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- QUESTION
Students will write a 600 – 700 word argumentative essay using the skills learned in the course. The essay is due in the final week of the course (see the course schedule for due date). The paper should be written in 12 point Times New Roman font and double spaced. The essay should incorporate principles of argument and avoid forms of fallacious reasoning discussed in the course readings and discussions.
The format of the argumentative essay should be as follows:
1) a brief introductory paragraph that provides a clear thesis statement followed by a sentence outline of the evidence to be provided in support of the thesis;
2) elaboration of the evidence in support of the thesis;
3) consideration of a potential counterexample to one of the paper’s arguments as well as a rebuttal to the counterexample;
4) a brief conclusion summarizing the argument; and
5) at the end of the paper, the premises and conclusion of the argument represented in standard form.Failure to include #5 will result in an automatic 10-point reduction in the grade.
Students may choose the topic of their paper but are advised to consult with the professor regarding the topic if they have questions.
****** there can be any topic but these are some of the arguments we learned in classs********
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Premises and Conclusions
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3 activities
Chapter 4: Language
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Propositional Arguments
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Categorical Arguments
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Analogical Arguments
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Statistical Arguments
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Causal Arguments
| Subject | Essay Writing | Pages | 4 | Style | APA |
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Answer
Critical Thinking Argumentative Essay: Punishment as a Way for Changing Behavior
The purpose of this essay is to critically discuss the argument the role of punishment in changing behavior. The aim of instilling punishment to children is to change their behavior for the good but that is not always the case. The scope of this essay is to discuss the impact of punishment on attempts to changing behavior with particular emphasis on younger children. Punishment in this case is not limited to physical punishment but also psychological punishment. Punishment has long been used as tool for changing behavior across various settings including homes, prisons, workplace, and the military; thus, it is worth to evaluate its effectiveness in changing of behavior of young children. Analysis of evidence points out that punishment is an effective method for correcting or changing behavior in young children.
Punishing children with the intent of changing their behavior does more harm than good. Punishing children may result in negative physical impacts such as injuries. It may as well cause permanent disability, psychological distress, and long-term physical disorders. Physical impacts of physical punishment may include fractures, bruises, wounds, and deaths due to suicide or homicide (Ferrara et al. 1). Other serious impacts of child punishment include development of obesity or overweightness, adoption of a modest physical activity, engagement in smoking habits and/or heavy alcohol use later on in life, and poor self-rating of health. On the contrary, positive and nonviolent disciplining approaches help deliver better results or outcomes in achievement of desired behaviors in children (Ferrara et al. 1). Another study conducted by Pace, Lee, and Grogan-Kaylor in 59 low-income and middle-income countries established that there is a negative relationship between spanking of children and their socioemotional development (84). These findings indicate that punishment of children contributes to long-term harm.
Punishing children for their mistakes may achieve a deterrent effect on the short-term. For example, punishing a child for playing in an highway may deter the child from doing the same mistake in the immediate future and a such help prevent the child from being hit or run over by a fast moving traffic. In this case, the parent or guardian is protecting the child from impending danger through use of punitive measures. Corporal punishment may work in helpign children learn about what is right and wrong, for control behavior of children and for reforming their behavior but the line between use of corporal punishment for corrective actions and physical abuse is nearly non-existent (Gudyanga, Mbego, Wadesango 495). Conversely, a study by Akhtar and Awan found that physical punishment of students (less than 18 years of age), resulted in display of aggressive and violent behaviors within a short duration of time (606). In addition, this corrective mechanism tends to have negative latent effects that may emerge later on in life; perhaps in the adulthood years. In the long-term people who received corporal punishment at the childhood years tend to become overly cautious and passive and fear to freely express their feelings and ideas. This may affect their social functioning (Ferrara et al., 2). According to Ferrara and colleagues, victims of corporal punishment at an early age are likely to develop into perpetrators of psychological violence later on in life (3). Children who are physically punished tend to experience difficulties in internalizing moral values compared to other children. Besides, people who were physically punished at an early age are less likely to engage in altruistic behavior, resist temptation, to exercise moral judgment of any kind, or empathize with others (Ferrara et al. 3).
Spanking of children is consistently associated with negative outcomes of the affected children. These outcomes may include excessive internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, child aggression, and antisocial behavior (Pace et al. 85). In school-going children, corporal punishment may lead to non-tolerance to the applied controlling measure and pulling out of school. Besides, it may lead to development of new deviant behaviors (Gudyanga, Mbego, and Wadesango, 494). School going-children are hence more likely to develop resistance or a rebellion to the controlling punitive measures rather than conform to desired behaviors when corporal punishment is applied.
In conclusion, physical or psychological punishment of young children is not an effective way for correcting or changing behavior since it results in development of negative outcomes. Negative outcomes may include development of violent or aggressive behaviors, physical injuries, mental health issues, psychosocial issues, and emotional problems. Some of the impacts of punishment of such as physical injuries and aggression may be immediate; whereas others such as mental health issue and emotional problems may remain latent for years only to manifest in later stages of life. The only benefit of punishment is that is has a deterrent effect as a way to protect the child from danger or harm but the negative effects, either immediate, short-term or long-term outcomes, outweighs this benefit. Hence, physical and/or psychological punishment of children should be avoided by parents, guardians, teachers, or any other person who is caring for people under the age of 18 years.
References
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Akhtar, Saeeda Igbal and Abdul Ghafoor Awan. “The impact of corporal punishment on students’ performance in public schools.” Global Journal of Management, Social Sciences and Humanities, 4.3(2018): 606-621. Web. 10 Dec 2019. Ferrara, Pietro, Giulia Franceschini, Alberto Villani, and Giovanni Corsello. “Physical, psychological and social impact of school violence on children.” Italina Journal of Pediatrics, 45.76(2019): 1-4. Web. 10 Dec 2019. Gudyanga, Ephias, Mbego F., and Wadesango, N. “Corporal punishment in schools: Issues and challenges.” Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5.9(2014): 493-500. Web. 10 Dec 2019. Pace, Garrett T., Shawna J. Lee, and Andre Grogan-Kaylor. “Spanking and young children’ socioemotional development in low- and middle-income countries.” Child Abuse & Neglect, 88.0(2019): 84-95. Web. 10 Dec 2019.
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