to spell one another

at more frequent intervals. With shorter hours. the interns got more sleep at’home,

dozed off less at work. and made considerably fewer bad mistakes in patient care.

Why should such an obvious finding need an elaborate controlled study to estab·

lish? Why should it generate not only two long articles in the world’s most prestigious

medical journal but also three long. passionate editorials? Because the issue here is bigger than just scheduling and manpower.

The progressive shortening of residents’ work hours spells nothing less than a 9

change in the ethos of medicine itself. It meanslhe end of Dr. Kildare, Superstar-that

lone. heroic healer, omniscient. omnipotent. and ever-present. It means a revolution

in the complex medical hierarchy that sustained him. Willy-nilly. medicine is becoming democratized. a learn sport.

We can only hope the revolution will be bloodless. Everything will have to change. 10

Doctors will have to learn to work well with others. They will have to learn to write and speak with enough clarity and precision so thatthe patient’s story remains accurate as

care passes from hand to hand. They will have to stop saying “my patient” and begin to say ·our patient” instead.

l morafity play: a type of play performed in the Middle Ages in which chara<-ters represent abstractions ~,__”‘,”,i””._”_”_·lIMur/!ll!faIi6wrolIS.

DEFINING A –

It may be, when the dust settles. that the system will be more functional, less error· 11 prone_It may be that we will simply have substituted one set of problems for another.

We may even find that nothing much has changed. Even in the Harvard data, there was

an impressive range in the hours that Ihe interns under study worked. Some logged in

over 90 hours in their 80·hour workweek. Some put in 75 instead. Medicine has always

attracted a wide spectrum of individuals. from the lazy and disaffected to the deeply

committed. Even draconian scheduling policies may not change basic personality traits or the kind of doctors that interns grow up to be.

My month with the intern of the past and the intern of the future certainly argues 12 for the power of the individual work ethic. Try as I might, it was not within my power

to modify the way either of them functioned. The woman cared too much. The man

cared too little. She worked too hard, and he could nol be prodded into working hard enough. They both made careless mistakes. When patients died, the man shrugged

and the woman cried. If for no other reason than that one, let us hope that the medi­ cine of the future still has room for people like her.

Examining the Reading

1. How do the two interns differ in their approach to medicine? 2. What different philosophies of medicine do the two interns represent? 3. Describe the working conditions of interns. 4. What do we learn about the author and her philosophy of medical practice? 5. Explain the meaning of each of the fOllowing words as it is used in rhe readinl(: de­

limited (para. 6), ethos (9), omniscient (9), omnipotent (9), and draconian (II).

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

1. Highlight Zuger’s thesis and evaluate its placement. 2. Identify the points of comparison on which the essay is based. 3. What other patterns of development does the authot use? Give one example and

explain how it contributes to rhe essay. 4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the point-by-point organization. How would the

essay differ if it had been writren using a subject·by-subject organization? 5. Evaluate the essay’s conclusion. How does it reflect the thesis and organization of

the essay?

Visualizing the Reading

Analyze Zuger’s use of point-by-point organization first identifying the different points of comparison in her essay in rhe bo)(on page T\leJir~l Q.!1~lw.b~~ ” “”J1lU;l\<tct lidditional’ roWS to ihebox as needed.

DOCTOR 405 ‘””‘—–­

 

 

420 CHAPTER 16

10 draw detailed graphic

organizers using a computer,

yisit www.bedjordstmClrttns com!5uc;;.(:ss!u!Lo!lege.

CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION

Exercise 16.3

Draw a graphic organizerfor Secret Lift on the MeJob: Fast Food Managers” (pp. 4] ]-13). Note that because this excerptfrom a book, it does not include a conclusion.

Integrating Classification or Division into an Essay

Classification or division is often used along with one or more other patterns of devel­ opment. For example, an essay thar argues for stricter gun control may categorize guns in terms of their firepower, use, or availability. A narrative about a writer’s frustrat­ ing experiences in a crowded international airport terminal may describe the different parts or areas of the airport.

Use the following tips to incorporate classification or division into an essay based on another pattern of development:

1. Avoid focusing on why the classification or division is meaningful. \I:’11en used as a secondary pattern, its significance should be clear from the context in which the classification or division is presented.

2. State the principle of classification. Do so briefly but make sure it is clear to your readers.

3. Name the categories or parts. In the sentence that introduces the classification or division, name the categories or parts to focus your readers’ attention on the expla­ nation that follows.

In “The Dog Ate My Flash Drive, and Other Tales of Woe” on page 433, Carolyn Foster Segal uses classification along with other patterns of development to develop her thesis about student excuses.

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT

The following guide wjJIlead you through the process of writing a classification or division essay. Note that you may need to integrate one or more other patterns ofde­ velopment in your essay to develop your thesis or make a point. Depending on ynur learning style, you may choose various ways of generating and organizing ideas.

3. Iypes of movies 4. Types of classmates 5. Iypes of shoppers 6. Types of television dramas

Division

1. Your family 2. A machine or a piece of equipment 3. An organization 4. A sports team or an extracurricular club

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT 421

5. A public place (building, stadium, department store, or theme park)

Depending on the topic you select, you may need to use Internet or library SOutces to develop and support your ideas about it. You may also need to narrow the topic.

As you develop your classification or division essay, consider using one or more other patterns of development. For example, in a classification essay, you might compare and contrast types of spores fans or give examples of types of movies. In a division essay, you might describe the parts of a theme park or another public

There are two primary methods for generating ideas and for classifYing or dividing those ideas. With method I, you first generate details and then group the details into categories or parts. With method 2, you fitst generate categories or parts and then generate details that support them. Here is how both methods apply to classification

Method 1: First think ofdetails that describe the group. Then use the details to categorize

Method 2: First identify categories. Then think ofderails that describe e<idl category.

For mote on des.uiption,

iilus/raUon, and comparison and contras.t see Chapters 13. and 15,

6. Your college

Your audience consists of readers ofyour local newspaper.

place.

Generating Ideas

essays and division essays:

Classification

group members.

Division

Method]: Brainstorm details about your topic and then group the details into parts or The Assignment

Write a c1a5sification or division essay on a topic ofyour own choosing or on a topic in qn~of thl; fo.!l9~yil).& lim;

Classification

1. Types of pets 2, Types of sports fans

sections.

Method 2: Think about how your topic can be divided into easy-to-understandJ:::C~””.! u~u th.ink<>f”,”…..lstMt daaibe-md! pm:­ … ..

Method 1 is effective when you approach the classification or division from part to whole-identifYing details and then grouping the details. Depending on your learn­

and your topic, it may be easier to start by c(eating caregories or pans and in details about each one. In this case, use method 2.

 

 

I r

422 CHAPTER 16

For mOfe on purpo:.r:, audience.

pp.

Fo! more on prewritmg stratpgre.s, :ice Chapter 5, pp.

F-or mure on observation see

Chapter 22, pp. 617-18.

Learning Style Options

(eSJ:orch. ~!?9 Chrpi.~ [), 597-606

CLASSIFICATION AND DIVISION

Considering Your Purpose, Audience, and Point of View

Your principle of classification or division, your categories or parts, and your details must all fit your purpose and audience. If your purpose is to inform novice computet users about the components of a personal computer (PC), your parts and details must be straightforward and nontechnical. However, if your purpose is to persuade com­ puter technicians to purchase a particular kind of PC, your pam and details would be more technical For this Guided Writing Assignment, your audience consists of readers ofyour local newspaper.

As vou work on your classification or division essay, ask yourself the following

• Is my principle of classification or division appropriate for my purpose and audience?

• Do my categories or parts and my details advance the purpose of the essay? • Will my readers understand the categories or parts? • What point of view will best suit my purpose and audience·-first. second, or

third person? The first person (1, we) or second person (you) may be appropriate in informal writing ifyou or your audience have personal knowledge of or experi­ ence wirh the topic you are classifYing or dividing. The third person (he. she, ir, they) is appropriate in more formal writing or for topics less familiar to you ot your audience.

Generating Details and Grouping Them into Categories or Parts

Work through the following tasks in whatever order suits your topic and your style. using either method 1 or method 2 (p. 421).

Generating detAils. For each category or part, you need to supply specific details that will make it clear and understandable to your readers. As you work on your essay, then. write down examples, situations, or sensory details that illustrate each category or part. Use one or more of the following strategies:

1. Visit a place where you can observe your topic or the people associated with it. For example, to generate details about pets, visit a pet store or an animal shelter. Make notes on what you see and hear. Record convetsations. physical characteristics, be­ haviors, and so forth.

2. Discuss your topic with a classmate or friend. Focus your talk on the aualitie, and characteristics ofyour topic.

3. Brainstorm a list of all the featutes or characteristics of your topic that come to mind.

4. Draw a map or diagram that illustrates your topic’s features and characteristics. 5. Conduct library or Internet reseatch to discover facts. examples, and other details

ahQtJt.yguttov.i”.

Choosing a principle ofclassification or division.

tcristics. Your principle of classification or division should be interesting.

A GUIDED WRITING ASSIGNMENT 423

and worthwhile to your audience. Experiment with several principles of classification or division until you find one that fits your purpose and audience.

Choosing categories Or parts. Use the following suggestions to determine your categories or parts:

1. In a classification essay. make sure most or all members of the group fit into one of your categories. For example, in an essay about unsafe driving habits, you would include the most common bad habits. In a division may, no essential parts should be len out. For example, in an essay about parts of a baseball stadium, you would not exclude the infield or bleachers.

2. In a classification essay, be sure the categories are exclusive; each group member should fit into one category only. In the essay abour unsafe driving habits, the categories of reckless drivers and aggressive drivers would overlap, so exclusive categories should be used instead. In a division ess4J. make sure the parts do not overlap. In the essay about the partS of a baseball stadium. the parts “playing field” and “infield” would overlap, so it would be better to use three distinct parts of rhe field-infield, outfield, and foul-ball area.

3. Create specific categories or parts that will engage your readers. In a classifica­ tion essay, categorizing drivers by their annoying driving habits would be more interesting than simply distinguishing between “good” and “bad” drivers. A division essay on players’ facilities in a baseball stadium _ dugout, locker room, and bullpen-might be more interesting to sports fans than an essay describing different seating sections of the stadium.

4. Choose descriptive names that emphasize the distinguishing feature of the category or parr. In a classification essay, you might categorize highway drivers as “I-own-the-road” drivers, “I’m-in-no-hurry” drivers. and “I’m-daydreaming” drivers. In a division essay about the pares of a baseball stadium. you might use “home-run heaven” to name one part.

Do not hesitate to create. combine, or eliminate categories or parts, as needed.

E~:;ay in Progress 1

Choose a topic for your classification or division essay from the list of assignment op_ tions on pages 420-21, or choose one on your own. Then use the preceding guidelines for method 1 or method 2 to generate details about your topic. choose a principle of classification or division, and devise a set of categories or parts. Whatever method you use, list the examples, situations, or other datails that you will use to describe each cat­ egory or part. You might try drawing a graphic organizer.

DevelOPing Your Thesis

Once you choose categories or parts and are satisfied with your derails, you are ready to develop a thesi.s for youres~ay.lkmembe.t._yom ~s fflIteml:JTl’ rimuhtiitel’lc “‘>Cli!fpre’~'”-~-‘

‘-It’ topi~ and reveal your principle of division or classification. In most cases, it also suggest why your classification or division is useful or importan t. Notice

the following weak theses have been strengthened by shOWing both what the cat­ are and why they are important.

 

 

6

Ti 534 CHAPTER 19___ ” ____’ ……0 ______!

i j

111II+uMma i

~J

READING ARGUMENTS~_~

TIle pair of essays on multitasking in this chapter provide you with two opportuni­ ties to practice your synthesizing skills.

Applying Your Skills: Additional Readings

The following essays take differing views on the issue of multitasking. Use the check­ list in Table 19.2 (p. 533) and the strategies for reading arguments presented in this chapter to analyze and evaluate each essay.

How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking Peter Bregman

Peter Bregman is a leadership consultant and CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., a global man­

agement consulting firm. He is the author of Point A: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change (2007). He blogs for Harvard Business Review, where this essay appeared in 2010. As you read, hightlight Bregman’s claim and the reasons he gives to support it.

During a conference caU with the executive committee of a nonprofit board on which I 1

sit, I decided to send an email to a client. I know, I know. You’d think I’d have learned.

Last week I wrote about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. Multitasking

is dangerous. And so I proposed a way to stop. But when I sent that email, I wasn’t in a

car. I was safe at my desk. What could go wrong?

Well, I sent the client the message. Then I had to send him another one, this

time with the attachment I had forgotten to append. Finally, my third email to him

explained why that attachment wasn’t what he was expecting. When I eventually

refocused on the call,l realized I hadn’t heard a question the Chair of the Board had asked me.

I swear I wasn’t smoking anything. But I might as well have been. A study showed l

that people distracted by incoming email and phone calls saw a 10-point fall in their

IQs. What’s the impact of a 10’point drop? The same as lOSing a night of sleep. More

than twice the effect of smoking marijuana.

DOing several things at once is a trick we play on ourselves, thinking we’re get· 4

ling more done. In reality, our productivity goes down by as much as 40%. We don’t

actually multitask. We switch-task, rapidly shifting from one thing to another, inter·

rupting ourselves unproductively, and losing time in the process. You might think you’re different, that you’ve done it so much you’ve become

good at it. Practice makes perfect and all thaLBut you’d be wrong. Research shows

that heavy multitaskers are less competent at doing several things at once than light multitaskers. In other words, in contrast to almost everything else in your

life, the more you multitask, the worse you are at it. Practice, in this case, works againstyou.

BREGMAN WHY) TO STOP MULTITASKING 535 . ~~~”.- —–“‘-‘—~-~’-.-‘~–…—–~–,-,..~,

I decided to do an experiment. For one week I would do no multitasking and see what happened. What techniques would help? Could I sustain a focus on one thing

at a time for that long? For the most part, I succeeded. If I was on the phone, all I did

was talk or listen on the phone. In a meeting I did nothing but focus on the meeting. Any interruptions – email, a knock on the door I held off until I finished what I was working on.

During the week I discovered six things:

• First, it was delightful. I noticed this most dramatically when I was with my ch iI. dren. I shut my cell phone off and found myself much more deeply engaged and present with them. I never realized how significantly a short moment of checking my email disengaged me from the people and things right there in front of me. Don’tlaugh, but I actually – forthe first time in a while – noticed the beauty of leaves blowing in the wind.

• Second, I made significant progress on challenging projects, the kind that _ like

writing or strategizing – require thought and persistence. The kind I usually try to

distract myself from. I stayed with each project when it got hard, and experienced a number of breakthroughs.

• Third, my stress dropped dramatically. Research shows that multitasking isn’t jUst inefficient, it’s stressful. And I found that to be true. It was a relief to do

only one thing at a time. t felt liberated from the strain of keeping so many balls in the air at each moment. It felt reassuring to finish one thing before gOing to the next.

• Fourth, I lost aU patience for things I felt were not a good use of my time. An

hour-long meeting seemed interminably long. A meandering pointless conversa. tion was excruciating. I became laser-focused on getting things done. Since I

wasn’t doing anything else, I got bored much more quickly. I had no tolerance for wasted time.

• Fifth, I had tremendous patience for things I felt were useful and enjoyable.

When I listened to my wife Eleanor, I was in no rush. When I was brainstorming

about a difficult problem, I stuck with it. Nothing else was competing for my at­ tention so I was able to settle into the one thing I was dOing.

• Sixth, there was no downside. I lost nothing by not multitasking. No projects were left unfinished. No one became frustrated with me for not answering a call or failing to return an email the second I received it.

That’s why it’s so surprising that multitasking is so hard to resist. If there’s no 8 downSide to stopping, why don’t we all just stop? I think it’s because our minds move considerably faster than the outside world. You can hear far more words a

minute than someone else can speak. We have so much to do, Why waste any time? So, while you’re on the phone listening to someone, why not use that extra brain power to book a trip to Florence? What we neglect to renlize is that we’re already us­

ing that brain power to pick up nuance, think about what we’re hearing, access our creativity,and staycoi’lnected towhat’s hallpenirur illQuud us..l1’SLJlot..reaUy. em. brain power,a’nd diverting it has rieg~tive consequences.

 

 

__ __ 536 CI-IAPTER 19 READING ARGUMENTS ._.___~AV_I_~_!,.~~!!~_~” IN DEFENSE OF MU ____~”,w_~ ·,m’-“,,~’,.._.~_”,

So how do we resist the temptation? First. the obvious: the best way to avoid Thinking Critically about Argument interruptions is to turn them off. Often I write at 6 a.m. when there’s nothing to

1. Describe Bregman’s tone. Highlight several words or phrases that reveal this tone. distract me, I disconnect my computer from its wireless connection and turn my 2. Bregman mentions research but fails to cite his sources. How does that affect the phone off. In my car, I leave my phone in the trunk. Drastic? Maybe. But most of us

effectiveness of his argument? shouldn’t trust ourselves. Second, the less obvious: Use your loss of patience to

· 1 i 3. What is the connotation of the word delighrfol (para. 7)? your advantage. Create unrealistically short deadlines. Cut all meetings in half. Give yourself a third of the time you think you need to accomplish something. There’s nothing like a deadline to keep things moving. And when things are moving fast, we can’t help but focus on them. How many people run a race while texting? If you re­ ally only have 30 minutes to finish a presentation you thought would take an hour, are you really gOing to answer an interrupting call? Interestingly, because multitask·

ing is so stressful, single-tasking to meet a tight deadline will actually reduce your stress. In other words, giving yourself less time to do things could make you more

productive and relaxed. Finally, it’s good to remember that we’re not perfect. Every once in a while it 10

might be OK to allow for a little multitasking. As 1was writing this, Daniel. my two-year-old son, walked into my office, climbed on my lap, and said “Monsters, Inc. movie please.’ So, here we are,l’m finishing this piece on the left side of my computer screen while Daniel is on my lap watching a movie on the right side of my computer screen. Sometimes, it is simply impossible to resist a little multitasking.

E){amining the Reading

1. Why does Bregman believe we should stop most of otlr multitasking? 2. Summarize the opposing views favoring multitasking that Bregman refutes. 3. What did Bregman discover after he stopped multitasking? 4. Explain the meaning of each of the following words as it is used in the

reading: refocused (para. 2), competent (5), disengaged (7), persistence (7), and meandering

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

1. What is Bregman’s claim? Is it a claim of fact, value, or policy? Explain how you

know. 2. What types of emotional appeals does Bregman make? IdentifY the needs and val­

ues to which he appeals. 3. What types of evidence does Bregman use to support his claim? 4. Ne there any errors in reasoning? If so, explain.

Visualizing the Reading

Create a graphic organizer for the argument in this essay.

53′

4. What is “smoking anything” (3) a euphemism for?

Reacting to the Reading

1. Evaluate Bregman’s description of his discoveries when he stopped multitasking. Ne they persuasive? Could he have added anything that would make them more persuasive?

2. W’hat do you think of Bregman’s tips for how to stop multitasking? Are these things you could apply to your life? Why or why not?

3. Keep a journal for a day, and record all the times YOIl multitask and how doing so affects you.

4, Write an essay describing your own experiences with multitasking. Offer examples of why it has or has not been useful for you.

In Defense of MultitaSking David Silverman

David Silverman has worked in business and taught bUsiness writing. He is the author of Typo: The Lost American Typesetter or How I Made and Lost Four MIll/em Dollars (200n. He blogs for Harvard Business Review, where this essay appeared in 2010, ten days after the previous one by Peter Bregman, As you read, notice how Silverman attempts to refute Breg. man’s position,

HBR.org blogger Peter Bregman recently made some excellent points about the downside of multitasking ­ as did Matt Richtel in his New York Times article on Monday. I win not deny that single’minded devotion often produces’ high quality. Nor willi attempt to join the misguided (and scientifically discredited) many who say, “Yeah, other people can’t do it, but I’m super awesome at dOing 10 things at once.'”

But let’s remember, unitasking has a downside too – namely, what works far one person slows down others. Multitasking isn’t just an addiction for the short­ attention-spanned among us; it’s crucial to survival in today’s Workplace. To see Why, take a look at computing, where the concept of multitasking came from.

Long ago, in the days of vacuum tubes and relays, computers worked in “‘”batch” mode. lobs were loaded from punched cards, and each job waited until

one before it was completed. This .created seriousl1robl.ems.YO.LLdidr~:tknow “your job had’an error until ilran, ;’;hich ~ould be hours after you submitted it

 

 

582 CtiAPTER 21—-­ PLANNING A PAPEFI WITH SOURCES

Re:SCR.rch P’apct” i-n PrfJgr6’s;s 1

Choose a broad topic for your research paper. In your paper you will state a thesis and provide evidence for your thesis. Your audience consists of your classmates. Begin by using one or more pre writing techniques to narrow and generate ideas about your topic. Then reread your work and highlight useful ideas. Choose one of the broad topics be­ low, or come up with one on your own. Refer to Table 5.2 on page 116 for other general topic suggestions.

1. Extreme sports 2. Cross·racial child adoptions 3. Problems in the workplace 4. Internet fraud 5. Campus security and safety

If you are uncertain about the topic you have chosen, be sure to check with your instructor. Most instructors don’t mind if you clear your topic with them; in fact, some encourage or even require this step. Your instructor may also suggest a way to narrow your topic, recom­ mend a useful source, or offer to review your outline at a later stage.

Writing a Working Thesis and Listing Research Questions

Once you choose and narrow a topic, try to determine, as kinds of information you need to know about it. Begin by your paper and listing the research questions you need to answer.

One student working on the general topic of child abuse, for example, used pre­ writing and preliminary to narrow his lOcus to physical abuse and its causes. Since he already had a few ideas about possible causes, he used those ideas to wrire a working thesis. He then used his thesis to generate a list of research questions. Notice how the student’s questions follow from his working thesis.

WORKING THFSIS The physical abuse of children often stems from parents’ emotional instability and a family history of child abuse.

RESEARCH

QUESTIONS

If a person was physically abused as a child, how likdy is that person to become an abusive parent?

What kinds of emotional problems seem to trigger the physical abuse of children?

Which cause is more significant-a family history ofabuse or emotional problems?

Is there more physical abuse of children now than there was in the past, or is more abuse being reported?

A working thesis and a list of research questions will enable you to approach your research in a focused way. Instead of running helter-skelter from one aspect ofyour • “‘~<)JQUwill ~ able l” _0 41 on~op~~ y.ou.ru:edfrQt1l’1

—-._—,—-­ I CHOOSINQ AND EVALUATING USEFUL SOURCES 583 “”‘-“-.-.–..—~—-.~~” -‘”‘·-~’~-__~_.~~”.~M~___,.”___ ” __~___

For one ofthefo1lnwing topics, write a working thesis and four or more research questions. 1. Methods of controlling pornography on the Internet

2. The possibility that some form of life has existed on other planets 3. Reasons for the extinction of dinosaurs

4. Benefits of tracing your family’s genealogy (family tree)

5. Ways that elderly family members affect family life

Research Paper in Progress 2

Review the list of ideas you generated in Research Paper in Progress 1. Underline the ideas for which you need further details Or supporting evidence, and list the informa. tion you need. Then, using the preceding guidelines, write a Working thesis and a list of research questions.

ChOOSing and Evaluating Useful Sources

Once you have a working thesis and a Jist of research questions, stop fur a moment be­ fore you charge off to the library or your computer. Many students make the mistake ofphotocopying many articles, printing out dozen~,of Web pages, and lugging home numerous books only to find that the sourCes are not useful or that several contain identical information. Save yoursdf time by taking a few minutes to think about and electronic sources and about which sources will be most relevant and Consider as well how to distinguish between filets and opinions, how to and how to recognize generalizations or assumptions.

Using Online and Print Sources

Deciding when to use the Internet and when to use traditional library print sources can be complicated. In terms of convenience, it may be easier to access SOUf\;es online from your dorm room or home rather than visiting the library. You may also be able to lISe your home computer to access many of the library’s resources, including its catalog of books, indexes, and dectronic databases. But even though some Students find the use of print sources roo cumbersome and time-consuming, online sources also have their drawbacks. First, although the Internet is a vaSt network of information, that information is unorganized. There is no central source that organizes or catalogs it the

.Wllya library does for print materials. Second, Internet sources are not stable-that is, . you find one day may disappear the next, or the COntent may change. Finally, almost anyone can publish on the Internet with no “screening” by publishers, librarians, or experts in the subject area, you cannotbe as confident ~YPI!..C.an im.~ mat l’Ipanicubronttl’le’rotirceiscrediI:.leand authoritative. These

important for sources you find On your own, such as through a

,~

…. ”’~-;.

 

 

584 CHAPTER 21–_ .., .. _.. _..’-­ ,-,-~- ,~”-,,,,-

ror more on audience, see Chapter 5, pp. 107-·9

PLANNING A PAPER WITH SOURCES

Coogle search, rather than in an electronic database to which your library subscribes. (Use the guidelines on pp. 585-87 to evaluate Internet sources.)

Some sources are available both online and in print, including many periodicals and certain reference books, such as the Oxford Encyclopedia ofF(}(}d and Drink in America. Some are only online, including blogs, video and audio marerial, and some magazines and journals. However, rhere are many sources rhat are available only in print form, including most books. Following are a few specific situarions in which us­ ing a print source is often preferable to using an online source:

• To find specific facts. It president’s inauguration, by on the Web.

be easier to find a single fact, such as the date of a in a reference book rather than doing research

• To do historical or in-depth research on a topic.. Books may be essential to some eypes of research because they represent years of study by authorities on the

Some historical information and data are not available on the Internet.

Choosing Relevant Sources

A reletiant source contains information that helps you answer one or more of your re­ search questions. Answering the following questions will help you determine whether a source is relevant:

1. Is the source too general or too specialized for your intended audiencer Some sources may not contain the detailed information your audience requires; others may be too technical and require background knowledge that your audience does not have. For example, suppose you are researching the environmental effects of recycling cans and bottles. If your audience consists of science majors, an article in ReaderS Digest might be too general. Conversely, an article in Environmental Science and lechnology would be written for scienrists and may be a bit too technical for your purposes.

2. Is the source recent enough for your purposesl In rapidly changing fields of outdated sources are not useful unless you need ro give a historical perspec­

tive. For example, a ten-year-old article on using air bags ro improve car safety will not include information on recent discoveries abour the dangers that air bags pose to children riding in the front passenger seat.

Choosing Reliable Sources

A reliable source is honest, accurate, and credible. Answering the questions below will you determine whether a source is reliable. (To check the reliability ofan Internet

source, consult pp. 585-87 as welL) .

1. Is die sodree$dtolllJ’ty!Altilough smoIiiSo!teri·disagree with one another, thef make a serious attempt to present accurare information. In addition, an article thal appears in a scholarly journal or textbook has been reviewed by a panel of professionals in the field prior to publication. Therefore, scholarly sources tend

CHOOSING AND EVALUATINQ USEFUL SOURCES 585 ‘-“, – ••~ -“~”–.-~—–.–‘–” “~-‘ -.”~””‘.—“”- —“”-~”‘-__”_0″ ___ ‘~”,,,_,~,.~__

to be trustworthy. For more on the differences between scholarly and popular sources, refer to Table 22.1 on page 601.

2. Does the source have a solid reputationl Some magazines, such as Time and Newsweek, are known for responsible reporting, whereas other periodicals have a reputation for sensationalism and should be avoided or approached skeptically. Web sites, too, mayor may not be reputable.

3. Is the author an expert in the fieldl Check the author’s credentials. Information about authors may be given in a headnote; at the end of an article; on a home page in a link; or in the preface, on the dust jacket, or at the beginning or end of a book. You might also check a reference book such as Contemp(}rary Authors to verilY an author’s credentials.

4. Does the author approach the topic fairly and objectively? A writer who states a strong opinion is not necessarily biased. However, a writer who ignores opposing views, distorts facts, or ignores information that does not fit his or her opinion is presenting a biased and incomplete view of a topic. Although you can use a biased source to understand a particular viewpoint, you must also seek out other sources that present alternative views. For more on bias and viewpoint, see pages 589-90.

21.3

l%rking in a smallgroup, discuss why the sources listedfor each topic below would or would not be considered relevant and reliable. Assume that the classmates in your writing ClJUrse are your audience.

1. Topic: Caring for family members with Alzheimer’s disease a, Introductory health and nutrition textbook

b. Article in Woman’s Day titled ‘Mother, Where Are You?”

c. Article from a gerontology journal on caring for aging family members 2. Topic: Analyzing the effects of heroin use on teenagers

a. Newspaper article written by a former heroin user

b. Article from the Journal of Neurology on the biochemical effects of heroin on the brain .

c. Pamphlet on teenage drug use published by the National Institutes of Health

3. Topic: Implementing training programs to reduce sexual harassment in the workplace

a. Article from the Christian Science Monitor titled ‘RemOVing Barriers for Working Women’

b. Personal Web site relating an incident of harassment on the job c. Training manual for employees of General Motors

Elfaluating Internet Sources

The Internet offers many excellent and reputable sources. Not all sites are accurate and unbiased, however, and misinformation ofren appears on the Web. Use the following

 

 

I’ II 688 CHAPTER 21

—–~~, ..-..”-.,.. ‘ –.”-~~,II ‘1] 1\1 II~ Iii!”~I, III! \:\

\il !i j

For mort:! about bias,

see pp, 589-90,

PLANNING A PAPER WITH SOURCES

TABLE 21.1 Evaluating Internet Sources

• Who sponsors or publishes the site-an organization,purpose a corporation, a government agency, or an individual?

• What are the sponsor’s goals-to present information or news, opinions, products to sell, or fun?

• Who wrote the information on the site?Aut/lor • Is the information clearly presented and well written?

• Are ideas supported by credible evidence? Is there a works·cited Accuracy list or bibliography?

• Is the information presented verifiable? • Are opinions clearly identified as such?

• When was the site first created? What is the date of the last Timeliness revision?

• Does the specific document you are using have a date? • Are the links up·to·date?

questions to evaluate the reliability ofInternet sources. nable 21.1 summarizes these

questions,)

Whatls the Site’s Purpose? Web sites have many different purposes. They may provide information or news, ad· vocate a particular point of view, or try to sell a product. Many sites have more than one purpose. A pharmaceutical company’s sire, for instance, may offer health advice in addition to advertising its own drugs. Understanding rhe purposes of an Internet source will help you deal with its potential biases.

To determine the purpose of any site, start by identifying the sponsor of the site-the organization or person who paid to place it on the Web. The copyright usu­ ally reveals the owner of a site, and often a link labeled “About Us,” “AboUt Me,” or “Mission Statement” will take you to a description of the sponsor.

What Are the Author’s Credentials? It helps to know who wrote the specific Web page you are looking at. The sponsors of many Web sires have professionals write their content. When this is the case, the writer’s name and credentials are usually listed, and his or her email address may be provided. This kind of information can help you determine whether the Web page is a reliable resource, If information about an author is not available on the site or is sketchy, you might conauc! a search for the author’s name on the Web.

Regardless of who the author of the,site is, rhdnfor.maci-~d be wdI writtdt ~ ami urganized: tfit is carelessly put together, you should be wary of it. In short, if the

sponsor did not spend time ptesenting information correctly and clearly, the informa­

tion itself may not be very accurate,

==~—-……………. … \

._._~~ ~.. ~__ _.. ~___.:~~I\I!,~!..z..’.I’I~? _~~,.!;)~~T.:’:II~I\I.I~I_I\I G..cFl.’ T~I~~ ..’:~L:__~!~.~’!~!~~_~_~!_.~j

Is the Site’s Information Accurate? In addition to paying attention to how a site’s material is written and organized, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is a bibliography or a list of works cited provided? Ifsources are not included, you should question the accuracy of the site.

• Can the accuracy of the information be checked elsewhere? In most instances you should be able to verify Internet information by checking another source, often simply by clicking on links in the original source.

• Is the docwnent in romplete form? Ifyou’re looking at a summary, use the site to tty (0 find the original source. Ifyou can’t locate the original, be skeptical of the source that contains the summary. Original information generally has fewer errors and is often preferred in academic papers.

Ifinternet information is available in print form, it is usually a good idea (0 tty to obtain the print version. There are several reasons for doing so, First, when an article goes on the Web, errors may creep in. In addition, since Web sires often change ad­ dresses or coment, a reader of your paper may not be able to find the site or content that you used. Finally, page numbers in print sources are easier to cite than those in electronic one._ (which may not include standard page numbering).

Is the Site Up-to-Date? Even though the Web has a reputation for providing current information, not all Web sites are up-to-date. You can check the timeliness of a site by asking yourself the fol­ lowing questions about dates:

• When was the site first established? • If the site has been revised, what is the date of the last revision? • When was the document you are looking at posted to the site! Has it been

updated?

This kind of information generally appears at the botrom of a site’s home page or at the end of a particular document. If no dates are given, check some of the links. If the links are outdated and nonfunctioning, the information at me site is probably outdated as well.

j””.,..JI”

Analyzing and Thinking Critically about Sources

Whether you search a libraq fat sources’-such as reievant books or journal arti­ dei:::”:’or find them on the Internet, you should first make sure that your sources are relevant a~d reliable. In addition, when you use sources in your paper, you will need ro analyze them and think critieally. As a critical reader, you need to recognize rhat mul­ tiple viewpoints exist and find the sources that express them. If you can sort through

 

 

611

610 CHAPTER 22 -,-.~~.-~- ……..~–“- –~

‘de[

Wron9! IfS0, then why do vets use [ anesthesia?

People have preconceived notions o[cert(ljn breeds ofdogs. aoS vicious.

For more on writing summaries, see Chapter 4, pp. 88-89_

FINOING SOURCES ANO TAKING NOTES

Weep: The Emotional Lives ofAnimals by Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy. Note how this student underlined key points related to his research. Notice also how his an­ notations comment on, summarize key points of, and Question the text.

SAMPLE ANNOTATIONS AND UNDERLINING

The greatest obstacle in science to investigating the emotions of other animals has been an inordinate desire to avoid anthropomorphism. ~thropomorphism’ me~t1te ascription ofhuman characteristics=th()ught, feelings. consciousness, and m()0:ation= to the nonhuman. When people claim that the dements ate wnspiring to ruin their picnic or t!,;;t-;;-;:-“‘;;-is’their friend, they are anthropomorphizing. Few believe that the weathet is plotting against them, but anthropomorphic ideas about animals are held more widely. Outside scientific circles, it is common to speak of the thoughts and feelings of pets and wild and captive animals. Yet many scientists regard the notion that animals feel pain as the grossest sort ofanthropomorphic error.

Ascribing word you say.” “He deck reluctant pets in clothing, give them presents in which they have no inteteSt, or assign their own opinions to the animals. Some dogs are even taught to attack of races different from their owners’. Many dog lovers seem to enjoy cats are selfish, unfeeling creatures who hearrlessly use their deluded owners, compared with loving, loyal, and naive dogs. More often, however, people have quite realis~ views a~outtheir~~’ abilities and attributes. Tlleexf’erience_oLIb/iIlg with_,,:nani~ o_ften provide~troIlg sense of its abilities and limitations-although even here, as for people living intimately with people, prec.D_nceptions can be more per~_~ive !han ~~ien!:e, and can create their own realiry.

Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy, When Elephants we1′: The EmotioruU Lives ofAnimtlk

Writing Summary Notes

Much of your note-taking will be in the form of summary notes, which condense in­ formation from sources. Take summary notes when you want to record the of an author’s ideas but do not need the exact wording or a paraphrase. Use the below to write effective summary notes. Remember that everything you put in sum­ mary notcs must be in your own words.

1. Record only infonnation that relates to your topic and purpose. Do not include irrelevant information.

2. Write notes that condense the author’s ideas into your own words. Include key n:rtlT.! and -~ orprinciptes:-f)(rmn: indude specific examples, quorarioru. or anything that is not essential to the main point. Do not indude your opinion, evell a

one. (You can include any commentS in a separate note, as suggested earlier.)

•._ • ..c………_ .. ,, ___ ___ ‘_N,.F 0 R M •.A_”.T.•’,O N_..;…_-,-,_.;..:..c;~,,_.=_::.

3. Record the ideas in the order in which they appear in the original source. Reordering ideali might affect the meaning.

4. Reread your SUInIllllry to determine whether it contains sufficient infurmation. Would it be understandable to someone who has not read the original source? If not, revise the summary to indude additional information.

S. Jot down the publication information fur the soun:es you summarize. Unless you summarize an entire book or poem, you will need page references when you write your paper and prepare a works-cited list.

A sample summary is shown below. It summarizes the first fout paragraphs of the essay “Dude, Do You Know What You Just Said?” by Mike Crissey, which appears in Chapter 17 (pp. 451-53). Read or reread the essay, and then study the summary.

SAMPLE SUMMARY

Scott Kiesling, a linguist, has studied the llses and meanings of the popularly used word dude. Historically, dude was /irst used to refer to a dandy and then became a

term used by various social groups. For his study, Kiesling listened to tapes of members and asked undergraduate students to rccotd uscs of the term. He

determined that it is used for a variery of purposes, including to show enthusiasm or excitement, to one-up someone, to avoid confrontation, and to demonstrate agreement.

Writing Paraphrases

When you paraphrase, you restate the author’s ideas in your own wotds. You do not condense ideali or eliminate details as you do in a summary. Instead, you USe different sentence patterns and vocabulary but keep the author’s intended meaning. In most eases, a paraphrase is approximately the same length as the original material. Compose -a paraphralie when you want to record the author’s ideas and details but do not want to uSe a direct quotation. Remember to paraphrase only the ideas or details you intend to &.e-not an entire artide.

en paraphrasing, be especially careful not to plagiarize- to use an author’s r sentence structure as if they were your own (see pp. 613-14}. Read the ex­

!Tom a source below; then compare it to the acceptable paraphrase that follows to the example that includes plagiarism.

Learning some items may interfere with retrieving others, especially when the items are similar. If someone gives YOll a phone number to remember, you may be

to recall it later. But if two more people give you their numbers, each Successive will be more difficult to recall. Such proactive interference Occurs when

,. l.,g YQ!!J~Iru:d.eaclie.c. d.i…r”‘fU reWlof~ing~uexperienced ..•”‘:~”;;: collect more and more information, your mental attic cluttered.

David G. Myets, Prychohgy

 

 

612 CHAPTER 22 —‘–~–.—-.—,–

FINDING SOURCES AND TAKING NOTES

ACCEPTABLE PARAPHRASE

When proactive interference happens, things you have already learned prevent you from remembering things you learn later. In other words, details you learn first may make it harder to recall closely related details you learn subsequently. You can think of your memory as an attic. You can always add more junk to it. However, it will become messy and disorganized. For example, you can remember one new phone number, but if you have two or more new numbers to remember, the task becomes harder.

UNACCEPTABLE PARAPHRASE-INCLUDES PLAGIARISM

When you learn some things, it may interfere with your ability to remember others. This happens when the things are siITliI’;:;:~ S~p-p~se a person gives you _aphone numb~r to remember. You probably will be able to remember it later. Now, suppose two pers;;;;; gi~~xo”;- ~urnbers. Ea<:_h su<:cessi”e nu_lllber -“,ill be harder to remember. Proa<;tive interferenc-” happens “,hen_somethingyou already l(!arne~ prevents you from recalling something you experience later. As you learn more and more information, your mental attic never get~fuU:but irwillgetcl~ttered.- — — –­

Although the preceding paraphrase does substitute some synonyms-remember for retrieving, for example-it is still an example of plagiarism. The underlined words are copied directly from the original. The shaded words show substitution of synonyms. Notice, too, that the structure of the last two sentences of the unacceptable paraphrase is nearly identical to the structure of the last two sentences of the original.

Writing paraphrases can be tricky, because simply rewording an author’s ideas i, not acceptable, and letting an author’s language “creep in” is easy. There are also man) ways to write an acceptable paraphrase of a particular passage. The following guide­ lines should help you write effective paraphrases:

1. Read first; then write. You may find it helpful to read material more than once before you try paraphrasing.

2. Ifyou must use any of the author’s wording, enclose it in quotation marks. If you do not use quotation marks, you may inadvertently use the same wording in your paper, which would result in plagiarism.

3. Work sentence by sentence, restating each in your own words. To avoid copying an author’s words, read a sentence, cover it up, and then write. Be sure your version is accurate but not too similar to the original. As a rule of thumb, no more than two or three consecutive words should be the same as in the original.

4. Choose synonyms that do not change the author’s meaning or intent. Consult a dictionary, if necessary.

5. Use your own sentence structure. Using an author’s sentence structure can be considered plagiarism. If the original uses lengthy sentences, for example, yout paraphrase of it should use shorter sentences.

Be $ure to J;eCQrd the publiQ-ti<m ink>rmatiOfl (tioeludtng pllge numOef.t fa< sources you paraphrase. You will need this information to document the sources your paper.

AVOIDING PLAGIARISM 613-“,-,,–. ~ -,- ·~’_~.W _”~__ ‘ ____ ~_~~_______

Exercise 22.1

Write aparaphrase ofthe following exCC1ptfrom a source on animal communication.

Another vigorously debated issue is whether language is uniquely human. Animals obvi. ously communicate. Bees, for example, communicate the location of food through an intricate dance. And several teams of psychologists have laught various species of apes, including a number of chimpanzees, to communicate with humans by signing or by pushing bultons wired to a computer. Apes have developed considerable vocabularies. They string words together to express meaning and to make and follow requests. Skeptics point out important differences be­ tween apes’ and humans’ facilities with language, especially in their respective abilities to order words using proper syntax. Nevertheless, these studies reveal thai apes have considerable cognitive ability.

David G. Myers, Psychology

Recording QUotations

Sometimes it is advisable, and even necessary, to use a direcr quotation-a writer’s words exactly as they appear in the original source. Use quotations to record wording that is unusual or striking or to report the exact words of an expert on your topic. Such quotations, when used sparingly, can be effective in a paper. When using a direct quo­ tation, be sure to record it precisely as it appears in the source. The author’s spelling, punctuation, and capitalization must be recorded exactly. Also write down the page number on which the material being quoted appears in the original source. Be sure to indicate that you are copying a direct quotation by including the term direct quotation and the page number in parentheses.

You may delete a word, phrase, or sentence from a quotation as long as you do not change the meaning of the quotation. Use an ellipsis mark (three spaced peri­ ods) – … – to indicate that you have made a deletion.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s ideas, wording, or organization without any acknowledgment of the source. If you take information from a source on uses of eye COntact in communication and do not indicate where you got the information, you have plagiarized. If you copy the six-word phrase “Eye COntact, particularly essential in negotiations” from a source without enclosing it in quotation marks, you have plagiarized.

Plagiarism is intellectually dishonest and is considered a form of cheating because You are submitting someone else’s work asy.our owo. liu-m academte penalties are~ .~ to mrdenn found guilty of plagiarism; these often include receiving a fail­ ‘:Wg grade on the paper, failing the entire course, or even being dismissed from the Jnstitution. .

 

 

FINDING SOURCES AND TAKING NOTES614 CHAPTER 22

For more on documentation,

see Chapter 23

For more on citing Internet

sources, see Chapter 23

What Counts as Plagiarism

There are twO rypes of plagiarism-intentional (deliberate) and unintentional (done by accident). Both are equally serious and both carry the same academic penalties. Be­ low is a quick reference guide to determining if you have plagiarized.

To avoid plagiarism, be especially careful when taking noteS from a source. Plaa: anything you copy direcdy in quotation marks and record the source. Record the source for any information you paraphrase or summarize. Be sure to separate your own ideas from ideas expressed in the sources you are using. One way to do this is to use two different colors of ink or two different print sizes (if using a compurer). Another way is to use different sections of a notebook or different computer files to distinguish

your own ideas from those of others.

cyberplagiarism

The term cyberplagiarism refers ro borrowing information from the Internet without giving credit to the source posting the information. It also refers to “cut-and-paste pla­ giarism” -the practice of copying text direcdy from an Internet source and pasting it into your own essay without giving credit. Purchasing a student paper for sale on me Internet and submitting it as your own work is a third form of cyberplagiarism. Use the following suggestions to avoid unintentional plagiarism:

• Never copy and paste directly from an Internet source into your paper. Instead, cut and paste information you want to save into a separate file. Enclose rhe ma­ terial you pasted in quotation marks to remind yourself that it is someone else’s

wording. • Be sure to record all the source’s information, including the name of the site, the

URL, the date of access, and so on. • When you make notes on ideas, opinions, or theories you encounter on me

Internet, be sure to include complete source information for each item.

YOU HAVE PLAGIARIZED P’ YOU HAVE … I • Directly copied information word for word without using quotation marks, whether

or not you acknowledged the source. • Reworded and reorganized (paraphrased) information from a source without

acknowledging the source. Borrowed someone else’s organization or sequence of Ideas without acknowledg·

ing the source. Reused someone else’s visual material (graphs, tables, charts, maps, diagrams) without acknowledging the source.

Submitted another student’s work as your own.

… ,.

 

 

WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES

Article in a magazine

2

‘Levy,Steven:'”In the New Game ofTag, All of Us Are It.” ,

3 4 I~ fi ‘Newsweek” 18 Apr. 2005:”1’4: ‘Print.’

FIGURE 23.5 Where to Find Documentation Information for an Article

2

BY STEVEN LEVY

In the New Game of Tag, All ofUs Are It M

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=~aIl Wdlfrae1tyte ~:;;: there’s;wolimitm Informatton oulhesiterr.ad.”‘_of taalncleadlO ……_ ::~= anan:by?Earty :~ Inalibfuyyoo l’8IUItf:areshowlng totoeaM~ :,r~ quNetheopposite. :.:::: Ithi:historyordle~ ca&d”GTD,”odI:m~ section.OOtyoo’dllCll!daJCC” IhMdlI!i~WMan ondl»p)’lOpttltinbolh.W1th idallabd.,and~any. digitalblpyouCtlUlduacOOth, onc’\¥bopaAl!ld.goaIiMpimi and_~~ bythet~SlUCkil(,,-mbig

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sulrshmtt.eWflbsltelthatl!!l’­ pklittl@Bing5howquiteltw.:cp­ posi~ordII!rRC:mSto~ m:..medw.atof~\;QbeI. inS-On./DteealkdddJcio.us, partidpanuput.Q\l!±Jelt fl.. ‘¥OIi1l:W(b!llbS,n~kJlOl onIyc.sy1O6ndinbmationon

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4 Date

i DOCUMENTING YOUR SOURCES: MLA STYLE

Article In a newspaper.

” 2 3 ‘Pham, Alex;”‘Pandora Online Radio Service IPo;”1os Angeles Times’

.4 –

‘i2 Feb 2011! ‘B2: ‘Print. 1

Article in a scholarly journal

.. 2 3 ‘Prose, Francin~I”Genocide without Apology.”‘r;il.merican Scholar’

,4\. II ~ I Ir::::–:-:. ~ 72.2 (2005): 39-43. Pnnt.

Article In a monthly magazine

Killingsworth, Jason. ‘The Unbearable lightness of Being Jonst” Paste Magazine May 2010: 49-53. Print

Article in an edition ofa newspaper. If an edition name (natl.ed) appears on the news­ paper’s first page, include it after the date.

Urbina, Ian. “Gas Wells Recycle Water, but Toxic Risks Persist.· New York Times 2 Mar. 2011, late ed., A1+. Print.

Editorial or lefter to the editor. Cite the article or letter beginning with the au­ thor’s name (if provided), and add the word Editorialor Letter followed by a period after the titie. Often, editorials are unsigned and letters to the editor omit titles.

“The Search fur livable Worlds: Editorial. New Yo’* Times 8 Sept. 2004: A22. Print. Wolansky, Taras. letter. ltlred May 2004: 25. Print.

Book or film review. List the reviewer’s name and title of the review. After the tide, add Rev. ofand give the titie and author of the book. For a film review, replace by with dir. Include publication information for the review itself, not for the material reviewed.

Gabler, NeaL “Ephemera: The Rise and Rise of Celebrity Journalism.” Rev. of The Untold Staty: My

Twenty YeQt:S Running the National Enquirer, by lain Calder, and The Importance of

Being Famous: Behind the Scenes ofthe Celebrity Industrial Complex, by Maureen

Orth. Columbia Journalism Review 42.3 (2004): 48-51. Print.

Internet Sources

Citations fO.t IntCJ:lleL-SOl.l.t”‘” shauId include ‘enougtr intDrrnati()l1t6 eiiiltitereaaers locate the sources. Since URLs are long and subject to change. the MLA suggests

them only when the information listed below is unlikely to be enough to rl’aders to find the source.

ting Internet sources may not be as straightforward as citing print sources be­ Web sites di/Fer in how much infonnation they provide and where and how they

 

 

——–

652 CHAPTER 23

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WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES

provide it. As a general rule, give as many of the following clemenes as possible, and list them in the order shown:

1. Author. Include the name of the person or organization if it is available.

2. Title ofthe work. Enclose titles of Web pages in quotation marks; italici7′” the ti­ tles of Web sites and other longer works.

3. Print publication infonnation. If the material was originally published in prim, tell where and when it was originally published. Include volume and issue num­ bers, names of periodicals, names of publishers, dates, and so forth.

4. Electronic publication infonnation. The information here will differ depending on the type of source. a. To cite an eneire Web sire or a document on a Web site, provide as many of

the following as are available: title of site (italicized), rhe sponsoring organiza­ tion, and date of publication or last update.

b. To cite an article in an online periodical, give the periodical title (italicized), the sponsoring organization or publisher, and the volumelissue or date. Also include the name ofany database (italicized) through which you accessed the article.

c. To cite an e-book, give all the information you would give for a prine book

Medium. For Internet sources, the medium of publication is w”b. For e-books, include the file format (PDF file, Kindle e-book file) as the medium.

6. Access dAte. Include the date you accessed the document (day, month, year).

Some sample citations for different kinds of Internet sources are given below.

MLA FORMAT FOR CITING INTERNET SOURCES

2 3

lasrname,first name Title ofwork Print publication information

4 ~ 6

Electronic publication information Mediu.nt . Access date

Entire Web site

2 I ,,——–..- .. —– ­

L.aM.oreaJll(,Ao.dr~w .M.,!;d, Archive ofBuddhist and

u 6 of the Arts, Ohio State U, 15

e’__ , …,-_. … —–. __ – … – …..—..,—-L_,~.~_c:: ~f”.!~N_::’ N Q YO u R~..~~c_~sL~.’::.~!..r.!.~_~ 663

Document on a Web site

24jj I ” ” –, Hogan, Marc. “Live TransmiSsion.

H

Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc., 7 Feb. 2001.

E-book

2 3r—-‘=-_-, r -” —–,

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. New York: Knopf, 2008.

Article In an online newspaper or magazine

Ii :i I ,r ——. Braude, Joseph. “Smoke Signals: What America (an Learn from Big Tobacco

—–,,,,..—– 41; about Democratizing the Middle East.’ New Republic Online. The New Republic,. ~

r—–‘Ir—–tr I 18 Apr. 2005. Web. 21 Apr. 2005.

Article from an online journal

Edmonson, Cole. “Moral Courage and the Nurse leader.’ Online Journal oJIssues in NUrsing 15.3 (2010): n. pag. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

from an online library database

D. M., A. Fraser, and D. A. lawlor. “Associations of Vitamin 0, Parathyroid Hormone

and Calcium with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in US Adolescents.’ Heart 97.4 (2011): ‘.. 315-20. UNAHL Plus. Web. 15 Feb. 2011.

government document

S~tes. Office pf the Ilir.nUlat1.. .wa~~ _16ge”…, tomIctt. ‘f1Ie 1i!iiori’it­ ~ _\..\’~·r.~·· __

“.,

Threat to the U.S. Homeland. National Intelligence [oundl. Office of the Dir. of Nat!. Inte!­ ligence, July 2007. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.

 

 

CHAPTER 23 ~-“~—-‘-“”

WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES

Posting to an online discussion list or newsgroup. For a discussion group, include the author’s name, the title 01′ subject line enclosed in quotation marks, the name of the Web site on which the group is found, the sponsor of the sitc, the date of posting, the medium, and the date of access. If possible, cite an archived version. If the posting has no title, label it Online posfing.

Jones, John. “The End of Spedes.” ILnvePhilosophy.com. I love Philosophy Forum, 12 Feb. 2011.

Web. 15 Feb. 2011.

Online book. Include the author’s name; title (italicized); the name of any editor, translator, 01’ compiler; original publication information (if available); the name of the Web site on which the online book appears; the medium; and date of access.

[)ickens, Charles. Great Expectations. Boston: Estes, 1881. Google Books. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.

Other Sources

OVO-ROM or CO-ROM. Include the title, the version information, and the medium.

speclhed), the puollcanon

PouLter. Patrida A., and Anne Griffin Perry. Mosby’s NUl>ing Skills 2.0. Student Version. St louis:

Mosby. 2006. CO-ROM.

Personal communication (interview, letter, email). Indicate rhe name of the person, followed by the type of communication and the date. For interviews you con­ ducted, indicate the type ofinterview (telephone, personal, email, and so forth). For a lettet, include the designation MS for a manuscript (a !erter written by hand) or TS fur a typescript (a letter composed on a machine). For emails, include the subject line (if available) in quotation marks.

Burrow, ALby. Telephone interview. 28 Jan. 2011.

Gomez, Pedro. letter to the author. 19 May 2010. TS.

Adams, Alex. “Pet Care Advice. H Message to Rudy Simmons. 19 Feb. 2011. E-mail

Published interview. List the person in terviewed, and then lisr the ririe of the inter­ view (if available) in quotation marks. If the interview has no title, label it Intert!;ew. Give the publication details for the source in which the interview was found.

Richards, Eric. ‘Observation and Memory: An Interview with Eric Richards.’ American Music 27.2

(2009): 180-203.

! STUDENTS WRITE 655

Published letter. Cite a published letter as you would a selection in a book, but in­ clude the letter’s date and number (if one has been assigned).

lewis, C. S. “To His Father.’ 4 Sept 1907. letter LPID: 82 of The

Ed. Walter Hooper. Vol 1. San Frandsco: Harper. 2004. 5. Print. S.l.ewis.

Film, video, or OVO. Begin with the tide, followed by the director and unless you are focusing on the work of the director or another conrribu­

tor. Include the name of the distributor, the release date, and the medium (Film), For a film on DVD, add the original release date (if relevant) before the distributor, and

the medium to DVD.

The Lady Eve. Dir. Preston Sturges. Perf. Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. 1941. Criterion, 2001. DVD.

Television or radio program. Unless you are focusing on the work ofa contributor (the director, screenwriter, or actor), list rhe title of the episode, if any (in quotation matks), and the title of the program (italicized) first. Then producer, director, actors) as necessary. IdentifY the broadcast (if available), and broadcast date before the medium.

“Mugged,’ Right ofthe umchords. Perf. Jermain Clement. HBO. 1 July 2008. Televi,;on.

lIfusic recording. Begin with a contributor or title of the work, depending on the focus of your research project. Include the composer (Comp.) or performer (Perf.), and the tide of the recording or composition as well as the production company, the date, and the medium (CD, audiocassette, LP, audiotape), Titles of recordings should be italicized, but titles of compositions identified by form (for example, Symphony No.5) should not.

Wilco. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Perf. Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, and Nets Gine. Nonesuch Records, 2002. CD.

IResearch Paper in Progress 9 For the final paper you prepared in Research Paper in Progress 8, prepare a list of . works cited in MLA style. “Students Write

:The following research paper”was written by Nicholas De.~tino for his first-year writing :lCOurse while he was a student at Niagara County Community College. Destino used ,MLA style for formatting his paper and documenting his sources. Notice how he uses :in.text citations and quotations to provide ~ideucetb.a.t ~e~thms.

 

 

672 CHAPTER 23 WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES

APA

Editorial or letter to the editor. Cite the editorial or letter beginning with the author’s name (ifavailable). Include Editorial or Letter to the editor in brackets following the title (if any). If the author’s name is not a'{ailable, begin with the tide.

Editoria~ The search for tivable worlds [Editorial]. (2004, September 8). TIle New York Times, p. A22.

Wolansky, T. (2004, May) [Letter to the editor]. Wired, 25.

Book or film review, Ust the reviewer’s name, the date, and the title of the re'{iew. In brackets, give a description of the work reviewed, including the medium (book Or motion picture) and the title.

Gabler, N. (2004, July-August). Ephemera: The rise and rall of celebrity journalism.

[Review of the books The untold stoIY: My twenty years running the National Enquirer

and The importance of being famous: Behind the scenes ofthe ceJebn’ty-industrial

complex]. Columbia Journalism Review, 48-51.

Article with no author. Use the full title as the author.

The 8usiness Week fifty. (2006, April 3). 8usiness Week, 2010(3978), 82.

internet Sources For Internet sources, indude enough information to allow readers to locate the sources online. Guidelines for documenting Internet sources are listed below. For more with formatting entries for Internet and other electronic sources in APA style, the American Psychological Association’s Web site at http://apastyle.orglindex.a5px, the APA Style Blog at http;//hIog.apastyle.org, and APA Style on Twitter at http;// rwitter.com/APA_Style.

Give the author’s name, if available. If nor, begin the entry with the name of the sponsor of the site or with the tide of the document.

2. Include in parentheses the year of Internet publication or the year of the most re­ cellt update, jf available. If there is no date, use the abhreviation n.d.

3. Capitalize the first word of the title of the Web page Of document or the suhject line of the message, the first word following a colon, and any proper nouns or proper adjectives. The other words are lowercase.

4. Capitalize all important words of the Weh site’s title and italicize it.

End with the digital ohject identifier (DOL), a permanent code associated with specific online articles or hooks, or, if there is no DOl, insert the URL ofthe homep.ge for the journal or publishing company that published the source or give the UR1- for the source, preceded by the words Retrievedfrom, if the source will be difficult to find from the homepage. If necessary, break URis before punctuation marks, such as dots (.) and question marks (?). DOls and URis are not fqit6Wl’!<tby I’erio<‘h. .

The ha.~ic APA format for an Internet source is as follows:

APA FORMAT FOR CITING INTERNET SOURCES

parenthese.’i _ j

2 I ” “”flod Publication date· ) Tide ofdocwnenr •

4 period I

‘Title ofWeh Site : 1l.l!fllI•••!Ii.Ilt1I1.II.I!III.~ I 2 3I l~rl—-_______________________

Amnesty International. (2005). Afghanistan: Addressing the past to secure

~r———____~~=: the future. Retrieved from http://web.amnesty.org/tibrary/lndex

-, jENGASAI10032005

II 2 3 4 I -‘~r If 1 National Safety CoundL (2010). Distracted driving. In Safety on the road.

IIr———-________~~___________________ Retrieved from http://www.nsc.org/safut1uOad/Distracted_Driving/Pages

-, jdistracte<Cdriving.aspx

Document posted on an organization’s Web site. If the document is not dated or the contenr couId change, include a retrieval date.

The American SOciety for the Prevention of Cruelly to Animals. (2009). ASPCA Milestones. Re­

trieved february 15, 2011, from http://www.asP(a.orgjpressroom/-/media/files /pressroom/press-kitjaspca-milestones_Z009’Pdf

Article from an online journal. Provide page nwnbers ifavailable. Include the digi­ tal object identifier (DOr), ifone has been assigned. Look for the DOl io the databa~e where you get the name and author of the article.

Schubert, C. (2008). The need to consider the impact of previous stressors on current stress

parameter measurements. Stress: TIle International Journal on the Biology o[Stress, .1.lii}.8S-i1.·doi:1i).1O&)!lOl5311!101!D!Sm1f·······

Ap-,”

 

 

674 CHAPTER 23 WRITING A PAPER USING SOURCES APA ~—-,—,—~-.

For articles with no DOl, give the URL [or the journal’s home page. Usc the ar­ tide’s URL if your source will be difficult to locate from the journal’s homepage.

Treharne, G. J., Lyons, A. c., & Tupling, R. E. (2001, December 17). The effects of optimism, pessimism, sodal support, and mood on the lagged relationship between

daily stress and symptoms. Current Research in Sodal Psychology, 7(5). Retrieved

from http;//www.uiowa.edurgrpproc/crisp/crisp.7.5.htm

Article from an online encyclopedia

Calef, S. (2008). Dualism and mind. In J. Fieser & B. Dowden (Eds.), The Internet

encyclopedia ofphilosophy. Retrieved from http;//www.iep.utm.edu/

Article from an online newspaper

Sullivan, P. (2008, May 6). Quiet Va. wife ended interradal marriage ban. The

Washington Post. Retrived from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Online government document

U.S. Justice Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2011, August 2).

Communist agent tells aiL Retrieved from http://www.fbLgov/news/stones/august

/communist_080211/communisCOB0211

Other Sources

Film, Video, or OVO

Greenfield, L. (Director). (2006). Thin [Motion picture]. New York, NY: Home Box Office.

Television program

Murphy, R. (Writer) & Buecker, B. (Director). (2011). Comeback [Television series episode].

In I. Brennan, R. Murphy, & B. Falchuk (Creators), Glee. New York, NY, Fox Broadcasting.

Computer software

Mitterer, J. (1993). Dynamic concepts in psychology [Computer software]. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.

ReSearch Papa?’ in Progr~)ss 10

For the final paper you prepared in Research Paper in Progress 8, prepare a list of refer· _ enC/lsjn APA sl¥lll..

——.__~J.~w.~ STUDENTS WRITE

~’-“”-A’~_”_”‘_””””_StUdents Write