University of Balamand

Faculty of Arts & Sciences

Department of English Language & Literature

ENGL102 Handbook

Spring 2022 – 2023

The Physical and Mental Health of Teenagers and Young Adults

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Table of Contents

ENGL102 Course Syllabus - Spring22 ……………………………………………….…...2

Part One: The Summary, Paraphrase, and Quote ………………………………………….6

The Summary Practice …………………………………………………………...13

APA - Writing Style ……………………………………………………………...17

APA - Practice ……………………………………………………………………22

Part Two: The Documented Paragraph …………………………………………………...25

Part Three: From Paragraph to Essay……………………………………………………..34

The One-Sided Documented Essay - Practice ……………………………………47

Submission Instructions to Trunitin.com………………………………………….53

The Oral Presentation and Documented Essay Instructions ……………………...54

Part Four: The Opposing Viewpoint………………………………………………………55

The Two-sided Documented Essay - Practice ……………………………………56

The Documented Paragraph Rubric………………………………………………………62

The Documented Essay Rubric…………………………………………………………...63

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 UNIVERSITY OF BALAMAND
Faculty Name: Arts & Sciences
Division Name: Languages
Department: English Language & Literature

UNDERGRADUATE COURSE SYLLABUS

SECTION I: Course Information and Learning Outcomes

Course Name (Title): English Communication Skills II

Course Code: ENGL 102 Nb. Of Credits: 3 Pre-Requisites: ENGL 101 or TOEFL score
between 570 and 597; SAT score of 440-489

Academic Year: 2022-2023 Semester: SPRING

Course Time: Section: Bldg / Room:

Instructor Name / Title:

Office: Tel/Ext: Email:
Office Hours: Coordinator: Roula Maatouk Division Chair: Omar Adra
Course Description:
This course intends to develop the language skills required for successful participation in academic studies at
the university level. Writing skills are emphasized with particular focus on developing a documented,
argumentative essay. Oral communication skills are also introduced.
Course Educational Objectives:
The course aims at achieving the following objectives:
1. to develop the English language communication skills of listening, speaking, reading comprehension
and writing to the level necessary for university-required courses
2. to develop argumentation skills both orally and in written form
3. to develop students’ critical thinking skills in the comprehension/application of English as a foreign
language assignment
Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students must be able to:
1. prepare, organize and deliver oral arguments
2. present an annotation of sources
3. identify authors’ position, intended audience, thesis, and arguments in articles from newspapers and
magazines
4. compose, revise, and edit a persuasive, academic paragraph and essay
5. quote, paraphrase, and summarize excerpts from texts
6. use references / in-text citations to support written ideas
7. document sources correctly and consistently according to the latest APA guidelines
8. use a wide range of vocabulary including a variety of transition words and phrases
9. identify and correct sentence level errors
Critical thinking is inherent in the development of all the language skills at all levels. Reflective practices are
an integral part of language skills development at all levels.

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Required Textbook: ENGL 102 Spring 2021-2022 Handbook (available on Moodle)

SECTION II: Course Content and Timetable

Week # Week of… ENGL102 Handbook/Coverage Test Prep. Tests / Exams

Week 1 Jan 18 - 20 Introduction Late registration / Drop &

Add

Week 2 Jan 23 - 27 Writing for Assignments: Summary &

Part one: Summary, Paraphrase, paraphrase practice
& Quote

Week 3 Jan 30 - Feb 3 Writing for Assignments: S/P and APA

Part 1: APA writing style Practice

Week 4 Feb 6 - 10 Writing a doc. Paragraph (DP) Doc. Para. Practice

*Feb 9: Holiday
Features of academic writing
Saint Maroun
Editing and proofreading

Week 5 Feb 13 - 17 Writing a doc. Paragraph (DP) Doc. Para. Practice

Features of academic writing
Editing and proofreading

Week 6 Feb 20 - 24 Writing a documented Paragraph Preparation for In-class Writing 1: The
(DP) assignment 1 due Doc. Paragraph (20%)
DP practice this week for all (On Paper)
sections

Week 7 Feb 27 - Mar 3 Developing a DP into an DE practice Students are expected to

choose a topic and search
Argumentative Essay (DE)
for relevant and reliable
Begin Introduction of Both Sides of articles/sources
the Argumentative Essay—
Including a two sided thesis

Week 8 Mar 6 – Mar 10 Introduce Oral Presentation DE practice Students inform the
instructor about topic
arguments based on annotations of
choice and article selection
sources

Week 9 Mar 13 - 17 Oral Presentations: Students Oral Presentations The Oral Presentation is an
Outline for the Documented
Begin Giving Oral Presentations
Essay/Annotated

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 in Class Bibliography: Explanation
of Sources, Article
Usefulness; Counter
Argument Should be
Included (15%)

Week 10 Mar 20 - 24 Oral Presentations Continued Oral Presentations

*Mar 25:
Continued
Holiday
Annunciation
Day

Week 11 Mar 27 – Mar 31 Continue with the 2-sided DE: DE practice

The opposing viewpoint/ the
counterargument & the Rebuttal

Week 12 Apr 3 – 7 Continue with the 2-sided DE: DE practice

*Apr 6 – 17
The opposing viewpoint/ the
Easter Break
counterargument & the Rebuttal

Week 13 Apr 10 – Apr 14

*Apr 6 - 17
Easter Break

Week 14 Apr 17 – Apr 21 Continue with the 2-sided DE: DE practice In-class Writing 2: Essay
* Apr 21-23
The opposing viewpoint/ the Part I (20%)
Id Al Fitr
counterargument & the Rebuttal Second Session
On Paper/In Class

Week 15 Apr 24 – Apr 28 Conferences Conferences

Week 16 May 1 – May 5 Conferences Conferences Turnitin Submission of

*May 1 Labor Full Essay End of this
Day
*May 2 Drop
week (10%)
Period Ends

Week 17 May 8 – May 12 Final

Exam Preparation & Feedback to
Full Essay

Week 18 May 15 – May Final

19 Exam Preparation Continues

* May 17 – 18
Reading Period

*May 19 – 29
Final
Examinations

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Teaching Strategy and Guidelines
The teaching and learning in this class consist of lecturing, whole-class discussion, small-group discussion,
informal exploratory writing, formal assessed writing and critical reading. Being present in class (during
Webex sessions) and participating actively is important for your understanding of and ability to use the
information, concepts and skills that are integral to the course as well as the practice you gain in using English.
You will be given feedback on your written work in this course and be required to redraft and improve it.

Student Work Evaluation

For any missed assessment/exam that constitutes 25% or more of the final grade, a valid excuse must be submitted
to and accepted by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in order to qualify for a make-up
assessment/exam, or for any kind of exemption from academic consequences. To qualify for a make-up, students
must submit an excuse to the Dean's office, ([email protected]), within 48 hours of the missed exam. If an
excuse is not submitted or not accepted, then a grade of 0 for the percentage of that missed assessment/exam will
be calculated in the final grade.

The Documented Paragraph 20%

Oral Presentation 15%

The Documented Argumentative Essay (Draft 1: 20%, Draft 2: 10%) 30%

The Final Exam 35%

SECTION III: policies and Students’ Responsibilities

Academic rules and regulations are to be followed according to the policies and guidelines of the University, as laid
out in the Catalogue (particularly the sections on Attendance and Academic Behavior).
1. Students are expected to attend all classes and laboratory sessions
2. Absence, whether excused or not, from any class or laboratory session does not excuse students from their
responsibility for the work done or for any announcements made during their absence.
3. A student who misses one-sixth of the course sessions (5 classes for a 3 credit course) may be dropped
from the course. No warning notice will be issued; it is the responsibility of the student to monitor his/her
attendance. The student will be notified in writing when the permitted number of absences is exceeded and
he/she has been dropped from the course, and is advised to officially withdraw from the course before the
end of the drop period otherwise he/she will earn a WF as a final course grade.
4. If the number of missed sessions exceeds more than one-sixth of the course sessions after the drop
deadline, the student will receive a grade of WF. A WF grade is counted as a numerical grade of 40 for the
course in computing the student’s averages.

The University of Balamand is committed to a policy of honesty in academic affairs. Examples of conduct for
which students may be subject to academic and/or disciplinary penalties including expulsion are:
1. Cheating, whereby non-permissible written, visual, or oral assistance, including that obtained from another
student, is utilized on examinations, course assignments, or projects. The unauthorized possession or use of
examination or course-related material may also constitute cheating.
2. Plagiarism, whereby another person’s work is deliberately used or appropriated without any indication of
the source, thereby attempting to convey the impression that such work is the student’s own.

Note: A student who has assisted another student in any of the aforementioned breaches of standards shall be
considered equally culpable. In case of cheating or plagiarism, the instructor may take appropriate academic action
ranging from loss of credit for a specific assignment, examination, or project to removal from the course with grade
of 40. Additionally, the instructor may request disciplinary action through the Disciplinary Committee as outlined in
the Student Life section. Student must consult the Undergraduate Student Catalog (Catalogue) for exact policies.

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Make-Up examination: Students who miss a regular examination for a valid reason must present an excuse to the
Dean’s/Director’s office within 4 days of the test date. Original documents are required at the time the student
returns to the University. In this case, a make-up test will be assigned. No exceptions to this policy shall be
considered. Student must consult the Undergraduate Student Catalog (Catalogue) for exact policies.

Final examinations: Students who miss a final examination shall receive an incomplete grade (I) if they present a
valid excuse as described above and if they have a passing grade in the course up to the final examination. A make-
up for the final examination shall be given, in this case, according to the policies of the University.

Part One: The Summary, Paraphrase, and Quote

HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY

1. Read the passage for overall content.

2. Reread carefully, highlighting the main idea and any key supporting ideas. Look for section

headings, bolded or italicized words, and subheadings.

3. Group the reading into sections according to the author’s topic divisions and label them.

4. Write a one-sentence summary of each section, focusing on the main point. Do not include

examples or minor details.

5. Write one sentence (the thesis) that summarizes the whole article.

6. Write the first draft: In the first sentence, include the title and author of the reading as well as

the thesis. Then use your one sentence summaries to complete the summary. Do not include your

own opinion, but be sure to use your own words.

7. In your final draft, insert transitional words and phrases where necessary. Avoid short, choppy

sentences. Combine sentences for a smooth, logical flow of ideas.

Other useful information:

● Use 3rd person and present tense.

● Be concise and brief.

● Periodically indicate that the summary is still the material of the author.

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 ● Quote the author sparingly, if at all.

● Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes.

● Refer to other useful Writing Center handouts.

University of Delaware Writing Center

USEFUL FRAMES FOR SUMMARY (OVERVIEW SENTENCE)

In his/her article (or lecture) "________________________,” _____________________ (year)

(title, first letter capitalized) (author/lecturer's last name)
argues/claims/reports/contends/maintains/states that
__________________________________________________.
(main idea/argument; S + V + C)
Example: In his article "Michael Dell turns the PC world inside out", Serwer (1997) describes how
Michael Dell founded Dell Computers and claims that Dell’s low-cost, direct-sales strategy and high
quality standards account for Dell’s enormous success.
Reporting Verbs:

● claim report argue against recommend

● contend explain maintain discuss

● insist illustrate posit observe

● argue state refute the claim suggest criticize

Other examples of frames:

➢ According to ___________________ (year), ________________________________________.
(author's last name) (main idea; S + V + C)

➢ ___________'s article on ______________ (year) discusses the ____________________.

(author's last name) (topic) (main idea; Noun Phrase)

➢ ___________ (year), in his/her article, "________________" argues that ________________.

(author's last name) (title of article) (main idea; S + V + C)

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➢ According to "Title of the Article" (year), ____________________________________________.
(main idea; S+V+C)

➢ _____________ has a major impact on ________ (author's last name, year).

(topic/NP) (NP)

TO PARAPHRASE INFORMATION

To paraphrase is to rewrite something using different words without changing the original
meaning. This is what is usually meant by the phrase ‘in your own words’. The paraphrase
should be clearer and more easily understood than the original and is often about the same
length.
Paraphrases are a good alternative to using direct quotations.
In your writing, you may make a paraphrase of:
● short sections of text (e.g. phrases, sentences)
● longer sections of text (e.g. a paragraph)
● information that explains tables or figures.

STEPS FOR PARAPHRASING:

1. Read the text carefully. Underline, or note, any important subject-specific words.
2. Look up any difficult words, and try to find synonyms for them.
3. Try to find different ways of expressing the information in the groups of words (phrases).
4. Rewrite each sentence. Try to simplify the sentence structure and the vocabulary without
changing the meaning.
5. Put your text out of sight and write your paraphrase from memory.
6. Revise what you have written, comparing it to the original. Your paraphrase should clarify the
original, but be written clearly in your own words.
7. Do not forget to use an in-text reference at the start or end of your paraphrase.
Adapted from ttps://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/13458/WE_Paraphrasing-and-
summarising.pdf

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USING REPORTING VERBS

In academic writing we do not use the verbs say or tell because they are too vague and speech-
like. To describe what an author is doing you need to be precise in your use of reporting verbs.

Below is an exhaustive list retrieved from the following link:

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/learning_guides/learningGuide_reportingVerbs.pdf

Verbs followed by a noun or –ing form

analyses, applauds, appraises, assesses, attacks, considers, contradicts, critiques, debates,
describes, discards, disclaims, discounts, discusses, dismisses, disregards, evaluates, examines,
explores, expresses, extols, forbids, highlights, identifies, ignores, illustrates, investigates,
justifies, lists, opposes, outlines, praises, presents, questions, refutes, rejects, restates, scrutinises,
studies, supports, underscores, uses, validates, verifies

Verbs followed by ‘that’

accepts, acknowledges, adds, admits, advises, advocates, agrees, alerts, alleges, announces,
argues, articulates, asserts, assures, believes, boasts, claims, clarifies, comments, complains,
concedes, concludes, confirms, feels, finds, forgets, guarantees, guesses, hopes, hypothesises,
imagines, implies, indicates, infers informs, insists, justifies, knows, maintains, notes, observes,
persuades, points out, posits, postulates, promises, proposes, proves, questions, realises, reasons,
reasons, recognises, recommends, remarks, reminds, reports, reveals, shows, speculates, states,
stresses, suggests, suspects, tells, theorises, thinks, understands, urges, warns.

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Five Tips for Effective Quoting
While quoting from reliable sources is an important part of writing a research-based paper, some students
can become too reliant on quotes to do the work for them, over-running their papers with other peoples’
words. The purpose of quoting is to include an expert’s voice that is unique and different from your own
in order to support your ideas.

Here are five key tips for effectively incorporating quotes into your writing:

1. Make Quotes Count. You should quote sparingly, so make sure the quotes you include are
impactful and approach the subject in a way that you might not. Part of quoting is “capturing”
someone else’s voice and unique expression of an idea. If you could summarize the information
and lose none of its meaning, then do that. But if you feel like the expert says it best, then quote
the expert.

2. Copy Quotes Correctly. It is important to be accurate when you are quoting – the whole point of
quoting is to exactly represent another person’s words. Be careful to copy the quote correctly, and
if you need to change anything, do so by indicating that you are changing something. If you need
to insert a word, for instance, use brackets, like this: “In this quote [the author] states that people
always rise to the occasion.” If you need to delete a word or phrase, use ellipses to represent this
deletion, like this: “In this quote…people always rise to the occasion.”

3. Your Words First. Because you are writing the paper, your words should begin and end it – this
goes for the paragraphs as well as the whole paper. Avoid beginning paragraphs with a quote –
start with your idea and create a topic sentence. Additionally, avoid ending paragraphs with a
quote – you may analyze a quote prior to the end of the sentence, and conclude that its meaning
informs your point. Use your words first – quotes should be working for you, not the other way
around.

4. Keep Quotes Short. Quoting sources should not be a tactic to fill space on the page. Not only
should your paper be written in your own words, but the amount of space given to others’ words
should be brief. As a general rule of thumb, no more than 15% of your entire paper should be
quoted material. Achieve this general goal by using only a few quotes, and keeping those few
quotes as brief as 1–2 sentences.

5. “Block” Long Quotes. When your paper necessitates it, you may use a longer quote. In this case,
“longer” quotes consist of four or more lines, or approximately 40+ words. When you have a
quote of this length, you format it differently in your paper than just incorporating it into the
normal sentence structure. Long quotes must be made into “blocks” – a visual indicator that this

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 is a long quote. In order to create this block, indent all the lines twice, but keep the double-
spacing.
When including outside sources in your writing, follow the ICE method:

I: Introduce C: Cite E: Explain

Retrieved from https://awc.ashford.edu/cd-integrating-quotes.html

THE SUMMARY - PRACTICE 1

I. Summarize the below article in approximately 150 words (15pts).
II. Paraphrase paragraph 9 from the article (5pts).

TIME

Why Do You Get Sleepy After Eating? These Are the Top Theories

BY MARKHAM HEID JANUARY 30, 2019

1 If eating makes you tired, you’ve got something in common with most people—and, for that
matter, with most living things. Researchers have turned up evidence of “postprandial sleepiness,” also
known as a food coma, in insects, snakes, worms and rats.

2 “The conservation of this behavior across species suggests that it’s really important for
something,” says William Ja, an associate professor of neuroscience at the Scripps Research Institute in
Florida who has studied this food coma phenomenon.

3 Some experts have hypothesized that animals—humans included—have built-in “vigilance

signals” that keep them awake and alert when hungry. These signals help them locate and acquire food. It
follows that once an animal (or a human) has eaten a lot, these vigilance signals dissipate and are replaced
by feelings of fatigue. This is a modal window.

4 Others have theorized that post-meal changes in blood circulation could explain why eating
makes some people sleepy. Blood flow to the small intestine “dramatically increases” after a person eats,
says Dr. Tomonori Kishino, a professor of health science at Japan’s Kyorin University. And as blood is
pumped into the gut to fuel digestion, a corresponding drop in blood flow to the brain could trigger
feelings of sleepiness, he says.

5 Some past research into this hypothesis concluded that blood flow to the brain does not change
after a person eats a meal. But some of Kishino’s recent work found that, among people who skipped
breakfast, one measure of cerebral blood flow plummeted after they ate lunch. “Skipping breakfast could
therefore place a heavy burden on the body after lunch by causing greater changes in [blood flow],” he
says. This could lead to sleepiness.

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6 While scientists are still figuring out exactly why food comas happen, they’ve started to home in
on some factors that may contribute to post-meal fatigue.

7 Eating a big meal may be one trigger. Ja’s research on fruit flies suggests that meal size is a
“strong driver” of post-meal sleepiness. So too are meals loaded with salt or protein. But why? He says
one long-held idea is that sleep somehow aids digestion. One of his not-yet-published studies—again, on
fruit flies—found that sleep changes the way the insects absorbed certain macronutrients, including
protein. “This would support the idea that post-meal sleepiness affects gut nutrient absorption,” he adds.

8 Ja is quick to point out that his work may not translate to humans. But some of his findings—like
the idea that certain foods are more likely than others to cause fatigue—dovetail with some recent
research on people.

9 A small 2018 study of truck drivers found those who ate diets rich in vegetables and fats from
foods like olive oil and dairy tended to experience less post-meal sleepiness than those eating “Western”
diets heavy in processed meat, fast food and soft drinks. “Our results suggested that a healthy diet
produces low sleepiness during the day,” says Claudia Moreno, one of the authors of that study and a
faculty researcher at the University of São Paulo School of Public Health in Brazil. Her study points to
some older research that suggests heavy fat or carbohydrate intake could potentially trigger sleepiness by
disrupting the body’s natural circadian sleep rhythms.

10 Meanwhile, a 2018 study found that a high-fat, high-carb meal led to both sleepiness and an
uptick in some inflammatory markers, especially among obese adults. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty
and contradiction when it comes specific foods and their effects on post-meal fatigue. “Some human
studies show an effect after eating, but others don’t,” Ja says.

11 His research in flies, he says, helps explain why a lot of the food-coma research on humans is so
inconclusive. “We could see [the observed effects] because we used hundreds of flies and thousands of
meals,” he says, “but these numbers are obviously much harder and more expensive to replicate in
humans.

12 If you want to prevent a food coma, the best advice is to “eat smaller meals,” he says. This tactic
may be especially effective at lunchtime. Predictable shifts in the body’s circadian rhythms tend to make
people feel drowsy in the afternoon, so if you’re the type who eats a big lunch, you may be in for a double
whammy.

14 Moreno’s research indicates that eating healthy, vegetable-centric meals could also help curb
your post-meal fatigue. But the fact is, experts are still teasing out all the ins and outs of food comas.

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THE SUMMARY - PRACTICE 2
I. Summarize the below article in approximately 150 words (15pts).
II. Paraphrase paragraph 7 from the article (5pts).
TIME
The Best Sports and Exercises to Avoid Injury
BY MARKHAM HEID AUGUST 7, 2019

1 The human body is made to move, and physical activity is a requirement for lifelong health. But
exercise-related injuries are a significant concern few people think about until it’s too late. Even a mild
sprain can sideline an athlete for weeks, and a sports-related injury can be debilitating for an older adult.
“I think a lot of people, especially those in their 20s and 30s, are interested in doing a lot of exercise but
they’re not really thinking about injuries,” says Dr. Brian Werner, an orthopedic surgeon and sports
medicine specialist at the University of Virginia.

2 Running, for example, is among the most popular forms of exercise in America. But up to half of
all runners are injured each year, according to a 2010 study in Current Sports Medicine Reports. “I’m a
long-distance runner myself, but it’s a high-impact form of exercise and it’s not optimal for people trying
to avoid getting hurt,” Werner says. Also, many runners tend to overdo it. When it comes to running’s
longevity benefits, researchers have found that running two or three times per week at a slow or moderate
pace is optimal.

3 Especially for those age 40 and older, exercises that place heavy amounts of stress on the knees,
shoulders and other joints are going to come with a high risk of injury, Werner says. Examples he raises
are basketball, soccer, tennis, or other sports that involve lots of jumping, twisting, or quick changes of
direction.

4 That’s not to say these activities are unhealthy, or that people who enjoy them should give them
up. A 2018 study in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that, compared to solo exercise pursuits,
activities that involve spending time with others are associated with longer life expectancies. Studies have
independently linked both exercise and social interaction with longer lifespans, so it makes sense that
combining the two would be beneficial. But while healthy, many of these activities nonetheless carry a
high risk for injury.

5 If a person’s goal is to minimize those risks while still getting all the health and longevity benefits
of exercise, experts highlight walking and swimming as two low-risk, high-reward pursuits. “Unless
you’re swimming competitively or for hours every day, it’s easy on the joints,” says Dr. Kyle Yost, a

13
sports medicine specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Swimming also combines
aerobic exercise and resistance training, meaning it improves fitness and strength, he says.

6 Walking, meanwhile, is associated with both long life and a reduced risk for medical-related
expenditures, according to a 2011 study in BMJ Open. A 2019 study found that brisk walking is
especially healthy. “Walking is an outdoor activity that can include spending time with other people, and
I think any exercise that combines those two things is going to be very healthy,” says Dr. James O’Keefe,
a cardiologist and medical director of the Cardio Health & Wellness Center at Saint Luke’s Mid America
Heart Institute.

7 Yoga also garners some shout-outs as a low-risk, high-reward form of physical activity. “It has to
be done correctly and with good supervision, especially when just starting out, but I think yoga offers a
great combination of flexibility and strength training,” says Dr. Steven Struhl, an orthopedic surgeon at
NYU Langone Health. Flexibility is a “neglected” component of proper health and fitness, he says. “It
improves balance and reduces stiffness, which leads to strains or injury.”

8 For fitness enthusiasts who recoil at the idea of a life filled with long walks and yoga, there are
ways to lower the injury risks associated with more intense, high-impact sports.

9 The first tip may induce some yawns. But experts say a moderate approach to any sport or
workout is a good way to avoid getting hurt. “Overtraining leads to a lot of injuries,” says Yost. If you’re
playing the same sport or doing the same type of exercise every day—and especially if you’re pushing
yourself hard—you’re asking for trouble.

10 Taking it easy at the start and slowly working your way up to more intense workouts is another
safety measure. “A lot of people start off too heavy or with too much volume,” O’Keefe says. If you’re
intent on running a half-marathon, for example, sign up for next year’s—not this year’s—and try to mix
in some other non-running forms of exercise (swimming, yoga) to build your strength and endurance.

11 Finally, don’t neglect your core. “You get your power from your core, and if it’s weak, you tend
to overuse your arms or legs, which leads to injury,” Struhl says. Pilates classes can improve your core
strength. So can gym machines that target your upper and lower back, obliques, and abdominal muscles,
he says.

12 All that said, if you’re looking for safe, healthy activities that will lower your risks for injuries—
as well as for disease and mortality—easy-on-your-body activities like walking, yoga and swimming are
great options.

14
APA – Writing Style
Font: Times New Roman
Size: 12
Space: double

APA- Examples sentences

Remember that the tense you use for your reporting verb will depend on your style guide. Some
styles prefer present tense while others prefer past tense.

Boynton (1982, p. 79) warns the reader that ordinary chocolate is ‘too frail to withstand heat,
moisture and proximity to baked beans’.

Hanks (2004, p. 257) defines an idiom as an expression whose ‘meaning . . . is distinct from the
sum of its parts’.

Smith (2005) disagrees with Fry (2003) when she maintains that many students have trouble with
reporting verbs.

Some people subscribe to the idea that chocolate is unhealthy, but Boynton’s (1982) book refutes
this claim.

This paper investigates the effects of alcohol on memory and stresses that further research be
done as a matter of urgency.

References

Boynton, S. (1982). Chocolate: The consuming passion. London: Methuen.

Hanks, P. (2004). The syntagmatics of metaphor and idiom. International Journal of

Lexicography, 17 (3), 245-274.

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APA - IN-TEXT CITATIONS: GENERAL NOTES
1) Insert an in-text citation: when your work has been influenced by someone else's work, for example:
when you directly quote someone else's work or when you paraphrase someone else's work
2) The in-text citation consists of:
● author surname(s)* (in the order that they appear on the actual publication), followed by the year
of publication of the source that you are citing. (*Surname = Family name)
● page or paragraph numbers for direct quotes eg. (Weston, 1988, p. 45). Page numbers are not
normally included when paraphrasing but may be included if desired.
3) The in-text citation is placed immediately after the information being cited.
4) If quoting or citing a source which has been cited within another document, mention the original
source together with the secondary reference details, for example: (Smith, 2008, as cited in Jones,
2010). Only the secondary reference (i.e. Jones, 2010) should be included in the reference list.
5) If your citation is at the end of a sentence, ensure the full stop is placed after the reference.
6) For citations in brackets with two authors the ‘&’ symbol can be used. If the author citation forms
part of your sentence the word ‘and’ must be used, e.g. (Brown & Black, 2010) OR “Brown and
Black (2010) indicate that…”

Placement of citations can be important depending on the emphasis you wish to apply.
If you wish to quote or paraphrase an author and want to emphasize the author, then your citation
becomes 'author prominent'. The citation will look something like this:
● Jones (2012) has concluded that...
If you wish to emphasize the information you have paraphrased or quoted from an author, then your
citation becomes 'information prominent'. The citation will look something like this:
● ... as evidenced from a recent Australian study (Jones, 2012).

Examples of in-text citations

One author
Surname of author, no initials or suffixes such as Jr. The year of publication is
Rule
also included
..This was seen in an Australian study (Conger, 1979).
Citation examples OR
Conger (1979) has argued that...

Two authors
Rule Cite both surnames every time the reference occurs in the text
...(Davidson & Harrington, 2002)
Citation examples
OR Davidson and Harrington (2002)...

Three to five authors

Cite all surnames and publication year the first time, thereafter only the first
Rule
surname followed by et al.

Citation The first time cited: ...(Brown, Soo, & Jones, 1990).
examples Brown, Soo, and Jones (1990)...

16
 ...(Brown et al., 1990).
Brown et al. (1990)...

Six or more authors

Cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al. and the year from the
Rule first citation. Include all authors, up to seven, in the reference list. Please see
instruction for eight or more authors on the introductory page of this guide.
.... (Girad-Perregaux et al., 2003).
Citation examples
Girad-Perregaux et al. (2003)...

Different authors: same surname

Add the initials of the author's first or given name/s to their surname to
Rule
distinguish them.
P. R. Smith (1923) to distinguish from S. Smith (1945) ...
Citation examples (S. A. Brown & Jones, 1961) to distinguish from (W. O. Brown & Smith,
1985).

Multiple works: by same author

When cited together give the author's surname once followed by the years of
Rule
each publication, which are separated by a comma.
... (Stairs, 1992, 1993).
Citation examples
Stairs (1992, 1993)...

Multiple works: by same author AND same year

If there is more than one reference by an author in the same year,suffixes (a, b,
c, etc.) are added to the year. Allocation of the suffixes is determined by the
Rule order of the references in the reference list. Suffixes are also included in the
reference list, and these references are listed alphabetically by title. If cited
together, list by suffix as shown below.
Stairs (1992b)... later in the text ... (Stairs, 1992a).
Citation examples
...(Stairs, 1992a, 1992b).

Unknown author
Give the first few words of the title. If the title is from an article or a chapter
Rule use double quotation marks. If the title is from a periodical, book brochure or
report then use italics.
Citation examples ...the worst election loss in the party's history ("This is the end," 1968).

Corporate or group of authors

Rule If organization is recognized by abbreviation, cite the first time as follows:

17
 ... (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2005)
thereafter
Citation examples ... (AIHW, 2005).
If abbreviation not widely known, give the name in full every time:
... (Australian Research Council, 1996)

Multiple references
Rule List the citations in alphabetical order and separate with semicolons
Citation examples ... (Burst, 1995; Nguyen, 1976; Turner & Hooch, 1982).

Quote from an electronic source

Where page numbers are not provided use paragraph numbers. Use accepted
Rule
abbreviations, i.e. p. for page, para. for paragraph..
Citation
...(Chang, 2001, para. 2)
examples

Citation of a secondary source: (i.e a source referred to in another publication)

In the reference list you ONLY include the details of the source you actually
Rule read - not the original source. In the example below, the original source would
be Farrow (1968), which you saw cited in a paper by Ward and Decan (1988).
... (Farrow, 1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988).
Citation
Farrow (1968, as cited in Ward & Decan, 1988) ...
examples
Ward and Decan (1988) cited Farrow (1968) as finding...

Retrieved from https://guides.lib.monash.edu/citing-referencing/APA-in-text

18
APA - REFERENCE LIST FORMAT
Requirements for line spacing in assignment reference lists can vary, it is important to check with your lecturer or
unit/assignment guide for what the requirements are.
The APA 6th Style manual specifies the following for the reference list.

● The word References should appear in upper and lower case and be centered at the top of the page

● All reference entries should be double-spaced

● All references should be in a "hanging indent" format. (This means that the first line of each reference is
flush against the left margin and the subsequent lines of each reference are indented).

Periodical: Author's Last Name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical,

Journal article with DOI volume #(issue #), pp–pp. doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxx

If no digital object identifier (DOI) is assigned, include URL address with no ending
punctuation (see example below).

Journal article without DO Santovec, M. (2008). Easing the transition improves grad retention at Trinity.

Women in Higher Education, 17(10), 32. Retrieved from

http://www.trinitydc.edu/education/files/2010/09/Women_in_higher_
Ed_Trinity_Transistions_10_08.pdf

Magazine article, print Chamberlin, J., Novotney, A., Packared, E., & Price, M. (2008, May). Enhancing

worker well-being: Occupational health psychologists convene to share their

research on work, stress, and health. Monitor on Psychology, 39(5), 26–29

Online magazine article Walk, V. (2013, April). Can this woman fix Europe? Time, 181(13). Retrieved from

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,213969.html

Online newspaper article Tobin , R. (2010, July 22). UPS profit nearly doubles in second quarter. The

Atlanta Journal–Constitution. Retrieved from http://www.ajc.com

Book, print version Author's Last Name, Initials. (Publication Year). Title of book. Location: Publisher

Rico, L. T. (2008). A course for teaching English learners. Boston, MA: Pearson

19
 ●
https://awc.ashford.edu/PDFHandouts/APA_References_List_Sample.pdf

APA PRACTICE
Below are student sentences that contain errors in the choice of certain words or in how the
reporting verbs have been used (either the wrong verb choice or the wrong grammatical
structure).
1. There are several disagreements as to what constitutes an offence.
2. Brenner is a strong advocate in women’s rights.
3. Balkin (2002) oppose to sex segregation in schools in that it a diversion from more
important educative issues.
4. Researchers in the UK are undergoing studies about the possible effects of the drug.
5. To summarise Karlov’s argument, he mentions that playing chess uses a similar part of
the brain as playing music.
6. Lupton discusses about the portrayal of medicine and health in the media.
7. This essay will argue a link between regulating emotions and job satisfaction.

Identify the common mistakes with in-text citations and correct them. Possible mistakes are with
sentence grammar or punctuation when using quotations or when using the words “according
to, quote, cite”, or even mistakes when referring to the source or author.
1. Smith’s article entitled location and personal identity, demonstrates how closely the two
are related.
2. Smoking and related illness causes over 500,000 deaths annually in the UK.
3. According to (Dr. Ron Reynolds 2000), there is no strong evidence of long-term damage
to health.
4. The Guardian website has drawn attention to the fact that more research needs to be done.
5. “Global warming is a factual truth” (Locke cited in 2001).
6. As Collins (2004) cites, “good ethics is synonymous with good management” (p.2).
7. Knowles (2008) “it has to be stated that groups work more efficiently” (p.67).
8. According to Smith (2000) states that the problem is widespread.
9. As Morgan and Bailey (2007) stated, that the gap between academic and personal writing
is not as far apart as we assume.

20
Activity A

Fill in all the gaps using the information contained in the list of references below this text.
Add punctuation where necessary.

More and more frequently, American communities are relying on curfews to battle youth-
and gang-related crime. Davidson ___________ refers to a recent survey that indicates that no
fewer than 337 American cities have curfews, a third of which have been imposed since 1995.
Typical curfew hours are 11:00 p.m. on weeknights and 12:00 p.m. on weekends, and these
restrictions apply to individuals under eighteen. Some municipalities have even established day
time curfews that ban teenagers from the streets during the hours that school is in session, note
________________(1997). In addition to curfews passed by city and town governments certain
privately owned shopping malls have established teen curfews. A notable example is the Mall of
America’s 6: p.m. weekend curfew for youth and the sixteen who are not accompanied by an
adult. This policy, claims ____________________ (1998), is enforced strictly by guards
stationed at all of the Mall’s twenty-three entrances. The Mall of America, a huge shopping and
entertainment complex located in Minnesota, instituted the curfew policy following an incidence
in which a teen fired a gun on Mall property (__________, 1999). According
to___________________ (2000), the combination of the strict public and private sector curfews
could essentially confine teens to home and school unless they are accompanied by an adult.

21
 References

Allen, J. & Budd, J.C. (1997, January 10). U.S. Teens Face Rash of Get-Tough Actions As

Nation’s Fear Grows. National Catholic Reporter, pp. 4-5. Retrieved from

http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.com

Davidson, M. (1999). Do You Know Where Your Children Are? Reason, 31. Retrieved

from http://web6.infotrac.galegroup.com

Freeman, A. B. (1998). Go to the Mall with My Parents? A Constitutional Analysis of the

Mall of America’s Juvenile Curfew. Dickinson Law Review, 102, pp. 481-538.

Powers, R. (2000, February, 28). More Cities Enact Curfews for Youth. Ithaca Journal,

p.1. Retrieved from https://www.ithacajournal.com

Activity B
Fill in the gaps in the text using the information in the list of references below. In some blanks,
you might have to add a reporting verb or a signal phrase. Add punctuation where necessary.

Social media has considerably evolved in the past decade. The number of active users is
estimated to be 2.307 billion in January 2016 with a staggering 1,590 billion Facebook adepts, it is a
large number compared to the total population (______________ 2016). This fact has prompted
some people to consider that social media is an exact online replication of society while others see
that it as an inflated narcissistic image. According to _____________ _____________________
(2008), “narcissism refers to a personality trait reflecting a grandiose and inflated self-concept” (para.
3). Narcissists feel they are superior to others and need both to promote themselves and to be
admired by a large audience (____________________ 2013). Dr. William Morf, a psychiatrist,
________________ that they perform a “self-construction” or “self-regulation” process in order to
permanently establish their self-esteem (________________________ ____________________
2014). In fact, social media does promote narcissism through the many aspects of its design.
____________ _______________ (2015) _______________ that narcissists tend to upload pictures
about their achievements and activities rather than intellectual topics. They suggest that this is also
the result of the importance of physical appearance to them. Narcissists seek public glory and
admiration from others. ______________________ ______________________ (2014),

22
narcissists tend to obtain more likes and comments to their status update on Facebook than non
narcissists. They relate this to the fact that posts about achievements and activities are more frequent
among narcissists.

References

Buffardi, L. E. & Campbell, W. K. (2008, July 3). Narcissism and social networking sites.

The Independent. Retrieved from www.independent.co.uk

Chaffey, D. (2016, August 8). What your Facebook use reveals about your personality.

The Huffington Post. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com

Compiet, K. & Sumter, S. (2013, June 11). Online narcissism and Facebook behavior.

The Atlantic. Retrieved from www.theatlantic.com

Ferenczi, N. & Marshall, T. C. (2015, October 20). Self-esteem and narcissism.

The Conversation. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com

Social media study reveals link to narcissism. (2014, June 5). Science Daily. Retrieved

from www.sciencedaily.com

Part Two: The Documented Paragraph

Structure:
- a topic sentence that includes at least 2 main ideas to be developed in the paragraph
- Each main idea should be supported by a citation or two from the articles.
- A concluding sentence that highlights the main idea of the whole paragraph (in other words:
that restates the topic sentence).

THE DOCUMNETED PARAGRAPH - PRACTICE 1

Writing prompt:
Write a documented paragraph of 250-300 words arguing for the idea that TikTok trends and
challenges have a negative impact on the physical health of young people.

Make sure you use two to three supporting points from both articles.
Article 1:
WebMD Health News
TikTok Milk Crate Challenge Puts People at Serious Risk
Jaleesa Baulkman Aug. 27, 2021

23
A milk crate climbing challenge that has had a sudden rise on social media this past week has led to many
of its participants taking a hard fall.
The TikTok trend, which involves stacking milk crates in a pyramid-shaped staircase and attempting to
climb up one side and down the other, has resulted in countless clips of people tumbling to the ground
and injuring themselves in the process as they land on their necks, sides, and backs.
Each crate challenge video is a potential orthopedic injury, says George Gantsoudes, MD, a pediatric
orthopedist at Pediatrics Specialists of Virginia. These tumbles could potentially result in fractures of the
pelvis, collarbone, and legs, as well as ligament injuries in the ankle and knee. Paralysis and joint and
shoulder dislocations are also possible.
“I understand that people need to find ways to entertain themselves, but we would definitely appreciate it
if people found ways that weren't risking life and limb,” says Gantsoudes, who hasn’t had a pediatric
patient injured from the crate challenge yet. “Falling from height is never a good thing. Gravity always
wins.”
These nasty falls, which have garnered millions of views across social media platforms, have prompted
the FDA and doctors to issue warnings against the viral fad.
One woman in Dallas was injured after falling onto concrete from a stack of milk crates outside a gas
station. She is believed to have hit her head during the fall, and footage posted online shows paramedics
coming to her aid.
Also, with many pediatric hospitals being swamped with young COVID-19 patients, some of these crate
challenge injuries may not be addressed right away. Gantsoudes says that if a child got a torn anterior
cruciate ligament (ACL) as a result of doing the milk crate challenge and went to a hospital overwhelmed
by COVID-19 patients, it may not be considered an urgent surgery.
The viral fad joins a long list of social media challenges that have gone viral and has had potentially
dangerous outcomes. The so-called Tide Pod challenge -- where people actually ate laundry detergent
pods -- resulted in a spike in poison control calls in 2018, while children who attempted the cinnamon
challenge -- where, you guessed it, people ate large amounts of the spice -- in 2012 put themselves at risk
for serious lung injury.
“I understand younger people push the limits of safety for entertainment, but I would say that any parent
who knows that their child is doing this should make sure their child doesn't engage in this type of risky
activity,” Gantsoudes says.
In fact, tumbling down a milk crate tower may be worse than falling from a ladder, Shawn Anthony, MD,
an orthopedic surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told The Washington Post.
“It’s very difficult to brace yourself from the falls I’ve seen in these videos. They’re putting their joints at
an even higher risk for injury,” he said.
https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20210827/tiktok-milk-crate-challenge

Article 2:

24
Health Digest
TikTok Health Trends That Are Riskier Than You Realized
Chrsitine Byrne OCT. 13, 2020

TikTok has become notorious for many things: viral dance videos, lip syncing memes, and side-by-side
duets. Unfortunately, TikTok has also fast become home to some very dangerous health trends. First,
there are "challenges" that encourage users to do unequivocally harmful things, like overdosing on
antihistamines. Then, there are the pseudo-wellness tips and challenges that cover everything from DIY
mole removal to restrictive diet plans that are anything but healthy. The worst part? Thirteen- to 24-year-
olds make up 69 percent of TikTok's user base, with 13-17-year-olds accounting for nearly a third of total
users.

In other words, millions of young and impressionable minds are seeing these dangerous health trends
every day, and may not understand just how unhealthy they are. Plus, studies show that once
misinformation has been spread, it's extremely difficult to debunk (expose falseness). And while TikTok
does have community guidelines that forbid the spread of harmful misinformation, harmful
misinformation of all sorts still persists. Sadly, many videos promoting unhealthy behavior continue to
run rampant on TikTok.

The TikTok Benedryl challenge has claimed the life of at least one teenager

In August 2020, a 15-year-old girl from Oklahoma died from a Benadryl overdose, News 4 revealed.
According to the local news report, she was an "otherwise happy and faith-driven teen" and "not one to
experiment with drugs." Sadly, she fell victim to what TikTok users call the "Benadryl challenge." The
challenge being to "trip" or hallucinate after taking at least a dozen doses of Benadryl, a type of
antihistamine (diphenhydramine) meant to treat allergies and relieve itching. However, doing so has
serious consequences. "Large doses of Benadryl can cause seizures and, particularly, problems with the
heart," Scott Schaeffer, director of the Oklahoma Center for Poison and Drug Information told News 4.
"The heart tends to go out of rhythm and not pump blood effectively."

The Benadryl challenge has landed enough teenagers in the emergency room that the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is investigating such reports and urging parents and caregivers to "store
diphenhydramine and all other OTC and prescription medicines up and away and out of children's reach
and sight." And as Cincinnati Children's Hospital advised, parents should talk to their children about the
dangers of misusing medication.

Don't try this DIY teeth-whitening TikTok trend

DIY beauty trends spread like wildfire on TikTok. While some of these trends are totally harmless, others
are unquestionably dangerous. Case in point: Using hydrogen peroxide as an at-home teeth whitener.
Some TikTok users say it's a way to avoid expensive teeth whitening procedures, but it's actually just a
recipe for disaster. "The BDA [British Dental Association] is concerned about the DIY trend to whiten
teeth with levels of hydrogen peroxide that are higher than that permitted in over-the-counter products," a
representative from the BDA told BBC News. "Using higher concentrations unsupervised, as some videos
advocate, raises the risk of damage to teeth and gums, including burns to the mouth, tooth and gum
sensitivity, as well as irritated or inflamed gums." Swallowing the peroxide could also be toxic.

25
If you're set on whitening your teeth — something you absolutely don't have to do, since white teeth
aren't necessarily any healthier than teeth that have been stained off-white or slightly yellow — try an at-
home whitening product sold by a reputable brand, like Crest White Strips. Alternatively, visit your
dentist and have an expert do it for you in the office with professional equipment.

https://www.healthdigest.com/260358/tiktok-health-trends-that-are-riskier-than-you-realized/

DOCUMENTED PARAGRAPH - PRACTICE 2

Writing prompt:

Write a documented paragraph of 250-300 words arguing for the idea that binge watching series can be
harmful.

Make sure you use two to three supporting points from both articles.

Article 1:
Washington Post
How binge-watching is hazardous to your health
Jenna Birch June 3, 2019

Though binge-watching might sound glorious to TV fans, it’s a bit worrisome to health experts across the
country. With so much content available, and so much screen time becoming the norm — replacing hours
devoted to fitness, socializing and sleeping — the potential health implications of binge-watching are
becoming more obvious.

The research on the health effects of binge-watching is still in its infancy, but a few studies have raised
concerns. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, avid binge-
watchers reported poor sleep quality, increased fatigue and more insomnia symptoms. Michigan State
University researchers presented a link between binge-watching and poor lifestyle choices such as opting

26
for unhealthy meals, unhealthy snacks and sedentary behaviors at the 67th Annual Conference of the
International Communication Association in 2017.

Effects on many aspects of health

According to several experts, binge-watching can affect your cardiovascular system, your vision, your
socialization and your sleep patterns — all of which can lead to other problems. For Sophia Tolliver, a
family medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, the first concern “is how
sedentary you can become,” she says. “Studies show that sitting for long periods of time can increase
one’s risk for metabolic syndrome, which can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2
diabetes.” In a 2018 study, researchers found that prolonged sitting for binge-watching is similar to
prolonged sedentary behavior for long-haul flights or illness: It can increase your risk of developing
conditions such as deep-vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the leg that can be fatal if it breaks off and
travels to the heart or lungs.

Tolliver also notes that binge-eating and binge-watching often go hand-in-hand. “Marathon sessions of
TV, and associated mindless snacking, can lead to increased risk of obesity,” Tolliver explains. “In
addition, research shows the majority of individuals binge-watch alone,” she says. “Studies have
connected a lack of socialization to increased risks of heart disease and stroke, not to mention, fewer
significant social relationships may increase the rates of depression and other mood disorders.”

Ronald Chervin, a sleep neurologist and director of Michigan Medicine’s Sleep Disorders Centers, says
watching multiple episodes on Netflix before sleeping may cause you to lose more sleep, and beyond that
night. “Electronic screens emit broad-spectrum light, including blue light,” he says. “In addition to
delaying the release of melatonin, which keeps you awake, the blue light can actually reset your circadian
rhythms to a later schedule.”

Finally, there’s also reason to be concerned about digital eyestrain. According to the Vision Council, 80
percent of Americans use digital devices for more than two hours a day, and 59 percent of them report
eyestrain, neck and shoulder pain, dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision.

Article 2:
NBCNEWS
What happens to your brain when you binge-watch a TV series
Is catching up on "This is Us" on your weekend to-do list? Here's what you need to know.
Danielle Page Nov. 4, 2017

You sit yourself down in front of the TV after a long day at work, and decide to start watching that new
show everyone's been talking about. Cut to midnight and you've crushed half a season — and find
yourself tempted to stay up to watch just one more episode, even though you know you'll be paying for it
at work the next morning.

There are a handful of reasons that binge-watching gives us such a high — and then leaves us emotionally
spent on the couch. Here's a look at what happens to our brain when we settle in for a marathon, and how
to watch responsibly.

27
Watching episode after episode of a show feels good — but why is that? Dr. Renee Carr, Psy.D, a clinical
psychologist, says it's due to the chemicals being released in our brain. "When engaged in an activity
that's enjoyable such as binge watching, your brain produces dopamine," she explains. "This chemical
gives the body a natural, internal reward of pleasure that reinforces continued engagement in that activity.
It is the brain's signal that communicates to the body, 'This feels good. You should keep doing this!' When
binge watching your favorite show, your brain is continually producing dopamine, and your body
experiences a drug-like high. You experience a pseudo-addiction to the show because you develop
cravings for dopamine."

Spending so much time immersed in the lives of the characters portrayed on a show is also fueling our
binge watching experience. "Our brains code all experiences, be it watched on TV, experienced live, read
in a book or imagined, as 'real' memories," explains Gayani DeSilva, M.D., a psychiatrist at Laguna
Family Health Center in California. "So when watching a TV program, the areas of the brain that are
activated are the same as when experiencing a live event. We get drawn into story lines, become attached
to characters and truly care about outcomes of conflicts."

"'Identification' is when we see a character in a show that we see ourselves in," she explains. "'Modern
Family,' for example, offers identification for the individual who is an adoptive parent, a gay husband, the
father of a gay couple, the daughter of a father who marries a much younger woman, etc. The show is so
popular because of its multiple avenues for identification. 'Wishful identification,' is where plots and
characters offer opportunity for fantasy and immersion in the world the viewer wishes they lived in (ex.
'Gossip Girl,' 'America's Next Top Model'). Also, the identification with power, prestige and success
makes it pleasurable to keep watching. 'Parasocial interaction' is a one-way relationship where the viewer
feels a close connection to an actor or character in the TV show."

If you've ever found yourself thinking that you and your favorite character would totally be friends in real
life, you've likely experienced this type of involvement. Another type of character involvement is
"perceived similarity, where we enjoy the experience of 'I know what that feels like,' because it's
affirming and familiar, and may also allow the viewer increased self-esteem when seeing qualities valued
in another story." For example, you're drawn to shows with a strong female lead because you often take
on that role at work or in your social groups.

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-happens-your-brain-when-you-binge-watch-tv-series-
ncna816991

28
DOCUMENTED PARAGRAPH - PRACTICE 3
Writing prompt:
Write a documented paragraph of 250-300 words arguing for the idea that mental health is negatively
affected by the pandemic even aftermath.

Make sure you use two to three supporting points from both articles.

Article 1:

THE HARVARD GAZETTE

Why returning to ‘normal’ feels so not
Alvin Powell July 1, 2021

The pandemic may be easing, but a new set of emotional challenges has only just begun.
One worker got the green light to return to the office but found herself sitting in the parking lot each day,
hyperventilating in her car, before summoning the courage to head in. Another questioned whether a
normal back-to-school this fall — the moment many parents, if not their kids, have awaited more than a
year — might be stressful enough to harm some students’ mental health. A third asked how he might get
an appointment with a counselor in an era of soaring demand. The unfortunate answer was that many
providers are full. And waitlists are so jammed that some are closing to new patients.

29
Psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors have long predicted that once the pandemic’s acute phase
eased and its physical impacts lessened, there would be mental health fallout. Though the virus continues
to rage abroad — the highly contagious delta variant has triggered new shutdowns in several nations,
including Australia, South Africa, and Thailand — the widespread availability of vaccines in the U.S.
have meant large swaths of the country can tentatively return to whatever remains of “normal.” And
Karestan Koenen, a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public
Health, has some advice: Go slowly.
Koenen, who appeared at a Chan School live event on Facebook on June 29, said attempts to return to
pre-pandemic routines may feel unsettling and fielded questions about specific situations from the online
audience. Working against us, Koenen said, is that many of us are eager to go back to the way things were
exactly but will find that impossible. Given the extent of the pandemic’s effects, it’s understandable that
the commute will be different, that employers will have new policies in place, and that workers’ home
lives — obligations to children, parents, and spouses — will have shifted. All the change, Koenen said,
can cause a sense of dislocation.
“Now, after hunkering down, when you go outside that can feel threatening,” Koenen said. “There also
can be almost a grief or sadness because things that were normal don’t feel the same … I think that’s part
of the changes we’re all going through right now.”

Looking ahead to the school year, Koenen said different schools have had different pandemic
experiences, with some never halting in-person learning and others predominantly delivering instruction
online. It’s likely that students who have been mostly remote will have a more difficult transition to the
classroom this fall, and Koenen recommended that teachers locate referral resources for families in
advance and keep an eye out for signs that a child is having trouble readjusting. Koenen also had advice
for teachers and school administrators, who have had an enormously stressful year navigating the
disruption: Take a vacation.

Teachers aren’t the only ones feeling burned out after the past year and a half, Koenen said. Health care
workers and others deemed “essential” toiled even through the strictest shutdowns, and Koenen said
many may be reevaluating work lives, long commutes, and other demands of employment. Employers,
she said, would do well to recognize these pressures, communicate clearly with employees, and make
accommodations for adjusted schedules, leaves, and other steps to reduce stress and burnout.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/07/mental-health-professionals-push-slow-return-post-
covid/

Article 2:

VeryWell Mind
Why Our Mental Health Won't Just Go Back to Normal When the Pandemic Is Over
Sarah Fielding June 26, 2021

In a recent interview with CBS News, Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed his concern for people’s mental
health post-pandemic. When asked if he was concerned about a mental health pandemic, Dr. Fauci said he
was “very much so.”

30
He added, “That’s the reason why I want to get the virological aspect of this pandemic behind us…
because the long-term ravages of this are so multifaceted.”

The interview referenced a recent study from the American Psychological Association (APA) looking at
the mental and physical health of Americans one year into the pandemic. Three in four adults surveyed
reported high stress levels related to the pandemic.

As vaccine distribution continues and an end nears—though exactly when remains unclear—an important
question has emerged: What will life after the pandemic look and feel like?

Along with Dr. Fauci, mental health professionals caution that the “feel” aspect of that inquiry may not
immediately, or anytime soon, be sunshine and rainbows. “Although circumstances will improve in some
ways and the world will open up again, the results of the pandemic may still negatively impact mental
health,” says Shemiah Derrick, a licensed professional counselor and certified alcohol and drug
counselor.

“Grief is huge. Trying to manage grief on a number of fronts—[such as] grief of loved ones,
relationships, the ability to engage in meaningful activities, and hit life milestones, will be around for a
while," Derrick says.

Annie M. Henderson, a certified professional life coach and licensed professional counselor, concurs:
“Just as coming to grips with the pandemic was difficult, there may be an adjustment period once the
pandemic ends.”

Anyone who has experienced mental health issues or stress knows that the moment a trigger goes away is
not the same instant your well-being improves. “These disorders don’t just disappear as quickly as they
came,” says Henderson about the increase in mental health disorders diagnosed in the past year.

Closure hasn’t been easy to obtain during the pandemic, making it harder to process trauma. “Grief can be
traumatic to begin with, but when crucial elements like support during the illness and at the funeral, along
with getting to be with your loved ones as they grieve, have been all but eliminated, there is going to be a
long-lasting impact,” says Henderson.

Pain from changed plans or forgoing specific goals can take time to adjust to and recalibrate post-
pandemic. The process to improve your mental health can be even more difficult when no solution exists.
“Grief over having lost someone is a much larger challenge because there is no definitive solution.

“Paired with a sense of loss and disconnection in many other ways, it can lead to depression, persistent
hopelessness, and anxiety due to not really being able to know what to expect moving forward,” says
Derrick.
https://www.verywellmind.com/mental-health-after-pandemic-5118386

31
 PART THREE: FROM PARAGRAPH TO ESSAY

Academic writing is clearly structured.

A clear structure is important for several reasons:
● It is the framework around which you construct your assignment.

● It enables you to present your material in a coherent, logical manner.

● It gives your work a sense of direction.

● It helps the reader to understand the text.

There is no fixed, one-fits-all template for structuring academic work. Different types of assignment have
different overall structures. For example, essays typically consist of an introduction, body and conclusion.
Being aware of these general conventions is helpful, but it is important to remember that structuring an
assignment also involves:
● Grouping similar points together

● Dividing sections into paragraphs

● Ensuring that each paragraph deals with a main point or theme

32
 ● Presenting the main point or theme in a sentence at or near the beginning of the paragraph

● Developing the main point or theme of the paragraph in the sentences that follow

● Ensuring that each paragraph links smoothly with the previous one

Idea development
Academic writing is logically developed.

● A well-written academic assignment must have a clearly formulated central idea that is developed
in a logical manner, leading to a conclusion.
● The central idea is usually expressed in a single sentence encapsulating your answer to the
question posed in the title. The question may be explicit, as in “To what extent are global media
corporations eroding national and local cultures?”, or implicit, as in “Globalisation is the new
colonialism.” This statement can be easily converted into a question such as “Is globalisation the
new colonialism?” or “To what extent is globalisation the new colonialism?”
● In answering the question, you have to follow a clear and sustained line of reasoning. This
involves identifying points in support of your central idea and developing them using appropriate
evidence. A smooth progression from one point to the next is important: you should avoid
digressions, gaps and jumps in logic.
● This process will lead quite naturally to your conclusion, which may or may not be clear cut. It
may well be that the available evidence does not justify a firm conclusion, but this is acceptable
in academic writing. What really matters is that the ‘thread of the argument’ – as many tutors
would put it – runs smoothly from beginning to end.

Approach
Writing analytically
In your writing, you must acknowledge and deal with the complexity of the subject matter. In any given
piece of writing, this will entail at least some of the following:
● Explaining; giving reasons; examining or anticipating consequences

● Comparing, contrasting and evaluating

● Considering both sides of an issue

● Taking a position

● Supporting your claims with credible evidence

● Investigating claims made by others and, if appropriate, questioning the evidence

● Drawing conclusions

● Making suggestions and recommendations

33
Use of sources
Academic writing is based on sources.
All academic work builds on the work of others. When reporting, developing, applying, criticising or
even rejecting the contributions made by others, you have to follow well-established conventions for
citing and referencing reading sources.
Citing authorities in your own subject or in related disciplines gives credibility to your work and provides
the evidence you need to support your claims or criticise claims made by others. As this suggests,
different reading sources may provide contradictory evidence. Reporting that this is the case is not
enough. You have to evaluate the evidence and decide how to use it to develop your argument. Your
position, or stance, on the sources you cite must be clear to the reader. In other words, your own ‘voice’
must be distinct from that of your sources. This is one of the features of academic writing that students
find most difficult to grasp. [When writing academically, the paraphrased material does not dominate the
paragraph, but rather is secondary to and supports the student's argument. For clear examples check the
following link: https://unilearning.uow.edu.au/academic/4bi.html ]

Academic writing is explicit.

In academic writing, the author is responsible for ensuring that the meaning of the text is clear and free
from ambiguity. In other words, there is an expectation that the writing will be explicit. This is best
achieved by anticipating the reader's questions. When revising your work before submission, try to think
what questions your reader might want answers to if reading your assignment at this stage; for example:
● What is the purpose of this work?

● What does the author mean by this?

● How do these two ideas (or these two paragraphs) link together?

● Where is the evidence for this?

● What is the author's view about this issue?

If the answers to questions such as these cannot be found in the appropriate place in the text, your writing
lacks explicitness.

Language
● Here is a brief explanation of the three main features of written academic English:

● Written academic English is objective

● Everyday language is predominantly subjective. It is mainly used to express opinions based on

personal preference or belief rather than evidence. For instance, we might say, “Doing
coursework is easier than taking exams” or “Watching a DVD at home is better than going to the
cinema”. Everyday language is also a vehicle for emotional expression; for example: “He was so
mean to me”, or “You are amazing”, or “I was gutted”.

34
 ● In contrast, the language of academic writing is objective. It is used as a vehicle for logical
argumentation, not self-expression or emotional response. Objective language is measured, fair
and accurate. It avoids exaggeration and bias, and shows respect for the views of others.
● Written academic English is cautious

● It is important that the language used in academic writing reflects the strength of evidence
available to support an idea or claim. Whether you say “The working-age population will fall”,
“The working-age population will probably fall” or “The working-age population may fall” will
depend on the projections available to you at the time of writing, and your interpretation of those
projections. The less certain you are about your claims, the more tentative the language should
be. The use of cautious language in academic writing is known as ‘hedging’.
● Written academic English is formal

● Written academic English is formal. It avoids colloquialisms and slang, which may be ephemeral
and subject to local and social variations. Formal language is more precise and stable, and
therefore more suitable for the expression of complex ideas and the development of reasoned
argumentation. You can find out more about formal language in the section of this website
dealing with academic language and style.

Retrieved from http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/learning/academic/language.htm

35
LOGICAL FALLACIES

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the
myth – persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.” (John F. Kennedy)

Logical fallacies are examples of faulty or weak reasoning that one encounters very often when
reading texts or listening to people speaking.
What are some examples of weak reasoning? Share some examples of weak reasoning with your
classmates.
Activity 1: Read the following examples of weak reasoning. In pairs, discuss the weakness in each.
1. My dentist thinks that Italy is the best place to visit, so I think it should be.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. I’m sure someone with your vast experience can see that plan B is better than plan A.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. I’ve never seen an alien, so it can’t be that they exist.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Everyone cheats on their income taxes, so it must be all right if I cheat too.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Don’t listen to Becky’s opinion on welfare; she just opposes it because she’s from a rich family.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. George Bush is a good communicator because he speaks effectively.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. All the parts of the engine are lightweight, so the engine should be lightweight.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
8. There was a full moon the night I had my car accident, so driving again under a full moon causes car
accidents.

36
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
9. Europe has great museums, so every country in Europe must have great museums.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
10. The sign by the pond said, “Fine for Swimming,” so I dove right in.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
11. We can either stop using cars or destroy the earth.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
12. I liked the last Chinese restaurant I went to, so I’m sure that all Chinese restaurants in the world are
good.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
13. The criminal won’t say where he was on the night of the crime, but he does remember being abused
repeatedly as an innocent child.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
14. If I give you a free ticket, then I’ll have to give everyone a free ticket. Then my boss will get mad and
fire me, and I will become homeless. So giving you a free ticket will make me homeless.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
15. People from Quebec want to secede from Canada to get their own currency. Don’t they realize money
isn’t everything?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Material taken from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/659/03/

Utah Valley State College Writing Center

37
STEREOTYPES AND ASSUMPTIONS
Are men better drivers than women?

What is a stereotype? What is an assumption? What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Read the following article about stereotyping and then answer the questions that follow.

ABC Science

Stereotype stuffs up women's driving

Fran Molloy
Monday, 24 March 2008
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/03/24/2197632.htm

Back-seat drivers who comment on women's ability to park a car are making things worse, new research
suggests.

Calling women lousy drivers may be a self-fulfilling prophecy because it disrupts their focus and makes
them more likely to run over pedestrians, new research suggests.

An Australian study found that women who are told that men are better drivers are more than twice as
likely to collide with jaywalking pedestrians as other women in a similar test.

Dr Courtney von Hippel from the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland and team publish
their study in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.

"When people are confronted with negative stereotypes about themselves they seem to experience an
additional cognitive load, which can decrease their performance on a task," says von Hippel.

"There can be subtle things happening in the environment while a woman is driving, like a male driver
shaking his head when she tries to reverse park a car."

There have been hundreds of studies about the 'stereotype threat' effect since the idea was first discussed
in psychology in the mid1990s.

But most have focused on verbal and written tests rather than an applied task. This one shows how
stereotyping can undermine women's performance during a driving simulation study.

The researchers recruited 168 female university students. Half the participants in one experiment heard
that the study would investigate why men are better drivers than women and were told that the simulation
would test the gender difference in driving abilities.

The control group heard no mention of gender differences but was told that the driving task would
investigate the mental processes involved in driving.

38
Nearly half of the drivers in the 'stereotype threat' group hit a jaywalking pedestrian who unexpectedly
appeared in the simulation.

Another experiment used the same driving simulation to show that participants who were distracted by a
grammatical test were also twice as likely to hit the jaywalker.

"For safety reasons, our stereotype threat manipulation had to be quite contrived," says von Hippel.

"But it shows that it would be worth doing a more thorough investigation, perhaps an observational study,
to discover what is going on here."

Questions

Explain in your own words what von Hippel states about negatively stereotyping women.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Explain in your own words the difference between von Hippel’s study and previous research on the
'stereotype threat' effect.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Class discussion questions

Are stereotypes always negative?

In what other forms in society does stereotyping prevail?

How are stereotypes and assumptions related?

RELIABILITY OF SOURCES
You will have a short class discussion after you read the following text on the reliability of sources.

Where does the information come from?

When evaluating a media message about science, the source is one of the first things to consider:

• What is the source of this message? Is it a sensational article in Cosmopolitan, a report from the New York Times, a
feature in a science publication aimed at the general public like Discover, or an original journal article? Each of

39
these sources will provide you with a different level of information—and probably, a different level of fidelity to the
original science. So if you are reading a short summary in your local newspaper, don’t assume that you’ve got the
whole story!

• Does that source have an agenda or goal? All media messages have goals, which can affect the information
presented. For example, scientific messages that appear in advertising (e.g., “Clinically proven to reduce wrinkles”)
are aimed at selling a product and are unlikely to give the full story. Some publications are aimed at rallying readers
around particular issues, like environmental activism, anti-environmentalism, or health issues, and so may present a
skewed view of the science. If you really want the whole scoop on a scientific issue, it’s best to look for a source
whose main goal is to explain the science involved. Science publications aimed at the general public provide this
sort of information. Scientists strive to be unbiased in their scientific work.

An original piece of scientific research may be interpreted many times over before it reaches you. First, the
researchers will write up the research for a scientific journal article, which may then be adapted into a simplified
press release, which will be read by reporters and translated yet again into a newspaper, magazine, or internet article
- and so on. Just as in a game of telephone, errors and exaggerations can sneak in with each adaptation.

GETTING IT WRONG EVERY WHICH WAY

In 2004, an international group of researchers modelled the effect of predicted climate change over the next 50
years, and reported that this amount of change might eventually cause 15-37% of a select group of terrestrial species
to go extinct. It was simple, straightforward science. However, much of the press coverage that followed was both
sensational and inaccurate. For example, the Guardian ran the headline:

An unnatural disaster:
• Global warming to kill off 1m species
• Scientists shocked by results of research
• 1 in 10 animals and plants extinct by 2050

In fact, most newspaper reports got it wrong, frequently suggesting that over a million species would go extinct by
2050 - and not, as the science implied, that over a million species would be sentenced to extinction by 2050 and
would actually die off afterwards. In addition, many websites picked up the story, and as one might expect,
conservation-oriented websites tended to run more sensationalized versions of the story, and websites with an anti-
environmental bent tended to dismiss the story. In this case, it’s clear that the media source of the story made a big
difference in the information offered to readers. Material taken from
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/sciencetoolkit_03

In pairs examine each of the following pieces of information. Decide whether the information is
reliable or not basing your judgment on the source of information. Explain why it might or might
not be reliable. If the information is not highly reliable, explain why and how you can check its
reliability.

1. Omega 30+ Fish Oil

“Marine fish oils are rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids such as DHA and EPA. Omega 3 oils promote a
healthy cardiovascular system, immune system, and reproductive system. DHA promotes mental focus.”
Source: The Herbalist Manufacturing Herbal Medicine Since 1984 http://store.theherbalist.com
______________________________________________________________________________

40
2. “Daily doses of vitamin C do little to protect people from the common cold, scientists revealed today.
In a survey of scientific studies spanning more than two decades and including more than 11,000 people,
those who took 200mg of vitamin C daily had almost as many colds as those who took no supplements.
The study was led by Harri Hemilä at Helsinki University”
Source: Guardian http://www.theguardian.com
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Cilantrol Oil
“Oil of Cilantro is formulated with cilantro plus coriander seed to create an immensely useful tonic for
digestion and liver support. Our mountain grown wild oil of cilantro is the only type containing both
cilantro leaf and coriander seed oil, providing optimal strength and essence.”
Source: Buy Herbs http://www.buyherbs.com
______________________________________________________________________________
4. “Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like cilantro decreases the
risk of obesity, overall mortality, diabetes and heart disease while promoting a healthy skin and hair,
increased energy and overall lower weight.”
Source: Medical News Today http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
______________________________________________________________________________
5. “A recent study found e-cigarettes are less addictive than cigarettes for former smokers, researchers
have proved.”
Source: Daily Mail www.dailymail.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________
6. “This review summarizes evidence for the effectiveness of technology use in foreign language (FL)
learning and teaching, with a focus on studies that compare the use of newer technologies with more
traditional methods or materials. The review of over 350 studies revealed that, in spite of an abundance of
publications available on the topic of technology use in FL learning and teaching, evidence of efficacy is
limited.”
Source: Computer Assisted Language Learning A peer-reviewed scholarly journal
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09588221.2012.700315#.VJbmxP84KA
______________________________________________________________________________
7. “The location of the hotel near the central station and the simple but very comfortable rooms plus the
varied and tasty breakfast are the reasons why Hotel Europa Life is everything else but a usual hotel.”
Source: Hotel Europa Life http://www.hoteleuropa-frankfurt.de
______________________________________________________________________________
8. “For 7 euros I would have hoped for more. To be perfectly honest, I felt the Boboli gardens were a bit
of a disappointment. I had hoped for more water features.”
Source: Virtual Tourist Jim Ellison (a tourist) http://www.virtualtourist.com
______________________________________________________________________________

41
THE THESIS
What a Thesis Is Not:

● Not a Title

A title can often give the reader some notion of what the thesis is going to be, but it is not the thesis itself.
The thesis itself, as presented in the thesis statement, does not suggest the main idea-it is the main idea.

TITLE: NOT A THESIS THESIS STATEMENT

Home and Schools Parents ought to participate more in the education of

their children.
The Fad of Divorce Too many people get divorced for trivial reasons.

● Not an Announcement of the Subject

A thesis takes a stand. It expresses an attitude toward the subject. It is not the subject itself.

ANNOUNCEMENT: NOT A THESIS THESIS STATEMENT

My subject is the incompetence of Professor X. Professor X is an incompetent teacher.

I want to share some thoughts with you about our Our space program is a waste of money.
space program.
The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving Solving our environmental problems is more
our environmental problems. difficult than many environmentalists believe.

● Not a Statement of Absolute Fact

A thesis makes a judgment of interpretation. There's no way to spend a whole paper supporting a
statement that needs to support.

FACT: NOT A THESIS

Suicide is the deliberate taking of one's own life.

What a Good Thesis Is:

42
It's possible to have a one-sentence statement of an idea and still not have a thesis that can be supported
effectively. What characterizes a good thesis?

● A good thesis is restricted.

In certain respects, devising a thesis statement as you plan your paper can sometimes be a way in itself of
limiting, or restricting, your subject even further. A paper supporting the thesis that Professor X is
incompetent, besides taking a stand on its subject, has far less territory to cover than a paper on Professor
X in general. Thesis statements themselves, however, may not always have been sufficiently narrowed
down. A good thesis deals with restricted, bite-size issues rather than issues that would require a lifetime
to discuss intelligently. The more restricted the thesis, the better the chances are for supporting it fully.

POOR BETTER

Crime must be stopped. Our courts should hand out tougher sentences.

● A good thesis is unified.

The thesis expresses one major idea about its subject. The tight structural strength of your paper depends
on its working to support that one idea. A good thesis may sometimes include a secondary idea if it is
strictly subordinated to the major one, but without that subordination the writer will have too many
important ideas to handle, and the structure of the paper will suffer.

POOR BETTER
The new health program is excellent, but it has The new health program should be run only on
several drawbacks, and it should be run only on experimental basis for two or three years.
experimental basis for two or three years. OR
Despite its general excellence, the new health
program should be run only on an experimental
basis for two or three years.

● A good thesis is specific.

A satisfactorily restricted and unified thesis may be useless if the idea it commits you to is too vague.

POOR BETTER
Drug addiction is a big problem Drug addiction has caused a dramatic increase in
crimes of violence.

43
EXERCISES FOR REVIEW
B. Circle (G) next to each good thesis statement. Circle (NG) next to each statement that is not
sufficiently restricted, unified, or specific, and be prepared to suggest revisions.

G NG Exercise is a worthwhile activity.

G NG Jogging can add years to one's life.

G NG Teaching tricks to a dog is easier than most people think.

G NG The way people shake hands can reveal something about their characters.

COMMON SENTENCE-LEVEL ERRORS

Run-on sentences: Fused Sentences
Incorrect: Bees are valuable to us they pollinate crops and provide us with honey.
Correct: Bees are valuable to us. They pollinate crops and provide us with honey.

Run-on sentences: Comma Splices

Incorrect: Butterflies and bees are insects, spiders are different from insects.
Correct: Butterflies and bees are insects. Spiders are different from insects.

Fragments
Incorrect: After I cashed my check. I treated myself to dinner.
Correct: After I cashed my check, I treated myself to dinner.

Subject/Verb agreement
Incorrect: Neither my brothers nor my father are going to sell the house.
Correct: Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house.

Dangling modifiers
Incorrect: To improve his results, the experiment was done again.
Correct: He improved his results by doing the experiment again.

Unnecessary pronouns
Incorrect: The shirt that Carl bought it has a stain on the pocket.
Correct: The shirt that Carl bought has a stain on the pocket.

Spelling
Incorrect: A lot of people will loose their jobs if there is an economic recession.
Correct: A lot of people will lose their jobs if there is an economic recession.

Word choice
Incorrect: My mother borrowed me some money, and I must pay her back soon.
Correct: My mother lent me some money, and I must pay her back soon.

Word form
Incorrect: Until recently, the Hudson River contained danger levels of pollutants.

44
Correct: Until recently, the Hudson River contained dangerous levels of pollutants.

Article use
Incorrect: A violin is created through long painstaking process.
Correct: A violin is created through a long painstaking process.

Preposition use
Incorrect: I have been living in Lebanon since three years.
Correct: I have been living in Lebanon for three years.

Word order
Incorrect: I have to improve a lot my English.
Correct: I have to improve my English a lot.

For exercises, check the links below:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/26/5
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_77.htm
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/run-ons_ex1.htm
http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm

ONE-SIDED ESSAY PRACTICE

PRACTICE 1

Writing prompt:
Write a 500-word documented essay that consists of a thesis statement and two body paragraphs, in
which you discuss the benefits of a shorter workweek.
Make sure you use all the 3 sources below. You do not need to include a reference list for this draft.
Article 1:
HUFFINGTON POST
The Health Benefits of a Shorter Workweek June 2, 2017

What goes on for more than eight hours a day, lasts for five days a week, and causes adults to experience
a litany of health issues? Work.

U.S. employees clock more hours at work than any other nation in the world. Almost 40 percent of
Americans work at least 10 hours every day or more than 50 hours a week, according to a 2014 Gallup
Poll. That's almost one month more per year compared to the 1970s, according to the U.S. Bureau of
Labour Statistics.

Numerous reports and studies have shown that the expected pace put upon the U.S. workforce is to blame
for many health issues that plague adults today. These include sleep issues, obesity, and an overall
weakened immune system. Employees that work more than 11 hours a day are 2.5 times more likely to

45
develop depression and more than 60 times more likely to develop heart disease, according to the Centre
for a New American Dream.

Companies that have adopted an abbreviated workweek say their employees are able to achieve a healthy
work-life balance and still produce at a level that is needed for business to thrive.

Scandinavian countries in particular are known to support a shorter workweek, paid time off, plus job
sharing. The collective value in a healthy work-life balance is revealing. People who live in Scandinavian
countries continue to rank among the happiest in the world. The presumptive notion that longer work
hours lead to greater productivity is a fallacy, according to K. Anders Ericsson, Ph.D., a Scholar and
Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. A lengthy workday won't translate to improved
productivity. Rather, it tends to create the opposite -- burnout. "The key is that they have those few hours
that they feel like they are doing their best work," he said. Once the optimum workflow is determined, he
said employers might come to find out that their staff won't be too concerned about the amount of time
they spend at the office because of job satisfaction.https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-health-benefits-of-
a_n_10246982

Article 2:
THE GUARDIAN
Four-day week: trial finds lower stress and increased productivity
Robert Booth Tue 19 Feb 2019

The founder of one of the first big companies to switch to a four-day working week has called on others
to follow, claiming it has resulted in a 20% rise in productivity, appeared to have helped increase profits
and improved staff wellbeing. Analysis of one of the biggest trials yet of the four-day working week has
revealed no fall in output, reduced stress and increased staff engagement, fueling hopes that a better
work-life balance for millions could be in sight.

Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand financial services company, switched its 240 staff from a five-day to
a four-day week last November and maintained their pay. Productivity increased in the four days they
worked so there was no drop in the total amount of work done, a study of the trial released on Tuesday
has revealed.

The trial was monitored by academics at the University of Auckland and Auckland University of
Technology. Among the Perpetual Guardian staff they found scores given by workers about leadership,
stimulation, empowerment and commitment all increased compared with a 2017 survey.

Details of an earlier trial showed the biggest increases were in commitment and empowerment. Staff
stress levels were down from 45% to 38%. Work-life balance scores increased from 54% to 78%. “This is
an idea whose time has come,” said Andrew Barnes, Perpetual Guardian’s founder and chief executive.
“We need to get more companies to give it a go. They will be surprised at the improvement in their
company, their staff and in their wider community.”

46
People used the additional day off for some of the same leisure activity they would have done at the
weekend, such as golf or watching Netflix, but new activities emerged too, according to Jarrod Haar, a
professor of human resource management at Auckland University of Technology. These included
“spending time with parents”, “spending much-needed time studying”, and “cleaning the house.”

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/feb/19/four-day-week-trial-study-finds-lower-stress-but-no-
cut-in-output

Article 3:
CNBC
Forget the 5-day work week—just 4 days results in ‘a healthier, more loyal, more engaged staff’
Michelle Fox Tue, Apr 23 2019

If you want a more productive employee, give them a paid day off from work every week. That’s the
philosophy of Andrew Barnes, founder of the New Zealand company Perpetual Garden. He tried the
experiment last year, and the results made both Barnes and his employees happy. Now his workers enjoy
a permanent four-day work week. “This is all about working smarter, not working longer,” said Barnes,
whose firm manages wills, trusts and estates. In other words, less goofing off and more focusing on work.
The idea is that employees give the company 100% productivity. They still get 100% of their salary, but
only work 80% of the standard hours.
It’s a success because employees get the perk — and they concentrate more consistently on work during
that time than their 9-5 counterparts do, suggests Barns.
Several studies back him up. According to a U.K. study done in 2017 by deals site Vouchercloud, the
average employee spends two hours and 53 minutes each day working productively. Separately, a 2018
survey by the Workforce Institute at Kronos found that more than half of full-time workers thought they
could do their job in five hours a day if they didn’t have any interruptions. It polled 3,000 employees
across eight nations.
Barnes is hoping other employers learn from his experience. However, he said many companies are
“scared” to take the chance because they’ve been so conditioned about a five-day work week. “What
we’re saying is that if you engage with your staff, if you give them the opportunity to come up with ideas,
if you say to them, ‘look, if you do things differently we will gift you this day off a week,’ what they do is
they change how they behave at work,” he said. “That improves the productivity and that delivers that
much higher output, but at the same time gives you all the benefits of work-life balance, [and] a healthier,
more loyal, more engaged staff.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/23/a-4-day-work-week-results-in-more-loyal-more-engaged-staff.html

47
PRACTICE 2:

Writing prompt: Write a 500-word documented essay that consists of a thesis statement and two
body paragraphs, in which you discuss the benefits of playing video games. Make sure you use all
the 3 sources below. You do not need to include a reference list for this draft.
Article 1:

BBC NEWS
A little video gaming 'linked to well-adjusted children' Smitha Mundasad 4 August 2014

Playing video games for a short period each day could have a small but positive impact on child
development, a study by Oxford University suggests. Scientists found young people who spent less than
an hour a day engaged in video games were better adjusted than those who did not play at all. But
children who used consoles for more than three hours reported lower satisfaction with their lives overall.

The research is published in the Journal Pediatrics. Experimental psychologist Dr Andrew Przybylski
analysed British surveys involving 5,000 young people aged 10 to 15 years old. Some 75% of those
questioned said they played video games daily. Children were asked to quantify how much time they
spent gaming on a typical school day - using consoles or computers. They then rated a number of factors,
including satisfaction with their lives, how well they got on with peers, how likely they were to help
people in difficulty, and levels of hyperactivity and inattention.

The answers were combined to assess levels of psychological and social adjustment. When compared
with all other groups, including those who played no video games at all, young people reporting under an
hour of play each day were most likely to say they were satisfied with their lives and showed the highest
levels of positive social interactions. The group also had fewer problems with emotional issues and lower
levels of hyperactivity. According to the results, people who spent more than three hours playing games
were the least well-adjusted.

Dr Iroise Dumontheil, of Birkbeck, University of London, who was not involved in the research, said:
"Other studies have shown that playing first-person shooter games, but not other types, can lead to
increased visuospatial processing and memory abilities. "Further research would help to determine
whether particular types of game help or hinder adolescents as they adjust to the changes they experience
during development."
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28602887

Article 2:
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
You can vent your anger if you really want to Art Markman Nov 22, 2011
Research to-date generally shows that playing violent video games increases aggression. There are many
ways to measure increases in aggression. Some studies use techniques where they give people an
opportunity to blast an opponent with noise. Brad Bushman and his colleagues have shown that after

48
people play violent video games, they are willing to blast people with louder noises than when they
played a nonviolent game. Other studies look at how easy it is to think aggressive thoughts. Studies like
this use a lexical decision task. In lexical decision, you see a string of letters and have to decide whether it
is a word. In general, studies using these lexical decision tasks show that you are faster to respond to
words related to aggression after playing violent video games than after playing nonviolent video games.
When I have written about these studies in the past, I have gotten comments from a number of gamers
who insist that playing violent video games really does help them to vent their anger. That places people's
experience in opposition to the data from studies.

A study by Markus Denzler, Michael Hafner and Jens Forster in the December 2011 issue of Personality
and Social Psychology Bulletin may help to explain what is going on. They suggest that playing a violent
video game may actually help to decrease aggression if you play the game with the goal to vent your
anger.

Consistent with the previous research, people who played the game with no goal responded faster to
words relating to aggression than to words not relating to aggression. In fact, playing the game made it
easier for them to think about aggression than when they first thought about being angry. However, those
people who played the game with the goal to vent their anger seem to have succeeded. It was actually
harder for them to respond to the words related to aggression than to the words not related to aggression.

The authors did a similar study looking at how people typically deal with anger. They used a scale that
measures how often people try to vent their anger by doing something aggressive like slamming a door.
This study also asked people to think about someone who made them angry and had them play a violent
video game. People who typically try to vent their anger and played a game found it harder to respond to
words relating to aggression than those who don't typically vent their anger and played a game.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201111/you-can-vent-your-anger-if-you-really-
want
Article 3:

THE GUARDIAN
Can video games encourage reading? Mary Richert 10 October 2008
The New York Times has reported how authors, teachers, librarians and publishers are embracing video
games in order to attract young readers.
First, video games can improve basic comprehension in a way that isn't painful for a student who
struggles with reading. To see words on screen and engage in the actions associated with that text is a
very simple, straightforward way to develop and practice reading skills. In the early 1990s, I played a
game called Reader Rabbit on my family's computer. It was fun, and I was good at it, and I grew up to be
a writer. That doesn't prove that Reader Rabbit is a great teaching tool - after all, I still rely heavily on
spell check, and I learned much more from my parents' reading to me than I did from any video game.
But the grammar games did help prepare me for diagramming sentences in the fourth grade.
Games can also help players develop other skills. For example, a game like Call of Duty, which is a
hugely popular series, can be viewed on one hand simply as violent because it's a war game. On the other
hand, if you've ever actually played the game, you'll notice that it requires a significant amount of
strategic know-how and team cooperation, things that are not as simple as they seem.
Much like real-life games of capture the flag or paintball, players in Call of Duty split up into offence and
defence, and teammates protect one another to achieve goals together. To play well as a team requires not

49
only practice but also strong communication and cooperation, something not many classrooms are
teaching these days. Granted, Call of Duty was developed for entertainment, and for mature players, not
for teaching the very young to read, but there is simply no doubt that a well-built video game, just like
any other challenging pastime, can be intellectually stimulating.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/oct/10/video.games.education.books

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS TO TURNITIN

Turnitin instructions: Create an account on www.turnitin.com by following the following steps

● Go to www.turnitin.com

● Click on “Create an account”

● Choose “student” from the bottom of the page

● Fill in the details

Turnitin details:

Class name:
Enrollment password:
Class ID:

Typing Instructions:

Times New Roman

Font size 12
Double-spaced
Margins: 1 inch

50
 Instructions for the Oral Presentation and Documented Essay

• You are expected to choose a topic (debatable topic similar to the topics used in the
practices). Accordingly, find 3 reliable articles from trustworthy sources and then decide
on the stance. The articles need to be recent, and one should be a journal article. These
three articles will be used for the oral presentation and the development of the one-sided
documented essay.

• The Oral Presentation (Consider the oral presentation an outline for your documented
essay):
◦ the oral presentation should not exceed 5 minutes, in which you need to:
◦ Introduce the topic
◦ Present your annotated bibliography (of the articles you selected for the
documented essay)
◦ Present the thesis statement, and mention briefly the two arguments that
will be developed in the documented paragraphs.
◦ A powerpoint presentation is recommended for a better organization of ideas and
clarity.

• The Documented Essay:

◦ It is a 600 to 700-word essay that consists of:
Draft 1:
◦ an introduction in which you state clearly your thesis at the end (stance
and the two main ideas of the documented body paragraphs) (100-150
words)
◦ two body paragraphs that are supported by the three articles (each
paragraph should include at least two citations) (250 words)

Draft 2:
◦ The edited Draft 1
◦ a conclusion that restates the main ideas discussed in the body paragraphs
(50 - 100 words)
◦ a reference list

51
 PART FOUR: THE OPPOSING VIEWPOINT

The Counterargument/Rebuttal paragraph

A successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the
thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is then the student’s job to
point out how other positions may not be well informed or up-to-date on the topic.
1. Prove that you know the opposing argument well enough to respond to it thoughtfully.
2. Consider opening a paragraph with an opposing viewpoint. Doing so will allow you to devote
the rest of the paragraph to your own response.
3. Explain their argument and then show (providing evidence) why their argument is invalid or at
least inadequate.
4. Always monitor your tone. Treat your opponent with respect.
TWO SIDES OF AN ARGUMENT
Give the other side's opinion, and then give YOUR opinion
One sentence (While, although)

● While it is true that… … I believe…

● Despite the fact that millions of people die every year from lung cancer, many people
think it is cool to smoke.

● Although many people think that…., I feel that

● Although it is often said that…, in fact the opposite is true

Two sentences

● It is undoubtedly true that… …However…

52
 ● It is often argued that… However, it is

● Some people say that… They claim… However, I feel…

● Supporters of this viewpoint say that… However, it is

Adapted from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/

TWO-SIDED ESSAY PRACTICES

Practice 1:
Writing prompt:
Write a 500 to 550-word essay in which you argue for the idea that the presence of Generation Z
employees in the workplace has more positive than negative impact on the working environment.

You should write an introduction with a clear thesis statement, a documented paragraph (the
argument), a second documented paragraph (the counterargument), and a conclusion.

You do not need to write a reference list. Make sure you use all three articles below (at least two
citations in each documented paragraph).
You have TWO HOURS to complete this exam.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Generation Z is the population born in 1995 and later.

Article 1:
How Generation Z will impact the workplace
Janice Gassam Asare December 26, 2018

The newest generation, Generation Z, has now started to enter the workforce. The U.S. Census Bureau
indicates that in the next two years, 20% of the U.S. workforce will be comprised of this generation,
containing approximately 61 million people. Companies should also be mindful of what drives this
generation in order to effectively advertise and market products to them.

Research indicates that this generation values information on-demand, and is leery of both authority
figures and brands on social media. One survey even found that Gen Z uses social media to understand
more about products before making purchases. According to a poll of 5,000 Gen Z’ers, this generation

53
wants to engage one-on-one with their organizational leaders. Management should be actively involved in
the progression of their careers. Creating an effective strategy to allow this generation to receive
mentorship, sponsorship, and also one-on-one guidance from leaders can be a beneficial approach to
keeping this group engaged.

Despite being a generation that is characterized by smart devices and Snapchat, Gen Z’ers also crave
human connection in the workplace, with 16% of those surveyed emphasizing the importance of their
relationships with coworkers and 15% highlighting the importance of supervisor interactions. The Center
for Generation Kinetics reports that this generation is used to having conversations surrounding finances,
money, and debt earlier than previous generations.

This generation is accustomed to social media, connecting through Youtube, Facebook, Snapchat,
Instagram and other platforms. 81% of respondents in one survey indicated that they use social media to
find out more about products. Companies that market their products to this generation should focus a
majority of their marketing efforts on engaging with their customers on social media. This generation is
visual, needing constant stimulation, so ad campaigns should contain interactive graphics, photos, and
videos.

As employees, Gen Z’ers want frequent interactions with supervisors and organizational leaders. They
value regular feedback about their performance, and contrary to popular perceptions, this group values
face-to-face interactions. In regards to training, this generation is very tech-savvy but may require a bit
more assistance when it comes to customer-facing roles.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2018/12/26/how-the-newest-generation-generation-z-will-impact-your-workplace/?sh=4e8d64c92af6

___________________________________________________________________________

Article 2:
3 ways Gen Z employees are transforming the workplace (n.d.)

Move over Millennials, Gen X and Boomers, there’s a new kid on the block. Generation Z is here and
preparing to completely revolutionize the workforce. Born between 1995 and the early 2010s, there are
more than 60 million Gen Zers in the U.S. alone, and they take their values seriously.

The oldest members of the group are just finishing college and starting their careers. In 2020, Gen Z will
already account for an estimated 20 percent of the workforce. So how can employers attract and develop
the best and the brightest of this newest generation? Three key principles matter most to Gen Z
employees.

The ability to work anywhere and anytime combined with the emergence of the gig economy has blurred
the boundary between work and life, especially for Gen Z employees. Having grown up with smartphones
in hand, Generation Z is more digitally connected than any prior age group. They embrace technology
and expect the ability to quickly and easily access information around the clock. This means that, in
addition to more traditional communication channels, Gen Z employees look to mobile-friendly apps and
social media as their primary means to learn essential information, including employee benefits.

54
Gen Zers want flexibility with their benefits as well. Specifically, they are looking for benefits that extend
beyond conventional medical, dental and disability coverages – even if that means covering some of the
costs themselves. According to the survey, 57 percent of Gen Zers feel they would be more successful in
both work and life if they had access to more progressive benefits. These additional benefits could
address both short and long-term worries related not only to work, but also to health and family, such as
unlimited paid time off, financial wellness programs, and accident or critical illness insurance.

To ensure both their organizations and employees thrive, employers should look for opportunities to
provide purposeful work, support work-life harmony and offer benefits that can help their employees
succeed.
https://www.metlife.com/workforce-insights/3-ways-gen-z-employees-are-transforming-the-workforce/

_________________________________________________________________________________

Article 3:
Managers not Too enthusiastic about Generation Z coming to work
Dana Wiklie November 3, 2017

They'll be difficult to manage, hard to communicate with and won't have a particularly strong work ethic.
While that may sound like what older generations were saying about Millennials not too long ago, it's also
what some workplace managers are now saying about the latest addition to the workforce—Generation Z.
And they haven't particularly impressed their more-seasoned co-workers, according to a new poll from
APPrise Mobile, a mobile employee communications tool.
"To the extent Millennials are associated with 'entitlement,' there probably is a level of fear that Gen Z
will turn out worse," said APPrise Mobile's founder and CEO, Jeff Corbin. "The farther away in age, the
greater the likelihood that [current managers] believe that they won't be able to relate to [Gen Z]."

Among the findings of the poll, which relied on a Google Consumer Survey of 1,000 workplace managers
in the United States. More than a third (36 percent) of managers believe that Generation Z will be more
difficult to manage than older generations. 27 percent of managers believe Millennials will be harder
workers than Generation Z, compared with 16 percent who believe it will be the other way around. 29
percent of respondents expect it will be more difficult to train employees from Generation Z compared to
older generations. 26 percent said it will be more difficult to communicate with them. Millennial
managers appear most worried about company culture: 20 percent of Millennial managers said they
believed that Generation Z would make the company culture worse.

Bruce Tulgan, founder of New Haven, Conn.-based consultancy Rainmaker Thinking, said managers'
fears about Generation Z may not be unfounded. He said his own research shows that managers worry
most that Generation Z will view jobs as short-term transactional relationships and that these youngest
workers will demand a great deal of flexibility and responsibility early in their working lives. "It may be

55
attributable to being raised by helicopter parents who have provided more guidance, direction, support
and coaching to young people than any generation in history," Tulgan said.

Given that most Generation Z members grew up with a mobile device in their hands, "there is a tendency
and expectation of instantaneous gratification," Corbin said. "They want the answers now. They are all
about tweets and short responses. As a result, many Gen Zers are going to be too quick to respond rather
than deliberate and thoughtful.

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/generation-z-.aspx
_________________________________________________________________________________

Practice 2
Writing prompt: Write a 500 to 550-word essay in which you argue for the idea that playing
video games has a more positive than negative impact on players. You should write an
introduction with a clear thesis statement, a documented paragraph (the argument), a second
documented paragraph (the counterargument), and a conclusion.

You do not need to write a reference list. Make sure you use all three articles below (at least two
citations in each documented paragraph).

Article 1:

BBC NEWS
A little video gaming 'linked to well-adjusted children' Smitha Mundasad, 4 August 2014

Playing video games for a short period each day could have a small but positive impact on child
development, a study by Oxford University suggests. Scientists found young people who spent less than
an hour a day engaged in video games were better adjusted than those who did not play at all. But
children who used consoles for more than three hours reported lower satisfaction with their lives overall.

The research is published in the Journal Pediatrics. Experimental psychologist Dr Andrew Przybylski
analysed British surveys involving 5,000 young people aged 10 to 15 years old. Some 75% of those
questioned said they played video games daily. Children were asked to quantify how much time they
spent gaming on a typical school day - using consoles or computers. They then rated a number of factors,
including satisfaction with their lives, how well they got on with peers, how likely they were to help
people in difficulty, and levels of hyperactivity and inattention.

56
The answers were combined to assess levels of psychological and social adjustment. When compared
with all other groups, including those who played no video games at all, young people reporting under an
hour of play each day were most likely to say they were satisfied with their lives and showed the highest
levels of positive social interactions. The group also had fewer problems with emotional issues and lower
levels of hyperactivity. According to the results, people who spent more than three hours playing games
were the least well-adjusted.

Dr Iroise Dumontheil, of Birkbeck, University of London, who was not involved in the research, said:
"Other studies have shown that playing first-person shooter games, but not other types, can lead to
increased visuospatial processing and memory abilities. "Further research would help to determine
whether particular types of game help or hinder adolescents as they adjust to the changes they experience
during development."
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28602887

Article 2:
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
You can vent your anger if you really want to Art Markman Nov 22, 2011

Research to-date generally shows that playing violent video games increases aggression. There are many
ways to measure increases in aggression. Some studies use techniques where they give people an
opportunity to blast an opponent with noise. Brad Bushman and his colleagues have shown that after
people play violent video games, they are willing to blast people with louder noises than when they
played a nonviolent game. Other studies look at how easy it is to think aggressive thoughts. Studies like
this use a lexical decision task. In lexical decision, you see a string of letters and have to decide whether it
is a word. In general, studies using these lexical decision tasks show that you are faster to respond to
words related to aggression after playing violent video games than after playing nonviolent video games.
When I have written about these studies in the past, I have gotten comments from a number of gamers
who insist that playing violent video games really does help them to vent their anger. That places people's
experience in opposition to the data from studies.

A study by Markus Denzler, Michael Hafner and Jens Forster in the December 2011 issue of Personality
and Social Psychology Bulletin may help to explain what is going on. They suggest that playing a violent
video game may actually help to decrease aggression if you play the game with the goal to vent your
anger.

Consistent with the previous research, people who played the game with no goal responded faster to
words relating to aggression than to words not relating to aggression. In fact, playing the game made it
easier for them to think about aggression than when they first thought about being angry. However, those
people who played the game with the goal to vent their anger seem to have succeeded. It was actually
harder for them to respond to the words related to aggression than to the words not related to aggression.

The authors did a similar study looking at how people typically deal with anger. They used a scale that
measures how often people try to vent their anger by doing something aggressive like slamming a door.
This study also asked people to think about someone who made them angry and had them play a violent

57
video game. People who typically try to vent their anger and played a game found it harder to respond to
words relating to aggression than those who don't typically vent their anger and played a game.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ulterior-motives/201111/you-can-vent-your-anger-if-you-really-
want
Article 3:
HARVARD HEALTH PUBLISHING
The health effects of too much gaming
Peter Grinspoon, MD December 22, 2020

It is estimated that 164 million Americans — half of our population — play video games, also known as
gaming. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just teens who play games. According to a recent survey, only
21% of gamers were under 18 years old. While gaming can be a fun distraction or hobby (and is even
becoming a competitive sport on many college campuses), there are health risks that come from too much
gaming. What are these harms, and what can be done about them?

Repetitive stress injuries, or overuse injuries, are injuries that come from activities that involve repeated
use of muscles and tendons, to the point that pain and inflammation develop. If these injuries are allowed
to progress, numbness and weakness can develop, and permanent injury can result. Overuse injuries of
the hands and arms are rampant among gamers.
One common example is carpel tunnel syndrome, which many gamers develop. Carpal tunnel syndrome,
often seen in office workers, involves inflammation of a nerve in the wrist, which causes pain and
numbness.

“Gamer’s thumb,” which was previously called “PlayStation thumb” (or “nintendinitis” or
“nintendonitis” when Nintendo was popular), occurs when the tendons that move the thumb become
inflamed. The medical term for this is de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and it can lead to swelling and limited
movement. Gamers are also at risk for trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, which is when a finger
gets stuck in the bent position due to chronic inflammation. Gamers can also get tennis elbow, a painful
inflammation of the place where the tendon inserts into the bone on the outside of the elbow.

Gaming is also associated with obesity in teens and, plausibly, the same would be shown in adults, if
studied. This is due to the obvious phenomenon that if a teen is sitting in front of a screen for hours every
day, he or she isn’t getting much exercise. The obesity is also thought to be due to increased food intake
while playing video games. According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “a single session of
video game play in healthy male adolescents is associated with an increased food intake, regardless of
appetite sensations.” The proposed mechanisms are that either the signals that indicate satiety (fullness)
get impaired, or that the mental stress involved with playing video games activates the reward centers,
which leads to increased food intake.
Vision problems are common complaints of gamers. The most common vision problem is eye strain,
which can lead to headaches and poor concentration. Gaming has been reported to result in seizures,
leading to warnings on the packaging.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-health-effects-of-too-much-gaming-2020122221645

58
ENGL102 – Documented Paragraph Rubric

Content and Organization 40%

Poor: less than 24 Satisfactory: 24 – 27 Good to very good: 28 – Excellent: 34 and above
33

Does not provide a topic Topic sentence may be The topic sentence is clear The topic sentence is
sentence or topic is not unimaginative or too worded in a sophisticated
related to supporting ideas narrow. Supporting Presents a clear way
reasons are somewhat organizational strategy Presents a clear and
Demonstrates a lack of generalized with few inconsistencies consistent organizational
organization strategy
Presents an inconsistent Supports the topic Sequence of ideas is very
Provides no documented organizational strategy sentence with some effective
sources documented sources Supports the topic
Supports the topic sentence with the
sentence with one Elaboration is adequate documented sources
documented source required
Elaboration is
Elaboration is not appropriately extended
adequate

Language and Mechanics 40%

Poor: less than 24 Satisfactory: 24 – 27 Good to very good: 28 – Excellent: 34 and above
33

59
 Demonstrates poor use of Contains structural Presents very few Presents very few and
language weaknesses and mechanical errors minor mechanical errors
grammatical errors Sentence structure is
Presents many mechanical Sentence structure is correct
errors and sentence Transitions are rarely used generally correct
structures Rich vocabulary, and
Transitions are mostly effective transitions
No transitions used appropriate

Documentation 20%
Poor: less than 12 Satisfactory: 12 – 13 Good to very good: 14 – Excellent: 18 and above
17

Lacks sources and/or Sources are accurately Source material is used. All sources are accurately
sources are not accurately documented, but many are All sources are accurately documented in the desired
documented /APA format not in the desired format documented, but a few are format
is incorrect not in the desired format
Quotations and Strong writer
Overuse of quotations or paraphrases are long or Does not overuse quotes, voice/original writing
paraphrasing inconsistently referenced but many not always style
conform to required APA
Essay may border on APA conventions for documentation and Consistently conforms to
intentional or citing and formatting formatting APA style
unintentional plagiarism evidence a few errors
ENGL102 – Documented Essay Rubric
Content and Organization 40%
Poor: less than 24 Satisfactory: 24 – 27 Good to very good: 28 – 33 Excellent: 34 and above

Does not provide thesis or Thesis may be The thesis is somewhat original The writer creates a strong
thesis is not related to the unimaginative or obvious. and offers insight to the reader thesis that clearly addresses
topic and writing Supporting reasons are the topic.
assignment somewhat generalized Topic sentences linked to thesis
Topic sentences linked to
Topic sentences, if found, One topic sentence does Presents a clear organizational thesis
do not link to thesis not link to thesis strategy with few inconsistencies
Presents a clear and consistent
Demonstrates a lack of Presents an inconsistent Supports topic sentences with organizational strategy
organization organizational strategy some documented sources
Sequence of ideas is very
Provides no documented Supports topic sentences Elaborates most points effective
sources with one documented
source Supports topic sentences with
several documented sources
Elaborates some points
Elaborates all main points

Language and Mechanics 40%

Poor: less than 24 Satisfactory: 24 – 27 Good to very good: 28 – 33 Excellent: 34 and above

60
Demonstrates poor use of Contains structural Presents very few mechanical Presents very few and minor
language weaknesses and errors mechanical errors
grammatical errors Sentence structure is correct
Presents many mechanical Sentence structure is generally
errors and sentence Transitions are rarely used correct Rich vocabulary, and effective
structures transitions
Transitions are mostly
No transitions used appropriate

Documentation 20%
Poor: less than 12 Satisfactory: 12 – 13 Good to very good: 14 – 17 Excellent: 18 and above

Lacks sources and/or Sources are accurately Source material is used. All All sources are accurately
sources are not accurately documented, but many are sources are accurately documented in the desired
documented /APA format is not in the desired format documented, but a few are not in format
incorrect the desired format
Quotations and Strong writer voice/original
Overuse of quotations or paraphrases are long or Does not overuse quotes, but writing style
paraphrasing inconsistently referenced many not always conform to
required APA documentation and Consistently conforms to APA
Essay may border on APA conventions for formatting style
intentional or unintentional citing and formatting
plagiarism evidence a few errors

61