An Analysis of The Terrible Teens : The Use of Methods of Development “Parents may think that there’s something wrong with their teenagers’ brains. Which, according to recent books on adolescence, there is” (E). In Elizabeth Kolbert’s article “The Terrible Teens”, she analyzes why teens are so prone to risky behavior. She explained that even with the help of neurology, we are still confused as to what to do about it. Kolbert uses several methods of development such as anecdote and appeal to authority to help explain the thesis. The methods of development are masterly applied to support the points in her thesis. To begin with, Kolbert applies some methods of development, such as anecdotes and appeal to Authority, to help support and develop the thesis. She uses anecdotes to increase the…show more content… Kolbert tells a story where her sons are, “affixing liquor to their hands with duct tape” (E). This anecdote shows that the author has personal experience with teens. It also improves her credibility and thus her argument about teens’ behavior is more acceptable. At the same time, this funny example she chooses adds to the reader’s pleasure. This anecdote parallels the example with the mice at the start of the article as well, which makes the comparison between teens and mice clearer. Besides anecdotes, Kolbert also uses method like appeal to authority to help develop the thesis. She carefully notes that, “Jensen is a mother, an author, and a neurologist” (F). Jensen is an authority in numerous different areas. The fact that she is a mother suggests that she has observed the behaviors of teens closely and clearly--this adds to her reliability. The fact that she is an author also means that she has good communication skills to express her ideas clearly. Furthermore, it
