Contemporary Issues Paper
Humanities 8
2001-2002
Paper Requirements:
This will be a four to six page paper (exclusive of works cited page) on a current domestic/international issue. The paper should be done in the same format as the atomic bomb paper you did earlier in the year and conform to the MLA style for all formatting. You must have a minimum of six sources. Because of the contemporary focus of the paper, sources should be drawn primarily from the current media. At least 50% of your sources must be from “mainline” newspapers and newsmagazines published in the past twelve months. A special point of emphasis in evaluating your paper will be your ability to integrate evidence into the body of your paper. The paper should fully discuss the problem, including appropriate historical background, and present all major viewpoints in regard to the issue. This should not be an opinion paper or a country profile. Time permitting, you may be asked to make a brief presentation on your issue after the due date of the paper.
Due Dates:
· You must submit a topic for approval by Wednesday, December 19. (Alternative topics by December 13)
· You must turn in a one-paragraph description of your paper that includes an underlined thesis statement and a preliminary Works Cited list in proper MLA format, no later than Monday, January 28.
· We will read rough drafts anytime, but no later than Friday, February 22.
· The final paper will be due on Monday, March 18 (regardless of whether you are in school). It will carry a weight of six in social studies and 200 points in Language Arts. It must include copies of all internet resources.
_____ Coverage of the issue
_____ Explanation of viewpoints
_____ General to specific format
_____ Selection of evidence
_____ Integration of evidence into narrative
_____ Clear topic sentences
_____ Development of main points
_____ Overall clarity and composition
_____ Proper grammar, punctuation, spelling
_____ Citation of evidence in MLA style
_____ Works Cited format
Procedure to Follow:
1. Educate yourself on the topic before you begin to do specific research. Good background sources are the Current Issues book, encyclopedias, television documentaries, or a good general book on the subject. Forums and special reports from major news sources (New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, CNN, etc. can also be very helpful and are linked on Mr. Stroebel’s website). Take notes for the background portion of your paper and try to identify major issues on which to do specific research.
2. Research major sources (examples below) for current information. Be wary of a general net search. Mr. Stroebel may be able to provide you with additional news articles (e-mail him and let him know if you have Word). Look over the source requirements before you begin to research. Try to update your background knowledge and look for specific evidence that you can incorporate into your paper.
3. Compile a body of evidence (index cards are good for this) similar to that you were given for the atomic bomb paper.
4. Write a two to three page background on your issue. This may have limited cited information.
5. Bring your issue up-to-date with current sources. Include evidence into your paper. Remember that all quotes, controversial information or statistics, or extensively paraphrased information require citation references in your paper.
6. Read over your paper carefully before submitting it. It is also a good idea to have someone else read your paper.
7. Update your paper after you receive comments on your rough draft. Do not hesitate to schedule a conference to go over your draft.
Be aware of these potential problems:
·
INADEQUATE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO
WRITE
· Lack of “mainline” current sources (ie. over-reliance on general internet content)
· Discussion of issues does not move from the general to the specific
· Lack of evidence (both directly quoted and paraphrased)
· Improper citation of evidence and Works Cited format
· Evidence not well introduced so that it flows neatly into your narrative
· Failure to identify speakers
· Failure to write in third person and primarily in past tense
· Poor word choice and unclear writing (wrong words, rephrasing required, tense errors)
· Failure to adhere to proper MLA formatting
· Spelling errors
Internet Resources:
Newspapers (You can access a list of all newspapers on the web
through Mr. Stroebel’s website):
New York Times www.nytimes.com
Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com
Chicago Tribune www.chicago.tribune.com
Los Angeles Times www.latimes.com
London Daily Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk/home.html (allows free back searches)
Many newspapers have special reports sections that can be accessed through their national or international pages.
Magazines (You can search magazine articles
on the web through http://www.findarticles.com/PI/index.jhtml):
U.S. News & World Report www.usnews.com
Newsweek www.newsweek.com
Time www.pathfinder.com/time/
Other Sources:
CNN www.cnn.com
BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk
If you have an Indiana based Internet provider (such as Sycamore’s), you can access many magazine and newspaper articles through Middle Search at http://www.inspire-indiana.net/default.htm (there is also a link on Mr. Stroebel’s website). Choose Databases, Search for Articles, use the Inspire Interface, and then Kid’s Middle Search. We would recommend that you use the Advance Search option and then choose “Limit to Full-Text articles only.”
Topic Selection:
All topic selections must be made before Wednesday, December 20. No students may choose the same topic, but we are open to proposals that would cover different aspects of a topic. The list of topics is by no means comprehensive. We are willing to listen to alternative proposals prior to December 13. Choices will be essentially first-come-first-served although we reserve the right to give a priority to students who have a personal connection to an issue.
U.S. Domestic Issues:
Affirmative Action/Racial Preferences/Quotas
Charter Schools
Drug Enforcement Policies
Educational Testing (Graduation Requirements/SAT)
Effects of Welfare Reform
Future of Social Security
Gambling
Genetic Cloning
Growing Income Gap
Gun Control
Hate Crimes Legislation
Late Term Abortion
Legislation to Establish English as the U.S.'s Official Language
Managed Health Care/PPO Regulation (Patient’s Bill of Rights)
Mandatory Sentencing Laws
Physician Assisted Suicide
Public Funding for Controversial Art
Same-Sex Marriage Laws
Schism between Fundamentalism and Liberalism in U.S. Christian Churches
School Choice Vouchers
Single-Sex Public Schools
Social Security Reform
Stem Cell/Fetal
Tissue Research
Foreign Issues:
Chinese Economic Transition
Economic Transition of Poland, Hungary, or Czech Republic
European Economic Integration (Euro)
Expansion/Future of NATO
German Post-Unification Difficulties
Human Rights in China
India-Pakistan Conflict
Indonesia
International AIDS crisis
Internet Revolution in China
Islamic Fundamentalism
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Korea
Kurdish Nationalism
Missile Defense Systems
Modernization vs. Fundamentalism in Iran
Northern Ireland
Nuclear Proliferation
Peacekeeping in Kosovo/Bosnia
Prosecuting Crimes against Humanity
Rebuilding Afghanistan
Quebec Separatism
The Future of Democracy in Africa (Choose a Country--good choices would be The Congo, Nigeria, or South Africa)
The post-communist experiences of any non-Russian former Soviet Republic
Transition to Democracy in Argentina or Chile
U.S. Policy toward Cuba
U.S. Policy toward Iraq
U.S. Policy toward Saudi Arabia
U.S. Relations with Mexico
U.S.-China Policy
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Zimbabwe