Research Topics

Note that these topics are broad and need to be narrowed. Your paper is argumentative. You do not want to simply regurgitate or string together sources – you want to break new ground.

THE WAR ON TERROR: Airport security (who should pay? Who should manage – airlines or government? Procedures for check-in and carry-ons) Coerced interrogation methods Changing the national anthem Conflicts between civil liberties and laws designed to stop terrorism (wiretapping, racial profiling, immigration limits) Racial profiling of Middle Eastern ethnic groups Pulling movies with violent themes from distribution Responsibilities of talk radio and talk show hosts to present accurate information 24 hour news coverage (effect on the public’s understanding of world events, added pressures to break news quickly) EDUCATON: School uniforms in public schools Year-round schooling Should high school education (now mandated) become optional? Bilingual education Home schooling and public schools

Environment Native American culture and endangered species laws (killing certain species as part of religious ceremonies) “Green” government (government’s role in setting environmental policy) Human inducement of global warming The effects of ozone depletion n the earth and its creatures Alternative energy sources ‘

SCIENCE: Stem cell research DNA testing for death penalty Fetal tissue research The pros and cons of genetic engineering in humans Biotechnology- whether genetically modified foods should carry labels or not Genetic testing and ethics Animal research—if it should be done, how it should be done Genetically engineered foods POLITICS & GOVERNMENT: U.S. Army School of the Americas; “School of Assassins” Roosevelt & Pearl Harbor Cubans in America; Cuban immigration

U.S. intervention in Iraq U.S. Intervention in Iran Campaign finance reform Social security privatization

HEALTH &MEDICAL ISSUES: Caps on pain and suffering in lawsuits Medical privacy protection Fad diets Performance enhancing drugs Attention Deficit Disorder and use of Ritalin Pharmaceutical industry and AIDS/ HIV Managed care for the mentally ill Preventive surgery in women with breast cancer and other diseases Physician assisted suicide and euthanasia

LAW: Smoking in public places Should athletes be legally accountable for their actions on the playing field? Should juvenile criminals be tried as adults? Fetal tissue research-should it be legal? Smart gun legislation Safety locks on guns Sentencing juveniles as adults Use of personal information by Web-based businesses Standards of the chicken industry Flag burning amendment Jailing juveniles- juveniles and the death penalty Trying terrorists or unlawful combatants in U.S courts rather than military tribunals

CULTURE AND SOCIETY: Children and media violence Video game violence Boot camps and if they are harmful to juveniles Music lyrics and teens Representation of women in the media Censorship of art & music Needle exchange program Teenage auto insurance rates Equal representation of women artists in art galleries and museums Aggressive behavior in kids; nature, nurture, or both? Effects of beauty pageants on children Should same sex couples be allowed to adopt and raise children? SPORTS:

Drafting high school athletes (at what age should athletes be drafted into the pros?) Baseball/sports economics/ salaries Gabling in sports Violence in sports, especially hockey Baseball Hall of Fame and convicted steroid users Should athletes be legally accountable for their actions on the playing field? Athletes and steroidsPrivileges of college athletes

A Controversial Topic Investigation & Research Paper General Requirements

• Create and type a 4–6 page research paper investigating a controversial topic using

12point Times New Roman font in black print. Do not use any other color, type, or size font!

• Use one-inch margins on top, bottom, and sides (must use Microsoft Word 200). Go to File and then Page Forma.t

• Indent the first word of each paragraph (Tab Once).

• Indent set-off quotes from the left margin (Tab Twice); right margin remains the same.

• Double-space your entire research paper and the Works Cited page.

• Document Works Cited using MLA Format 7th Edition, listing ONLY the works quoted

from or paraphrased from in your paper (Do not include works you consulted but did not use in your paper).

Source Requirements

• Minimum of 4 – 6 works must be cited using proper in-text MLA format within research

paper. • Minimum of 4 – 6 works must be listed in proper MLA format on the Work Cited page.

• Minimum of 1 Online Database (No Website Quality Checklist Forms required. These

include Electric Library, Britannica Online, Safari Montage, BP Public Library, and Google Scholar).

Where to Begin?

• Choose a controversial topic of interest.

• Investigate both sides of the issue .

• Create a Letter of Intent (must be approved by your teacher).

11Th Grade Research Paper Brainstorming **Must be submitted for approval by ____________

I think I may write my research paper about _____________________. I chose this topic because _______________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________. What do you already know about this topic/issue?

What are the arguments of the people who agree with the topic?

What are the arguments of the people who disagree with this topic?

What is your position on the topic/issue?

On a scale of 1-5 (5 being the most), do you feel you can locate sufficient information/research to support your position? 1 2 3 4 5

No Maybe Yes

Your Name Street Address, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (626) 123-4567

***Name & address in the header (click ‘View’, ‘Header and Footer’), center using size 24 font (name) and 18 font (address) Hit ‘Enter’ 4 times (between header and date) September 20, 20XX Hit ‘Enter’ 4x Teacher Name Sierra Vista High School 3600 N. Frazier St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706 Hit ‘Enter’ 2x Dear Teacher: Hit ‘Enter’ 2x What is the controversial topic you have chosen to research? What are two – three aspects of the issue that you are familiar with? What specifically drew you to choose your topic? Hit ‘Enter’ 2x What do you plan to prove / argue through your thesis statement? How you plan to prove it? What evidence do you have that will allow you to prove / argue your thesis? Hit ‘Enter’ 2x (Copy as is) My understanding of plagiarism and/or misrepresentation is to write down somebody else’s words and not give them credit. I understand that Sierra Vista High School holds a high standard of academic honesty that I will abide by. I will submit my research paper to www.turnitin.com which checks for plagiarism. I also understand that if I were to copy or plagiarize my research paper, I will not be given credit and this may result in a disciplinary action and possible failure of the first semester of junior English. Hit ‘Enter’ 2x Sincerely, Hit ‘Enter’ 4x

Sign your name here Your Name

Times New Roman Font, size 12. The body of this letter is written in

All margins are 1” (top, bottom, left and right). Change or check margins under ‘File’ and ‘Page Setup’.

Do not type anything that is in bold & italic.

Sincerely, Hit ‘Enter’ 4x Sign your name here Your Name

Your Name Street Address, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (626) 123-4567

***Name & address in the header (click ‘View’, ‘Header and Footer’), center using size 24 font (name) and 18 font (address) Hit ‘Enter’ 4 times (between header and date) September 20, 20XX Hit ‘Enter’ 4x Teacher Name Sierra Vista High School 3600 N. Frazier St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706 Hit ‘Enter’ 2x Dear Teacher: Hit ‘Enter’ 2x What is the controversial topic you have chosen to research? What are two – three aspects of the issue that you are familiar with? What specifically drew you to choose your topic? Hit ‘Enter’ 2x What do you plan to prove / argue through your thesis statement? How you plan to prove it? What evidence do you have that will allow you to prove / argue your thesis? Hit ‘Enter’ 2x (Copy as is) My understanding of plagiarism and/or misrepresentation is to write down somebody else’s words and not give them credit. I understand that Sierra Vista High School holds a high standard of academic honesty that I will abide by. I will submit my research paper to www.turnitin.com which checks for plagiarism. I also understand that if I were to copy or plagiarize my research paper, I will not be given credit and this may result in a disciplinary action and possible failure of the first semester of junior English. Hit ‘Enter’ 2x

The body of this letter is written in Times New Roman Font, size 12.

All margins are 1” (top, bottom, left and right). Change or check margins under ‘File’ and ‘Page Setup’.

Do not type anything that is in bold & italic.

Here are some phrases that you can use to answer the “because . . .” part of your thesis.

it raises it proves it demonstrates it reveals it identifies it creates it starts it ends it has led to it unites it results in it supports it substantiates it informs it addresses it forces it changes it redirects it transforms it separates

Outline for Junior Research Paper on Controversial Issue

Title (original, not your topic name): ______________________________________

Please Revise. Great Work Thesis Approved!! Continue to work on thesis

For teacher to complete:

I. Introduction

A. Attention Getter (startling/interesting statistic, startling statement, anecdote, setting a scene, quotation etc.). Ex: When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered (setting a scene).

__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ B. Description and Definition of the issue (explain the issue). Ex: Many of us

have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

C. Thesis (should include how impacts society). Ex: Regulation is needed

because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.

__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

II. History of the TopicA. Describe when the topic was first knownB. Give a narrative of how the topic developed through time

III. Brief Overview of Opposing Position: Counterargument

A. Describe the basic viewpoint of the opposition. Ex: Some groups have argued that the benefits of using this communications device while driving appear to be important. They include benefits to the users, households, social networks, businesses, and communities.

__________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. Provide the supporting arguments and facts (supported by references to texts and well-known authorities). Ex: Many of these benefits, which include public health and safety considerations, have not yet been recognized or quantified. Simple suggestions that drivers can “pull over” on the side of the road to make calls from cellular phones are unrealistic and, in certain situations, potentially dangerous.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

C. Summarize opposition. Ex: It is not known which of the benefits of cellular phone use would be foregone under various regulatory scenarios.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D. Refute counterargument. Ex: Although there appear to be some benefits to not regulate cell phone use while driving, data indicates that the dangers overshadow the benefits. Furthermore, many of these safety concerns have not been recognized or computed.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IV. Your Argument: Your Main Point #1 (Strong Point)

A. Your first point. Ex: No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries.

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

B. Provide the supporting arguments and facts (supported by references to texts and well-known authorizes from notecards). Ex: (1) Early in November, two-yearold Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgan’s mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver “ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat.” (2) A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman

distracted by a phone call (Besthoff). (3) On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8).

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

C. Elaborate/analysis: so what? Ex: Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (Layton C9).

________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

D. Closing Sentence for Main Point #1. Ex: Clearly, there is overwhelming evidence that depicts the very real dangers of driving while distracted.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IV. Your Argument: Main Point #2 (Strongest Point)

A. Your second point. Ex: When certain kinds of driver behavior are shown to be especially dangerous, we wisely draft special laws making them illegal and imposing specific punishments.

________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

B. Provide the supporting arguments and facts (supported by references to texts

and well-known authorizes from notecards). Ex:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_

C. Elaborate/analysis: so what? Ex: ________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D. Closing Sentence for Main Point #3. Ex: __________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

V. Conclusion A. Restate thesis in a “fresh way” summarizing your main points. Ex: Despite the

claims of some lobbyists, tough laws regulating phone use can make our roads safer ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

B. State the importance, impact, or effect on society. Ex: Because of mounting public

awareness of the dangers of drivers distracted by phones, state legislators must begin to take the problem seriously… “There is momentum building,” he says, to pass laws (qtd. in Layton C9).

___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

C. Provide a final, profound thought that “calls the reader to action”. Ex: The time has

come for states to adopt legislation restricting the use of cell phones in moving vehicles. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

The Note Card

Source# Student’s last name card 4 Trotter 1 One summarized fact or chunk of information from one page. Limit direct quotations to no more than five cards using quotation marks to identify.

MLA Citation (Author’s Last Name and page number) Subcategory No commas. (McPherson 122)

You will complete the subcategory heading AFTER you have finished all of your note cards. You do not need page numbers for web resources If author’s last name is not provided, use the title of the web page for your MLA Citation (Polar Bears Extinct). If it is lengthy, use the first 2-3 words of the title.

Sue Student 1234 Maine Street Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (626) 555-4321

August 24, 20XX Ms. Teacher Sierra Vista High School 3600 N. Frazier St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706 Dear Ms. Teacher: I have chosen to do research about the controversial issue of the dangers of texting while driving. This topic is very interesting to me because I know that a large number of people text while driving, and I realize that is a dangerous activity for everyone who is on the road. Some of the things I know about the issue are that many people are hurt and killed because of people who do this and it is in many ways costly to our society. The thesis of my research paper will be that there should be severe consequences for people who text and drive. Some of the points I may discuss are that experts have said that many people are hurt or killed because of this activity and it costs a lot in medical care for those who are affected. A counterargument could be that it will not save that many lives and could crowd our prison system with offenders. My understanding of plagiarism and/or misrepresentation is to write down somebody else’s ideas or findings and not give them proper credit. I agree to submit my research paper to turnitin.com, a web service that checks for plagiarism. I understand that forgery is falsifying a signature. I also understand that if I were to plagiarize, forge or otherwise misrepresent any aspect of my Junior research paper I will fail Junior English. Sincerely, Sue Student

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Angela Daly

Mrs. (insert teacher name)-2

English 11

14 March 2014

A Call to Action: Regulate Use of Cell Phones on the Road

When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our

lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are

more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so

distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for

example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of

cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push

for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and

because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.

Some groups have argued that the benefits of using this communications device while

driving appear to be important. They include benefits to the users, households, social networks,

businesses, and communities. Many of these benefits, which include public health and safety

considerations, have not yet been recognized or quantified. Simple suggestions that drivers can

“pull over” on the side of the road to make calls from cellular phones are unrealistic and, in

certain situations, potentially dangerous. It is not known which of the benefits of cellular phone

use would be foregone under various regulatory scenarios. Although there appear to be some

benefits to not regulate cell phone use while driving, data indicates that the dangers overshadow

the benefits. Furthermore, many of these safety concerns have not been recognized or computed.

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No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones

were implicated in three fatal accidents in November 1999 alone. Early in November, two-

yearold Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgan’s mother, Patti

Pena, reports that the driver “ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan

as she sat in her car seat.” A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding

prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call (Besthoff).

On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval

Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked

up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop

(Stockwell B8). Expert testimony, public opinion, and even cartoons suggest that driving while

phoning is dangerous. Frances Bents, an expert on the relation between cell phones and

accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell

phone use (Layton C9). Clearly, there is overwhelming evidence that depicts the very real

dangers of driving while distracted.

Scientific research confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 1997 an

important study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald

Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills

available in order to confirm the times when they had placed calls. The participants agreed to

report any nonfatal collision in which they were involved. By comparing the time of a collision

with the phone records, the researchers assessed the dangers of driving while phoning. The latter

statistic is interesting, for it suggests that those who carry phones in their cars may tend to be

more negligent (or prone to distractions of all kinds) than those who do not. So then, legislators

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should take into account the overpowering evidence of the scientific community and enact

stricter laws.

When certain kinds of driver behavior are shown to be especially dangerous, we wisely

draft special laws making them illegal and imposing specific punishments. Running red lights,

failing to stop for a school bus, and drunk driving are obvious examples; phoning in a moving

vehicle should be no exception. Unlike more general laws covering negligent driving, specific

laws leave little ambiguity for law officers and for judges and juries imposing punishments. Such

laws have another important benefit: They leave no ambiguity for drivers. Currently, drivers can

tease themselves into thinking they are using their car phones responsibly because the definition

of “negligent driving” is vague.

Despite the claims of some lobbyists, tough laws regulating phone use can make our

roads safer. In Japan, for example, accidents linked to cell phones fell by 75% just a month after

the country prohibited using a handheld phone while driving (Haughney A8). Research suggests

and common sense tells us that it is not possible to drive an automobile at high speeds, dial

numbers, and carry on conversations without significant risks. When such behavior is regulated,

obviously our roads will be safer.

Because of mounting public awareness of the dangers of drivers distracted by phones,

state legislators must begin to take the problem seriously. “It’s definitely an issue that is gaining

steam around the country,” says Matt Sundeen of the National Conference of State Legislatures

(qtd. in Layton C9). Lon Anderson of the American Automobile Association agrees: “There is

momentum building,” he says, to pass laws (qtd. in Layton C9). The time has come for states to

adopt legislation restricting the use of cell phones in moving vehicles.

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Works Cited

Besthoff, Len. “Cell Phone Use Increases Risk of Accidents, but Users Willing to Take the

Risk.” WRAL.com. Capitol Broadcasting, 9 Nov. 1999. Web. 12 Jan. 2001.

Farmers Insurance Group. “New Survey Shows Drivers Have Had ‘Close Calls’ with Cell Phone

Users.” Farmers. Farmers Insurance Group, 8 May 2000. Web. 12 Jan. 2001.

Haughney, Christine. “Taking Phones out of Drivers’ Hands.” Washington Post 5 Nov. 2000:

A8. Print.

Ippolito, Milo. “Driver’s Sentence Not Justice, Mom Says.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution 25

Sept. 1999: J1. eLibrary Curriculum. Web. 12 Jan. 2001.

Layton, Lyndsey. “Legislators Aiming to Disconnect Motorists.” Washington Post 10 Dec. 2000:

C1+. Print.

Lowe, Chan. Cartoon. Washington Post 22 July 2000: A21. Print.

Pena, Patricia N. “Patti Pena’s Letter to Car Talk.” Cartalk.com. Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe,

n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2001.

Redelmeier, Donald A., and Robert J. Tibshirani. “Association between Cellular-Telephone

Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions.” New England Journal of Medicine 336.7 (1997):

453-58. Print.

Stockwell, Jamie. “Phone Use Faulted in Collision.” Washington Post 6 Dec. 2000: B1+. Print.

Sundeen, Matt. “Cell Phones and Highway Safety: 2000 State Legislative Update.” National

Conference of State Legislatures. Natl. Conf. of State Legislatures, Dec. 2000. Web. 27

Feb. 2001.

Violanti, John M. “Cellular Phones and Fatal Traffic Collisions.” Accident Analysis and

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Prevention 30.4 (1998): 519-24. Print.