Informational text
CAUSES OF STRESS
Genre: News Article
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stressed-out-teens-with-school-a-main-cause/2014/02/14/d3b8ab56-9425-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html
What key information did you learn from this source?
The key information I learned from this article was that school tends to be the main source of teenage stress. More specifically, the stats based on how teenaged students feel about the relationship between school and stress. According to the article, 83% of teens say that school is a significant source of stress. My knowledge prior to research had expected that number to be a relatively high percentage; however, it came as a surprise to me that the number was that incredibly high. Furthermore, the survey showed that the number of stressed teens had dropped from 83% to 13% during summer break. This just goes to show the significance of school related stress, and how relevant these statistics are towards this topic.
How was the information organized? Was this an effective choice? Explain.
The information was organized by using short paragraphs and bullet points to display the information. This was a rather effective choice because the article was filled of many different quotes, information, and statistics from a survey, and by the use of short paragraphs, it captivates the attention of the audience in the way that it makes it easier and more interesting to read. The statistics in point form was also extremely effective as it laid out all of the numbers needed to back up the article in an organized fashion, which once again draws and holds the attention of the audience. By including quotes in the article, it captivates the audience in the sense that it is more interesting, and a more reliable source, reading word for word what experts' inputs are on teenage stress.
From whose perspective was the information presented? Was this an effective choice? Explain.
The narration of this text was written in past tense, impersonal, third person point of view. Because this source is an information article displaying raw facts and statistics, this perspective was very effective. The author, Margaret Shapiro, did not share her opinion on the topic. Instead, she took statistics from different surveys and displayed them in point form. At other times throughout the article, Shapiro referred to quotes from experts on this study which made the report a more reliable source for this topic. Had the article been written with different narration, the layout of the information may not have had the same reliable effect as the article does in third person.
What types of details were used to present the information? Be sure to include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the literary devices used in answering this question.
The author used different statistics from different surveys along with quotes from experts to present the information. This allows the audience to see for themselves just how many teenagers are affected by stress due to school through the different numbers and percentages displayed. The use of quotes from experts makes this a credible source because the information is accurate and reliable. A literary device used frequently throughout this article was diction. The author used formal, impersonal diction throughout the text. This allowed the audience to focus on the facts presented rather than the author’s opinion to the topic.
How was your reading of the text impacted by the type of source? How has this source enhanced your understanding of the overall theme/topic? Make personal connections to the source.
Because this source is an informational article, my reading of this type of source was impacted in the way that it formally presents all of the information through quotes and statistics. As the audience,I found that it allowed myself to focus strictly on the facts, which therefore enhances the overall topic in the way that it is consistently focuses on the raw information presented, rather than focusing on the author’s opinion. This also allowed me to make connections to the facts presented. According to the article, it says,
"Fully 83 percent of teens said that school was “a somewhat or significant source of stress.” Twenty-seven percent reported “extreme stress” during the school year, though that number fell to 13 percent during summer. And 10 percent felt that stress had had a negative impact on their grades."
These statistics are accurate when applying them to my own life, which allows me to connect myself with those 83% percent of students saying that school is a significant source of stress, because I myself feel as though most, if not all of my stress is connected with it. Although my stress isn’t completely gone during summer break, I do feel as though it decreases very much when I do not have school to worry about. This goes to show how school really is affecting myself and many other students as well, and just how reliable this source is.
Genre: News Article
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/stressed-out-teens-with-school-a-main-cause/2014/02/14/d3b8ab56-9425-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html
What key information did you learn from this source?
The key information I learned from this article was that school tends to be the main source of teenage stress. More specifically, the stats based on how teenaged students feel about the relationship between school and stress. According to the article, 83% of teens say that school is a significant source of stress. My knowledge prior to research had expected that number to be a relatively high percentage; however, it came as a surprise to me that the number was that incredibly high. Furthermore, the survey showed that the number of stressed teens had dropped from 83% to 13% during summer break. This just goes to show the significance of school related stress, and how relevant these statistics are towards this topic.
How was the information organized? Was this an effective choice? Explain.
The information was organized by using short paragraphs and bullet points to display the information. This was a rather effective choice because the article was filled of many different quotes, information, and statistics from a survey, and by the use of short paragraphs, it captivates the attention of the audience in the way that it makes it easier and more interesting to read. The statistics in point form was also extremely effective as it laid out all of the numbers needed to back up the article in an organized fashion, which once again draws and holds the attention of the audience. By including quotes in the article, it captivates the audience in the sense that it is more interesting, and a more reliable source, reading word for word what experts' inputs are on teenage stress.
From whose perspective was the information presented? Was this an effective choice? Explain.
The narration of this text was written in past tense, impersonal, third person point of view. Because this source is an information article displaying raw facts and statistics, this perspective was very effective. The author, Margaret Shapiro, did not share her opinion on the topic. Instead, she took statistics from different surveys and displayed them in point form. At other times throughout the article, Shapiro referred to quotes from experts on this study which made the report a more reliable source for this topic. Had the article been written with different narration, the layout of the information may not have had the same reliable effect as the article does in third person.
What types of details were used to present the information? Be sure to include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the literary devices used in answering this question.
The author used different statistics from different surveys along with quotes from experts to present the information. This allows the audience to see for themselves just how many teenagers are affected by stress due to school through the different numbers and percentages displayed. The use of quotes from experts makes this a credible source because the information is accurate and reliable. A literary device used frequently throughout this article was diction. The author used formal, impersonal diction throughout the text. This allowed the audience to focus on the facts presented rather than the author’s opinion to the topic.
How was your reading of the text impacted by the type of source? How has this source enhanced your understanding of the overall theme/topic? Make personal connections to the source.
Because this source is an informational article, my reading of this type of source was impacted in the way that it formally presents all of the information through quotes and statistics. As the audience,I found that it allowed myself to focus strictly on the facts, which therefore enhances the overall topic in the way that it is consistently focuses on the raw information presented, rather than focusing on the author’s opinion. This also allowed me to make connections to the facts presented. According to the article, it says,
"Fully 83 percent of teens said that school was “a somewhat or significant source of stress.” Twenty-seven percent reported “extreme stress” during the school year, though that number fell to 13 percent during summer. And 10 percent felt that stress had had a negative impact on their grades."
These statistics are accurate when applying them to my own life, which allows me to connect myself with those 83% percent of students saying that school is a significant source of stress, because I myself feel as though most, if not all of my stress is connected with it. Although my stress isn’t completely gone during summer break, I do feel as though it decreases very much when I do not have school to worry about. This goes to show how school really is affecting myself and many other students as well, and just how reliable this source is.