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Abi Lacanilao

Professor Myers

English Composition 2

17 March 2019

Annotated Bibliography

My research essay is trying to answer if there is a negative correlation between the

amount of homework given and poor health for students, mentally and physically, along with

deteriorating social relationships. I’m curious to find out if extra and mundane homework has

any beneficial effects, or if it just wastes students’ valuable time. I am also interested in if

schools are working towards decreasing the amount of homework and emphasizing better

self-care for students.

Conner, Jerusha, et al. “Success with Less Stress.” ​Educational Leadership​, vol. 67, no. 4, Dec.

2009, pp. 54–58. ​EBSCOhost​,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,custuid&custid=ohiol

ink&db=aph&AN=45463471&site=ehost-live&scope=site

This academic periodical called, “Success with Less Stress,” was published on December

1, 2009 and was written by Jerusha Conner. It appeared on EBSCOhost and its main point was to

explain school-related stress, its effects on students, and ways to reduce this stress in schools. A

study occurred throughout seven elite high schools in California that examined the highest

performing students and their opinions on stressors in their lives. Many said that their main

sources of stress came from the overwhelming, time-consuming, and high demanding homework

assignments. The students also said that another cause of stress was the lack of care coming from
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the teachers. Many felt as if teachers had no care for them and just continued piling on hours

upon hours of homework, just because they could. Most of the surveyed students had poor

mental health and physical health, both resulting from the lack of sleep and stress they were

feeling. Many of the students felt like they were drowning and each night, that is filled with

hours of homework and extracurriculars, was making it harder for them to swim.

The author’s purpose in writing this was to promote less homework for overworking and

success-driven students. His purpose was also to show the drastic amount of stress students were

under. The article is written towards students who can relate to the stress and towards other high

schools in the country. This article allows the readers to examine the data shown by this research.

This study proves that too much homework can lead to detrimental effects for young students.

The writer is Jerusha Conners and his article was published on ​EBSCOhost.​ I know this

site is credible because it is a database that allows me to specifically narrow down my topic and

find academic articles. Since this site is reliable, I know the author is reliable. In the beginning of

the article, his credits are listed and it states that he has and is working at multiple universities.

The information presented is reliable because this study and article was completed by Jerusha

Conners and it follows the CRAAP method perfectly.

After reading through, the information presented is able to answer my research questions

and thesis of my essay. The statistics and student responses will be used as evidence to support

how homework has negative mental and physical health effects on students. It will also be used

to explain every poor effect homework contains.

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Enayati, Amanda. "Is Homework Making Your Child Sick?" ​CNN​, Cable News Network, 21

Mar. 2014, www.cnn.com/2014/03/21/health/homework-stress/index.html. Accessed 28

Feb. 2019.

The article, “Is Homework Making Your Child Sick?” was written by Amanda Enayati

and was published March 21, 2014. It was published on the CNN website. The main

point of the article is to provide evidence and argue that the increasing amount of

homework is literally making children ill. The article focuses on how the amount of

homework correlates with the amount of stress and the amount of stress correlates with

illness. Students are at risk for insomnia, depression, and anxiety. They are also willing to

turn to all-nighters, cheating, caffeine, and other drugs to be able to finish their

homework. Besides health effects, the article also focuses on how society creates a lot of

pressure for students, creating a “all-work, no-play, winner-takes-all” environment.

Society makes students believe that if college isn’t in their future, they are not smart

enough to belong.

The author’s purpose is to show that all the homework students are receiving is making

them ill. She is directing this article towards parents and schools, who are able to speak

up about this horrible result. This article gives the audience an idea about the effects

homework gives that one might not be able to see. After reading this, the author hopes

that somebody will be trying to help these students, who have no say in what they have to

do.

The writer of the article is Amanda Enayati. I would deem her credible because she is

working as an author for CNN and after searching her on the site, she has written a
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multitude of articles over health and society. I know that CNN is reliable because it is a

major news and information outlet that always provides citations, through the form of

links, in the article. It is good to know where the information was pulled from and what

the article is based off of. Many people have trusted CNN with the information they put

out.

I will use this information like I used the last source. It will be shown how homework is

making students of all ages physically and mentally sick. No matter the age, there is a

certain amount of homework that is considered too much and I will use this article to

support and expand my point.

"A Heavy Load: Teens and Homework Stress." ​Youtube,​ uploaded by WebMD, 14 Apr. 2016,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAvrNLsgl4c. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.

This informative video, “A Heavy Load: Teens and Homework Stress,” was

uploaded by WebMD and uploaded on April 14, 2016. It was uploaded on ​Youtube​ and

the video provides statistics from a survey conducted at Dover-Sherborn High School.

The video highlights the AP and high honors students, asking them about homework and

their sleep schedules. Many reported, as seen by raising hands and filling out

questionnaires, that they had at least three hours of homework every night, were involved

in sports or clubs, and were only getting about five hours of sleep each night. At the high

school, a program called Challenge Success was implemented. It was aimed to reduce

homework and increase student well-being. Many believe this is a great step that all high

schools should be taking.

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The creator’s purpose in producing this video was to provide a different

perspective on the challenges and consequences of overwhelming students with rigorous

courses and homework. The audience is towards all. It can speak to students, parents,

schools, researchers, counselors, and even doctors. I think the context and the way the

information was presented assists the viewers in understanding the struggles a little more.

Viewers are able to see and hear from students, teachers, and even the headmaster of the

high school. Watching and seeing is sometimes easier to understand and relate to than

reading is.

The creator of the video was WebMD. I know both the website and producers,

WebMD, are credible because the information is coming from doctors and other medical

professionals that know about human health. WebMD has been very trusted and accurate

when it comes to explaining differing medical issues.

I will use this source in my essay as a different perspective from teachers, parents,

and researchers. The point of view is from a student and he is answering honestly in this

interview about how the homework impacts his life. I will use this as a way to support my

point that homework has negative effects, and this is student is a living example of one

who is poorly affected by it.

Lacina-Gifford, Lorna J., and Russell B. Gifford. "Putting an end to the battle over homework."

Education,​ vol. 125, no. 2, 2004, p. 279+. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/A127013754/OVIC?u=dayt30401

&sid=OVIC&xid=00faaddd. Accessed 27 Feb. 2019.

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This academic article, “Putting an end to the battle over homework,” was written by

Lorna J. Lacina-Gifford and Russell B. Gifford. It was written in 2004 and found on the website,

Opposing Viewpoints in Context.​ The main idea of the article is that high amounts of homework

wastes valuable time. This wasted time includes being able to spend time with loved ones. The

article also argues that hours and hours of homework reverses the beneficial effects it is

supposed to have. The authors argue that learning can occur in other places besides the dining

room table. Learning can occur in team sports, such as soccer, and group activities, such as

scouts. Homework is still valuable, but so is family and personal time. If every night is spent

writing essays and figuring out chemistry problems, then family relationships will begin to fall.

The writers’ purpose is to argue for less time-consuming and mind-numbing homework

and promote time spent with families. They argue that homework and the stress is causes is also

causing fights in the household. Arguments will break out to get it done and this is also ruining

family relationships. The audience is towards other families who are able to relate and students

who feel as if homework takes over most of their free time.

I found this article on one of Sinclair’s research databases, so I am certain that ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​ is reliable to use. The authors, Lorna J. Lacina-Gifford and Russell B.

Gifford, wrote this article and had it published in an academic journal while also on this site.

This article is reliable because the site and authors are credible, but also because they sited every

source they used, while also listing their references at the end of the text.

I will use this source in my article that homework negatively affects social and family

relationships. I am also planning on mentioning that students aren’t the only ones who are doing
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homework, but parents are involved as well. For both of these points, I will mention that these

are more ways homework has poor consequences.

Parker, Clifton B. "Stanford Research Shows Pitfalls of Homework." ​Stanford News​ [Stanford],

10 Mar. 2014. ​Stanford News

news.stanford.edu/2014/03/10/too-much-homework-031014/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2019.

Pulled info from the california study

The news article, “Stanford Research Shows Pitfalls of Homework,” was written

by student journalist Clifton B. Parker. It was published on Stanford’s website on March

10, 2014. The article is about a study that occurred by Dr. Denise Pope, a senior lecteur at

Stanford Graduate School of Education. She pulled information from a study that

occurred in California with high school students and took it a step further herself. She

found that, per night, an hour and half of homework is the most beneficial for students.

She found that too much homework can also lead to poor social development and

relationships. As students spend more time with homework, they also spend more time

alone and less time with family, friends, and developing social skills. They also spend

less time doing extra activities such as sports and clubs. Pope emphasizes that group

activities is vitally important in developing skills that will be needed later on in life.

The writer’s purpose was to expand on research she had found and take it a step

further in understanding the social effects homework has. The audience is the same- the

writing is directed to students with too much homework and schools that are giving out

too much homework. The article was written in an informative and simple way. The
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author just was trying to explain the evidence that was found and this made it easier for

the reader to understand and relate.

Though the newspaper is student run and written, the author is credible because

he has written many news articles for the Stanford paper. As a news journalist, especially

for a college, they must be trustworthy and reliable. I can trust that the author, Clifton B.

Parker, is reliable. I know the news source is reliable because it comes from a college that

is considered prestige. The article is also about a professor who conducted research and

pulled her research from a trusted team and study.

I plan to use this source and its information in my essay to support how

homework affects high school students socially in many ways. I will use that they are

alone, instead of with family and friends. I will also use the aloneness to explain how

students aren’t able to be engaged in their communities and environments. I will also use

this to refute any arguments that homework is helpful by explaining all the feelings and

problems students are feeling.

Simplicio, Joseph S.C. "Homework in the 21st century: the antiquated and ineffectual

implementation of a time honored educational strategy." ​Education,​ vol. 126, no. 1, 2005,

p. 138+. ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com.sinclair.ohionet.org/apps/doc/A136846799/OVIC?u=dayt30401

&sid=OVIC&xid=a3e24865. Accessed 27 Feb. 2019.

Joseph S.C. Simplicio wrote the article, “Homework in the 21st century: the antiquated

and ineffectual implementation of a time honored educational strategy,” in 2005. It was

found on the database ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context​. The article covers both
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arguments and sides over the debate of homework. Some believe that homework needs to

be reduced or eliminated and others believe that it is very important and should be kept

the way it is. Most of the time, the group who likes the idea of homework is teachers and

the group that doesn’t enjoy the idea of homework is parents. The author includes

complaints and concerns that are normal when it comes to the homework controversy. He

discusses both sides of the debate and answers accordingly.

The writer is wanting to help explain both sides of the homework argument. He is

writing towards both opinions, whomever they are. This article helps a reader to

understand one side or the other. It provides evidence for one’s belief, while also helping

to up the mind to why the others might believe what they do. Instead of the topic being

opinionated, both sides of each issue presented have supporting evidence and

explanations.

The writer is Joseph S.C. Simplicio. His article, the source, and him are all

credible because they were found on Sinclair’s library database. I can trust that ​Opposing

Viewpoints in Context​ can be trusted, along with the authors found on it, because I found

the database in a trustworthy and reliable location.

I will use this source in my writing to, first, understand the opposite viewpoints. It

will help me to understand why some believe that homework does not have any negative

effects, but is only beneficial. I will also use the points mentioned, such as parents also

complaining that homework wastes their time too, to argue that homework doesn’t only

affect the students doing it. There are multiple people involved when doing homework
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and this also includes parents. I will also implement some of his solution ideas with my

solution for finding a balance with homework.

Zalaznick, Matt. "Homework Overhaul." ​Education Digest,​ no. 3, 2018, p. 29. ​EBSCOhost,​

sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d

b=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.562930884&site=eds-live.

Matt Zalaznick had his article, “Homework Overhaul” published in 2018 in ​Education

Digest​. It also appeared on ​EBSCOhost. ​The article is about a county in Florida whose

schools cut back homework for young elementary kids. The school board and county

believe that it is better for young kids to read aloud 20 minutes a night with a parent and

book of choice, rather than do extra worksheets. These schools and counties that are

eliminating homework don’t see that doing homework assignments adds value to learning

anymore.

The author wants to present his point to his audience, skeptics of homework

reduction and believers of better learning, that learning can be accomplished in a different

and more meaningful way. By getting rid of homework, more students care and more

students want to be at school. They feel better about themselves and their learning. This

article gives the reader a different perspective on learning. Homework doesn’t equal

learning and this research article allows skeptics to see how eliminating homework might

be more effective for the young minds.

The source is credible because it was found on Sinclair’s library databases of

credible. ​EBSCOhost​ is credible and therefore makes the author credible. The author,

Matt Zalaznick, has his credits listed at the end of the article, along with a link to the
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website for whom he works. This source is both reliable and trustworthy because of these

two important factors.

I will use this source in my writing to show how younger kids are also benefiting

from the homework reduction. I will use it as evidence that not expecting homework to

be done, rather than just encouraging, has proven that kids are more engaged and curious

when they arrive at school the next day. I will also use it to show that even younger kids

are affected by the amount of homework they are required to do at night and there’s more

to school than homework: there are things that can only be done at home, such as reading

or talking with a parent or other family member.