Digital screens are so pervasive these days that parents must consider the effects of technology on children of all ages. It’s hard enough to set rules for cell phone and computer use for older kids, but how much should toddlers be interacting with technology? Are cartoons and educational games appropriate for toddlers? How does interactive technology affect brain development, and how much is too much? If you choose this topic, these are some of the ideas you might explore.
Topic Sources American Academy of Pediatrics, “Healthy Digital Media Use Habits for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers” American Academy of Pediatrics, “Media and Young Minds” Common Sense Media, “Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America 2013” NAEYC & FRC, “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8” Radesky, Schumacher, & Zuckerman, “Mobile and Interactive Media Use by Young Children” Tahnk, “The Right Technology for Kids at Every Age”
Compose a two (2) page paper in which you do the following:
1. Use first person point of view (POV) and the appropriate voice and tone throughout your paper.
a. Did you use first person pronouns? (I, we, me, us, my/mine, our/ours)
b. Does your personality carry over in your writing? Are your word choices personal and consistent?
c. Is the tone casual/informal? Does it express your attitude about the topic?
2. Write an introduction paragraph, which includes your thesis statement. It is suggested that this paragraph contain 5-7
sentences.
a. Does your introduction include an attention grabber or hook, and/or some background information on the
topic?
b. Does your thesis statement include three personal reasons why the topic is meaningful to you?
c. Is your thesis statement clear and concise?
d. Does your introduction provide a preview of the rest of your essay?
3. Write a supporting/body paragraph for each of the three (3) points/reasons from your thesis statement. It is suggested
that each paragraph contain at least 5-7 sentences.
a. Do your body paragraphs support each point of your thesis with relevant examples, observations, or
experiences?
4. Write with logic and with transitions throughout your paper.
a. Are your ideas consistent and well-organized, i.e., chronological order or order of importance?
b. Do your ideas flow from one sentence to the next and one paragraph to the next, in the order presented in your
thesis statement?
5. Write a conclusion paragraph. It is suggested that this paragraph contain 5-7 sentences.
a. Did you paraphrase or restate the thesis in a new way?
b. Did you leave a lasting impression, so that your readers continue thinking about your topic after they have
finished reading?
6. Apply proper grammar, mechanics, punctuation and APA formatting throughout your paper.
a. Did you check your grammar?
i. The way words are put together to make units of meaning: Sentence structure, pronoun-agreement, etc.
b. Did you check your essay for mechanics?
i. All the “technical” stuff in writing: Spelling, capitalization, use of numbers and other symbols, etc.
b. Did you check the punctuation?
i. The “symbols” used to help people read/process sentences the way you want them to be heard and
understood: Periods, question marks, commas, colons, etc.
d. Did you format according to APA style? (See requirements below
