I think it is time for you to decide on your topic and go ahead fings sources. I would suggest those who still have not decided yet send me a quick email so that I can help you make judgment based on my experience. Choosing a topic and making it specific is the first thing you do.
Try finding 2-3 articles related to your topic from the database, print them out, and bring them to our next class. When you have time, it would be good to read and annotate them. But annotation is optional. Start drafting an outline. Post your outline on this page when you are done.
When you get stuck in finding topics, please read a current issue of BG News, and you might come across some good ideas. You could choose from the following list if you like. Or just look at them and I hope they can give you some ideas. They are from my former students.
Possible topics for Essay #2: Taking a Position
1. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
2. Subway vs McDonald’s
3. Is spanking children effective discipline or child abuse?
4. Should the use of cell phones in cars be illegal?
5. Are papparazzies doing their job or too much?
6. Being able to get emancipated
7. Intelligence or standard test scores (ACT, OGT)
Similar: Should colleges stop using SAT/ACT scores?
8. Overpaid athletes?
9. Should playing a varsity sport exempt a student from having to take P.E. class?
10. Is competition really that harmful?
3:11 pm - 9-27-2009
Standardized Test Scores: Wrongful Scale of Intelligence?
Intro: introduce the issue and take a stance
Thesis: In recent years standardized testing has caused many children to miss out on their learning experience because of their poor test taking skills. Intellegence has been wrongly based on these test scores which has left teachers with less reasons to be creative with their teachings.
1. Explain the use of standardized testing
2. Explain how other methods of learning are better
3. Explain how students are left behind by standardized testing
4. Explain the loss of creative teaching and how it will effect students
Conclusion: restate thesis and close out argument
3:22 pm - 9-27-2009
Living in Dorms on a College Campus
intro: thesis statement and showing why I agree with living in dorms on campus.
thesis:Living in dorms provide kids with a safe haven to broaden horizons and more effectively become a part of the campus.
1.explain why it is good
2. explain the benefits
3. give reasons why people should
4.give some cons
3:55 pm - 9-27-2009
Spanking children children: child abuse or not?
Introduction-thesis statement and may stance on the issue
Thesis-Spanking children has been a proven affective form of punishment for years and it should be the parents choice on how they choose to discilpne their children and not the governments.
1. Explain the difference between child abuse and spanking
2. pros and cons of spanking and its affectiveness
3. is there a psychological affect on children in the long run
4:13 pm - 9-27-2009
Prayer in School:
Theological Conundrum
Separation of church and state is a founding principle of this country. Prayer in school is a violation of this principle.
1) Continue intro, explain the factual/legal side of the issue.
2) Cite examples, and cons.
3) Rehash main points, conclusion
4:30 pm - 9-27-2009
Nudity in Theater
Introduction: Introducing the topic of Nudity in Theater and presenting my thesis statement
Thesis Statement: Artistic License is an important aspect of theater, but there is a fine line between art and shock value.
1. Explain the history of Nudity in theater
2. Present the audience with both opposing views
3. Further the argument explaining my view of why nudity shouldn’t be allowed in theater and give good reasons why this is true.
7:56 pm - 9-27-2009
Parent’s monitoring children’s internet access
Indrotuction:Introduce my topic and state my thesis sentence
Thesis Statement: The web is one of the largest targets for sexual predators to prey on minors, therefore parents should be able to minitor their children’s internet access.
1.Explain how predators prey on children
2.Present my audience with both opposing views
3.State why I feel that parents should be able to monitor their children’s internet access
4.The punishment that these predators are recieveing, if any
8:41 pm - 9-27-2009
Current generations different than previous generations
Introduction: Introduce topic and stance
Thesis: Over the years, it has become apparent that children in current generations greatly differ than those of previous ones.
1. Explain differences between past/present generations
2. Reasons for differences
3. Why current generations are worse than previous ones