HSS 371 - Midterms
Fall 2011

HSS 371 A (Weds)
Group 2: Due November 9
and
HSS 371 B (Tues)
Group 2: Due November 15

Your Brain on Computers

In the past several years there has been a vigorous debate about the effects of the Internet and personal computing on human cognition. Pundits and writers make many claims about addiction, multitasking, and intelligence, and we all have personal anecdotes about these issues--but what is the scientific evidence? In a 750-1000 word essay, please assess both sides of the debate. Your essay should be impeccably-written, with a clear thesis, convincing evidence, and strong conclusion. Cite all of your sources in an MLA-style works cited list. A printed copy of your essay is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, November 9.

Start with:

Shirky: Does the Internet Make You Smarter?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704025304575284973472694334.html

Carr: Does the Internet Make You Dumber?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704025304575284981644790098.html

Then, look for additional studies by academic scientists that may either confirm or deny these arguments. You might find some leads--or the names of specific scientists--in the following articles:

Attached to Technology and Paying a Price
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html

More Americans Sense a Downside to an Always Plugged-In Existence
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brainpoll.html

An Ugly Toll of Technology: Impatience and Forgetfulness
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brainside.html

The Risks of Parenting While Plugged In
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/garden/10childtech.html

Outdoors and Out of Reach, Studying the Brain
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/technology/16brain.html

Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/technology/25brain.html

In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html

Media Multitasking is Really Multidistracting
http://www.kurzweilai.net/media-multitasking-is-really-multidistracting

The Internet Can Make You Smarter, Experts Say
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10457411-93.html

Scholars Turn Their Attention to Attention
http://chronicle.com/article/Scholars-Turn-Their-Attention/63746/