Online Research for Personal Essays

It’s time to find some information about your topic so you can get some evidence to use in your arguments! However, as you know, the internet is full of incorrect and flawed information, so I’m going to try to help point you in a direction that will hopefully help you get some reliable facts.

First things first – if you chose any of the topics from 1-15 of the list I put on the projector yesterday, here’s where I want you to start: http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm This website has links to articles that will have information you can use.

1. Possible Argument Topics
2. K-12 Schools should ban the sale of junk food.
3. Junior highs and high schools should randomly test their student athletes for drug use.
4. Fast food restaurants do more harm than good.
5. Cell phones should be allowed in schools.
6.  Television is a bad influence on children.
7. All schools should provide students with music and art education
8. Zoos do more harm than good.
9. Homework should be banned.
10. The driving age should be raised to 18.
11. The United States should ban the death penalty.
12. Walmart is good for America.
13. The United States should have a draft for military service.
14. It is unethical to eat meat.
15. Beauty pageants do more harm than good.
16. The President of the United States should be elected by direct vote of the people.
17. The drinking age should be lowered to 18.
18. Year-round school is a good idea.
19. “Scared straight” programs are a good idea. 
20. Banning junk food commercials would make teens healthier.
21. Too much technology hurts kids.
22. Bullies should be treated as criminals.
23. School dress codes are too strict.

 

A lot of you are writing about animal abuse. Here are some sites that you might be able to use:

• http://www.aspca.org/Home/Fight-Animal-Cruelty - General information about types of animal abuse.

• http://www.aspca.org/Fight-Animal-Cruelty/Advocacy-Center/state-animal-cruelty-laws.aspx - Find out what the law says about animal cruelty in our state.

• http://www.peta.org/ - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – lots of info about animal rights

If you have another topic, try going here: http://www.debate.org/opinions/ and typing your topic in the search box. I typed in “bullying” and “child abuse” and got good results with both searches. If you don’t find anything, let me know and I’ll help you come up with search terms that will get you some good results.

So, you’re on a website reading some great info. Now what?

• Open your writing notebook.
• Write down the website you’re on.
• Make a bulleted list of information you found from the website.
• Repeat steps 1-3 for each new website you visit. 

That’s pretty much all you have to do with that information for now. Just find as much as you can during our time today!