Introduction to Academic Communication 2: IAC2 Essay Plan

This document is an essay plan for an assignment in Introduction to Academic Communication 2 at Western Sydney University. The essay addresses the question of whether the internet is creating a generation of anti-social youth. The plan includes an introduction defining anti-social behavior and stating the thesis that the internet significantly influences youth, leading to reduced social interaction. It outlines three main arguments: increased screen time, feelings of loneliness when disconnected, and hampered human interaction due to over-reliance on devices. Each argument includes a topic sentence, supporting evidence, a counter-argument, and a refutation. The essay plan utilizes in-text citations and a reference list, covering issues like the impact on personal relationships, increased risk of obesity, and the effects of social media interactions. The conclusion will restate the thesis and summarize the arguments, proposing mitigation procedures to address the social issue.

IAC2: Persuasive Analytical Essay Plan
Instructions
 Write complete sentences for the thesis and for the topic sentence
of each argument
 Use dot points or short sentences to complete other parts of the plan
 Include the in-text citation details of the sources that you are using in
the right margin.
 Include a reference list
 Your plan should be approximately 300 words in length, excluding the
reference list
Essay Question: __The basis of the essay question is the argument that is
based on the utility of the technology; especially, internet and if it has enough
influence on the human lives, such that the youth can be turned into anti-
social beings.
Introduction In-text citation
Provide background information and context. Include
a definition of the term ‘anti-social’
The effect of the internet has totally influenced the
human lives, making the most effect on the youth and
turning them into anti-socials. Anti-social is mostly
defined as the antagonistic behaviour of an individual
that reflects the behaviour of unwillingness or
inability in associating with other people in a friendly
way. This behaviour in the youth will be analysed to
find if these are represented in context of overusing
the internet or being associated with the internet
over a normal limit.
(Chng et al. 2015)
State your thesis (your overall position) using a
complete sentence
The latest influence of internet has been so
effectively affecting the human lives that they do are
entirely reliable on the cyberworld and all their
activities are occurring over the internet. Children
and youth are getting the most influenced by this,
resulting into their less likelihood in associating with
their social lives.
Outline the arguments you will use to support your
thesis
1. Reports have represented that 75% of youth starts

their day by not anything else but looking at their
screens.
2. A survey including young adults and teens were
involved where they were not allowed to use their
electronic devices to be connected to the internet,
where the survey results represented that they felt
lonely and did not know how to spend their time.
3. The children have become so dependent on their
electronic devices that human interaction is getting
hampered.

Issue 1
Argument: Write the topic sentence using a
complete sentence
There have been incidents identified where the
young adults and teens cannot suffice a healthy
personal relationship.
Supporting sentences (explanations, examples, evidence):
The essential ability of effective verbal
communication for a healthy relationship
establishment is required for human development,
which is not found in the youths who are addicted to
the internet.
(Chng et al. 2015)
Counter argument:
The teens and the young adults have claimed that
their conversations happening over the internet with
hundreds and thousands of the virtual friends do not
represent anti-social behaviour.
Refutation of counter argument:
The primary refutation that can dissociate the claim
of the counter argument is that the virtual friends
are dependent upon the internet to carry on a
conversation, but they do not understand that in real
life, the human friends in their lives are less or none
and their conversations rely on internet.
Issue 2 Sources
Argument: Write the topic sentence using a
complete sentence
There is an increased risk for obesity that is a
repercussion of overuse of the internet and being
sedentary with no activities noticed.
Supporting sentences (explanations, examples, evidence)
Excessive use of the internet is often leading the
youth to spend their times in laziness and the young
(Sim, Lee and Kim
2016)

adults and teens are found to be living a laidback and
sedentary lifestyle with less or zero activities. This
has resulted to numerous cases of obesity.
Counter argument:
Obesity is just not only caused by laziness and
lethargy but it is also caused by unprecedented food
habits.
Refutation of counter argument:
Food habits can also be countered by regular
exercise and a healthy and active lifestyle. The level
of obesity is found to be enhanced with the excessive
sedentary lifestyle in the youth, whereas, this is the
age group where individuals are expected to be more
active.

Issue 3 Sources
Argument: Write the topic sentence using a
complete sentence
The interpersonal communication occurring through
the social media results to unnecessary arguments,
crude behaviour, and judgemental remarks, which
are not even occurring face to face or can be
regarded as healthy.
Supporting sentences (explanations, examples, evidence)
Reliance upon social media is making the people,
mostly the youth not interact in real life but be
extremely crude and cruel over the internet
unnecessarily. They often target people over the
internet and bully them.
(Sim, Lee and Kim
2016)
Counter argument:
The youth claim this to be a healthy discussion and
claim that they point out the improper
documentation of the individual over social media
profiles.
Refutation of counter argument:
What the youth claims as healthy discussion over the
internet is not at all healthy in real life as the
judgemental nature in the youth is not what a
healthy society requires.
Issue4 (optional) Sources
Argument: Write the topic sentence using a
complete sentence
Supporting sentences (explanations, examples, evidence)
(Chng et al. 2015)

Counter argument:
Refutation of counter argument:

Conclusion
Re-state the thesis in a different way:
Therefore, in conclusion, it can be said that the arguments clearly specify how
the young adults and teens are being anti-social in their behaviour.
Re-state the arguments supporting your thesis:
The examples and claims as described above clearly mentions that the claims
for the thesis report are absolutely true.
A concluding statement (e.g. refer to future implications, suggestions or
recommendations):
Therefore, there should be mitigation procedures enabled that would consider
this as a social issue and try to refute the problems.
References
Chng, G.S., Li, D., Liau, A.K. and Khoo, A., 2015. Moderating effects of the
family environment for parental mediation and pathological internet use in
youths. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(1), pp.30-36.
Sim, M.Y., Lee, D.N. and Kim, E.H., 2016. A study on influential relations
between stress and smartphone addiction among college students: With a
focus on the mediating effects of depression and self-efficacy. Journal of the
Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society, 17(5), pp.227-236.