Fact or Definition?

John Gibison
Moody
ENC 1102-0112
13 April 2010
Definition or Fact?
Is your topic an argument of definition, fact, a mixture or neither, why?
The topic that I have been researching is whether socio-economic status affects how digitally literate children are. From the book, my topic can be broken down in one of two ways: of being an argument of fact or being a mixture of both fact and definition.
For the first, the assumption is that everyone knows what is meant by socio-economic status and digital literacy. In addition to knowing what both of the previous are, there has to be a norm for measuring both. For example there has to be established universal categories to evaluate socio-economic status and digital literacy. With this assumptions being made then the argument is whether or not socio-economic status affects digital literacy. It becomes a true and false question, which is what a fact is, either true or false. If this is the case then the research that has to be made must come from a great deal of sources (190).
For the latter which is more likely to be reality, this is a mixture of both fact and definition. I have noticed throughout my research that each of my sources had a slightly different “definition” for digital literacy. Even to the name, they were all different. Computer literacy, computer profile and technology skills were some of the names. Consequently, the paper can be used to come up with a definition of digital literacy. The book describes this “dictionary definition” as a formal definition (224). Once that is established, then it becomes an argument fact. This is where the first scenario comes back into play. Once the definitions and measurements are clearly defined and understood, then it becomes an argument of fact, specifically if there is a relationship between socio-economic status and the digital literacy of children.