Composition Reading Bank: Limited Access

Alfasi, Kawther. "The Loneliness of Early Parenthood" (Identity)  As a mother to a young child, Alfasi explores the social isolation and loneliness new parents often face. Alfasi considers research suggesting that new parents often experience "estrangement" upon having children, specifically in relation to their friends and social circles and discusses several causes and impacts. Alfasi claims that while this estrangement may be unavoidable, if new parents and their friends are willing to adapt, accommodate, and negotiate, the loneliness of early parenthood can be temporary and transient. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Beck, Julie. "Facebook: Where Friendships Go to Never Quite Die" (Media & Technology)  Beck's work explores the "vestigial" friendships that happen on Facebook: those that are remnants of the past that the site keeps alive. They are weak social connections that would have otherwise simply faded out of users' lives. (Second- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Beck, Julie. "How Friendships Change in Adulthood" (Identity)  Beck analyzes the role of friendships in happiness and traces the development of friendships through adult life. (First-, Second-, and Third Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Beck, Julie. "It's 10 p.m. Do You Know Where Your Friends Are?" (Media & Technology)  Beck explores the different facets of constant location sharing through various apps and "geosocial" services. Beck discusses different perspectives on how sharing locations impacts relationships, including topics such as safety, connection, bonding, intimacy, dishonesty, abuse, loss of privacy, and surveillance. Beck suggests we need to think critically about location sharing as a means of interconnectedness that should be based on mutual trust. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Bogost, Ian. "Facebook's Dystopian Definition of 'Fake'" (Media & Technology)  Bogost explains that when it comes to posting fake news, and what society defines as "fake" media, citizens cannot expect Facebook to limit or control such misinformation or to seek what journalists define as "truth" in its content. Using the example of a doctored Nancy Pelosi video, Bogost explores how Facebook defines the validity and authenticity of online material and the impacts of attempting to differentiate between true and fake. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Bogost, Ian. "Stop Trusting Viral Videos" (Media & Technology)  Writing right after the Covington Catholic viral video(s) and corresponding controversy, Bogost explores how the videos were shot and suggests that having more context actually doesn't help us understand what really happened. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Bowden, Mark. "Dumb Kids' Class" (Education)  Bowden reflects on growing up in Catholic schools, using humor to reflect on lessons learned from being in what he as a young child referred to as the “smart kids’ class” and the “dumb kids’ class." (First-, Second-, and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Bowden, Mark. "'Idiot,' 'Yahoo,' 'Original Gorilla': How Lincoln Was Dissed in His Day" (Language)  Bowden explores the language used to disparage Lincoln on the campaign trail contrasted with Lincoln's later reputation as a revered president known for his eloquence. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Brooks, David. "People Like Us" (Society & Culture)  Brooks asserts that Americans herald the idea of diversity but don’t walk the talk. In his study of cultural homogeneity, Brooks claims Americans tend to group themselves in homogenous clusters to feel comfortable. He argues that homogenous segmenting of society opposes diversity and that diversity requires that Americans favor lives not institutions. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Literary Reference Center database)

Burton, Krista. "Lesbians Invented Hipsters" (Identity)  Burton claims American hipsters have become lesbian-like and explores aspects of stereotypical “hipster” culture, focusing on style of dress. Burton argues that lesbians, akin to other groups whose cultures have become mainstream, have always lived hipster lifestyles. She contends the impact of shifting to more hipster, therefore more lesbian, culture is that it is harder to use her “gaydar.” (First-Person Perspective; Narrative) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Carr, Nicholas. "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" (Media & Technology)  Carr explores the role that technology plays in the way we produce and consume information. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. "The Paranoid Style of American Policing" (Society & Culture)  Coates discusses the police shooting of Quintonio LeGrier. In particular, he discusses how this shooting demonstrates a paranoid approach to policing that normalizes the unnecessary use of lethal force. After debunking some of the more absurd arguments aimed at justifying police violence, he explains how this violence delegitimizes the authority of the police. (First-, Second-, and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Douthat, Ross. "Islam in Two Americas" (Race & Ethnicity)  Douthat uses an example of a mosque built near ground zero to claim there are two Americas—one constitutional, celebrating religious freedom and expression; and one cultural, expecting cultural assimilation—both of which debate the mosque’s construction. Douthat argues that for Muslim Americans to fully integrate, they need a leader who understands the ideologies of both Americas. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Fattal, Isabel. "Why Do Cartoon Villains Speak in Foreign Accents?" (Language)  Note to users: The first sentence of the NewsBank version is an overall summary statement that should be in italics and set off from the rest of the text. Fattal observes that in many animated films and cartoons, the villains are given foreign accents. This can create problematic associations between an accent or dialect and delinquent behavior. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Friedersdorf, Conor. "Social-Media Outrage Is Collapsing Our Worlds" (Media & Technology)  Friedersdorf discusses how modern society affords people a kind of identity fluidity previously unattainable to smaller communities. He explains how social media has introduced new modes of public shaming and social control that pose a serious threat to the ability to change one’s identity in different settings. He asks what would society look like if we treated identity fluidity as a core value to modern society. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Exploratory) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Fuerst, Saskia. "The Sexy Aging Black Woman in US Advertisements: From Aunt Jemima to the Pro-Age Campaigns" (Media & Technology)  Fuerst analyzes the depiction of older women in advertisements over time and its significance, especially with regard to African American women. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive; Academic journal article) Link for CSCC users (to SpringerLink database)

Gopnik, Adam. "The Information (How the Internet Gets Inside Us)" (Media & Technology)  Gopnik discusses society and the Internet by categorizing intellectuals on the subject as the "Never-Betters" (those who believe technology has nearly elevated us to a utopia), the "Better-Nevers" (those who believe technology is ruining the human experience and leading us to disaster) and the "Ever-Wasers" (who believe that this polarity of reactions simply amounts to the modern human experience and that, historically, all new innovations are met with fear and excitement). Gopnik takes an admiringly fair approach and explains leading thinkers in each category and what it means to be a human in the information age. (Second- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Literary Reference Center database)

Hess, Amanda. "How Privacy Became a Commodity for the Rich and Powerful" (Media & Technology)  Hess examines the history of privacy and how our society takes it for granted that we have the right to it. She argues that via the technology we interact with, we unknowingly share information that may have seemed meaningless, but now robs its owners of protecting its value. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Ivins, Molly. "Stop This Carnage; Let's Just Ban Guns" (Society & Culture)  Ivins uses humor and hyperbole to argue for gun control. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Jabr, Ferris. "Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?" (Media & Technology)  Beginning with an example case study, Jabr considers whether excessive playing of video games can lead to addiction. He gives psychological characteristics of those at risk and evidence for different answers to that question along with an example of a recovery program. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexus Uni database)

Keller, Jared. "What Makes Americans So Optimistic?" (Society & Culture)  Through research, Keller proves Americans are more often predisposed to optimism than those in other developed nations. He considers reasons for this optimism, ranging from belief in the American dream, to American individualism, to religion, to hard work. Yet, despite the evidence of a culture of pervasive optimism, Keller claims this positive outlook on life is fading for many Americans in the face of increasing social, political, and economic turmoil. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (Society & Culture)  In this 1963 letter, King responds to "The Letter to Martin Luther King," written by a group of eight Birmingham clergymen. (First-, Second-, and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive; Letter) Link for CSCC users (to Academic Search Complete database)

Kristof, Nicholas D. "Saudis in Bikinis" (Race & Ethnicity)  Kristof shares a series of provocations as he relates his observations of Saudi customs and dress at the beginning of the 21st century. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Lileks, James. "Foodie Feud" (Food & Health)   Inspired by a Facebook post, Lileks uses food as a means to complicate the idea of what is American and what constitutes appropriation. (Second- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Points of View Reference Center database)

Marche, Stephen. "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?" (Media & Technology)  Reporting on the various effects of loneliness and the technology/media that may cause it, Marche claims both social media and users are to blame for the increasing loneliness users feel, despite what is marketed as a means of swelling social connectivity. Among many factors, Marche contends it is Facebook’s always-on nature that encourages users to connect digitally which ultimately makes them more disconnected. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository)  Link for CSCC users (to Literary Reference Center database)

Miller, Shauna. "The Radical Queerness of Kate McKinnon's Justin Bieber" (Identity)  Miller's discusses the open queerness, and rarity, of Kate McKinnon's Saturday Night Live Justin Bieber drag king impersonation and compares it to the more numerous drag queen portrayals in media, from Tootsie to Transparent. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository)  Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Pargman, David. "End the Charade: Let Athletes Major in Sports"  Pargman argues that athletes should be able to major in sports, rather than being obligated to pick a major they might be uninterested in. (Third-Person Perspective; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Academic Search Complete database)

Partanen, Anu. "What Americans Keep Ignoring About Finland's School Success" (Education)  Note to users: The first sentence of the NewsBank version is an overall summary statement that should be in italics and set off from the rest of the text. Partanen discusses what Finland’s education system has done throughout the years to achieve the ranking of one of the best education systems in the world; she notes that equality is a key component to a student’s successful education. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Planos, Josh. "The Dutch Village Where Everyone Has Dementia" (Food & Health)   Planos discusses a village-style nursing home that attempts to develop a community-based environment to allow dementia patients a level of autonomy not seen in traditional nursing homes. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Narrative; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Reich, Robert. "Don't Blame Wal-Mart" (Society & Culture)  In this editorial, Reich complicates Wal-Mart’s culpability in our global economy and asks consumers to investigate and discuss how their own buying habits drives the need for such prices. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Rich, Sarah. "Today’s Masculinity is Stifling" (Identity)  Rich argues that as more and more efforts are made to broaden girls' access to things traditionally thought of as male, efforts are also needed to expand options for boys—including the way they dress, behave, interact with others, and so on. (First- and Third- Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Ross, Theodore. "Cracking the Cartel: Don’t Pay NCAA Football and Basketball Players" (Society & Culture)  Ross joins the debate of whether or not college athletes should be paid and complicates the notion that it is easily resolved with money. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Academic Search Complete/Premier database)

Schulz, Katheryn. "Fantastic Beasts and How to Rank Them" (Science)  Schulz writes a charming examination of the human imagination and the way our brains categorize things, even if they’re not real. She points out the need for imagination in the sciences. (Third-Person Perspective; Definition; Persuasion; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Academic Search Complete database)

Singer, Peter. "What Should a Billionaire Give—and What Should You?" (Society & Culture)  Singer examines how easily public donations to charity could help eradicate ten million yearly child deaths worldwide. He examines different billionaires and their giving history and habits. He provides a very specific answer to how much each person—based on their income level—should give to charity each year. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Persuasive; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Sherry, Mary. "In Praise of the F Word" (Education)  Sherry discusses the value of the threat of failure for students. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Newsbank database)

Staples, Brent. "How Italians Became ‘White’" (Race & Ethnicity)  Staples casts light on how race has been defined and legislated in American history. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Theroux, Paul. "The Male Myth" (Identity)  Theroux challenges the common conceptions of men in his day, giving examples of the way he was encouraged to be as a man, and his discomfort and dislike of that stereotype. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Thompson, Derek. "The Deeper Scandal of That Brutal United Video" (Politics)  Thompson explains how a lack of oversight and favorable Supreme Court rulings have allowed airlines to break promises to customers without legally breaking their contracts, a situation that, while rare, can lead to harsh treatment of passengers. The author uses credible media and government sources to make his case. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Thompson, Derek. "What in the World Is Causing the Retail Meltdown of 2017?" (Society & Culture)  Thompson argues that retail spending actually is on the rise even as brick-and-mortar stores shutter across the country because consumers' dollars are shifting to online purchases. The author uses credible media and government sources to make his case. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Thompson, Derek. "Your Brain on Poverty: Why Poor People Seem to Make Bad Decisions" (Society & Culture)  Thompson explores research on how the stress of poverty impacts an individual’s ability to plan for the long-term, to make effective financial decisions, and to exercise self-control. Thompson claims the answer is to focus on the context in which these people make decisions that help them to survive, not on judging poorer people and their choices. (Second- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to NewsBank database)

Tierce, Merritt. "The Abortion I Didn’t Have" (Society & Culture)  Tierce describes the unplanned pregnancy she experienced over 20 years ago at age 19, including all of the ways it has impacted her life since then, and she shares her complex feelings about motherhood. Her narrative challenges how we think about religion and abortion and questions the binary framework that makes it hard for women to reckon honestly with such decisions. (First-Person perspective; Narrative; Expository; Persuasive; Cultural Analysis) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Treuer, David. "An Indian Protest for Everyone" (Race & Ethnicity)  Treuer claims the Standing Rock protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline exhibits a unique way of protesting, as it stands for many ideas ranging from legality, peace, and protection of resources and land, to tribal sovereignty and plurality. Akin to the Civil Rights Movement, Treuer states this protest is necessary to show how both Indians and non-Indians can mold government processes. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Expository; Persuasive) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)

Wieseltier, Leon. "Ring the Bells" (Society & Culture)  This article from The New Republic in 2008 is a meditation on vocal aspects of religious or other cultural celebrations, such as the playing of church bells or the Muslim call to prayer, and their relationship to those who are and aren't a part of that religion. (First- and Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Business Source Complete/Premier database)

Yong, Ed. "The Next Plague Is Coming. Is America Ready?" (Science)  Using the Ebola epidemic in the Congo, Yong discusses how ill-prepared we are globally for large-scale epidemics of the future. He writes a timely, pre-COVID article that examines how countries plan for a public health crisis. (Third-Person Perspective; Narrative; Expository; Definition; Persuasion) Link for CSCC users (to Newsbank database)

Zhuo, Julie. "Where Anonymity Breeds Contempt" (Media & Technology)  Zhuo argues for people to not be able to write commentary anonymously. She wants them to be forced to take responsibility for their words. (Third-Person Perspective; Expository) Link for CSCC users (to Nexis Uni database)