Analysis of a question

Answering the question with an academic tone

Developing academic vocabulary through reading
Analysis of a question and its answer

How does violence on TV and in video games affect children?

What is the topic of the question?

The effects??? What does the question want you

violence on TV and in video games
to discuss?

Will you have a positive or a

Negative negative manner in your answer to
the question?
So, how can you answer the question with an academic tone?
Which of the following answers has an academic tone?
How does violence on TV and in video games affect children?
Violence on TV and in video games affects children badly.

Children can be negatively affected due to violence on TV and in video games.

Children can have serious problems if they watch too much violence on TV and play video games that include too
much violence.

Because of violent content on TV and in video games, children can develop some bad habits.

Exposure to violent content through different means such as TV and video games increases the
potential of having serious mental health issues and displaying violence among adolescents.
Read this paragraph and underline the phrases or words that are related to the content of
the question about the effects of violence on TV and video games.
Read the extracts below and underline the phrases or words that are related to the content
of the question about the effects of violence on TV and video games.
 Answering a question in an academic tone
Answer the question ‘’How does violence on TV and in video games affect children?’’ by using the given clues
below.

Useful expressions:
CAUSE Cause sthg EFFECT
violence on TV and in video games becoming more aggressive and
lead to sthg
a barrage of violent images including anxious
shootings, bombings and murders both on cause sb to do sthg
becoming inured to violence and
TV and in video games
lead sb to do sthg begin to see the world as a scary
extensive viewing of television and video and unsafe place
game violence make sb / sthg adj
a cause of a child anxiety and
be the reason for sthg / doing sthg aggressive behavior
children who watch many hours a week of
violent TV and play video games with be the reason for sb to do sthg
violent content exhibit aggressive inclinations
affect (v.) sthg / sb /sb’s sthg
many popular TV shows and video games increasing subsequent aggression
effect of (n.)
featuring excessive amount of violence
video games with violent content have an effect on sthg / sb / sb’s sthg
result in (v)
All of these extracts below support the idea in the answer. Paraphrase each of them
and develop a paragraph.
Exposure to violent content through different means such as TV and video games increases the
potential of having serious mental health issues and displaying violence among adolescents.
Extract 1 Extract 2 Extract 3
Research has associated exposure to More than 3500 research studies have Fear of being the victim of violence
media violence with a variety of examined the association between is a strong motivation for some
physical and mental health problems media violence and violence related young people to carry a weapon, to
for children and adolescents, including mental and physical disturbances; all be more aggressive, to “get them
aggressive behavior, desensitization to but 18 have shown a positive before they get me.”
violence, fear, depression, nightmares, relationship.
SOURCE: American Academy of
and sleep disturbances. SOURCE: American Academy of
Pediatrics (2001)
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
Pediatrics (2001)

Extract 4
In addition to modeling violent behavior, entertainment media inflate the
prevalence of violence in the world, cultivating in viewers the “mean
world” syndrome, a perception of the world as a dangerous place.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
 Exposure to violent content through different means such as
TV and video games increases the potential of having serious
mental health issues and displaying violence among
adolescents.
More than 3500 research studies have
examined the association between media
violence and violence related mental and
physical disturbances; all but 18 have shown a
positive relationship.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
Below you can see the suggested paraphrases of each extract.
More than 3500 research studies have examined the
association between media violence and violence related
mental and physical disturbances; all but 18 have shown a
positive relationship.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
Research has associated exposure to media violence with a
variety of physical and mental health problems for children
and adolescents, including aggressive behavior,
desensitization to violence, fear, depression, nightmares,
and sleep disturbances.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
In addition to modeling violent behavior, entertainment
media inflate the prevalence of violence in the world,
cultivating in viewers the “mean world” syndrome, a
perception of the world as a dangerous place.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
Fear of being the victim of violence is a strong motivation
for some young people to carry a weapon, to be more
aggressive, to “get them before they get me.”
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001)
Exposure to violent content through different means such as TV and video games increases the potential of
having serious mental health issues and displaying violence among adolescents.
American Academy of Pediatrics (2001) indicates that more than 3500 research studies were conducted and
have reached a conclusion, except 18 of them, that there is a serious connection between physiological and
psychological issues and being exposed to media violence.
The same institution states that children and teenagers who are exposed to violence through media
channels suffer from various issues affecting their physical and mental well-being, which results in behaving
aggressively, becoming desensitized towards violence, having fear, suffering from depression and
nightmares as well as sleep disorders.
In addition to this, as reported by American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), violence has become so
prevalent with the help of entertainment media that individuals who spend time on such media develop an
impression that the world is a dangerous place, which is defined as the “mean world” syndrome;
Therefore, youth have been scared to be victimized through violence, so they are motivated to possess a
gun to protect themselves (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001).