Sophomore Research Paper
You are to write a five to seven page research paper on one of the topics listed on the back of this sheet. No more than one person per class may do each topic and selection will be based on a lottery system. The paper will include a works cited page, a bibliography, and parenthetical documentation. You may not turn in a paper that has been submitted to another class.
Specifications:
• your research paper must have a thesis. (This means that as you research, jot down opinions that you form. These will be your working theses which you will refine into one thesis before you begin writing.)
• minimum of five sources.
• no more than two of the sources may be websites (that is, information that has never been in print).
• working notes (You will receive further explanation from your teacher about the format of these.) (These are your informational notes and will contain your paraphrases and quotes as well as the appropriate bibliographical information.
These are the backbone of your paper.)
• works cited. (Those sources you actually used in your research paper. This is where the minimum of five sources applies)
• bibliography. (This lists alphabetically all the sources that you looked at to gather information, but you may not have cited from all of these.)
• parenthetical documentation. (These are the citations within the text that reference your sources. They are used for both direct quotes and for paraphrase.
You should have two or three per paragraph .)
• all papers must be typed, double-spaced; all working notes will be turned in; all final papers must be turned in with a works cited page and a bibliography.
• final draft must be put through “turnitin.com” (more details to follow)
Due Dates:
Working Bibliography
Working Notes & Thesis
First Draft (at least 3 full pages)
Final Draft
2/17
3/11
4/6
4/20

Research Paper Topics
• 1. Should government mandates concerning education be set at the national level or the state and local levels?
• 2. Should America limit or eliminate immigration?
• 3. Do we still need feminism in 21 st
century America?
• 4. Should any currently illegal drugs be legalized in America?
•
5. Are the nations of the world obligated to step into the present- day situation in Darfur, which has been labeled genocide by the United States?
• 6. Is there too much violence portrayed in the American media?
• 7. Is there too much sex portrayed in the American media?
• 8. Should the legal drinking age be lowered in America?
• 9. Is affirmative action still necessary?
• 10. Should America open their doors to refugees in time of war?
• 11. Is society responsible for taking care of the homeless?
• 12. Should euthanasia be legalized?
• 13. Do we need national healthcare?
• 14. Do we have the right to use animals for testing purposes?
• 15. Were the United Nations and the United States obligated to interfere in the warfare in 1994 Rwanda, which led to genocide?
• 16. Is censorship always wrong?
• 17. Should school start later in the day?
• 18. Has advertising had a positive or negative effect on American culture?
• 19. Should women be allowed to take frontline roles in the military?
• 20. Has technology had a positive or negative effect on American culture?
• 21. Should standardized tests be used to measure student performance?
• 22. Should there be open access to material on the internet in public places like libraries?
• 23. Should stem cell research be allowed to continue?
• 24. Should people be held legally and financially responsible when their pets attack others?
• 25. Should minors ever be tried as adults?
• 26. In a society where there is a separation of church and state, should there be limits on personal expression of religious belief? (wearing of scarves, crosses, etc.)
• 27. Do the racial attitudes of the past continue to have an impact on American society?
• 28. Should homosexuals be allowed to marry and have full spousal benefits?
• 29. Should environmentalism be mandated by the government?
• 30. Should families of slaves be paid reparation for slavery in the U.S.?