Eastern Kentucky Violence in Media Films TV and Video Games Assignment

Topic: violence in Media (films, TV, video games). For Example: Desensitization to violence leads to children who do not recognize acts of violence as a crime.

These topics are problems that exist on a large enough scale to matter. Each problem must be proven to exist using causes, effects, and statistics, and at least three solutions must be present. Each problem requires that you use four (6) or more sources.

References Instruction

This course is about research. By far, the most common source type to be used in this course is an article from a database in PDF or HTML format. The secondary type of source that may be used is a document from a website.

The first things you need to know about the References page is that:

It must be its own separate page, and the paper title IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and the page number must appear in the Header just as with the previous pages (other than the Title Page).

The title of the page, References, must be centered on the first line of the page. The title will always be References no matter whether there are a singular or plural number of sources.

All the wording on the page is double-spaced, which includes the spacing below the title, the spacing within a citation, and the spacing between citations.

The first line of a citation should not be indented. All lines after in that same citation should be indented one-half (1/2) inch. This hanging indent helps clarify the separation from one source citation to the next since each non-indented line would represent the beginning of a new citation. This will be a factor in every formal paper as they all use more than one source. By far, the best method for creating this hanging indent in Microsoft Word is:

While the cursing is blinking at the beginning of the first line of the citation, GO TO the View tab and check the box next to “Ruler”.

Just above the page of the paper, there are three indention tabs in that ruler bar (From top to bottom): a downward pointing triangle, an upward pointing triangle, and a rectangle. Click on the upward pointing triangle (the rectangle will move too) and move it to the ½ inch mark.

As you type the citation, when the right margin indicates that wording can no longer fit, the hanging indent will automatically indent each line of the citation for you, just as long as you do not press ENTER until the end of the citation. Furthermore, the next line will not be indented as though it is the first line of a new citation. Using the hanging indent on the ruler bar helps greatly when creating multiple citations.

When using more than one source, the citations are placed in alphabetical order according to what appears first in each citation. Usually, this is the last name of an author, but there may be some cases where there is no author, which means that the citation would begin with a title.

WORD OF WARNING: For all papers, the student should first attempt to find sources in one of the library databases, such as Academic Search Complete, which is just one of the many databases hosted by the EBSCOhost service.

Go to http://library.eku.edu. Click on the “Databases” link in the EXPLORE bar on the left side of the page. Click on “Academic Search Complete” under the section titled “Popular Databases”. You may be asked to login on the next screen, which you should do with the same information you use to login to your EKU email. Once you are past the login, you can begin using the key words to search for your topic.

EXAMPLES OF DATABASE ARTICLE CITATIONS [Examples are given for sources that have one author, 2 to 7 authors, and 8 or more authors, and what must be done when there isn’t a DOI for that article]:

One author:

Sohn, K. (2012). The social class origins of U.S. teachers, 1860-1920. Journal of Social History, 45(4), 908-935. doi:10.1093/jsj/shr121

These are the eight (8) components of a citation for a database article:

Author

(Year)

Article title

Journal Title

volume

(issue)

Page numbers

doi number.

For these eight (8) components, there are specific rules for how each are formatted, which are:

The author’s name is always listed with last name first and initials for first and middle names (if used). It does not matter whether there is just one author or as many as fifteen, for example, because all author’s names will be listed with last name first, and then initials. All author’s will be listed in the order in which they are presented in the source. Do not alphabetize the names of the authors within a source. For sources having as many as seven authors, all the authors must be listed. For sources having eight authors or more, list the first six authors followed by an ellipsis, …, and then the last author’s last name and initial. [There are two further examples of these types of citations following]

The (Year) must be only the year, like 2012, if the article is in a journal. However, if the article is in a magazine or newspaper, then the date, as much as is given, must be used. This means that if a magazine only indicates that it is from November 2011, then (2011, November) would be cited, and if a newspaper indicates that it is from October 7, 2015, then (2015, October 7) would be cited.

Article titles on the References page are not quoted. When that article title is placed into the text of the paper, then and only then is that article title quoted. Article titles on the References page are capitalized differently than in the text of the paper. On page 221 of APSM, the References page capitalization rule is stated as “For both books and articles, capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle (and all proper nouns).” Page 218 in the APSM states the different capitalization rule for the text of the paper, which will not be included here to lessen confusion.

The title of the journal must be italicized. Page 221 of APSM also states that “Capitalize names of journals, magazines, and newspapers as you would capitalize them normally.”

The volume number must also be italicized.

The (issue) number must be in parentheses.

Do not use “p.” or “pp.” before page numbers of articles in journals or magazines, but the page number abbreviations are required for newspaper articles and selections in anthologies.

The wording “doi” must be in lowercase with the number following immediately after the colon with no added spacing. Not all articles will have a doi number, which is where citation example 14c comes into use.

Two to seven authors:

Ludwig, J., Duncan, G. J., Gennetian, L. A., Katz, L. F., Kessler, R. C., Kling, J. R., & Sanbonmatsu, L. (2012). Neighborhood effects on the long-term well-being of low-income adults. Science, 337, 1505-1510. doi:10.1126/science.1224648

Use an “&” before the name of the last author. NOTE: This citation is missing the (issue) number. This is because the volume is page continuously throughout the year, as is evidenced by the extremely high page numbers, so the (issue) number is not needed when the journal is paged in this way.

Eight or more authors:

Tøttrup, A. P., Klassen, R. H. G., Krisensen, M. W., Strandberg, R., Vardanis, Y., Lindström, Å., . . . Thorup, K. (2012). Drought in Africa caused delayed arrival of European songbirds. Science, 338, 1307. doi:10.1126/science.1227548

Use an “. . .” after the name of the sixth author and then put the last authors name and initials.

When there is no doi number:

Tucker, A. (2012, November). Primal instinct. Smithsonian, 43(7), 54-63. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

For database articles that do not have a doi number, the URL for the journal, magazine, or newspaper’s homepage must be used. THIS DOES NOT MEAN to use the address of the page where the article was found on EBSCOhost. This means that you must, yourself, find the homepage of the journal, magazine, and newspaper and cite it. Please notice how the above URL address does not refer in any way to EBSCO. This URL address is the homepage of the Smithsonian magazine. NOTE: The “Retrieved from” and URL are the only difference in how a source is cited if it does not have a doi number, which applies to all sources no matter the number of authors.

The next page continues the instruction with examples of documents from websites citations.

EXAMPLES OF DOCUMENTS FROM WEBSITES CITATIONS [examples are given for when people are authors, and when an organization becomes the author because no person is given as author]:

Persons as author:

Wagner, D. A., Murphy, K. M., & De Korne, H. (2012, December). Learning first: A research agenda for improving learning in low-income countries. Retrieved from Brookings Institution website: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2012/12/l…

These are the six (6) components of a citation for a document from a website:

Author(s)

(Year)

Document title

“Retrieved from”

Publisher

Website URL

The only variation comes when the publisher, which is the organization with which the website is associated, becomes the author. This will happen only when no person is credited as the author.

Publisher (Organization) as author:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, December 10). Concussion in winter sports. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HockeyConcussions/inde…

Please notice that when the publisher is the author that the publisher’s name is listed first, and it is not repeated after “Retrieved from”.

THE NEXT PAGE REPRESENTS THE ORIENTATION OF A REFERENCES PAGE USING THE PREVIOUS SOURCES. NOTE THAT THE CITATIONS ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, December 10). Concussion in winter sports. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HockeyConcussions/inde…

Ludwig, J., Duncan, G. J., Gennetian, L. A., Katz, L. F., Kessler, R. C., Kling, J. R., & Sanbonmatsu, L. (2012). Neighborhood effects on the long-term well-being of low-income adults. Science, 337, 1505-1510. doi:10.1126/science.1224648

Sohn, K. (2012). The social class origins of U.S. teachers, 1860-1920. Journal of Social History, 45(4), 908-935. doi:10.1093/jsj/shr121

Tøttrup, A. P., Klassen, R. H. G., Krisensen, M. W., Strandberg, R., Vardanis, Y., Lindström, Å., . . . Thorup, K. (2012). Drought in Africa caused delayed arrival of European songbirds. Science, 338, 1307. doi:10.1126/science.1227548

Tucker, A. (2012, November). Primal instinct. Smithsonian, 43(7), 54-63. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

Wagner, D. A., Murphy, K. M., & De Korne, H. (2012, December). Learning first: A research agenda for improving learning in low-income countries. Retrieved from Brookings Institution website: http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2012/12/l…

[The next page contains the portion of the Outline and References Grading Rubric that is specific to the References page and the citations]

References Grading Rubric

The References for both the Argument Paper and the Problem/Solution Paper are worth 40 points

APA Format: Line Spacing, Font, Margins, Running head, and title of page, References, and Alphabetical Order of Citations.

All Lines after 1st in Citation are indented ½ inch

Author

(Year)

Article title

Journal Title

Volume

Issue

Page numbers

DOI or URL

References page citations for an article from a website fall into the falling categories:

APA Format: Line Spacing, Font, Margins, Running head, and title of page, References, and Alphabetical Order of Citations.

All Lines after 1st in Citation are indented ½ inch

Author

(Year)

Document title

“Retrieved from”

Publisher

Website URL

Credibility

Applicability

These should be the most often used types of sources. Any other source types and their citations will be graded on an individual basis.

Instructions

-Using one of the library databases, such as Academic Search Complete (within the EBSCOhost service), you will find at least six (6) articles (though you may choose to use more) that share the same argumentative topic (which means that the topic must be something that has for and against sides). The reason for requiring four articles is so that multiple sources, at least two, can be used on each side of the argument. Each source does not have to be exclusively on only one side of the argument, but there must be at least two sources used on each side of the argument for a total of at least four used in the paper. If four articles cannot be found in the library databases, you may use general websites, but only if you evaluate those sources for reputability and credibility.

In the Grading/Evaluation section of the Syllabus, this paper is described as “A 6-9 page refutation and support of an important, relevant, and current topic with sources.” The Title Page, Abstract Page, and References Page are included in this length requirement. The paper itself (excluding the Abstract) will include the following paragraphs:

Introduction—Begins with an Attention-Getter, Continues with a General Introduction, and Ends with a Thesis Statement (which will require only one sentence for this paper).

1st Refutation—Both sides of the argument must be done. The side that you are against must be refuted. This paragraph begins with a Topic Sentence that states one reason on this opposite side of the argument. The paragraph continues with the use of a source (paraphrased, short quote, or long quote) that identifies and proves this reason exists. The last half of the paragraph is reserved for refuting this reason, which is where the student will use logic, reason, and common sense (not another source) to show why this reason and source information is faulty. The paragraph ends with a Transition Sentence that leads into the reason stated in the next paragraph. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for refuting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

2nd Refutation—This paragraph begins with a Topic Sentence that states the second reason on this opposite side of the argument. The paragraph continues with the use of a source (paraphrased, short quote, or long quote) that identifies and proves this reason exists. The last half of the paragraph is reserved for refuting this reason, which is where the student will use logic, reason, and common sense (not another source) to show why this reason and source information is faulty. The paragraph ends with a Transition Sentence that leads into the reason stated in the next paragraph. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for refuting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

3rd Refutation—When something happens once, it is an oddity. When something happens twice, it is a coincidence. When something happens three times, this is a pattern. This is why there must be at least three reasons on each side of the argument. This paragraph follows the same example as the two paragraphs before it: present a piece of source information to support the reason on this side of the argument, and then use logic, reason, and common sense to refute that reason. The paragraph ends with a Transition Sentence that leads away from the opposite side of the argument to the side that will be supported in the following paragraphs. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for refuting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

1st Supported—The supported reasons should have been stated in the Thesis. This paragraph will introduce the reason listed first in the Thesis. This paragraph begins with a Topic Sentence that restates the first reason from the Thesis. The paragraph continues with the use of a source (paraphrased, short quote, or long quote) that identifies and proves this reason exists. The last half of the paragraph is reserved for supporting this reason, which is where the student will use logic, reason, and common sense (not another source) to show why this reason and source information is correct. The paragraph ends with a Transition Sentence that leads into the reason stated in the next paragraph. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for supporting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

2nd Supported—This paragraph will introduce the reason listed second in the Thesis. This paragraph begins with a Topic Sentence that restates the second reason from the Thesis. The paragraph continues with the use of a source (paraphrased, short quote, or long quote) that identifies and proves this reason exists. The last half of the paragraph is reserved for supporting this reason, which is where the student will use logic, reason, and common sense (not another source) to show why this reason and source information is correct. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for supporting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

3rd Supported—This paragraph will introduce the reason listed third in the Thesis. This paragraph begins with a Topic Sentence that restates the third reason from the Thesis. The paragraph continues with the use of a source (paraphrased, short quote, or long quote) that identifies and proves this reason exists. The last half of the paragraph is reserved for supporting this reason, which is where the student will use logic, reason, and common sense (not another source) to show why this reason and source information is correct. The paragraph ends with a Transition Sentence that leads into the conclusion. Do not use “I” in this paper or any of your own experiences as the means for supporting this side of the argument. This paper should be written from an unbiased, neutral point-of-view.

Conclusion—Think of a Conclusion as the Introduction in reverse. The Conclusion begins with the Restatement of the Thesis (this does not mean to copy and paste it from the Introduction), continues with a summary of the refutation and support of the argument, and ends by referring back to the Attention-Getter.

The refutation/opposite side of the argument must be done first. An Argument Paper is also referred to as a Persuasion Paper. You, as the writer, are trying to convince the reader that the side of the argument you have chosen is correct. But, people are stubborn. Beginning with the side of the argument that you are against and then proving that that side is incorrect and faulty might result in a reader, who just happened to believe that that side was correct, realizing that he/she has been wrong in believing in this side. Once you have convinced the reader that one side is wrong, then you can go on to prove that the side you have chosen is correct.

The refutation and support must be done using logic, reason, and common sense. Anyone can find source information that basically states the exact opposite of something already stated in a source. This does not prove that one side is correct. This only proves that the two sides contradict. Using logic, reason, and common sense to show that a reason is incorrect and faulty definitively proves that, in total, that side of the argument is incorrect.

Equal amounts of sources and source information should be used on each side of the argument. You must treat both sides fairly. This is why at least two (2) sources are required on each side of the argument, so that each side is not totally dependent upon one source’s point of view. If you choose to use more than two sources on each side, then you must remain consistent with the number of sources you use. This means that if three (3) sources are used on one side of the argument, then the same number must be used on the other side. This may also mean that three (3) reasons are presented on each side, with each reason stated in its own paragraph.

First-level and Second-level Headings will help to organize the paper. There should be a Heading, bold and centered, before the first body paragraph that states that side of the argument. There should be a Heading, bold and centered, before the supported side of the argument that states that side. There should be a Heading, bold and centered, for the Conclusion. Each body paragraph will also require a Second-level Heading, bold and left-aligned, that states the reason being presented in the paragraph that follows.

THE FOLLOWING PAGES CONTAIN A SAMPLE ARGUMENT PAPER:

Is Recess Really Necessary?

Why Schoolchildren Need Playtime

Janice Ann Goodrysk

Eastern Kentucky University

Abstract

The benefits of keeping or cutting recess for schoolchildren is an oft-debated topic. Some benefits of keeping recess include fighting childhood obesity, boosting test scores via exercise, and fulfilling children’s social and self-esteem needs. Still, there are those who believe recess should be banned. They cite the United States’ worldwide educational ranking, the need to use playtime to study for national tests and the fact that bullying often occurs on the playground. None of these objections hold water; many of the countries that scored higher than the United States offer recess to their students. Reclaiming recess time and using it to study only recoups about fifteen minutes each day; not enough to make a difference in the student’s test scores. Finally, those who wish to ban recess due to bullying are ignoring the fact that much of the social development that happens during recess is positive, not negative.

Is Recess Really Necessary?

Why Schoolchildren Need Playtime

It was a beautiful sunny day. Eighty-five degrees and not a cloud in sight. A slight wind blew over the trees and caused the old abandoned swings to rock a little. The school was filled but the playground was empty, rusty and in disrepair. The days of recess were only a memory for the kids inside and future generations wouldn’t remember it at all. The kids were expected to sit still and learn, when all they really wanted to do was play. Summer seemed a lifetime away. For some students in America, this scenario is already a reality. For others, recess has been cut to a mere ten or fifteen precious minutes a day where they might mingle outside, kick a ball or climb on the monkey bars. The necessity of keeping or cutting recess has been a hotly debated topic but the reasons kids really do need recess are clear: the U.S. is fighting a losing battle against obesity, exercise is good for the brain, and recess satisfies many of the self-actualization requirements identified on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Recess Is Not Necessary

Worldwide Educational Standards

Critics of recess often cite our worldwide educational ranking as one reason to abolish mid-day play time for kids. When it comes to education the United States doesn’t rank first. In fact, we don’t even rank in the top ten. Coughlan (2015), in the article “Asia Tops Biggest Global School Rankings”, noted that the United States comes in 28th behind countries including South Korea, Japan and Finland (para. 3). While our worldwide educational ranking is dismal, it is faulty logic to assume that recess is the reason for the low ranking. Most of the countries topping the list include recess in their school days, so clearly, having a regular recess period isn’t causing U.S. students to rank lower than other countries. This argument fails to account for some fairly major differences between school systems worldwide too, including the fact that in some countries school is year-round while we only go from August – May in the United States with winter and spring breaks in between. There are so many differences between school systems worldwide that it is impossible to point a finger at any one element like recess and claim that removing it will fix all our problems or change our ranking in the slightest. Sadly this mode of thought continues with critics closer to home, too.

National Test Scores

There is massive competition for ranking at home in the United States, and standardized test scores are used to determine everything from the amount of federal funding a school receives to (in some cases) the salaries teachers are paid – giving critics of recess even more reason to suggest replacing play time with learning time. Caplan and Igel (2015) wrote in their article, “The Common Core is Taking Away Kids’ Recess–and That Makes No Sense” that:

Less than five years ago, the governors of 45 states and the District of Columbia took up the Common Core standards. They began implementing them with the support of the Obama administration, which aimed at common standards and assessments as a means of comparing achievement in math, language arts, and literacy across schools in the states. In short order, teachers and students started orienting themselves towards the Common Core set of mandatory standardized tests. And because a mechanism in the Common Core discussion often ties teachers’ pay and job status to the results of student performance on those tests, many schools have taken the block of time regularly carved-out for recess and put it towards classroom time to teach the test. (para. 3)

Apparently critics of recess think that the extra fifteen to thirty minutes a day of educational time they gain by removing recess is supposed to work miracles when it comes to test scores. This really is terrible logic. Kids are in school about six hours (sometimes more) every day. If six hours a day isn’t enough to produce good test results how is another fifteen minutes going to turn the tide? This argument also fails to account for the fact that kids are human beings, not little learning robots. Most adults can’t go more than an hour without taking a break to check their cell phone or their email, yet we expect kids to stay focused, sit still and learn without a break for six hours straight. Why should we ask our little ones to do what we can’t even do as adults? Critics have also unnecessarily painted a picture of recess as something to be feared.

Playground Bullies

Some of those who wish to abolish recess see it as a vulnerable time for kids and often cite research which demonstrates that bullying occurs on the playground during recess. Borg (1999) wrote in the article, “The Extent and Nature of Bullying among Primary and Secondary Schoolchildren”, that “Both victims and bullies indicated that the two most ‘popular’ places where bullying takes place are the school playground and the classroom” (p. 137). Unfortunately, some kids do get bullied on the playground, this is true. However, bullying is not the only thing that occurs during recess. Students also have the opportunity to freely learn and develop social skills. They get to interact with students from cultures, races and economic backgrounds different from their own. They gain a perspective and worldview that they otherwise would not have. Cutting recess because one end of the social activity that occurs is negative is throwing the baby out with the bath water. This would be like banning political debates because some mud-slinging occurs. It hampers progress and disregards all the good things that happen in the hopes of eliminating a few bad things. Besides, recess is not the only place where bullying occurs. It happens in the classroom too and this will continue whether recess is removed or not. While the three main reasons people give for wishing to get rid of recess are easily refuted, there is just as much information to support why recess is necessary.

Recess Is Necessary

Obesity

It may not be polite to say so, but kids in the United States are fat and getting fatter; recess is one of the last bastions of exercise most kids get each day and removing it is going to tip the scales (literally) in favor of obesity. Researchers Ogden, Carroll, Kit and Flegal (2014) conducted a study titled, “Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States”, in which they concluded, “the prevalence of obesity in the United States is high, with one-third of adults and 17% of children obese” (para. 7). For many kids, recess is a time of running around, climbing on playground equipment and getting exercise outside in the sun. It stands to reason that removing recess (and the accompanying physical activity) will add to the growing problem of obesity. The more kids sit inside and study, the fewer calories they burn and the more health problems they are likely to experience. Aside from the obvious fat-burning benefits of recess kids also get to experience the multitude of other boosts exercise provides.

Exercise

Exercise is actually more important to education than many have realized. It’s so important it can even help raise the test scores everyone is so worried about. Researchers Mullender-Wijnsma et al. (2016) conducted a study titled, “Physically Active Math and Language Lessons Improve Academic Achievement: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial”, in which they were able to conclude that, “Physically active academic lessons significantly improved mathematics and spelling performance of elementary school children and are therefore a promising new way of teaching” (para. 1). So it’s beneficial to not only have a regular recess period filled with exercise, but to also bring physical activity into the classroom itself in order to increase academic test scores. Cutting recess and encouraging kids to sit still while they learn is the opposite of this theory; we need to turn what we’re currently doing on its head and allow children to get active – very active – if we want to help them learn. Finally, recess also satisfies a number of established needs for self-actualization.

Maslow

Children have many needs which must be met in order for them to be successful in school and recess helps satisfy many of them. Prince and Howard (2002) in their journal article titled, “Children and Their Basic Needs”, explained these needs through the lens of Maslow’s hierarchy:

In his hierarchy, Maslow detailed five basic needs of all humans. The five basic needs identified by Maslow were: (a) physiological needs, (b) safety needs, (c) belonging and love needs, (d) self-esteem needs, and (e) self-actualization needs. Moreover, Maslow also emphasized that before higher level needs are even perceived, lower level needs must be satisfied. (p. 28)

At the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid are needs like eating and sleeping. Next are needs related to safety. Most kids have the bottom two levels of their metaphorical pyramids satisfied in their home environments. Recess plays an important role in the next two levels: social/belonging and self-esteem. On the playground, kids form social groups. This daily playtime is essential to help them find where they fit in and gain an accurate sense of themselves along with receiving esteem from their peer group. Once the needs for belonging and self-esteem are satisfied kids can move up to self-actualization and all the benefits it entails. The majority of the school day is too structured for kids to gain many of these benefits; they aren’t allowed to run around, talk freely or play tag in the classroom. It is only during the unstructured time of recess that kids can relax and meet their higher-level needs in this way. With the arguments refuted and the facts supporting recess clearly discussed, it becomes easy to understand why recess really is necessary.