How the Web Destroys the Quality of Students’ Research Paper by David Rothenberg
Summary, Theme and Important Questions: Bed First Year C English
Short Summary:
In this essay, David Rothenberg discusses the negative impact of the internet on students’ writing, critical thinking, and originality. He argues that teachers have a responsibility to develop students’ critical thinking skills and encourage the use of books and reliable sources for research.
Rothenberg criticizes students for relying on outdated sources, including unrelated graphs, and engaging in plagiarism. However, a letter to the editor suggests that Rothenberg should focus on teaching students how to use the internet as a tool rather than solely emphasizing its negative influence.
Theme:
In his essay, David Rothenberg explores the decline in the quality of students’ writing, critical thinking, and originality caused by their dependence on the internet for research.
Important Questions:
What are the main concerns raised by David Rothenberg regarding the use of the internet for research by students?
Ans: David Rothenberg raises several concerns regarding the use of the internet for research by students. He notes a decline in the quality of students’ writing, critical thinking, and originality of thoughts due to their increasing reliance on the World Wide Web.
Rothenberg highlights the use of outdated sources consisting of articles and web links, rather than in-depth commentaries found in books. He also mentions the use of impressive-looking graphs that often bear little relation to the paper topic.
Additionally, he criticizes the use of random and superficial research methods, which avoid careful analysis and logical synthesis of sources. Rothenberg observes an increase in plagiarism and a neglect of using the library, suggesting that students have become lazy and inattentive.
How does Rothenberg suggest that teachers can help develop students’ critical thinking skills?
Ans: Rothenberg suggests that teachers can help develop students’ critical thinking skills by guiding them in the hard work of reading closely, working through arguments, and assessing and synthesizing sources.
He emphasizes the importance of teaching students how to critically analyze information and evaluate its reliability and relevance. By encouraging students to engage in thoughtful analysis and synthesis of sources, teachers can help them develop their own ideas and thoughts, rather than relying solely on superficial and random research methods.
In addition to outlining the Educational hazards of the World Wide Web, he stresses the responsibility of teachers to help develop students’ critical thinking ability, including the hard work of reading closely, working through arguments and assessing and synthesizing sources.
What specific examples does Rothenberg provide to illustrate the decline in the quality of his students’ writing and research due to their reliance on the internet?
Ans: Rothenberg provides several specific examples to illustrate the decline in the quality of his students’ writing and research due to their reliance on the internet. He mentions that students’ research papers now contain bibliographies with no books or books containing outdated information, instead relying on articles and web links.
He also notes the use of impressive-looking graphs that often bear little relation to the paper topic. Additionally, Rothenberg highlights the use of random and superficial research methods, where students cut and paste unattributed quotations and insert pictures and graphs from the internet without conducting careful analysis and logical synthesis of sources .
These examples demonstrate how students’ research has become shallow and lacking in originality and critical thinking skills.
What is the main theme of the essay?
Ans: The main theme of the essay is the decline in the quality of students’ writing, critical thinking, and originality because of students reliance on the internet for research.
Major points of the essay:
The major points of the essay are as follows:
- Students’ reliance on the internet for research is decreasing the quality writing
- Students are using use outdated sources
- Students insert relevance graph to the paper topic.
- Students are engaging in random and superficial research methods
- Students are forgetting careful analysis and logical synthesis
- students have become lazy and inattentive
- plagiarism is increasing among students
- rare use of the library