Directions: Post your topic proposals in the comment section below. Follow the format that I gave you in class. We will do a sharing activity with what you post next class.
**Make sure that you save this on Google docs so you don't lose your work!**
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding illegal immigration in the United States. The federal government hasn’t been able to pass any crucial laws against illegal immigration, so states have to make their own legislation. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: federal government, political parties and state legislation.
Some questions I will need to consider are: Where do the majority of illegal immigrants come from and why? Should the military patrol the borders? Does illegal immigration pose any threats to the United States? What are the best solutions? Deportation? What are the government, political parties, and state legislations perspective? What actions could we take in order to fix the problem, or stop it from being illegal? Does illegal immigrants in the workforce help or hurt the United States?
Jared, this is a great topic to dig deeper and try to understand especially since the controversy of this topic is on the rise . I think there is a lot to this topic that people do not understand still today. I see that you ask the the question as to what the best solutions are. I believe that is a major question because the answer to the question can be answered differently depending on who you ask. Here is a good link that I believe will help you in your research for that question http://immigration.procon.org/
Topic: The effects of aspartame on people and its use as a sugar substitute.
Proposal:
Currently many people are starting to consume artificial sweeteners on a daily basis, and many rumors have been exposed in where they dispute whether or not it have some harmful effects on people and whether or not it is better than regular sugar. Also there have been comments in where people even link the use of artificial sweeteners like aspartame to breast cancer and obesity; I will be looking at this issue from multiple points of view: the doctors, the people, the companies and manufacturer's perspective.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What type of artificial sweeteners are in the market? What are the effects on using artificial sweeteners like aspartame on a regular basis? Are the use of aspartame linked with any type of cancer? Is there any direct factor that cause it? How was aspartame discover? Who discovered it? Was aspartame actually made as a sugar substitute? Is aspartame linked with any other disease or condition? Is the effects of aspartame known to people? Is the FDA aware of the effect of aspartame? If yes, why is still on the market? What effects does the use of aspartame have in our bodies. How does this affect high school students who drink soda on a daily basis?
There have been many controversies about whether or not large companies should test on animals. Of course, there are benefits and downfalls of both sides, which leads to a deep divide between the two sides. Many companies have taken steps to become ‘Cruelty Free,’ but some feel that testing on animals is safer for the consumers. There have even been people who have committed to only using Cruelty Free products. For this paper, I plan to study this issue by searching why companies test, why they don’t, and consumer’s thoughts on this problem.
Some questions I will need to consider are: What are the benefits of testing on animals? What are the downfalls of testing on animals? What companies have banned animal testing? What are the alternates for testing on animals? How do companies choose which animals to test on? On average, how many animals die each year from being tested on? At what age do they test on animals? Where do the companies get the animals? Are there any laws in place to stop animal testing? Where do other countries stand on this issue?
Elyssa, this looks like a very interesting topic! Would you consider narrowing your search down to a few major companies? It might be more effective to focus on a few major companies since there are so many companies out there! Are you planning to focus on commercial testing on animals or scientific testing on animals, or both? Choosing one may be fir effective! It would also be interesting to learn about what animals are mainly used for animal testing?
Here’s a link I found that you may find helpful! http://animal-testing.procon.org/
Jess Rutland FOW Spring 2016 Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Possible Legalization of Prostitution
Proposal:
Prostitution, although legal in some areas, is illegal in most major cities across the United States. The possibility of prostitution being legalized in the US has caused quite a lot of controversy among economist, religious groups, and legislators. For this paper I plan to research this issue; considering the opinions of those opposed to legalization, in favor of legalization, and those currently involved in sex trade.
Some questions I will consider are:
Has the economy been effected in places where prostitution has become legal? What is the difference between pornography and prostitution? How would legalization affect the spread of sexually transmitted infections? Would legalization affect the number of rapes and sexual assaults? If legalized, how would it be regulated? How would legalization change the dynamics of sex trade? Is prostitution immoral? Would legalization reduce the stigma surrounding sex workers? Do prostitutes want prostitution legalized?
Bree Shelley This is a great topic and seems really interesting. Are you going to focus on one specific controversy of either economist, religion,and legislators, or do a little bit on all of them? Who would this effect if it became legal, or illegal? Here's a link that could possibly help you out! http://news10.com/2015/01/16/sheriff-human-trafficking-arrest-made-in-albany-county/
Interesting topic. I too have wondered about this becoming legal and how it could change things. Good proposal and questions, it makes me want to know what your final conclusions will be.
Jess I think that your topic is a very interesting topic. However I feel that it may be quite broad to cover because you are choosing to cover three different views on the topic. I think narrowing it down to the side you agree with and then using one other view as a counter argument would help make it less confusing rather than trying to juggle three different viewpoints.
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding college athletes receiving payment. For being major contributors to sports ticket sales and television ratings, it seems that no matter how different the sport, if they still bring in a significant amount of revenue, then those athletes should receive pay for investing their time, money, and effort into making a collegiate sport their career. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the player’s, coaches’, media, and fans’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are: Would every sport have to be included in this payment? Is the NCAA a credible organization to be contracted with? Would the sports being paid only be Division 1? How are colleges and the NCAA approaching this topic? Why shouldn’t they be paid? Why should they? What are the coaches/ players/ media/ fans perspectives? Would both Women’s and Men’s sports be paid? Would Women’s and Men’s sports be paid differently? What would the atmosphere be like for universities that have multiple division sports?
Alissa, Very intriguing, this topic is controversial and there would be a lot of recent information because it is a relatively new concept. You should look at this from a unique angle as well, for example, how do students who do not partake in athletics feel about athletes getting paid? What are the drawbacks for paying division 1 athletes? Does it create a greater division between athletes and the rest of the student body? Because if so, would athletes get this idea that they do not need to worry about academics, that their full time job is playing sports. Also, most colleges lose money from the sports and obtain all their revenue from the big time sports like football and men's basketball to make up for the other athletics. Does this change your opinion? Here’s an article that may help: http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/Myth-College-Sports-Are-a-Cash-Cow2.aspx Regards, Marisa
Becca Diefendorf FOW Spring 2016 Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: ISIS
Proposal: There has recently been an ongoing controversy having to do with ISIS and terrorism. ISIS has used several tactics to instill fear in other countries. The entire world is living in fear of ISIS. The world needs ISIS to stop their ways and demolish terrorism. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the United States’ , ISIS’ , the people of the middle east, and other surrounding countries’ perspectives.
Some questions I need to consider are:
What should be done? Stay isolated, attack them, or find the root of the terrorism? Should the United States take charge of the situation and be the ‘world’s policeman’ again? What will other countries think of the methods? Will they join? What methods should be used? Effects? Will United States laws or international laws be broken? Are innocent lives in jeopardy or changed significantly? Should the United States try to negotiate with ISIS first? What will the United States plan be concerning Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? Should the United States consider their past with other terroristic problems? Is there a pattern between them?
Wow, this topic is fascinating, there's so many ways you could go with it! Maybe narrowing it down to one specific topic with ISIS will make it easier to produce a solid argument. Since the topic of ISIS is so broad maybe picking a specific part about it will be more beneficial to pin-pointing the point you are trying to get across.
Brayden Harvey This is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on what the president thinks we should do? It could be more effective if you talked about a specifics person's or group's point of view for example the president or the Senate. Here’s a link that looks like it may help http://www.newsweek.com/how-isis-can-be-defeated-307423
Currently there has been controversy surrounding the death penalty. Many believe the death penalty should be abolished because it goes against the moral and ethical beliefs that are prevalent in society. They view it as an inhumane act that gives to government too much power. Others see the death penalty as a fitting punishment that should be used in severe criminal cases. I will be researching this topic from multiple perspectives; including the people administering the lethal drug, inmates on death row, affected families, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are: Should capital punishment be abolished? Should the government be able to make it legal to take another person’s life? Is the government becoming too powerful? Should they be considered above the law? What are the methods used to legally euthanize a person? Is it morally/ethically wrong to use the death penalty? How many states actively use the death penalty? How many states is it legal in? Should “the punishment must fit the crime” work for every criminal case? How many instances has a person been wrongfully convicted and killed? What are the death row inmates thinking before they become euthanized? What do the families of the inmates think about using the death penalty? What do the families of the victims think about using the death penalty?
This is a really interesting yet controversial topic. Maybe you could consider talking about the judges and lawyers discretion of using capital punishment. I think it would be beneficial to read this article since it shows how controversial this penalty is.
This is a very interesting topic. You should consider the aspect of whether capital punishment serves as a deterrent to violent crimes. Another question that might help you is, what are the level of crime in states where capital punishment is legal in comparison with states where it is illegal. Finally, this link may be helpful you.
Formal Topic Proposal College athletes getting paid
Currently there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding division 1 athletes getting paid in college. Former players from the Kansas State football team have brought this to the attentions of the courts, It seems that every sports show like Mike & MIke in the morning or Fox sports radio are addressing this controversy. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the players’, coaches’ , media and fans’ perspectives.
Should division 1 athletes be paid? When was this rule established that athletes could not get paid? What are the current rules regarding this issue? Have there been any incidents where this has been a problem? What should be done? Should athletes be able to sign autographs for money? Should colleges be able to sell merchandise based on their players if they do not receive money for it? Should video games be made with these players names in them if they do not receive money for it? What would the effects be on the school and on other people at the school?
In the past few months there has been the issue of whether or not abortions should be legal or illegal. Ranging from religious influenced thoughts to other, more open minded decisions made in courts the views on abortions are various. For this assignment I will look at how some states use “trigger laws” to regulate the constitutional rights to have an abortion. I will also study the reasoning behind putting the “trigger laws” in place. Viewpoints of women who have wanted/ had abortions, supreme court justices, and those against abortions (religious groups).
Questions to consider:
What are the laws on abortions within the U.S. government? What court cases have influenced abortion laws? Why/ How? What are some reasons for people not wanting abortions to be legal? What impacts would it have on a woman if the abortion was not done? What types of trigger laws are used? (what do they restrict) How many states have regulations on abortions? How does planned parenthood regulate abortions? (if any) Are restriction laws fair?/ To what extent can they restrict abortions?
Great topic choice; abortion is a very controversial topic considering the upcoming election and the recent issues with Planned Parenthood. This issue is timely and relevant. Would you consider discussing medically necessary abortions? You may want to use other countries with extreme abortion laws to give new perspective. I found an article for you about some controversial actions of some pro-choice college students: http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/27119/
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the current location of the 2022 World Cup which is suppose to set place in Qatar. It seems like everyday there is more and more information surfacing on why it should change wheather it’s from workers dying from building stadiums or heat strokes to even how there are scandals coming out how Qatar got to host the event through corruption. For this paper I plan to study this issue. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: Fans, Stakeholders, Other Countries, Qatar, and Workers, and Athletes perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
1)How would this affect Qatar if it moved locations? 2)Would less people watch the World Cup? 3)Would other sports be affected? 4)How would other countries be affected? 5)Would it change traditions if things were to stay the same? 6)What country would host the World Cup if it were to change? 7)Would more stadiums need to be built? 8)What would happen to the stadiums already in the works of being built? 9)How many deaths have happened to the workers because of construction/ heat exhaustion? 10)Is it worth the time and effort and loss of money? 11)What’s the viewer's point of view? 12)How would the location affect the athletes?
There has always been controversy about defunding planned parenthood. From Republicans attempting to defund planned parenthood all together to banning abortions after 20 weeks in Wisconsin. Planned Parenthood isn’t just about abortions, it is about women's healthcare and I plan to study this issue from multiple points of view: politicians, low salary families, planned parenthood ceo, and religious groups’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are: If planned parenthood was defunded what would the economy react? What are planned parenthood's services? How does defunding planned parenthood effect low salary families, and other people that use the services? If planned parenthood was defunded how would people receive the services needed? Would people who go to planned parenthood have access to other places like planned parenthood? Do people only want to defund planned parenthood for abortions? Why do people want to defund planned parenthood?
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding the thought of people having guns. In modern times Americans seem to be getting more sensitive towards guns. However the need for guns is growing. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple perspectives: carries, protesters, state laws, and the media.
Questions:
How many states is it allowed in? What are the restrictions? Who is allowed to carry? What is the incentive to carry? How to get a permit? When should it be used? Reparations for use?
This is a very important topic and a interesting topic. Try and focus on the issues that people have with guns and try to have a point of view from both sides. People who think that it is ok to carry guns and people who do not think it is ok. http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly
Proposal: Currently there has been much controversy surrounding doctors prescribing an abundance of medication to patients. Many doctors are drawing attention to this topic lately, and has been included in many discussions in court as more deaths start to arise. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I plan to look at this controversy from multiple points of view: the doctors’, patients’, families of the patients’, and the people who aren’t in medical studies’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What percentage of people who take prescription drugs become addicted? How many drugs get prescribed to each patient? Do the doctors who prescribe the overdoser get in any trouble for allowing it to get out of hand? Are doctors being punished for giving medication to people who don't actually need it? Do people who overdose on prescription drugs always end up being addicted to a more severe drug? Is there any laws against prescribing drugs that aren’t actually needed for health purposes? What are people doing to stop patients from overdosing? What happens to the reputation of the Doctor’s office when one of their patients becomes addicted? What are the types of drugs the doctors prescribe the most of?
This is a very interesting topic, considering it happens everyday. Would you consider focusing on a few prescribed drugs and the most commonly prescribed drugs, to help narrow down your research? Are you going to consider the doctors as the problem or the drugs? Here are a couple links that might help: http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/03/local/la-me-rx-source-20140304 http://www.webmd.com/news/20110420/the-10-most-prescribed-drugs
In the past few years cycling has been been somewhat drug and doping clean. From 1999 to 2013 we have seen a rise in spectators of the sport due to all the excitement that cycling has brought. From Americans to winning the Tour de France to the epic fall of one of the greats Lance Armstrong. There are many points of views on this controversial topic that I will explore from other riders, commentators and the viewers/critics of the sport.
Some of the questions I will need to address and consider are: What types of steroids are being used? How do they obtain the steroids? What are the sanctions put on those who are convicted of steroid use? Why are the steroids being used? Does steroid use make the sport more popular? What are the opinions of people in the cycling world? What does the UCI state about the use of steroids and PED’s?
Mateo: This is a really interesting topic! Have you thought about maybe focusing on one person or indecent in particular? You might be able to go into more detail about the drugs the athlete used and what the consequences were! All around good topic proposal man!
Here's a link that may just help you in your research: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/15/health/armstrong-ped-explainer/
This is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on multiple cyclists who have used steroids in order to increase their ability to be better at their sport? It might be more effective to show how many athletes use performance enhancing drugs in this particular sport.
Haley Raymond FOW Spring 2016 Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole
Proposal: The United States is one of the few countries in the world that still allows sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole despite the United Nations’ clear disapproval of juvenile life sentences without parole. This issue has recently come into light when the Supreme Court offered a chance for the freedom of hundreds of people who had been committed of murder and given life sentences without parole as juveniles, this January. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the offenders’, their families’, psychiatrists’ and government officials’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are: 1. What are other countries' takes on this? 2. How many juvenile offenders are currently serving life without parole in the US right now? 3. What are the offenders’, their families’, psychiatrists’, government officials’ takes on this? 4. What crimes are committed in order for a juvenile offender to be given a life sentence w/o parole? 5. Are there any laws surrounding this issue now? 6. What are the perspectives of Republicans vs. Democrats? Have any of the presidential candidates brought this issue up? 7. Are there juvenile offenders who manage to get out of their life sentences? How? 8. What is the biggest age group where this takes place? 9. Are there any US Supreme Court cases surrounding this topic?
This topic is really interesting. Have you looked into what states have tried to pass laws on this, or maybe if different states have different opinions on this? I think that would help support your argument or create a counterclaim, which you can then dismiss with another state’s ideas. I also think that listening to stories from parents or family members whose children have been sent to jail would help a bit. That could be used as a powerful message. http://fairsentencingforyouth.org/changed-lives/parents-friends/ This link has two different stories that you could use in your research.
There is a lot of controversy going on around college sports and if college athletes should get paid. Schools make a lot of money off their athletes and people are saying that just a scholarship isn’t enough for the amount of time they put in, and the contributions they bring to their schools. Everyday this topic is growing and the argument becomes even greater. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will look at it from the points of view of the athletes, coaches, schools, media and fans.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
Why should they start getting paid now? Do all athletes get paid the same? How much time do they put into the sport compared to school? What do the schools think? Would all sports get paid? How much would they get paid? What do the players/coaches think? Would that make kids stay in school longer? Would players getting paid hurt the school funds?
This is a great topic! Are you going to focus on just a specific sport or get a broad over view of all sports? It might help getting a better understanding of if all college athletes should get paid and keep things more fair. A good link for you to use is, http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-ncaa-athletes-be-paid
Bryan Colby FOW Spring 2016 Formal Topic Proposal Topic: eSports
Proposal: When people think about eSports, they usually just dismiss it immediately by saying something along the lines of “Theres no ball, it’s not a sport”, or “Playing video games isn’t a sport”, but when you actually look at what people put into the game, it becomes hard to simply say that it is not. To study this controversy, I will be looking at the topic from many perspectives: the players, the fans, the non-fans, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are: What makes a sport a sport? What makes eSports similar to sports? How would rules and regulations about sports apply to eSports? How are the creators of the games marketing the game as a sport? What does the media think about the topic? How do non-fans react to this notion? Why do people think that it is a sport? What do players of other sports think about eSports? What does the rest of the world think about the topic?
There has been a lot of controversy about lowering the legal drinking age. In high school drinking has become such a big deal due to the high amounts of underage drinking. There has been multiple cases of underage drinking and driver, deaths of high schoolers from drinking, and serious life threatening issues. The drinking age in the United States is 21 years old, but underage people have found other ways of getting alcohol such as, fake IDs, friends who are 21 years or older, and even parents. Although some states allow 18 year olds to drink with parent supervision and permission the law still requires you to be 21 years old to purchase it. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: teenagers, adults, and parents.
Some questions I will need to consider What would the legal drinking age be lowered too? Will there continue to be restrictions at colleges? What are some effects of lowering the drinking age? What the effects of drinking due to the body? Will it be in effect in all states? Will the drinking and driving rates increase? What are the effects drinking has on the brain? Will it affect students learning abilities? When would this kind of change happen?
This is an intriguing topic! Have you thought about focusing on a specific state? One that is already considering lowering their legal age. It could make it easier to look at statistics as well. https://www.rt.com/usa/328767-states-lowering-drinking-age/
Bryan Colby: For this topic one thing you might do is look at other countries and why they have different drinking ages. This could add a perspective from people outside of the US as to why our drinking age is 21 and why so many people drink anyways. This is an article that i found that may help with your research: http://6abc.com/news/lawmaker-seeks-to-lower-drinking-age-in-new-jersey/1217251/
Controversy: Many people have expressed concern about whether or not college athletes should be paid. Some argue that college athletes are performers and should be paid for their time and hard work even though they have their entire college education paid for. The NCAA disagrees, stating that student athletes are not “employees” under federal law. For this paper I plan to study this issue by looking at the controversy from the players’ coaches, media, and fan’s perspectives.
Specific question(s) that will guide my research: Should the NCAA change its rules to pay college athletes for the sport they play?
(How you might reply to one of your peers' posts):
Student #2: This is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on one particular sport such as football or men's basketball (Division I) for your paper? It might be more effective to narrow it down to either one of those sports at the Division I level since these college athletes typically receive full ride scholarships.
Here's a link that looks like it may help: http://www.npr.org/2014/04/03/298763594/should-the-ncaa-change-its-rules-to-pay-for-play
Currently there has been much controversy over the legalization of marijuana in the United States. This has been a hot topic lately due to the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use. This is controversial because someone living in colorado can consume marijuana without being confronted by the law yet, a mile away, in the state of Utah someone can be arrested for the same thing. This is a topic that divides our country. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: pro-marijuana supporters, anti-marijuana supporters, medical marijuana patients, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
If marijuana is legalized will it create more DWI’s? How will we “child proof” certain marijuana products? How will the legalization of marijuana affect the arrest rate? What harmful effects does cannabis have on the human body? What positive effects does cannabis have on the human body? How will the legalization of marijuana affect the economy? Will prisoners incarcerated due to marijuana related crimes be released?
This is a very controversial topic right now. One thing that you could look at is how legalization of it might affect the popularity of the drug or how it may affect how easy/hard it is to get. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/opinion/the-push-for-legal-marijuana-spreads.html?_r=0
Jared Houghtaling
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Illegal Immigration
Proposal:
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding illegal immigration in the United States. The federal government hasn’t been able to pass any crucial laws against illegal immigration, so states have to make their own legislation. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: federal government, political parties and state legislation.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
Where do the majority of illegal immigrants come from and why?
Should the military patrol the borders?
Does illegal immigration pose any threats to the United States?
What are the best solutions? Deportation?
What are the government, political parties, and state legislations perspective?
What actions could we take in order to fix the problem, or stop it from being illegal?
Does illegal immigrants in the workforce help or hurt the United States?
Mateo Parzych
DeleteJared, this is a great topic to dig deeper and try to understand especially since the controversy of this topic is on the rise . I think there is a lot to this topic that people do not understand still today. I see that you ask the the question as to what the best solutions are. I believe that is a major question because the answer to the question can be answered differently depending on who you ask. Here is a good link that I believe will help you in your research for that question http://immigration.procon.org/
Kenneth A. Figueroa
ReplyDeleteForms of Writing
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: The effects of aspartame on people and its use as a sugar substitute.
Proposal:
Currently many people are starting to consume artificial sweeteners on a daily basis, and many rumors have been exposed in where they dispute whether or not it have some harmful effects on people and whether or not it is better than regular sugar. Also there have been comments in where people even link the use of artificial sweeteners like aspartame to breast cancer and obesity; I will be looking at this issue from multiple points of view: the doctors, the people, the companies and manufacturer's perspective.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What type of artificial sweeteners are in the market?
What are the effects on using artificial sweeteners like aspartame on a regular basis?
Are the use of aspartame linked with any type of cancer? Is there any direct factor that cause it?
How was aspartame discover? Who discovered it?
Was aspartame actually made as a sugar substitute?
Is aspartame linked with any other disease or condition?
Is the effects of aspartame known to people?
Is the FDA aware of the effect of aspartame? If yes, why is still on the market?
What effects does the use of aspartame have in our bodies.
How does this affect high school students who drink soda on a daily basis?
Elyssa Connolly
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Animal Testing
Proposal:
There have been many controversies about whether or not large companies should test on animals. Of course, there are benefits and downfalls of both sides, which leads to a deep divide between the two sides. Many companies have taken steps to become ‘Cruelty Free,’ but some feel that testing on animals is safer for the consumers. There have even been people who have committed to only using Cruelty Free products. For this paper, I plan to study this issue by searching why companies test, why they don’t, and consumer’s thoughts on this problem.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What are the benefits of testing on animals?
What are the downfalls of testing on animals?
What companies have banned animal testing?
What are the alternates for testing on animals?
How do companies choose which animals to test on?
On average, how many animals die each year from being tested on?
At what age do they test on animals?
Where do the companies get the animals?
Are there any laws in place to stop animal testing?
Where do other countries stand on this issue?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteElyssa, this looks like a very interesting topic! Would you consider narrowing your search down to a few major companies? It might be more effective to focus on a few major companies since there are so many companies out there! Are you planning to focus on commercial testing on animals or scientific testing on animals, or both? Choosing one may be fir effective! It would also be interesting to learn about what animals are mainly used for animal testing?
DeleteHere’s a link I found that you may find helpful!
http://animal-testing.procon.org/
Jess Rutland
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Possible Legalization of Prostitution
Proposal:
Prostitution, although legal in some areas, is illegal in most major cities across the United States. The possibility of prostitution being legalized in the US has caused quite a lot of controversy among economist, religious groups, and legislators. For this paper I plan to research this issue; considering the opinions of those opposed to legalization, in favor of legalization, and those currently involved in sex trade.
Some questions I will consider are:
Has the economy been effected in places where prostitution has become legal?
What is the difference between pornography and prostitution?
How would legalization affect the spread of sexually transmitted infections?
Would legalization affect the number of rapes and sexual assaults?
If legalized, how would it be regulated?
How would legalization change the dynamics of sex trade?
Is prostitution immoral?
Would legalization reduce the stigma surrounding sex workers?
Do prostitutes want prostitution legalized?
Bree Shelley
DeleteThis is a great topic and seems really interesting. Are you going to focus on one specific controversy of either economist, religion,and legislators, or do a little bit on all of them? Who would this effect if it became legal, or illegal?
Here's a link that could possibly help you out!
http://news10.com/2015/01/16/sheriff-human-trafficking-arrest-made-in-albany-county/
Interesting topic. I too have wondered about this becoming legal and how it could change things. Good proposal and questions, it makes me want to know what your final conclusions will be.
DeleteJess I think that your topic is a very interesting topic. However I feel that it may be quite broad to cover because you are choosing to cover three different views on the topic. I think narrowing it down to the side you agree with and then using one other view as a counter argument would help make it less confusing rather than trying to juggle three different viewpoints.
Delete---
Phylicia
Alissa Franze
ReplyDeleteFOW A5
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Division 1 Athletes Receiving Payment
Proposal:
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding college athletes receiving payment. For being major contributors to sports ticket sales and television ratings, it seems that no matter how different the sport, if they still bring in a significant amount of revenue, then those athletes should receive pay for investing their time, money, and effort into making a collegiate sport their career. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the player’s, coaches’, media, and fans’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
Would every sport have to be included in this payment?
Is the NCAA a credible organization to be contracted with?
Would the sports being paid only be Division 1?
How are colleges and the NCAA approaching this topic?
Why shouldn’t they be paid?
Why should they?
What are the coaches/ players/ media/ fans perspectives?
Would both Women’s and Men’s sports be paid?
Would Women’s and Men’s sports be paid differently?
What would the atmosphere be like for universities that have multiple division sports?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAlissa,
DeleteVery intriguing, this topic is controversial and there would be a lot of recent information because it is a relatively new concept. You should look at this from a unique angle as well, for example, how do students who do not partake in athletics feel about athletes getting paid? What are the drawbacks for paying division 1 athletes? Does it create a greater division between athletes and the rest of the student body? Because if so, would athletes get this idea that they do not need to worry about academics, that their full time job is playing sports.
Also, most colleges lose money from the sports and obtain all their revenue from the big time sports like football and men's basketball to make up for the other athletics. Does this change your opinion?
Here’s an article that may help:
http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/Myth-College-Sports-Are-a-Cash-Cow2.aspx
Regards,
Marisa
Becca Diefendorf
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: ISIS
Proposal:
There has recently been an ongoing controversy having to do with ISIS and terrorism. ISIS has used several tactics to instill fear in other countries. The entire world is living in fear of ISIS. The world needs ISIS to stop their ways and demolish terrorism. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the United States’ , ISIS’ , the people of the middle east, and other surrounding countries’ perspectives.
Some questions I need to consider are:
What should be done? Stay isolated, attack them, or find the root of the terrorism?
Should the United States take charge of the situation and be the ‘world’s policeman’ again?
What will other countries think of the methods? Will they join?
What methods should be used? Effects?
Will United States laws or international laws be broken?
Are innocent lives in jeopardy or changed significantly?
Should the United States try to negotiate with ISIS first?
What will the United States plan be concerning Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi?
Should the United States consider their past with other terroristic problems? Is there a pattern between them?
Wow, this topic is fascinating, there's so many ways you could go with it! Maybe narrowing it down to one specific topic with ISIS will make it easier to produce a solid argument. Since the topic of ISIS is so broad maybe picking a specific part about it will be more beneficial to pin-pointing the point you are trying to get across.
DeleteHere's a link that looks like it may help:
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/11/20/draining-isis-coffers
Brayden Harvey
DeleteThis is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on what the president thinks we should do? It could be more effective if you talked about a specifics person's or group's point of view for example the president or the Senate. Here’s a link that looks like it may help
http://www.newsweek.com/how-isis-can-be-defeated-307423
Marisa DiVietro
ReplyDeleteForms of Writing
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Death Penalty
Proposal:
Currently there has been controversy surrounding the death penalty. Many believe the death penalty should be abolished because it goes against the moral and ethical beliefs that are prevalent in society. They view it as an inhumane act that gives to government too much power. Others see the death penalty as a fitting punishment that should be used in severe criminal cases. I will be researching this topic from multiple perspectives; including the people administering the lethal drug, inmates on death row, affected families, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
Should capital punishment be abolished?
Should the government be able to make it legal to take another person’s life? Is the government becoming too powerful? Should they be considered above the law?
What are the methods used to legally euthanize a person?
Is it morally/ethically wrong to use the death penalty?
How many states actively use the death penalty? How many states is it legal in?
Should “the punishment must fit the crime” work for every criminal case?
How many instances has a person been wrongfully convicted and killed?
What are the death row inmates thinking before they become euthanized?
What do the families of the inmates think about using the death penalty?
What do the families of the victims think about using the death penalty?
This is a really interesting yet controversial topic. Maybe you could consider talking about the judges and lawyers discretion of using capital punishment. I think it would be beneficial to read this article since it shows how controversial this penalty is.
Deletehttp://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2013-03/697.htm
This is a very interesting topic. You should consider the aspect of whether capital punishment serves as a deterrent to violent crimes. Another question that might help you is, what are the level of crime in states where capital punishment is legal in comparison with states where it is illegal. Finally, this link may be helpful you.
Deletehttps://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/death_penalty
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/us-death-penalty-facts
Deletehttp://www.cnn.com/2013/07/19/us/death-penalty-fast-facts/
Brayden Harvey
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
College athletes getting paid
Currently there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding division 1 athletes getting paid in college. Former players from the Kansas State football team have brought this to the attentions of the courts, It seems that every sports show like Mike & MIke in the morning or Fox sports radio are addressing this controversy. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the players’, coaches’ , media and fans’ perspectives.
Should division 1 athletes be paid?
When was this rule established that athletes could not get paid?
What are the current rules regarding this issue?
Have there been any incidents where this has been a problem?
What should be done?
Should athletes be able to sign autographs for money?
Should colleges be able to sell merchandise based on their players if they do not receive money for it?
Should video games be made with these players names in them if they do not receive money for it?
What would the effects be on the school and on other people at the school?
Topic: Abortions
ReplyDeleteProposal:
In the past few months there has been the issue of whether or not abortions should be legal or illegal. Ranging from religious influenced thoughts to other, more open minded decisions made in courts the views on abortions are various. For this assignment I will look at how some states use “trigger laws” to regulate the constitutional rights to have an abortion. I will also study the reasoning behind putting the “trigger laws” in place. Viewpoints of women who have wanted/ had abortions, supreme court justices, and those against abortions (religious groups).
Questions to consider:
What are the laws on abortions within the U.S. government?
What court cases have influenced abortion laws? Why/ How?
What are some reasons for people not wanting abortions to be legal?
What impacts would it have on a woman if the abortion was not done?
What types of trigger laws are used? (what do they restrict)
How many states have regulations on abortions?
How does planned parenthood regulate abortions? (if any)
Are restriction laws fair?/ To what extent can they restrict abortions?
Great topic choice; abortion is a very controversial topic considering the upcoming election and the recent issues with Planned Parenthood. This issue is timely and relevant. Would you consider discussing medically necessary abortions? You may want to use other countries with extreme abortion laws to give new perspective. I found an article for you about some controversial actions of some pro-choice college students: http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/27119/
DeleteMatthew Friello
ReplyDeleteTopic Proposal
Ms. McCarty
Forms of Writing
Change in Location of the 2022 World Cup
Proposal:
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the current location of the 2022 World Cup which is suppose to set place in Qatar. It seems like everyday there is more and more information surfacing on why it should change wheather it’s from workers dying from building stadiums or heat strokes to even how there are scandals coming out how Qatar got to host the event through corruption. For this paper I plan to study this issue. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: Fans, Stakeholders, Other Countries, Qatar, and Workers, and Athletes perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
1)How would this affect Qatar if it moved locations?
2)Would less people watch the World Cup?
3)Would other sports be affected?
4)How would other countries be affected?
5)Would it change traditions if things were to stay the same?
6)What country would host the World Cup if it were to change?
7)Would more stadiums need to be built?
8)What would happen to the stadiums already in the works of being built?
9)How many deaths have happened to the workers because of construction/ heat exhaustion?
10)Is it worth the time and effort and loss of money?
11)What’s the viewer's point of view?
12)How would the location affect the athletes?
Angela Grant
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
There has always been controversy about defunding planned parenthood. From Republicans attempting to defund planned parenthood all together to banning abortions after 20 weeks in Wisconsin. Planned Parenthood isn’t just about abortions, it is about women's healthcare and I plan to study this issue from multiple points of view: politicians, low salary families, planned parenthood ceo, and religious groups’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
If planned parenthood was defunded what would the economy react?
What are planned parenthood's services?
How does defunding planned parenthood effect low salary families, and other people that use the services?
If planned parenthood was defunded how would people receive the services needed?
Would people who go to planned parenthood have access to other places like planned parenthood?
Do people only want to defund planned parenthood for abortions?
Why do people want to defund planned parenthood?
Ben Doyle
ReplyDeleteFOW
Ms. McCarty
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Concealed Carry
Proposal:
Currently there has been much controversy surrounding the thought of people having guns. In modern times Americans seem to be getting more sensitive towards guns. However the need for guns is growing. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple perspectives: carries, protesters, state laws, and the media.
Questions:
How many states is it allowed in?
What are the restrictions?
Who is allowed to carry?
What is the incentive to carry?
How to get a permit?
When should it be used?
Reparations for use?
This is a very important topic and a interesting topic. Try and focus on the issues that people have with guns and try to have a point of view from both sides. People who think that it is ok to carry guns and people who do not think it is ok.
Deletehttp://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-people-be-allowed-to-carry-guns-openly
Julia Favata
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Prescription Drugs given by Doctors
Proposal: Currently there has been much controversy surrounding doctors prescribing an abundance of medication to patients. Many doctors are drawing attention to this topic lately, and has been included in many discussions in court as more deaths start to arise. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I plan to look at this controversy from multiple points of view: the doctors’, patients’, families of the patients’, and the people who aren’t in medical studies’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What percentage of people who take prescription drugs become addicted?
How many drugs get prescribed to each patient?
Do the doctors who prescribe the overdoser get in any trouble for allowing it to get out of hand?
Are doctors being punished for giving medication to people who don't actually need it?
Do people who overdose on prescription drugs always end up being addicted to a more severe drug?
Is there any laws against prescribing drugs that aren’t actually needed for health purposes?
What are people doing to stop patients from overdosing?
What happens to the reputation of the Doctor’s office when one of their patients becomes addicted?
What are the types of drugs the doctors prescribe the most of?
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis is a very interesting topic, considering it happens everyday. Would you consider focusing on a few prescribed drugs and the most commonly prescribed drugs, to help narrow down your research? Are you going to consider the doctors as the problem or the drugs?
DeleteHere are a couple links that might help:
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/03/local/la-me-rx-source-20140304
http://www.webmd.com/news/20110420/the-10-most-prescribed-drugs
Mateo Parzych
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Topic: Steroids in Cycling
In the past few years cycling has been been somewhat drug and doping clean. From 1999 to 2013 we have seen a rise in spectators of the sport due to all the excitement that cycling has brought. From Americans to winning the Tour de France to the epic fall of one of the greats Lance Armstrong. There are many points of views on this controversial topic that I will explore from other riders, commentators and the viewers/critics of the sport.
Some of the questions I will need to address and consider are:
What types of steroids are being used?
How do they obtain the steroids?
What are the sanctions put on those who are convicted of steroid use?
Why are the steroids being used?
Does steroid use make the sport more popular?
What are the opinions of people in the cycling world?
What does the UCI state about the use of steroids and PED’s?
Mateo: This is a really interesting topic! Have you thought about maybe focusing on one person or indecent in particular? You might be able to go into more detail about the drugs the athlete used and what the consequences were! All around good topic proposal man!
DeleteHere's a link that may just help you in your research:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/15/health/armstrong-ped-explainer/
This is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on multiple cyclists who have used steroids in order to increase their ability to be better at their sport? It might be more effective to show how many athletes use performance enhancing drugs in this particular sport.
Deletehttp://news.discovery.com/human/life/breaking-down-the-doping-recipe-of-pro-cycling.htm
Haley Raymond
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole
Proposal: The United States is one of the few countries in the world that still allows sentencing juvenile offenders to life without parole despite the United Nations’ clear disapproval of juvenile life sentences without parole. This issue has recently come into light when the Supreme Court offered a chance for the freedom of hundreds of people who had been committed of murder and given life sentences without parole as juveniles, this January. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: the offenders’, their families’, psychiatrists’ and government officials’ perspectives.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
1. What are other countries' takes on this?
2. How many juvenile offenders are currently serving life without parole in the US right now?
3. What are the offenders’, their families’, psychiatrists’, government officials’ takes on this?
4. What crimes are committed in order for a juvenile offender to be given a life sentence w/o parole?
5. Are there any laws surrounding this issue now?
6. What are the perspectives of Republicans vs. Democrats? Have any of the presidential candidates brought this issue up?
7. Are there juvenile offenders who manage to get out of their life sentences? How?
8. What is the biggest age group where this takes place?
9. Are there any US Supreme Court cases surrounding this topic?
This topic is really interesting. Have you looked into what states have tried to pass laws on this, or maybe if different states have different opinions on this? I think that would help support your argument or create a counterclaim, which you can then dismiss with another state’s ideas. I also think that listening to stories from parents or family members whose children have been sent to jail would help a bit. That could be used as a powerful message. http://fairsentencingforyouth.org/changed-lives/parents-friends/ This link has two different stories that you could use in your research.
DeleteMichael O’Brien
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Should College Athletes get Paid
Proposal:
There is a lot of controversy going on around college sports and if college athletes should get paid. Schools make a lot of money off their athletes and people are saying that just a scholarship isn’t enough for the amount of time they put in, and the contributions they bring to their schools. Everyday this topic is growing and the argument becomes even greater. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will look at it from the points of view of the athletes, coaches, schools, media and fans.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
Why should they start getting paid now?
Do all athletes get paid the same?
How much time do they put into the sport compared to school?
What do the schools think?
Would all sports get paid?
How much would they get paid?
What do the players/coaches think?
Would that make kids stay in school longer?
Would players getting paid hurt the school funds?
This is a great topic! Are you going to focus on just a specific sport or get a broad over view of all sports? It might help getting a better understanding of if all college athletes should get paid and keep things more fair.
DeleteA good link for you to use is,
http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-ncaa-athletes-be-paid
Bryan Colby
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: eSports
Proposal:
When people think about eSports, they usually just dismiss it immediately by saying something along the lines of “Theres no ball, it’s not a sport”, or “Playing video games isn’t a sport”, but when you actually look at what people put into the game, it becomes hard to simply say that it is not. To study this controversy, I will be looking at the topic from many perspectives: the players, the fans, the non-fans, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
What makes a sport a sport?
What makes eSports similar to sports?
How would rules and regulations about sports apply to eSports?
How are the creators of the games marketing the game as a sport?
What does the media think about the topic?
How do non-fans react to this notion?
Why do people think that it is a sport?
What do players of other sports think about eSports?
What does the rest of the world think about the topic?
Bree Shelley
ReplyDeleteFOW
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Legal Drinking Age
Proposal:
There has been a lot of controversy about lowering the legal drinking age. In high school drinking has become such a big deal due to the high amounts of underage drinking. There has been multiple cases of underage drinking and driver, deaths of high schoolers from drinking, and serious life threatening issues. The drinking age in the United States is 21 years old, but underage people have found other ways of getting alcohol such as, fake IDs, friends who are 21 years or older, and even parents. Although some states allow 18 year olds to drink with parent supervision and permission the law still requires you to be 21 years old to purchase it. For this paper I plan to study this issue; I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: teenagers, adults, and parents.
Some questions I will need to consider
What would the legal drinking age be lowered too?
Will there continue to be restrictions at colleges?
What are some effects of lowering the drinking age?
What the effects of drinking due to the body?
Will it be in effect in all states?
Will the drinking and driving rates increase?
What are the effects drinking has on the brain?
Will it affect students learning abilities?
When would this kind of change happen?
This is an intriguing topic! Have you thought about focusing on a specific state? One that is already considering lowering their legal age. It could make it easier to look at statistics as well.
Deletehttps://www.rt.com/usa/328767-states-lowering-drinking-age/
Bryan Colby: For this topic one thing you might do is look at other countries and why they have different drinking ages. This could add a perspective from people outside of the US as to why our drinking age is 21 and why so many people drink anyways.
DeleteThis is an article that i found that may help with your research:
http://6abc.com/news/lawmaker-seeks-to-lower-drinking-age-in-new-jersey/1217251/
SAMPLE STUDENT
ReplyDeleteTopic: Paying college athletes
Controversy:
Many people have expressed concern about whether or not college athletes should be paid. Some argue that college athletes are performers and should be paid for their time and hard work even though they have their entire college education paid for. The NCAA disagrees, stating that student athletes are not “employees” under federal law. For this paper I plan to study this issue by looking at the controversy from the players’ coaches, media, and fan’s perspectives.
Specific question(s) that will guide my research: Should the NCAA change its rules to pay college athletes for the sport they play?
(How you might reply to one of your peers' posts):
DeleteStudent #2: This is a really interesting topic. Would you consider focusing on one particular sport such as football or men's basketball (Division I) for your paper? It might be more effective to narrow it down to either one of those sports at the Division I level since these college athletes typically receive full ride scholarships.
Here's a link that looks like it may help: http://www.npr.org/2014/04/03/298763594/should-the-ncaa-change-its-rules-to-pay-for-play
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSebastiano Brion
ReplyDeleteFOW
Spring 2016
Formal Topic Proposal
Topic: Legalization of Marijuana
Proposal:
Currently there has been much controversy over the legalization of marijuana in the United States. This has been a hot topic lately due to the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use. This is controversial because someone living in colorado can consume marijuana without being confronted by the law yet, a mile away, in the state of Utah someone can be arrested for the same thing. This is a topic that divides our country. I will be looking at the controversy from multiple points of view: pro-marijuana supporters, anti-marijuana supporters, medical marijuana patients, and the media.
Some questions I will need to consider are:
If marijuana is legalized will it create more DWI’s?
How will we “child proof” certain marijuana products?
How will the legalization of marijuana affect the arrest rate?
What harmful effects does cannabis have on the human body?
What positive effects does cannabis have on the human body?
How will the legalization of marijuana affect the economy?
Will prisoners incarcerated due to marijuana related crimes be released?
This is a very controversial topic right now. One thing that you could look at is how legalization of it might affect the popularity of the drug or how it may affect how easy/hard it is to get.
Deletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/opinion/the-push-for-legal-marijuana-spreads.html?_r=0