Before you start researching and writing your paper, it's important that you brainstorm ideas of debatable topics that you may want to explore further. This means that you need to allocate some of your time to exploring news websites to learn more about current events, humanitarian issues, and controversial topics. To help you get started, check out the list of sites below, but please don't feel limited to these.
Choosing an Argument Topic that Works:
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Choose a topic you are interested in learning more about
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Choose a topic you’ve already made up your mind about
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Choose a topic with some urgency—something that needs to be argued now
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Choose a topic that is dated, unless it has pressing importance now
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Choose a topic where there is something at stake that has important implications for people
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Choose a topic that is an either/or proposition, or that simply compares and contrasts
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Choose a topic that allows you to find information from a variety of stakeholders
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Choose a topic for which you can only identify pro/con positions
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Choose a topic that provides an opportunity for primary research and analysis
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Choose a topic for which you can’t think of any site for primary research and analysis
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By the end of class, you should have educated yourself about the facts and background of three specific issues or conflicts. It's best to first read "objective" news articles. Remember, you don't want to formulate an opinion JUST YET. AVOID JUDGEMENT!!!
What's due by the end of class:
- Post your three issues/conflicts/controversies that you are interested in exploring further.
- For each issue, you need to include the sources you've looked at thus far.
- Lastly, write down questions you have about each topic. What are you most curious about? Of course, you are going to have many, many questions, but limit it to a few per topic. Your peers will read your questions and will help you out with suggestions. They may even know some of your answers and can therefore respond to your questions.
NOTE: Write your post on Google docs first so you don't lose your work!
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ReplyDeleteJulia Cutler
ReplyDeleteIsraeli-Palestinian Conflict http://israelipalestinian.procon.org/
How would you write this without being biased?
Can you write this without taking a clear side?
“Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance http://undergod.procon.org/
Do people feel that it is directed towards a Christian God?
Does taking this away violate the first amendment?
What about separation of church and state?
Gun Control http://gun-control.procon.org/
Should guns be regulated?
Does it violate amendments?
Anabelle Apa
ReplyDeleteLegality of Assisted Suicide
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/assisted-suicide/house-believes-assisted-suicide-should-be-legalized
http://euthanasia.procon.org/
-- Is the legality of euthanasia a more or a moral or political dilemma?
-- Where in the world is assisted suicide legal?
-- What sort of political/legal agreement is necessary for permit assisted suicide?
Designer Babies
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30742774
-- Should designer babies be acceptable if it is to prevent medial defects?
-- Is the conflict about God's will/religion, morality, or something else?
-- Is the technology really already available for designer babies?
Age of Consent
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/topic/actionWin?resetBreadCrumb=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&limiter=AC+y&showDisambiguation=true&u=nysl_ca_nisk&jsid=e769323efca9184c5b9227bff1fe1478&displayGroups=&p=OVIC&action=e&catId=GALE%7CZPBRZL506333394&scanId=
-- What is the age of consent in other countries?
-- If the age of consent changes, should other policies change such as age of autonomy from parents?
-- Is it really the government's place to determine a legal age for consent?
GMO's
ReplyDeletehttp://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/can-biotech-food-cure-world-hunger/
-Can GMO's Cure world hunger?
-Why are so many people opposed to GMO's?
-What would happen if GMO's would become widely available throughout the world?
Vaccines
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/are-multiple-vaccines-safe
Should everybody be vaccinated?
Why do so many people believe vaccines pose a threat to health?
Should the Government make certain vaccines mandatory to protect public health?
Concussions
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/06/26/how-risky-is-heading-in-soccer
Should more preventatitive measures be taken for concussions?
Are concussions linked to brain disease and death?
Why do people continue to put their head at risk after multiple concussions?
Sophie Santoso
ReplyDeleteDrinking age
-Will it ever change?
-What are the benefits of it change?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/house-would-lower-drinking-age
http://drinkingage.procon.org/
Gender Inequality
-What are parents doing that give young boys the impression that their superior to girls?
-Will girls ever find justice?
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/11/09/do-we-need-to-change-the-way-we-raise-boys
Student Uniform
-What are the benefits of schools having uniforms?
-Who created the idea of uniforms?
http://school-uniforms.procon.org/
Digital Technology Ruining Childhood
ReplyDelete- If adults say technology is ruining their child's childhood, then why do they continue to give their children electronic devices?
-Should kids be bale to to work electronics before they can write?
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/241915/digital-technology-is-ruining-childhood.html
Abortion
-Should men have a say in the abortion debates?
-Will the decision ever be made by all women?
http://www.rolereboot.org/culture-and-politics/details/2013-12-why-men-need-to-butt-out-of-the-abortion-debate
Reality TV
-Should reality TV shows be banned?
-Do people take on those dangerous stereotypes?
-Why do so many people watch reality TV?
http://ninertimes.com/2014/04/despite-the-entertainment-value-reality-tv-often-promotes-dangerous-stereotypes/
ReplyDeleteIs obesity a disease?
•http://obesity.procon.org/
•What steps could be taken to prevent it?
•Should the government be allowed to regulate people's health?
•Has the rise in fast food industries attributed to the epidemic?
Should assisted suicide be legal?
•http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/assisted-suicide/house-believes-assisted-suicide-should-be-legalized
•Who would make the decision? The family or the person?
•Would euthanasia be used solely on terminally ill people?
Should all parents attend a parenting class?
•http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/education/house-would-make-all-parents-attend-parenting-classes
•Who would pay for the classes?
•would this benefit teenage parents who feel they do not know what to do?
Nuclear Weapons
ReplyDelete-is abolishing nuclear weapons realistic?
-if nuclear weapons were abolished, what would the consequences be?
-What are the pros and cons?
-http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/politics/house-would-abolish-nuclear-weapons
Gunatanamo Bay
-if the detention center closed, would the prisoners be transferred to US prisons or would they be sent back to their home countries?
-how much of a threat to national security would closing the prison be?
-http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/law/house-would-close-guantanamo-bay-detention-centre
Greek Life
-Should all fraternities and sororities be co-ed?
-What would the benefits be? drawbacks?
-How would greek life change? Would it change for the better, or for worse?
-http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/09/16/should-college-fraternities-and-sororities-be-coed/forcing-coed-greek-life-could-make-things-worse
Obesity
ReplyDeleteIs obesity a disease?
•http://obesity.procon.org/
-how can obesity be avoided?
-how can obesity be prevented?
-why is the amount of obese people in America so large?
Cosmetic surgery
Should cosmetic surgery be illegal?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/house-would-ban-cosmetic-surgery
- why is it bad for people to get cosmetic surgery?
-what are the benefits of a person getting cosmetic surgery?
-why should others care about cosmetic surgeries another human gets?
Drinking age
Should the drinking age be lowered from 21?
http://drinkingage.procon.org
-why is the drinking age 21?
-would it make a drastic difference if the age was lowered?
-is the age to purchase and consume alcohol too high?
emily kate nappi
ReplyDeleterecreational pot http://2016election.procon.org/view.answers.election.php?questionID=002059
should it be legal?
is it as harmful as they say?
abortion http://abortion.procon.org/
should it be legal?
is this against the constitution
same sex marriage http://borngay.procon.org/
should it be legal?
separation of church and state…?
Jake Shephard
ReplyDeleteShould marijuana be used as a medical substance?
What medical perks does marijuana provide?
What are the harms of Marijuana?
What parts of the actual plant actually provide health benefits, and can those be extracted?
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/addiction/house-believes-cannabis-should-be-legalised
Should the death penalty be allowed?
What crimes lead to the death penalty?
How much money is spent on prisoners serving prison for life?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/capital-punishment/house-supports-death-penalty
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/
Should there be a tax on fattening foods?
How would you decide which foods were fattening or not?
Does this go against humans rights?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/house-would-implement-fat-tax
Should the death penalty be applied to our entire country?
ReplyDeleteWhat crime causes someone to get the death penalty?
What type of death penalty would be enforced if you were given it?
http://deathpenalty.procon.org/
Should prostitution be legal?
-What's the difference in pleasure between massages and sex?
-Would it be considered a job?
-Do people have the rights to sell their body?
http://prostitution.procon.org/
Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
Would they be allowed to be used in every sport?
What restrictions would be put on these drugs if made legal?
http://sportsanddrugs.procon.org/
Alexa Franze
ReplyDeleteAffairs with ISIS
Does the U.S want to get involved in foreign affairs?
Is the U.S trying to keep itself safe or is there a specific reason the U.S has not dealt with the terrorist attacks of ISIS?
Is the U.S sticking to George Washington’s advice of staying out of Europe?
Some people think that the U.S is somehow teamed up with ISIS, is this a possibility?
2. Obesity in the U.S
Why do people Care if the U.S is having younger kids become obese?
Is the only reason people care because of the societal aspect?
Is being obese at a younger age proven to affect their health in the long run?
3. Will Crime rise if people are let out of prison?
- How much does it cost the government to keep one person in prison?
- How many people are currently taking up space in prison cells?
- Would only certain people be allowed out of prison based on the crimes they were put in for?
Option 1: Abortion (Pro life vs. pro choice)
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
-Can the fetus feel the procedure?
-At what point is the fetus considered a human?
-What should the jury look like that makes this decision?
-Should abortions be available at all stages of pregnancy?
-What is the relation between abortions and crime?
Option 2: Is social networking good for our society?
Questions:
-Is there a direct relationship between social media and depression in teens?
-Does social media create more bullying?
-What are the benefits of social media?
-Can social media use lead to lower self-esteem?
-When should young kids start being able to use social media?
Option 3: Is sexual orientation determined at birth or learned?
Questions:
-What determines sexual orientation?
-Is there actually a “gay gene?”
-Is there a connection between sexual orientation and other genes, like handedness?
-Is there a connection between childhood abuse and sexual orientation?
-Does religion affect sexual orientation?
Whitney Rector Abortions
ReplyDeleteJulia Cutler: "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance
ReplyDeleteThe Death Penalty:
ReplyDeleteWhat are the guidelines to receiving the death penalty?
What is the alternative to the death penalty?
Shouldn’t murderers receive the death penalty?
Gun Control Nationally:
Should the U.S. Gov get involved?
What are the current gun laws by states enforcing them?
Are background checks enough?
Do we need to go back to the middle east?:
What are the plans to dealing with ISIS?
Is there another chance of another terrorist attack?
Is the U.S. ready for/pro-war?
Topic: Should assisted suicide be legal?
ReplyDeleteWho would make the decision? The family or the person?
Would euthanasia be used solely on terminally ill people?
what would determine the grounds for euthanasia?
Kendall Brake
ReplyDeleteShould women have the right to choose?
Topic: Is social networking good for our society?
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
-Is there a direct relationship between social media and depression in teens?
-Does social media create more bullying?
-What are the benefits of social media?
-Can social media use lead to lower self-esteem?
-When should young kids start being able to use social media?
I like this topic, it will be interesting to see what you write about it. Are you focusing on social medias effect on teens or on society as a whole? It would be cool to see how social media effects the younger generation also. http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic786630.files/Teens%20Social%20Media%20and%20Health%20-%20NYPH%20Dept%20Pew%20Internet.pdf
DeleteDigital Technology Ruining Childhood
ReplyDelete- If adults say technology is ruining their child's childhood, then why do they continue to give their children electronic devices?
-Should kids be bale to to work electronics before they can write?
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/241915/digital-technology-is-ruining-childhood.html
Final Topic: GMO's- Do the benefits of using GMO's outweigh the negative effects?
ReplyDeleteChristina Schmidt
ReplyDeleteTopic-Vaccinations
Is there any proof that they work?
Do most people take them?
Do doctors require or prefer them?
What are in vaccines?
http://vaccines.procon.org/
American involvement with Isis. (I still have to narrow this down)
ReplyDeleteEthical and political controversy surrounding designer babies
ReplyDeleteProstitution- Should prostitution be legal?
ReplyDeleteShephard- Medical Marijuana
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSuicide considered a criminal offence
ReplyDeleteIs this the role of criminal law?
Would prohibiting suicide change anything?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/law/house-believes-suicide-should-be-criminal-offence
The U.S on Syrian refugees
Does barring the refugees really decrease the chances of a terrorist attacks?
Is barring the refugees ethical?
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/16/world/paris-attacks-syrian-refugees-backlash/
“Under God” in the pledge being removed
Separation of church and state?
Would removing this violate the first amendment?
Would this prevent marginalisation of non-believers?
http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/religion/church/house-would-remove-words-under-god-american-pledge-allegiance
Jessica Piszczek
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteStandardized testing
ReplyDeleteSophie Santoso
ReplyDeleteDrinking Age
Nuclear weapons- should they be abolished/is this realistic? Pros and cons?
ReplyDeleteAbortion:
ReplyDeleteShould abortion be legal? In what circumstances should they be legal/illegal?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDrinking Age:
ReplyDeleteMany people have been debating whether or not the change of the drinking age from 18 to 21 was effective and if there was more harm done than good in the long run.
Should the drinking age be lowered?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDo SATs really measure a students intelligence?
ReplyDeleteThe SATs were never intended to measure a students academic abilities but they have become more popular over the past few years. The SATs seem to becoming more about learning the repetition of the test and memorizing the format rather than applying what you've learned.
Why are the SATs such a huge factor in the college process? Will more schools go test optional?
Death Penalty:
ReplyDeleteThe death penalty has been a very controversial topic over the past couple decades. Will the death penalty ever be abolished and is it more harmful than helpful?
What are the guidelines to receiving the death penalty?
What is the alternative to the death penalty?
Shouldn’t murderers receive the death penalty?