Post #4: Counterarguments

Your fourth post of this unit will focus on the research you have found to counter the oppositional statements you last posted about your topic.  Your post should:

• Introduce your argumentative topic with a grabber and clearly be supporting one side of the topic.

• Review the supporting and oppositional arguments from Posts #2 & #3.

• Elaborate several reasons that counterargue the opposition to your side of the topic. Include evidence from your research. Explain your evidence to the reader (persuade the reader by using factual, researched evidence).

• Conclude your supporting position (remind your reader what you MOST want them to know).

Your writing will be 1 - 2 paragraphs in length.  They should be written in a formal style (minimizing or eliminating the use of first-person and second-person pronouns).  

Example: 

At best homework is an association, not a causation, to students' success in school. Thousands of retested and verified studies have been conducted since the 1960's to determine how much of an impact homework has on student learning.  Some studies conclude that homework has a strong correlation to academic achievement; the next selection of studies argue that homework does not make students' better learners (Kohn).  Looking at the research as a whole, there is no reliable evidence to prove that overall homework has positive effects on student learning. 

What the research does suggest is that there are many factors that contribute to a student's success at school; some reasons include spending more time on homework and classwork than other students, more intrinsic motivation to learn, or being born into an affluent, highly-educated family.  Therefore, it is unwise to conclude that homework is the sole contributor to student success (Kohn). The detrimental effects of homework; such as physical health impairments like migraines and stomach aches, increased stress and anxiety, and loss of family and free-time; far outweigh the possible benefits of homework. 

Kohn, Alfie. "Does Homework Improve Learning?" The Homework Myth. 2006. http://www.alfiekohn.org/homework-improve-learning/ 

____________________________________________________________________________

Here is a reminder about Blog Posting Requirements:

Research blogs are due every Wednesday by 7:00 AM.

Research blogs that earn an A will do the following:

• Content: provide insight, understanding, and reflective thought about your selected topic by: building a focused argument around a specific issue, or asking a new related question, or making an oppositional statement supported by related research;
• Organization: present a focused and coherent viewpoint that is supported by effective supporting examples and links/citations to sources that enhance the information presented;
• Style: be creatively and fluently written to stimulate debate/conversation;
• Conventions: be proofread!

How to Post Blog Entries:

I strongly suggest that you compose your blog posts offline (in a Word document) in order to minimize the risk of accidental deletion due to internet connectivity and/or browser issues.

1. Click on the current week's blog.
2. Below the body of the directions, click the "Comments" text area. You will be able to type your response.
3. Paste your text into the Body.
4. Click "Post Response".

Replying to Classmates' Posts:

Your blog posts will appear in the thread of the Blog discussion. You should also write comments on 1-2 of your classmates' blogs every week -- to ask questions, provide additional information, argue an opposing point of view, and give support. You have until the following Monday at 7:00 AM to provide these comments.

Post #3: Opposing Arguments

Your third post of this unit will focus on the research you have found that opposes your topic.  Your post should:

• Introduce the opposition with a grabber (get the reader thinking about opposing your topic)

• Several (at least 2) reasons others oppose your topic. Include evidence from your research. Explain your evidence to the reader (explain the opposition by using factual, researched evidence)

• Conclude the opposing position (summarize the opposing arguments) 

• Cite at least 2 sources using MLA format (include Author, publisher, Title, Date, Web address)

Your writing will be 1-2 paragraphs in length.  They should be written in a formal style (minimizing or eliminating the use of first-person and second-person pronouns).  Remember, this is putting yourself in your opposition's shoes; write from the perspective of agreeing with the opposing side.

Example: 
Which would be worse failing all of your classes or never having time for friends, family, or fun? Some students feel as though they are faced with this question every day; do they risk failing their classes due to not doing their homework, or do they spend all of their time outside of school on their homework and neglect their family, friends, and extra curricular hobbies? The effects of homework for students ranges from health issues, to lack of time for extra curricular activities, to causing achievement gaps. 

In one Stanford University study, "56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress.  Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor" (Parker). The daily struggle students face with homework has many effects such as sleep deprivation, headaches, exhaustion, weight loss and stomach problems.  In addition to health problems, students are faced with the issue having less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits.  Students are more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.

Some opponents of homework in school argue that homework can increase the achievement gap between students from affluent and poor families (Edvantia). High-achieving students who have extra resources from home benefit from homework because they have more opportunities to complete it and often get help with assignments. Low-achieving students from poor families, on the other hand, suffer due to home circumstances caused by economic deprivation. Such circumstances as parents working several jobs, frequent moves, and crowded homes make it difficult to complete homework or any at-home academic learning.  Because a large emphasis is placed on homework, students who receive less help are less likely to gain the learning, and, therefore, fall behind in school.  The undue amounts of stress, which students are facing because of homework, are resulting in health issues, lack of free time, and causing achievement gaps in learning.

Edvantia for the Center for Public Education. "What research says about the value of homework: Research review". Center for Public Education. 5 Feb 2007. http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Instruction/What-research-says-about-the-value-of-homework-At-a-glance/What-research-says-about-the-value-of-homework-Research-review.html

Parker, Clifton B. "Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework". Stanford News. 10 Mar 2014. http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/march/too-much-homework-031014.html

__________________________________________________________________________

Here is a reminder about Blog Posting Requirements:

Research blogs are due every Wednesday by 7:00 AM.

Research blogs that earn an A will do the following:

• Content: provide insight, understanding, and reflective thought about your selected topic by: building a focused argument around a specific issue, or asking a new related question, or making an oppositional statement supported by related research;
• Organization: present a focused and coherent viewpoint that is supported by effective supporting examples and links/citations to sources that enhance the information presented;
• Style: be creatively and fluently written to stimulate debate/conversation;
• Conventions: be proofread!

How to Post Blog Entries:

I strongly suggest that you compose your blog posts offline (in a Word document) in order to minimize the risk of accidental deletion due to internet connectivity and/or browser issues.

1. Click on the current week's blog.
2. Below the body of the directions, click the "Comments" text area. You will be able to type your response.
3. Paste your text into the Body.
4. Click "Post Response".

Replying to Classmates' Posts:

Your blog posts will appear in the thread of the Blog discussion. You should also write comments on 1-2 of your classmates' blogs every week -- to ask questions, provide additional information, argue an opposing point of view, and give support. You have until the following Monday at 7:00 AM to provide these comments.

Post #2: Supporting Arguments

Your second post of this unit will focus on the research you have found to support your topic.  Your post should:

• Introduce your support with a grabber (get the reader thinking about supporting your topic)

• Several (at least 2-3) reasons to support your topic. Include evidence from your research. Explain your evidence to the reader (allow the reader to understand explaining the importance or significance of your factual, researched evidence)

• Conclude your supporting position (emphasize what you MOST want your reader to know)

• Cite at least 2 sources in MLA format (the same format we used for the Bloom's Project)

Your writing will be 2-3 paragraphs in length.  They should be written in a formal style (minimizing or eliminating the use of first-person and second-person pronouns).  

Example: 

In the past 60 years in the United States, there have been over three thousand studies conducted regarding homework and its effects on students (Cooper).  While each study is different and each is tailored for different populations of students and audiences, there are several results that stand out across many studies.  Homework has a positive effect of student achievement because homework allows students to develop better time management and study skills, mastery skills taught in class, and to increase individual student involvement in classroom instruction.

"Duke University researchers reviewed more than 60 research studies on homework between 1987 and 2003 and concluded that homework has a positive effect on student achievement"; this positive correlation was much stronger for secondary students, those in grades 7 through 12 (Cooper).  Students at the secondary level have had more time and experience to develop better time management and study skills.  These skills have come from their involvement and engagement with homework assigned throughout their schooling.  Students need to practice time management and study skills in order to effectively complete assignments, spend time with family, and participate in extra curricular activities like music, art, and sports.  While students are using their time management and study skills at home they are also practicing the mastery of skills taught in class.

Homework "gives each student an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of skills taught in class; to increase speed, mastery and maintenance of skills" (Center). By practicing skills at home, students are working toward mastery of the content, skill, or subject.  Like all skills, related to education or not, the more practice students engage in, the more likely they are to achieve mastery.  Because students are practicing skills at home they are also more likely to participate in classroom instruction.

Homework gives each student the opportunity to increase their individual involvement in specific skills and knowledge inside their classrooms, while also enjoying learning (Center).  Parents and teachers have to show our children that homework is not boring or a waste of time.  There are numerous benefits to doing homework correctly and handing it on time. Students can benefit from the life skills they learn by doing homework and then go back to the instant communications world of high-speed computers, the Internet, cell phones, text messaging, social networking and instant messaging (Bishop).


Bishop, John. "10 Benefits of Homework". Lesson Plans. 2015. http://lessonplanspage.com/OSS10BenefitsOfHomework512.htm/

Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations. "Purposes and Benefits of Homework". 2015. http://www.cesdp.nmhu.edu/toolkit/enhancing-student-learning/purposes-benefits-of-homework.asp

Cooper, Eric. "The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents". Corwin Press, 2001. http://today.duke.edu/2006/03/homework.html.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Here is a reminder about Blog Posting Requirements:

Research blogs are due every Wednesday by 7:00 AM.

Research blogs that earn an A will do the following:

• Content: provide insight, understanding, and reflective thought about your selected topic by: building a focused argument around a specific issue, or asking a new related question, or making an oppositional statement supported by related research;
• Organization: present a focused and coherent viewpoint that is supported by effective supporting examples and links/citations to sources that enhance the information presented;
• Style: be creatively and fluently written to stimulate debate/conversation;
• Conventions: be proofread!

How to Post Blog Entries:

I strongly suggest that you compose your blog posts offline (in a Word document) in order to minimize the risk of accidental deletion due to internet connectivity and/or browser issues.

1. Click on the current week's blog.
2. Below the body of the directions, click the "Comments" text area. You will be able to type your response.
3. Paste your text into the Body.
4. Click "Post Response".

Replying to Classmates' Posts:

Your blog posts will appear in the thread of the Blog discussion. You should also write comments on 1-2 of your classmates' blogs every week -- to ask questions, provide additional information, argue an opposing point of view, and give support.  You have until the following Monday at 7:00 AM to provide these comments.

Post #1: Introduction

This is your first post in a series that we will complete throughout this unit.  Your first post should:

• Introduce your chosen topic with a grabber  (what issue/problem/cause are you researching?)

• Your interest in the topic (why is this topic interesting/important to you?)

• Summarize your initial research (what have you found to help your reader better understand?)

Your writing will be 1-2 paragraphs in length.  They should be written in a formal style (minimizing the use of first-person and second-person pronouns).  

Example: 

The glowing red light on your clock says 10:45 pm; you've been writing your essay for over three hours. Your eyes are heavy, your brain hurts, and you just can't think of a better way to end your conclusion.  It was time for bed long ago, but you still have science to do! Do you give up and go to bed, or stay up a bit longer to get everything accomplished? Students, every night, suffer many similar feelings of anxiousness, exhaustion, and frustration at the thought of homework.

Homework, a long-time element of most schooling, is recently under much scrutiny from parents, students, teachers, and school boards around the country. I will be researching the use of homework in middle schools, specifically Charles F. Patton Middle School, its effect on grades and student learning. Being a teacher at the school, this is important for my career but also for the benefit of my students' educations and success in middle school.

In preliminary research has showed that there are positive effects of homework as well as negative effects.  At this point, I have not researched thoroughly positive or negative effects to see which is more prevalent or important for student success.  Some positive effects are enhancing classroom material, practicing needed academic skills, and multitasking. Some negative effects are exhaustion, time management, and anxiousness.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Here is a reminder about Blog Posting Requirements:

Research blogs are due every Wednesday by 7:00 AM.

Research blogs that earn an A will do the following:

• Content: provide insight, understanding, and reflective thought about your selected topic by: building a focused argument around a specific issue, or asking a new related question, or making an oppositional statement supported by related research;
• Organization: present a focused and coherent viewpoint that is supported by effective supporting examples and links/citations to sources that enhance the information presented;
• Style: be creatively and fluently written to stimulate debate/conversation;
• Conventions: be proofread!

How to Post Blog Entries:

I strongly suggest that you compose your blog posts offline (in a Word document) in order to minimize the risk of accidental deletion due to internet connectivity and/or browser issues.

1. Click on the current week's blog.
2. Below the body of the directions, click the "Comments" text area. You will be able to type your response.
3. Paste your text into the Body.
4. Click "Post Response".

Replying to Classmates' Posts:

Your blog posts will appear in the thread of the Blog discussion. You should also write comments on 1-2 of your classmates' blogs every week -- to ask questions, provide additional information, argue an opposing point of view, and give support. You have until the following Monday at 7:00 AM to provide these comments.

Blog Posting Directions

Throughout this unit, you will write bi-weekly argumentative research-based blogs. Each should be at least 1-2 paragraphs in length, and should provide your thoughts, concerns, challenges, and discoveries as you conduct research for the issue you chose. 

The blogs will give you a method to track your progress on your research, reflect on the evolution of your research project, and explore more informally the issues and questions that excite you as you develop your argument.

Research blogs are due every Wednesday by 7:00 AM.

Research blogs that earn an A will do the following:

• Content: provide insight, understanding, and reflective thought about your selected topic by: building a focused argument around a specific issue, or asking a new related question, or making an oppositional statement supported by related research;
• Organization: present a focused and coherent viewpoint that is supported by effective supporting examples and links/citations to sources that enhance the information presented;
• Style: be creatively and fluently written to stimulate debate/conversation;
• Conventions: be proofread!

How to Post Blog Entries:

I strongly suggest that you compose your blog posts offline (in a Word document) in order to minimize the risk of accidental deletion due to internet connectivity and/or browser issues.

1. Click on the current week's blog.
2. Below the body of the directions, click the "Comments" text area. You will be able to type your response.
3. Paste your text into the Body.
4. Click "Post Response".

Replying to Classmates' Posts:

Your blog posts will appear in the thread of the Blog discussion. You should also write comments on 1-2 of your classmates' blogs every week -- to ask questions, provide additional information, argue an opposing point of view, and give support. You have until the following Monday at 7:00 AM to provide these comments.