Category: English

Research Question: Does social media increase or decrease self-esteem in young adults? Thesis: Social media lowers self-esteem in young adults because it leaves them to constant comparisons, unrealistic beauty standards, and dependence from outside opinions for validation. Topic sentence for section 1: social media can decrease self-esteem by encouraging constant comparisons with romanticized versions of others lives shared online. Topic sentence for section 2: social media platforms display sorts of unrealistic beauty standards through things like editing, filters, or viral trends that create a false sense of reality. Topic sentence for section 3: The engagement features on social media, such as likes, comments, and shares can start to develop a dependence on those interactions that can decrease a young adults sense of self-worth or confidence. Counterargument Thesis: Although some argue that social media can increase self-esteem by offering support and connection, it ultimately decreases self-esteem in young adults due to the constant comparisons, unrealistic beauty standards, and dependence on outside validation. Paper 3: Using Research to Persuade Use research to support a persuasive argument about one specific way our smartphone and/or social media technology is affecting society. In this essay, you will take a stand on an issue, offer reasons and evidence in support of your position, and summarize and respond to alternative views in order to bring your reader to a logical conclusion. The quality of your research will be integral to the quality of your essay in using both peer-reviewed, academic sources and other quality sources found online. Therefore, make sure you understand how to avoid plagiarism and the MLA citation style included in all the units this term in order to prepare for this paper assignment. Topics: The topic you choose should explore an area of interest to you, answering a specific question about how smartphone and/or social media technology is affecting that field. This area of interest might be related to your career pathway, or it might simply be a topic you are passionate and curious about. Whatever you choose to research, you will definitely need to narrow your focus as you begin creating your outline and searching for articles. Because this type of technology is so pervasive in our society, the possibilities for this project are wide open. You might choose to write about the impact social media is having on our political views, or you may want to consider the way bystander smartphone videos are changing the way we fight crime. You could dig into the effect early exposure to screens is having on preschool children or the way dating apps are altering the love lives of the elderly. The potential topics are truly endless, so be bold and creative in coming up with your research question. You are encouraged to work together with your classmates and instructor to refine your topic before committing to it. Sources: You will be required to cite and implement at least FIVE sources for this essay broken down in the following way: Identify at least two current articles published within the last few years in credible news sources Use at least three peer-reviewed journal articles, located with the library databases Use at least one of your sources to support a counterargument Key Requirements: This paper must adhere to MLA style formatting and citation style This paper must be at least 1000 words long and make use of the specific types of sources detailed above; there should be at least five items on your Works Cited page You need to address a possible counterargument to your thesis Make sure to upload each assignment as a Word document (.doc or .docx) by the deadlines for full credit

What You Will Learn: In this Touchstone, you will practice your critical reading skills by summarizing and responding to the source you found in Touchstone 1.1. You will deepen your ability to engage with scholarly or credible information, build your analytical thinking, and prepare for future academic writing (including your final paper for this course).

Why It Matters: Learning to carefully summarize and thoughtfully respond to sources is critical for academic and real-world success. Whether you’re supporting a business plan, drafting a research paper, or making personal decisions, being able to accurately understand and critically evaluate information helps you communicate more effectively and make stronger arguments.

What You Will Hand In: A 23-page paper that provides a detailed summary of the source’s argument. You’ll also respond to that argument with your own thoughts based on the source, including examples from the source (quotes or paraphrases of specific lines). See Step 2 for more details.

Keys to Success:

• Develop and submit your own original work.
• Read your source a few times and take notes using the SQ3R strategy you learned.
• Summarize the key arguments of the source.
• Provide your analysis and reflections based on the source.

Helpful Links:

Instructions

Step 1: Read and Process Your Source

Your source should offer clear, trustworthy information that helps you understand your topic more deeply. Using SQ3R helps you stay engaged, remember more, and prepare for future assignments where youll build on your research. To read your source critically and effectively, use the SQ3R method, which stands for:

• Survey: Skim the source to get a general idea of its structure and content. Look at headings, subheadings, visuals, and the introduction and conclusion.
• Question: Turn headings and key points into questions. What do you want to learn? What does the title make you curious about?
• Read: Read the source carefully to find answers to your questions. Take notes as you go.
• Recite: Summarize key points in your own words. Try saying them out loud or jotting them down without looking back.
• Review: Revisit your notes and the source. What were the most important ideas? How do they help you understand your topic?

You should also review the tutorials that introduce how to think about and understand what you read: , , , .

Step 2: Write a Summary and Response of the Article (23 pages)

Your essay should include three parts:

• Summary: What is the authors main point? What question(s) are the author(s) trying to answer, and what are their findings? What is the central argument? What kind of evidence supports their claims? Is there a place where you noted a strong argument or one that could be better developed?
• Analysis: Write a short analysis of the article. Is the argument well-reasoned and supported by evidence? Do you notice any biases or assumptions? What is your response to the ideas in the article? You can agree, disagree, extend, or question ideas in the source.
• Usefulness: Evaluate how well the source would support a student research project. How can this source contribute to a future essay that you might write? Do you have further questions, including ones for future research? How might it come in handy to back up a claim (or address a counterclaim)?

Step 3: Review and Submit

• Review the rubric to confirm that you have met all the requirements of the Touchstone. Once you are happy with it, you can submit it as a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) file. Your submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your assignment.

Please complete the essay with at least five paragraphs (at least five sentences each) on one of the following prompts below

write a detailed analysis of symbolism in story of an hour by Kate Chopin

Claim: Switched at Birth is a good television drama series.

Because…

Reason: The show addresses social issues like the deaf culture, identity, and family relationships in a thoughtful way.

Reason: The actors are complex and relatable, which helps us viewers connect emotionally to the show.

Reason: The series uses unique storytelling techniques, like ASL to create authenticity and depth.

Intended Audience: Viewers who look for a deeper family drama than typical teen television series.

Make it persona and with an event that happened in the series.