ENG009
Prompt: Despite all the advancement in technologies, especially smart phone technology, people seem to
disagree in terms of impact on users. Has smartphone technology helped or harmed users? Discuss.
Instructions: Discuss the different perspectives in a well-developed and well-organized essay
Your essay should include:
A title
An introduction (background: do not copy the prompt – link – summary of perspectives – thesis)
Two body paragraphs (topic sentence – 2 fully developed reasons with support from sources –
concluding sentence)
Stance paragraph
Conclusion (reminder of purpose – summary of perspectives – data evaluation – concluding thought)
Remember to use correct Academic style & APA documentation!!!
while One school of It is essential to recognize that… significant Many / Most
furthermore thought It is worth noting that… considerable May / Might
For instance Some researchers it can be concluded that substantial Can / Could
To illustrate Others It was observed that… serious In general
In other words In terms of… It is believed that… major generally
To be more accurate As far as…is One possible benefit perhaps
Moreover concerned It is important to note that… seem / appear
but / however With respect to… It must be emphasized that… possible
Also /whenever From the point of majority
Although view of… principally
In fact / Indeed In particular likely
Thus therefore According to suggest
As a result in most cases
In many cases… probably
Extract A - Gretchen Callahan, Audrey Fusco, and Leo Kagan (2018)
Cell phone addiction is becoming a huge problem in this generation. The average person is unable to spend the
day or even a few hours without their phone; furthermore, the average person will check his or her phone
around 110 times a day. Those who are addicted to their phones check around 900 times a day. These
tendencies can cause people to lose jobs or relationships or focus more on their phones than what is going on
around them. Becoming too dependent on their cell phone could lead some to develop problems with mental
health. Beyond that, those who rely too heavily on their cell phones often can have difficulty communicating
with others and staying on task. Teens do tend to think about their technology to a point where the real world
can be forgotten sometimes.
Extract B – Zahid Naeem (2014)
The American Cancer Society (ACS) states that there could be some risk associated with cancer, but the
evidence is not strong enough to be considered causal and needs to be investigated further. Children have the
potential to be at greater risk than adults for developing brain cancer from cell phones. Their nervous systems
are still developing and therefore more vulnerable to factors that may cause cancer. Furthermore, scientists have
reported adverse health effects of using mobile phones including changes in brain activity, reaction times, and
sleep patterns. Research has also shown an increased risk of traffic accidents, about 3–4 times greater chance of
an accident, when mobile phones are used while driving due to distraction.
Extract C – Noah Darko-Adjei (2019)
Currently, smartphones perform phenomenal roles as far as teaching and learning are concerned. For instance,
students can access their lecture materials on their smartphones, quickly access information online to meet their
information needs via learning management systems, access academic databases, and a website to mention but a
few. The use of smartphones in learning has become the latest trend in higher education where an individual
may not necessarily need a computer set to access electronic learning materials. The phenomenal roles of the
smartphone in learning have been revealed by numerous authors, such as Valk et al. (2010), who found that
smartphones have made learning more flexible and have helped to reduce the ultimate inherent conventional
classroom learning. For instance, a smartphone makes it possible for students to access educational materials
anytime, anywhere and it is highly cost-effective since this opportunity is just a function of smartphones. Kumar
(2011) also found that smartphone users are able to download recorded online lectures and electronic books to
enhance learning.
Extract D – How Smartphones Are Affecting Relationships (2019)
Smartphones, and the constant access they provide to text messaging and social media, make it easier than ever
for people to disclose personal information and respond to others in their social networks. “Smartphones and
their affordances create new contexts for disclosing information about who we are and for being responsive to
others, but these virtual connections may have downstream unwanted effects on our current relationships,”
Sbarra noted. “When you are distracted into or by the device, then your attention is divided, and being
responsive to partners – an essential ingredient for building intimacy – requires attention in the here and now.”
Divided attention may lead to relationship conflict. Sbarra does not believe smartphones are all bad. In fact, he
and his coauthors acknowledge that the devices offer several benefits for health and well-being, and texting
provides many couples a route for connecting in a meaningful way.
