Category: Writing

Imagine that you are the president of your college and that
you want students to use the full power of the Internet in their education, but
you also wish them to develop their abilities to think deeply, concentrate, and
contemplate. Using the problem-solving method in this chapter, analyze this
problem and develop some practical solutions for dealing with this challenge

In contrast to developed countries like the United States
and Europe, where biotechnology is controlled by large, profit-oriented
biotechnology corporations, in developing countries sophisticated native
scientists in the public sector are developing new disease-resistant and
pest-resistant biotech crops for their countries. Which approach to
biotechnology is better? Why?

Richard Manning, in his article “Eating the Genes,” argues
that in developing countries, the risks to the environment or people posed by
genetically engineered foods is of much less consequence that the reality of
starvation and suicides by farmers whose crops are ruined by insects. Do you
agree with the point he is making? Why or why not?

The author notes that “The Web has been a godsend to me as a
writer. Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of
libraries can now be done in minutes.” Do the powerful advantages of using the
Internet necessarily mean that we have to sacrifice our ability to read deeply
and think reflectively?

Have you noticed in your own life that it’s easier to move
quickly around the Web than to spend concentrated time reading a book or
lengthy article? Write an extended essay or letter? Concentrate on an issue or
problem for an extended period of time? Describe your experiences with both
surfing the Web and reading books and lengthy articles in this regard.

1. Describe in specific detail an important problem you
solved recently
2. Explain how you went about solving the problem. What were
the steps, strategies, and approaches you used to understand the problem and
make an informed decision?

In the article “The Surprising Truth About How Twitter Has
Changed Your Brain,” Caitlyn Dewey reports that the most current research does
not support the idea that Twitter use negatively “rewires” our brains. Yet,
many people (such as Nicholas Carr in “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”) claim
based on personal experience that frequent use of the Internet has shortened
our attention spans and limited our ability to engage in deep reflection. What
do you think? Have Twitter and Google really had a corrosive effect on our
thinking ability? What type of evidence do you find most compelling? Why?