Rhetorical Analysis On How Computers Make Our Kids

834 Words4 Pages
Sue Ferguson’s 2005 article “How computers make our kids stupid” presents thorough research concluding that computer modules are deterring children’s mental growth. Ferguson simply analyzes research conducted by economists while combining it with several accounts of students, teachers, and higher school authority. Her writing is riddled with many rhetorical ploys which she uses to strengthen her thesis. To do this, she infuses the three rhetorical appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos throughout her article while using precise diction to support her position. By also using effective analogies and specific sentence placements, she commands the argument between her and the opposing research. Ferguson’s article uses the three classic rhetorical appeals to her advantage. Logos is efficiently utilized when she describes how schools now approximately have one million computers of which 93 percent are on-line (Ferguson, 2005, p.195). This shocking statistic sways the audience to believe that the sheer ubiquity of computers distract children from studies. Ferguson follows up with pathos by characterizing fifteen-year-old student Colin Johnson with: “the tenth grader is failing science” (196). The use of pathos here induces anger towards computer use by displaying the student’s inability to pass an elementary course. Even her primary evidence relies on ethos since the research is conducted by economists Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessman, regarded as intelligent folks due to the attainment of a PhD. The audience treats this use of ethos as verification for the evidence. In addition to the rhetorical appeals, Ferguson uses a brilliant diction to manipulate the audience. To show how children are becoming stupid, Ferguson incorporates clever language for both her and opposing research. For instance, she uses indefinite words such as “convinced” or “believes” when displaying

More about Rhetorical Analysis On How Computers Make Our Kids

Open Document