AP Seminar Checkpoint: EOC A "Laughter"

Directions: Read the passage below and then respond to the following three questions.

1. Identify the author’s argument, main idea, or thesis. (3 points)
2. Explain the author’s line of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the connections between them. (6 points)
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author uses to support the claims made in the argument. (6 points)

Row 1 (Understand and Analyze Argument): Can you clearly identify the main argument and explain the line of reasoning? Row 2 (Evaluate Sources and Evidence): Can you evaluate how well the evidence supports the argument? Row 3 (Organize and Refine Argument): Is your writing clear, organized, and logical? Row 4 (Use of Conventions): Do you use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation?

💡 Tips for Success: Spend 10–15 minutes carefully reading the source and annotating the argument, line of reasoning, and evidence. Organize your essay using structured body paragraphs (e.g., Argument & Thesis, Line of Reasoning, Evidence Evaluation). Use transitions to connect ideas and maintain a clear line of reasoning in your own writing. Stay focused on analyzing the author’s argument—this is not about agreeing or disagreeing. ⏰ Timing: Recommended: 30 minutes (like the real EOC Part A)

From “Go Ahead, Laugh!” By Patrick Malone (Public Management, Vol. 98, Issue 6, July 2016) Humor in the workplace can be a double-edged sword. It pre-supposes a balance of taste, timing, and intellect. For some reason though, organizations still exist where humor is seen as detrimental to professionalism.

Laughter can be met with a look of scorn and disapproval, and those that engage in such frivolity are seen as less-than-serious, less-than-committed, or less-than-capable contributors to the mission of the work at hand. . . .

According to Alison Beard in her 2014 Harvard Business Review article “Leading with Humor,” a 40-year-old adult laughs [just] four times per day, despite exposure to a much greater array of stimuli [than a young child]. Sadly, we laugh less as we age. A 2002 study of 2,500 Australians concluded that more than half would take a cut in wages in order to have more fun at work. 1 Research by Gallup also suggested that people who are not engaged in their workplace laugh less during the workweek than during the weekends. 2 . . .

So is it possible to have both a committed workforce and one that has a little fun at the office? Yes. Is there a differentiation to be made between having a sober disposition and having a little fun while you do your job? There is.

The former can create a host of problems in the workplace. The latter can bring significant benefits to the body, mind, and organization. . . .

In a purely anatomical and physiological context, laughter is a full-body endeavor. . . . This physiological symphony improves the immune function by increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. In one study published in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Lee Berk of Loma Linda University and William Fry of Stanford drew on several years of research to assess whether laughter impacted the body’s ability to manufacture cortisol, a hormone known to suppress immune function. 3 . . . They determined that laughter actually increased the production of cells that help the body to fight infection.

Healthy laughter can also improve the elasticity and function of blood vessels, protecting against cardiovascular disease. Medical researchers Michael Miller and William Fry at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine,for example, have had success in linking laughter to increasing blood flow. 4 Their results strongly suggest that laughter has an impact on the endothelium, the tissue that makes up the inner lining of blood vessels, allowing it to more readily dilate and expand, increasing blood flow to the heart, lungs, and brain. . . .

According to research at Stanford, a hefty dose of humor also helps the brain normalize dopamine levels, which has positive effects on motivation, attention span, mood, and learning. Researchers discovered that when participants looked at funny cartoons, components of the limbic system were stimulated that regulate this important neurotransmitter. 5 . . .

Finally, the production of endorphins created by laughter benefits our minds by allowing us to focus more readily on the tasks at hand. By reducing stress levels and enhancing our stores of mental energy, laughter permits our minds to free up from previously overwhelming thoughts and emotions. The resultant balance of mind, body, and emotion opens the door to inspiration, hope, and engagement with others. . . .

Nowhere is the role of humor and laughter tested more intensely than in the workplace. The combination of deadlines, external pressures, and personality conflicts make for a less-than-optimal setting for comedic repartee.

The benefits of laughter in the workplace, however, are significant. Laughter in an organization is a guaranteed morale booster that can build trust. People enjoy coming to work when they feel connected to those with whom they serve, and when they feel good while they’re there. . . .

Shared laughter allows people to be comfortable letting their guard down and showing their authentic selves. This window to vulnerability is a foundation for building trust. An environment infused with humor can also increase innovation. One study by Chris Robert at the University of Missouri-Columbia revealed that humor is something that is generated from inconsistency, meaning that people are more likely to laugh at things that do not normally fit together. 6

The very combination of words or deeds that don’t customarily tie with one another stirs a reaction. As Robert notes, this is the same thing that occurs in the creative mind—putting variables together that do not normally belong that way. It’s the foundation of creativity from which so many organizations can benefit.

Robert also goes on to suggest that productivity and employee retention is positively impacted by humor. Since humor leads to positive emotions, and positive emotions make individuals feel good, they naturally communicate better, become more committed team members, and work harder. This also improves retention since happy, productive workers are less likely to leave their jobs. . . .

Finally, a 2012 study published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology revealed a comprehensive listing of organizational benefits to workplace humor. 7 This research concluded that humor is connected with several positive workplace outcomes, including improved performance, enhanced employee satisfaction, better workgroup cohesion, healthier employees, less burnout, and reduced stress. . . .

Laughter is still somewhat of a mystery to modern science. This is partly due to the challenges in creating the proper scientifically sound settings in which to test the impacts of humor. Controlled environments aren’t always the most conducive to natural reactions. After all, if laughter is nothing else, it is a natural reaction.

1 Rogers, J. (2002). “Humor Helps the Boss’s Bottom Line.” The Gold Coast Bulletin. 2 Harter, Jim. (2012). “Mondays Not so Blue for Engaged Employees.” Gallup. 3 Berk, L. S. et al. (1989). “Neuroendocrine and Stress Hormone Changes during Mirthful Laughter.” The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Vol.298(6). 4 Miller, M. and Fry, W.F. (2009). “The Effect of Mirthful Laughter on the Human Cardiovascular System.” Med Hypotheses, Vol. 73(5). 5 Mobbs, D, et al. (2003). “Humor Modulates the Mesolimbic Reward Centers.” Neuron, Vol. 40(5). 6 Robert, C. and Yan, W. (2007). “The Case for Developing New Research on Humor and Culture in Organizations: Toward a Higher Grade of Manure,” in Joseph J. Martocchio (ed.) Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management. Vol. 26. 7 Mesmer Magnus, J., Glew, D.J., and Viswesvaran, C. (2012) “A Meta Analysis of Positive Humor in the Workplace.” Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 27(2). “Go Ahead, Laugh!” by Patrick Malone, from Public Management Vol. 98 (6). © 2016, Patrick Malone

Identify the author’s argument, main idea, or thesis. (3 points)

Explain the author’s line of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the connections between them. (6 points)

Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author uses to support the claims made in the argument. (6 points)