Eskew 1

Cassandra Eskew
Mr. Salow
English 11
11 January 2017
This is a research paper about the homework debate. What the homework debate is
whether or not homework is really effective, or not effective for students. Homework debates
have been going on for centuries, but I have never looked at how they are arguing their point. It
is important to show how each of these authors argue, how effective homework is to students,
how homework effects certain students, and how homework feedback improves academic
success. Each article found is read and analysed to see what kind of argument each author
provides, they will show whether or not each argument is effective or not effective.
I have found an article that is not exactly arguing each side, but is explaining the
homework debate and how it may, or may not be effective. We now stand at an interesting
crossroads in the homework debate, (Costley 2). I found this article important to use because it
shows that people are actually concerned about the homework issue. I also used it because it
showed more pathos by not using evidence or research. Costley is an author that needs to do
some research or do a study to see what side of that debate is really true. The author has not done
anything to persuade me in their argument on homework, so it is not a very good argument at all.
Some people argue differently than other people by using ethos, pathos or logos. While
these approaches are different, it will affect dramatically how good the argument is. One article I
have read uses more ethos which is the appeal to credibility. The author of this article said
Research has also found positive relations between homework and students study habits as well

as the development of self-regulation,(Kristoffersson 1).While Kristoffersson didnt use ethos in

the most efficient, she did not give herself the credit that the other scientists have done. When
Kristoffersson said research has also found positive relations between homework and students,
that told me that homework makes a positive impact on students. Self-regulation means in this
quote that it helps students organize how they learn things.
Another article I read is about homework feedback and how it is useful for students to
self reflect on the materials. The students in the nonparticipation group did not submit sufficient
reflection materials for analysis, so analyses of reflection practices focused on two groups
(frequent participations and decreased participation),(27). This article uses logos which is an
appeal to logic. I found this very useful because the author has done research and studies to
prove their point. The quote happened to be part of the study that hey were doing and in that
article, they have showed each step and the results. When the author mentioned that the students
in the nonparticipation group did not submit sufficient reflection materials for the analysis, it
proved to me that homework feedback is highly effective. The homework feedback helps them
reflect on materials they they may or may not need help in.
I found another article with a sort of pathos argument. Homework is often a contentious
issue for students, parent, and teacher. When utilized properly, homework can be a valuable tool
for reinforcing learning that takes place in the classroom. Unfortunately, many teachers do not
use homework effectively, (Carr 169). When they mention that homework is an issue for
students, parents, and teachers, it means that it is something that causes problems for them in
their life. What scientists show do is find a way to make homework more effective for students.
There are people with attention and behavior problems including ADHD or ADD. This
article Im about to put in here shows that students with attention or behavior problems have a

different way of learning. Many studies have described, not surprisingly, students with attention
and behavior challenges is at-risk for academic failure, including failures of homework
completion and homework accuracy, (Blicha 51). This article shows an example of both ethos
and logos. The ethos gives others credit for the study, and the logos shows that its obvious that
ADHD people have a hard time academically. When they mention that students with attention or
behavior issues are at risk for failure, it tells me that they need to make an academic environment
more beneficial for them so it can help them learn better. Because some people do not understand
how their brain works when it comes to learning, they should start making more studies to help
these certain students learn much better.
Pathos happens to be a very common way of arguing when it comes to this topic. Pathos
is an appeal to emotion and many people tend to go for this way of argument because people
follow it more. Through student teaching I was constantly amazed at the lack of training that I
received and the inconsistency that I saw in each classroom with regards to homework,
(Toraski 5). Another appeal to pathos shows how frequently pathos is argued. I liked this one
because a teacher questioned what homework actually does to students. When the author said she
was amazed at the lack of training she received in regards to homework meant that she was never
taught to give proper homework. What they need to do is research the proper way homework
should be and give it to students so they are benefitted from it.
Each of the authors in each article all have their different ways of arguing. When I said
before that some arguments are better than others, it is very true. The best way to really argue is
using logos and ethos. Research and science helps support or decline arguments depending if
they are true or not.

Landers, Mara, and Daniel Reinholz. "Students' Reflections on Mathematics Homework

Feedback."
Journal of Developmental Education, vol. 38, no. 3, Fall 2016, pp. 22.

Carr, Nicole Schrat. "Increasing the effectiveness of homework for all learners in the inclusive
classroom." School Community Journal, vol. 31, no. 1, Fall 2016, pp. 169.

Gu, Limin, and Margaretha Kristoffersson. "Swedish Lower Secondary School Teachers
Perceptions
and Experiences Regarding Homework." Universal Journal of Educational Research,
vol. 3,
no. 4, Fall 2016, pp. 269-305.

Costley, Kevin C. "Does Homework Really Improve Achievement?." Online Submission, Fall
2016.

Blicha, Amy, and Phillip J. Belfiore. "The Effects of Automated Prompting and Self-Monitoring
on
Homework Completion for a Student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."
Journal of
Education and Learning , vol. 2, no. 3. Fall, 2016, pp. 51.

Tokarski, Jennifer E. "Thoughtful homework or busywork: Impact on student academic success."

Fall 2016.