Rhetorical Analysis Of The Digital Parent Trap By Eliana Dockterman

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In the article, “The Digital Parent Trap” by Eliana Dockterman, reveals the possible advantages of an early introduction of technology to children. Dockterman’s purpose is to convince her audience that limited early age exposure to electronics can be beneficial to children. She utilizes a factual and unbiased tone when persuading her audience, parents. Dockterman appeals to logos, appeals to ethos, and compares the effects of technology to persuade her audience that early exposure to technology actually can be beneficial.

First, Dockterman appeals to logos throughout the passage to strengthen her argument. In her passage, Dockterman continuously uses statistics as evidence to support her argument. For instance, Dockterman mentions that in an SRI study, the kids playing puzzle games on a …show more content…

For example, she mentions the results of a study by MIT showing the improvement in a student’s retention rate after learning their lessons virtually (Paragraph 9). Not only is having proof important, but using proof from a credible source helps to solidify Dockterman's argument. Using research from MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dockterman is able to back up her argument with evidence. Citing the research of MIT, a well-known, prestigious institute, she is making her information and facts more dependable. Realizing that her facts have a reliable or credible source helps convince her audience. Throughout the passage, she also quotes different people - such as an anthropologist from UCI and a principal of a public school - which work with, or study, children and their development (Paragraphs 7 and 11). Using their credibility, and imputing comments from a second or third source helps ensure that her information is authentic. Therefore, by appealing to ethos, she makes her evidence reliable, and her argument more

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