Course name: English for Academic Purposes

Course code: UU 114

Essay title:
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones

Full name: Prabhaat Parekh

(as on Student ID card)

ID No.: s11109471
Group #: 17
Tutors name: M. Rore
Date: 30/08/15

UU114: English for Academic Purposes

Plan
Discussion essay Block pattern
Title: Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones
C: Mobile Phones
L: Advantages; Disadvantages
D: Discuss
Introduction
Context: Technology Effects
Subject: Mobiles Phones
Limited Subject:
a)
b)

Advantages
Disadvantages

Issue: It is important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of mobile

Technology on people daily lives as they subjected to it daily.
Thesis statement: This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
mobile
Phones of how usage contributes towards educational health and
Communication in peoples lives.
Supports for the thesis:
Side 1: Advantage
Argument 1: Communication
i. [calls, video calls]
ii [instant messaging]
Argument 2: Education
i. [can be used to store notes]
ii [on hand access to internet]
Argument 3: Multipurpose Device
i. [instant photography / on hand camera]
ii [listen to music, On hand navigation, entertainment
form]
Transition paragraph:
However, this essay will also emphasize the disadvantages of mobile phones
which effects the lives of countless users every day in both long term and short term
usage.
Side 2: Disadvantage
Argument 1: Form of distraction
i. [diverts attention of students]
ii [can cause accidents on road]
Argument 2: Information theft
i. [software can be hacked to retrieve information]
ii [lack of privacy if connected to the internet]
Argument 3: Health

i.

[emits electromagnetic waves which harms

brain; brain tumor]
ii [electromagnetic interference effects medical
equipments]

Conclusion: Restatement of thesis:

As mentioned in earlier in the essay, mobiles phones have
advantages and disadvantages which affects users in their daily lives, it could be
noted that mobiles negative effects outweigh the positive point as it serves as a
potential threat towards social and health issues.

Abstract
This essay will discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of having mobile
phones and usages. Firstly, the essay will focus on the advantages of mobiles phones
in terms of communication where it is considered a very useful tool to put across
messages. Secondly, it will discuss the mobile phones benefits in terms of educational
tool, information resource, internet access storage of files and a multipurpose device
used for everything. However, the essay will also point out the disadvantages of
mobiles on the users as they continue using it. It will discuss the negative point where
it serves a point distraction to students and teachers. It will then discuss the harmful
effects of mobiles on human health and how it can lead to illness. And finally discuss
how information on the phones is vulnerable and can be easily misused. The
conclusion will sum up side two of the essay and give a final thought and
recommendation to the readers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones

Mobiles phones, a great technological invention that has conveniently placed the
world at peoples finger tips by closing the gap socially and virtually between people.
This technology has not only made socializing easier, but also has made such progress
in its recent development stages by becoming a very portable multi-purpose device
that is able to carry out tasks by its simple in built features. But as revolutionizing this
technology is, it carries with itself some negatives or cons as sometimes stated that
affect its users in either in a long-term or short-term usage, in terms of health, virtual
information positions. Hence this essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks that
mobiles phones bring out with themselves.

To begin with, mobiles phones primarily have functioned for long as a medium of
communication. Mobiles phone have made communications very easier compared to
the past due its mobility. Not only users can call out to people to deliver messages but
also have an option available to instantly message in writing which will be delivered
within moments. Unlike the past where it took days to put across messages this is
done within seconds. Also mobile phones has brought people closer due to its
communication advantages and people have begun to socialize move closer to even
though they are miles apart. Plus developments of applications such as Viber, Face
book, twitter and skype have further reduced distance between people and
communication. For example, according to website smallbusiness.chron.com, many
Americans now access social media sites on their phones and reply quickly to
message left to them as phones have now access to internet. (Kelly,
smallbusiness.chron.com). Therefore mobiles phones have proved to be milestone
achievement in terms of communications.

Secondly, mobile phones have also proved to be a great educational tool for most
students and working people. As of its mobility and having access to the internet,
many people have opted for mobile learning where they are able to retrieve the
information they require for their research very easily. To add on, mobiles phones
have become a very quick method of storing files and accessing it whenever the need
it required instead of carrying pend drives or laptops. Also mobile learning or mlearning, is very useful in circumstances where it is aiding people who are constraint
due to work, household activities, or other activities which causes people to unable to
attend the traditional setting of education or classes. For example,
In theory, mLearning increases access for those who are mobile or cannot
physically attend learning institutions those who would not otherwise be able to
follow courses in a traditional educational setting due to the constraints of work,
household activities, or other competing demands on their time. MLearning makes
education more accessible in that it enables learners to pursue their studies
according to their own schedule. The portability of mobile technology means that
mLearning is not bound by fixed class times; mLearning enables learning at all
times and in all places, during breaks, before or after shifts, at home, or on the go.
Interestingly, however, while mLearning is portable, it is not necessarily
associated with physical movement. (Valk and Rashid and Elder,2010)
Therefore mobile phones are playing a role in a educational background by offering
services such as m-learning as stated above along with access to internet and the
ability to store and access documents or information regardless of people surrounding.

Moreover, mobile phones have become a very useful multipurpose device used for
almost everything. From cameras to GPS navigation, mobile phones have been

equipped with everything inside its system that has resulted that people to abandon
other gadgets just for one. Users have now the privilege to listen to music wherever
they are due mobile technology making easier for users as they do not have to carry
anything excess material for their entertainment. Mobiles phones have started to serve
as form entertainment in a sense of user can view news, movies or play games or
socialize without facing any difficulties. For example, if you are looking for a nearest
restaurant or are lost, mobile phones GPS can come to your aid and give an exact
description to help its users out. Its tough to fit an mp3 player, digital camera,
phone, and GPS all in your pockets. todays cell phones mean thats not a problem
anymore. Its been our go-to calculator and flashlight for the past decade and a
smartphone is probably the only camera many people even own.
(Tomasovic,2014).

However as much advantage that is revolutionary technology possess, the

disadvantages come along with that affects its users daily mostly without being
noticed. Some disadvantages are affecting in a long term run while others affecting
users at short term, that is at social and virtual world risks. Therefore it is important
to consider both sides of the story.

On the other hand, while mobile phones have been serving as a source of
educational tool, it also serves as a form of distraction in classroom to students.
Because of its versatility and multifunctional use, mobiles have been able to distract
students from paying attention in class as either it will become a form of
entertainment with its fancy features feature. Not only student but teachers fall prey
to this gadget as they get distracted during teaching if the phones ring. Mobiles

phones also have led to several road accidents by either distracting the driver or
pedestrian from their course. For example, It has been alleged that some teachers
use their mobile phones during the period of class frequently for talking even as they
go outside the classroom and it affects the academic atmosphere. (Hindustan Times,
2007). So it is notable that mobiles distractions can do more damage than its
educational use.

To add on, information theft on mobiles phones has led to many problems. Hackers
are able to retrieve personal information about the user from their phones and have
been able to access bank accounts and credit card thefts. Not only that information on
the handheld are mostly synced with a satellite and is constantly monitored by
authorities. Not only mobiles phones have stored information, they have shared it as
well and have contributed towards cybercrimes.

Finally, mobiles possess a great threat to human health in a long term run. Since
mobile phones throw off electromagnetic waves to stay in the networks region, this
waves create problems for its users in a long run as it interference cause gene
mutation and leading to cancer or brain tumor of its uses. The wave interference not
only harms the human body but it also interferes with the medical technologies in
hospitals. For example, according to World Health Organization, mobile phone
signals interfere with medical equipment e.g. pacemakers in their operations and
hence sometimes causing it to malfunction. (www.who.int,2013)Therefore, mobile
phones with their emitting of electromagnetic waves can cause health issues that can
sometimes lead to death in long term.

After doing research about the advantages and disadvantages of mobiles phones, it
can be concluded that the usage of mobile phones come along with both advantage
and disadvantages but however as proved in the essay the disadvantages outweigh the
advantages and the users must take into account how it negatively affects them. We,
as users, must embrace this fact and must use this technology more responsibly for
our benefit.

Bibliography
Hindustan Times, 2007 Darrang DC Bans Mobile Phones In Classrooms, 30 June,
PROQUEST,
http://search.proquest.com.cache5.usp.ac.fj:2048/docview/470565099/C2FB33E
43611469BPQ/1?accountid=28103

Kelly, B. What Is The Role Of Cell Phone In Communication Today? Chron, viewed
on 16 August,2015,
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/role-cell-phone-communication-today31479.html

Tomasovic, N. 2014, Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobiles Phones: The

Smartphone Generation, viewed on 16 August, 2015,
https://blog.udemy.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-mobile-phones/

Valk, J.H and Rashid, A.T and Elder, L. 2010 Using Mobiles Phones To Improve
Educational Outcome: An Analysis of Evidence From Asia, The International
Review of Research In Open and Distributed Learning, vol.11, no.1, viewed on
16 August, 2015,
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/794/1487

World Health Organization, 2013, What Are the Health Risks Associated with Mobile
Phones and Their Base Station? viewed on 16 August 2015,
http://www.who.int/features/qa/30/en/