The Long Term Consequences Of Missing School Zinshteyn Summary
In the article “The Long-Term Consequences of Missing School,” Zinshteyn articulates the emergence of, and problems associated with, the “chronically absent” student through extensive quotation, analysis, and definition to inform the targeted reader—anyone working in, attending, or otherwise involved in the public education system—about the problems that high school students who consistently fail to attend class face.
Foremost, Zinshteyn uses the technique of definition to articulate to readers the number of days skipped by high school students. This technique allows readers to understand what “chronic absenteeism” is in a school environment: missing 15 or more school days per year--as such this definition provides the foundation for the remainder
of the article, as it is the very subject being discussed. Zinshteyn then expands on the problems that arise from such a specific definition, stating that it excludes students who miss school for weeks at a time, as well as those who miss just under 10% of the regular school year.
Zinshteyn further employs the rhetorical technique of quotation as he repeatedly uses direct quotes. These statements come from people who are aware of the issue of chronically absent students, such as Hedy Chang and Robert Balfanz, co-authors of the federal report that supplies the majority of the data for the article. The incorporation of these quotes assures the reader that the information presented to them in the piece is substantiated by reputable sources. Zinshteyn additionally quotes various college professors and administrators, all of whom provide relevant opinions and information that support the findings of the report.
The article finally provides data analysis to elaborate upon the important findings of the report. Zinshteyn’s third, sixth, and tenth paragraphs, to name a few, clearly reveal the findings of the study, stating specific percentages pertaining to geographical location of chronically absent students, in addition to drawing conclusions about economic statuses of students who are often absent. The inferences Zinshteyn makes allows the reader to come to the conclusions that both of the aforementioned factors largely determine whether or not a student will regularly attend class.
Overall, Zinshteyn's article applies these various rhetorical strategies to inform the reader that recent reports point to the existence of chronically absent students and also points out the troubling risks associated with this lack of attendance.
Foremost, Zinshteyn uses the technique of definition to articulate to readers the number of days skipped by high school students. This technique allows readers to understand what “chronic absenteeism” is in a school environment: missing 15 or more school days per year--as such this definition provides the foundation for the remainder
of the article, as it is the very subject being discussed. Zinshteyn then expands on the problems that arise from such a specific definition, stating that it excludes students who miss school for weeks at a time, as well as those who miss just under 10% of the regular school year.
Zinshteyn further employs the rhetorical technique of quotation as he repeatedly uses direct quotes. These statements come from people who are aware of the issue of chronically absent students, such as Hedy Chang and Robert Balfanz, co-authors of the federal report that supplies the majority of the data for the article. The incorporation of these quotes assures the reader that the information presented to them in the piece is substantiated by reputable sources. Zinshteyn additionally quotes various college professors and administrators, all of whom provide relevant opinions and information that support the findings of the report.
The article finally provides data analysis to elaborate upon the important findings of the report. Zinshteyn’s third, sixth, and tenth paragraphs, to name a few, clearly reveal the findings of the study, stating specific percentages pertaining to geographical location of chronically absent students, in addition to drawing conclusions about economic statuses of students who are often absent. The inferences Zinshteyn makes allows the reader to come to the conclusions that both of the aforementioned factors largely determine whether or not a student will regularly attend class.
Overall, Zinshteyn's article applies these various rhetorical strategies to inform the reader that recent reports point to the existence of chronically absent students and also points out the troubling risks associated with this lack of attendance.