Male and Female Students Use

¶ … Male and Female Students Use Language Differently

Tannert begins her essay by enumerating the differences in types of verbal communication used by males and females. She then applies these instances to both students in the classroom, and the gender of the professor in the classroom. She then discusses the insights gleamed by conducting experiments into conversation styles among students in her class.

For support of her arguments, Tannert relies on both her previous work in linguistics (i.e. A well-known book she has published), as well as examples taken directly from the classroom and discussions on these matters with her colleagues. She also discusses the data gathered from the experiments she conducted in her classroom.

Multiracialness

This essay uses personal experience - rather than researched data - as a means of conveying a message on the subject of multiracialness.

The use of personal experience can be useful in an essay, but only if someone wants to convey a more subjective message about their personal life, and explore the possible ways in which that message could be applied in a universal fashion. This type of writing is not appropriate for a research paper, however, when concrete data and more "scientific" information is the ultimate aim.

Watching the Eyewitness News

Rapping's essay begins by evaluating the historical evolution of eyewitness news on television. She points out that it came about as the result of a marketing survey with ratings in mind; thus, its intention has been to give people programming that they want to see, rather than information that they need to know.

Rapping's tone is critical throughout. She notes that the local news phenomenon has been reduced to a crude formula. Her evaluation is certainly effective, in that it points out the underlying structure of eyewitness news and shows us how it is more entertainment, rather than information.

All's Not Well in the Land of the Lion King

Lazarus feels that the Disney film the Lion King does harm to children by reinforcing common cultural stereotypes of gays and African-Americans.

Lazarus's essay is persuasive in the examples she gives. But she could have been more elaborate in providing evidence as to how these stereotypes affect the developing minds of children.

Death and Justice

In this essay, Koch explains his defense of capital punishment by considering the arguments against capital punishment. This is a clever means of elucidating a clear, lucid, logical stance, which Koch manages to do within the course of the essay.

The problem with Koch's essay is that he neglects to address the real reasons why the Untied States has such a high murder rate. Were he to focus his analytical powers on removing the factors that cause crime, then he would be able to see why capital punishment is an ineffective means of solving this social problem.