Before beginning your research, be sure to narrow your topic. With Internet searches,
for example, a.topie-thatis too.broad.willlead-you.to-far-too-many.sources..Therefore,..
start by listing any words or phrases related to the topic, and then select the ones that are likely to produce specific results. For example, “elementary school” will take you to more useful Internet sources than simply “school” or “education.” “Bullying in elementary school” will produce even more specific results. You can then narrow (or expand) the list further, based on your initial findings.
Finding Sources
Use at least two search engines to find two or more “hits” (that is, websites) for each of the following key phrases. List the search engines you used and the titles of the websites you found.
Example: non-physical bullying
Google: “Bullying Harassment?” www.bullyingstatistics.org./content/
bullying-harrassment.html
Yahoo: Swart, Estelle and Judith Bredekamp. “Nen- physical Bullying:
exploring the perspective of Grade 5 girls. South Africa Journal of Education. Web.up.ac.za/sitefiles/file/47/bullying%20article.pdf
120 CHAPTER6
1. Inner-city education
Search engines:
Titles of websites:
2, Public high school completion rates
Search engines:
Titles of websites:
3. English language learner strategies
Search engines:
Titles of websites:
Consult an Internet source for information on one of these educational leaders. Then write an introductory paragraph for an essay explaining a problem or problems the person faced and solved. You will complete this essay in the Expansion activity on page 127.
John Dewey Robert Maynard Hutchins Maria Montessori Mary McLeod Bethune
Benjamin Bloom W.E. B. Du Bois
Problem / Solution Essays 121
synthesized, or blended together. Look for similarities (or differences) between the sources and include them
in the same paragraph.
You must also explain the logical relationships
between the sources. In your own words, and without * referring to your sources, state the main point, or
claim, that the sources support. Then cite the source
material that agrees or disagrees with this claim. Paraphrase material whenever you can, but quote from it when the writer or speaker is a recognized authority or his or her phrasing is particularly strong.
There are two main ways that you can synthesize the information from different sources:
* indicate that the second source agrees with the first and perhaps expands on it in some way
e indicate that the two sources disagree, with or without your judging which one is right
Here is an example of the first method taken from the writing model on page 111.
Bullying, often considered just “what kids do,” has become a topic of concern. Bullying takes two forms: nonphysical and physical aggression. The first is “a type of emotional violence where individuals use relationships to harm others. Examples include exclusion from a group and rumor spreading”
(Ophelia Project, 2005, p. 3). The second, physical aggression, includes shoving, tripping, and taking personal items. Both forms, however, share common traits.
(This sentence establishes the agreement between the sources.) “Bullying is a weapon of people driven by the need for power. Bullying can be a single action—verbal, physical, or emotional—but it is always done to cause fear and to exert power” (White-Hooel, 2006, p. 30).
ae ery coupe cyte
This next example, adapted from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services blends several sources together to support the general claim of the opening sentence.
h
Bullying is widespread not only in the United States, but also throughout much of the world. Extensive studies in other countries during the 1980s and 1990s (This introduces the main areas of agreement among the sources.) generally found that between 8 and 38 percent of students are bullied with some regularity, and that between five and nine percent of students bully others with some regularity. Chronic victims of bullying, bullied once a week or more, generally make up between 8 and 20 percent of the studerit population (Olweus, 1992; Rigby and Slee, 1999; Ortega and Lera, 2000; Salmivalli, 1999;
Farrington 1993).
122 CHAPTER 6
Here is an example of the second method of synthesis again from the U.S. Department of Justice Office. It begins with a general statement of possible disagreement and then contrasts several theories on the causes of bullying.
The reasons that people bully others are not entirely clear. Some researchers suggest that bullies have poor social skills and compensate by bullying. Others (This introduces the contrast.) suggest that bullies have keen insight into others’ mental states and take advantage of that by picking on the emotionally less resilient (Smith and Brain, 2000). Along this line, there is some suggestion, currently being explored in research in the United States and elsewhere, that those who bully in the early grades are initially popular and considered leaders. However, by the third grade, the aggressive behavior is less well-regarded by peers, and those who become popular are those who do not bully. Some research also suggests that “[bullies] direct aggressive behavior at a variety of targets. As they learn the reactions of their peers, their pool of victims
becomes increasingly smaller, and their choice of victims more consistent”
(Harachi, Catalano and Hawkins, 1999). Thus, bullies ultimately focus on peers who become chronic victims due to how those peers respond to aggression.
| Writing Tip
introducing Sources
When you introduce different sources, try not to begin each sentence the same way. Use different verbs as well.
instead of repeating “says” each time, use “claims,” “suggests,” “maintains,”
“reports,” “argues,” and so:on.
Keep these points in mind as you introduce the sources:
@ Name the source. Chapters 8 and 9 and Appendix G will provide you with detailed instructions on how to do so, but for now you should simply indicate the
author’s name (if it is. given) and the name of the
publication.
® Decide on the order for presenting the sources.
Which one should go first?
@ If possible, introduce sources that agree in the same sentence.
For example, “Thomas Wilson and Helen Cowan both believe that bullying in the schools can be controlled.” Then you can paraphrase or quote each source.
e Refer to multiple sources in one sentence (“four people” or
“several sources”). Then quote from or paraphrase one of the sources as an example.
e Explain or interpret a quotation from a source, showing its relationship to your claim.
e When sources disagree, include both sides in the same paragraph. Use transitions such as “On the other hand,” “In contrast,” “However,” to show the contrast. With a complex
issue, explain the relationship between the ideas in one or more
full sentences.
For writing guides to help you introduce agreement and disagreement between
sources, see Appendix A, page 192.
Problem / Solution Essays 123
124 CHAPTERS
Synthesizing Materials
Look at the paragraph below from the writing model. Underline the sentence or phrase that synthesizes sources.
| [4] What, then, can schools do? The Safe and Drug Free Schools Act
| includes bullying and harassment, and requires all schools receiving federal
funds to not only respond to all instances of bullying, but also to actively rT prevent it. Additionally, school districts have been developing and requiring
anti-bullying policies and programs. Books such as Aggression and Bullying (Guerin & Hennesy, 2002) and Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age
(Kowalski, Limber & Agatson, 2012) shed light on the consequences of bullying for both the aggressor and the victim. Books like these and established anti- bullying programs reveal that many bullies were either bullied themselves at
some point or perhaps abused in some way by family members.
Work with a partner and find two articles on the Internet that deal with time spent on studying. Select a passage from each that agrees or disagrees. Then, on your own, write a paragraph in which you synthesize the two passages in a paraphrase of both.
Ệ
ao. Applying Vocabulary: Using Adverbial Intensifiers
Adverbial intensifiers tend to fit somewhat with a particular adjective. Furthermore, they vary in their degree of intensity. For example, relatively is not as strong as highly, and highly is not as strong as absolutely. Before you begin your writing assignment, review the intensifiers you learned about on page 113.
Writing Intensifiers
Using the list of intensifiers from Practice 1 on page 113, choose the one that is most appropriate in each sentence. Do not use the same word twice.
1. One child bullying another is —_______ wrong and should be stopped.
2. Walking on railroad tracks is _. dangerous.
3. After it was so hot yesterday, the weather today is cool.
4.[tis_ unlikely that you will be struck by lightning.
5. [was __________ saddened to hear the bad news.
6. Living 1,000 years is —__ impossible.
WRITING ASSIGNMENT |
Your assignment for this chapter is to write a problem / solution essay of five or more paragraphs about an issue related to education. Choose one of the topics and follow the steps in the writing process.
TPOSSIBLE TOPICS
Poor nutrition and its effects on learning
@ Junk food sold in school vending machines
® Television or video games and their effect on homework
® The length of the school year
® Transportation to and from school
® Arts and music education
STEP 1: Explore your topic, audience, and purpose.
® Begin by doing some research on your topic.
@ Take notes on facts, figures, quotations, and the sources of your information. With print or Internet materials, include the title of the article, the author (if one is listed), and the place where the article was found.
® Decide on the audience for your paper—the person or people most concerned about the problem.
Problem / Solution Essays 125
¢ Outline your paper.
e Introduce the problem, and indicate why it needs to be solved.
e Explain the problem and its specific implications.
ô List the support for your claims.
® Introduce a (possible) solution or solutions to the problem.
Include a call for action.
STEP 4: Write the first draft.
Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
e Introduce the problem and the solution in the first paragraph.
Explore the problem specifically in the first body paragraph.
¢ Introduce and explain the solution in the remaining body paragraphs.
* Include a transition that introduces the solution.
¢ Support your claims with material that you synthesize from your research.
STEP 5: Revise the draft.
ô Exchange papers with a partner, and give each other feedback on your papers. Use the Chapter 6 Peer Review on page 235 to guide your feedback.
e Carefully consider your partner’s feedback. If you agree with it, revise your paper by marking the changes on your first draft.
STEP 6: Edit and proofread.
Use the Chapter 6 Writer’s Self-Check on page 236 to help you look for and correct errors in grammar, mechanics, and sentence structure.
STEP 7: Write a new draft.
e Revise the draft, incorporating all the changes you want to make.
e Make sure the draft is legible and follows the format your instructor has provided.
® Proofread the draft so that it is error free.
e Hand in the essay to your instructor.
126 CHAPTER6
In: this. chapter, you: learned to:
O Analyze a problem / solution essay
O-Use adverbial clauses and phrases as modifiers O: Conduct research using multiple sources
O.-Synthesize information taken from different sources O Write, edit, and revise an essay about education
Which ones can you do well? Mark them &
Which ones do you need to practice more? Mark them ®
EXPANSION os ce
TIMED WRITING
In this expansion, you will write a summary of the writing model. You will have 30 minutes. To complete the expansion in time, you will need to budget your time accordingly. Follow this procedure.
1. Review the writing model on pages 110-112. Make note of the claims in your own.
words and copy any quotations that are used to illustrate them. (10 minutes) 2. Write the paragraphs. Be sure to paraphrase the problem and solution(s) concisely
in the thesis statement and end with a call to action. (10 minutes)
3. Revise your paragraphs to be sure they are clear and well organized. (5 minutes) 4, Check your paragraph for errors. Correct any mistakes. (5 minutes)
5. Give your paper to your instructor.