Single-parent families have been a controversial topic for an extended period of time. The family variation became so prevalent that it gained the attention of a wide variety of people starting from scholars and ending with online journalists. Multiple sources can be found on the Internet that attempts to analyze the issue to determine its strengths, weaknesses, and possible solutions. However, due to the rapidly increasing popularity of the issue, a substantial number of articles of questionable credibility and value have been written. Some articles utilize unreliable data, provide questionable arguments that may lack any evidence, and portray biased and non-objective views on single-parenting as a concept. Some of the authors may even lack the qualification needed for the creation of such writings. This essay analyzes a scholarly article and an article found online in order to determine which source is more convincing and trustworthy.
The first source that is going to be analyzed is “Understanding Single Parent Families” by Kirsten Shuder. The article is well-structured and provides up-to-date information regarding the given topic. The facts are given in a non-complicated manner, so the intended audience is probably people who want to gain more knowledge on the issue or seek advice on their situation. The article thoroughly describes the disadvantages of being a single parent and provides evidence that reinforces the arguments against this family format. However, the sources it uses are databases of governmental resources and NGOs whose objective is to convince people that two-parent families are a standard to follow. Furthermore, the poll results typically stem from public opinion, which is not objective and will inevitably focus on the negative aspect of the phenomenon that most people see as abnormal. The writer does not review any positive sides of single-parent families and supplies the article with links to three outside sources that are based on counseling and psychological help.
The second source of information is a scholarly article written by Leslie N. Richards and Cynthia J. Schmiege, that focuses on single-parenting problems and strengths. The study provides a profound examination of single-parent families and references over sixty other scholarly articles on the topic. The authors took the negative bias towards this particular family format into consideration and focused their efforts on objectivity in their research. The arguments against a single-parent family are lack of finances, troublesome multitasking, impartial attitude, and high-stress levels. Both articles agree on the negative aspects of single-parenting; however, the latter supports the arguments with scholarly studies on the issue and lists concrete evidence. Furthermore, the second article’s authors provide their own research on the issue that focuses on the positive aspects of single-parent families. The evidence they provide is taken directly from interviews with single mothers and fathers who volunteered to participate in the study. The other perspective helps formulate an objective opinion on the matter and gives an impartial understanding of the issue.
In conclusion, both articles are well-structured and serve their purpose. However, it is impossible to ignore that their goals and intended audiences differ. The former attempts to portray single-parent families as something abnormal and indirectly persuade the reader to change their family model to the one accepted by society. If the option is not available, the article suggests mental help and counseling, making the study’s subjective nature clear. The latter focuses on objective research and provides evidence from multiple scholarly sources. It references the interviews with single-parent family members and arguments for both positive and negative aspects of the issue. Hence, the academic source is more objective and trustworthy because it covers all aspects of single-parent families. Furthermore, it uses the studies of other scholars as well as their own research to reinforce the valid points concerning the issue.
Works Cited
Richards, Leslie N., and Cynthia J. Schmiege. “Problems and Strengths of Single-Parent Families: Implications for Practice and Policy.” Family Relations, vol. 42, no. 3, 1993, pp. 277–285.
Shuder, Kirsten. “Understanding Single Parent Families.” LoveToKnow, 2020, Web.