Essay Prompt:
Write an argumentative essay on the following topic: Does the Internet encourage a form of
thinking that is superior to, inferior to, or simply different from that offered by print books? In
other words, if the next generation shifts completely from print books to digital devices and
applications, will this be a cognitive improvement, a decline, or something that is neither better
nor worse? In addition to rigorous logic and clear writing, an excellent paper will use sources to
make its claims more sophisticated and persuasive.
Maryanne Wolf’s Reader, Come Home must be used as a significant source in the paper. You
can use Wolf to support your argument, or you can use her as a counterargument that you
criticize. In addition to Wolf, the paper must use at least two sources from Edge.org (you may
choose from the ones I selected or dig deeper to find others from the website). Other sources
may also be used to make your argument more persuasive and sophisticated. The sources and
your own ideas should be woven together in way so that the paper’s argument does not feel like
just a summary of Wolf’s ideas.
Paper Requirements:
__The paper must reach the top of page 5, not including the Works Cited.
__The paper should be double-spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font.
__There must be at least one counter-argument paragraph in which you present and criticize an
opposing viewpoint.
__Maryanne Wolf’s book and two sources from Edge.org must be used and included in the
Works Cited.
__Sources must have correct MLA in-text citations and be included in a properly formatted
Works Cited at the end.
Grading:
The paper’s grade will be based on the quality of 4 criteria:
1) Organization: Is the paper effectively organized into unified paragraphs with good topic
sentences. Does the paper flow in a logical manner with minimal repetition?
2) Argument: Does each paragraph offer a smart argument that is thoroughly argued and
carefully reasoned?
3) Research: Does the argument rely on Wolf’s book and other sources to make its claims
more insightful, precise, and persuasive?
4) Grammar/Style: Is the paper largely free of grammar errors? Does the writing style
enhance the clarity and readability of the argument?
Avoid Plagiarism:
Any plagiarism or academic dishonesty will result in an automatic ‘0’ for the assignment and
absolutely no chance for a rewrite. Any use of A.I. programs at any stage in the drafting process
will also result in an automatic ‘0’ for the assignment as well as a referral to Student Judicial
Affairs. If caught in either form of academic dishonesty, the student will also not receive any
feedback on any rough drafts for the rest of the semester.
The online articles referenced above from edge.org:
The third essay is Paul Saffo’s “A Third Kind of Knowledge”:
https://www.edge.org/response-detail/11459Links to an external site.
The fourth essay is Stephen Kosslyn’s “A Small Price to Pay”:
https://www.edge.org/response-detail/10844Links to an external site.