The Subject of the Matter: Brains Recently, there has been an increase in the interest of working out.

Lifting weights to increase strength is something that almost everyone understands. Living in a society that values vanity makes one wonder, what if people had the same understanding of improving our brains as we do our body? After much research by professors and neuroscientists, one can conclude that the assumed brain-training websites and exercises are not helpful in the long run. Being that many people are curious about this topic, articles can be found in many newspapers and magazines. In the January 10 & 17, 2011 issue of Newsweek, Sharon Begley discusses and refutes several things that people think will help make one smarter. In the article, Can You Build a Build a Better Brain?, Begley shows that the assumed activities to build brain productivity neglects to successfully strengthen every part of the brain, but rather, only the small portion of the brain needed to complete the activity. Begley utilizes extended research to successfully argue that there are other activities to strengthen brain activity other than the proposed mechanisms. In the beginning of the article, Begley makes aware her knowledge of the topic by citing quotes from several credible sources. She explains, first, the different ways information about brain-building can be attained. To support her claim, she explains how an evaluation conducted for the National Institutes of Health showed how many of the claims for cognitive enhancers are as sketchy as a Wild West poker player with a fifth ace up his sleeve (42). Following this statement, she advises to be skeptical of practices that promise to make you smarter (42). In these first few paragraphs, Begley guarantees that she has done her research on the topic and has a full understanding of the examples that she is giving. Not only do these statements insure the reader that Begley is educated, but they reveal her hope for an accurate conclusion. If Begley did

not introduce her knowledge pertaining to cognitive capacity growth, she could have lost credibility and believability that is essential to proving a factual point. In addition to Begleys use of knowledge, she utilizes diction to insure that her readers will understand the argument she is giving. Begley grabs the attention of the reader by making connections that the majority of people can relate to. As Begley includes many different ways neurologists have made advancements, she explains, One of the strongest findings in neuroplasticity, the science of how the brain changes its structure and function and function in response to input, is that attention is almost magical in its ability to physically alter the brain and enlarge functional circuits (43).

Works Cited Begley, Sharon. "Can You Build a Better Brain?" Newsweek 10 Jan. 2011: 41-45. Print.