Name _________________________            Period ____                 Date ___________________

WRITING THE MLA RESEARCH PAPER

                PREWRITING: PLANNING AND RESEARCHING

Choosing a Topic

Directions:

·        To begin writing your research paper, you will need to choose a topic that you can write about in a paper that will have a body three pages long.

·        Your topic should not be something that needs a whole book to explain it.

·        On the other hand, your topic shouldn't be so narrow that you can't find enough information.

·        Pick a topic that interests you from the list below.

 Possible Topics

• Affirmative Action – Is affirmative action still necessary to allow people of minority races, genders, or religions a fair chance to get a job, an education, or housing?
• Capital Punishment – Should people who commit terrible crimes be sentenced to death?  If so, what crimes should be punished this way?  What is the purpose of the death penalty?
• Censorship – Should there be limits to free speech?  Are television, movies, and song lyrics too violent?  Do they negatively affect children?
• Civil Disobedience – Is it okay to break a law that is unfair?
• Cloning – Should scientists be allowed to create duplicate humans out of human cells?  What would be the advantages and disadvantages?
• Eating Disorders – Are they caused by mass media showing that very thin people are more attractive than others?  What can be done to solve the problem?
• Euthanasia – Should a person be allowed to ask for help in ending his/her life?
• Fetal Tissue/Stem Cells – Should tissue from aborted or stillborn babies be used to cure diseases?
• Family – Are families falling apart?  Are they important?  What are good ways to raise children and teenagers?
• Genetic Engineering – Should scientists be allowed to improve humans by changing their genes?
• Global Warming – Is it a real problem?
• Homelessness – Should homeless people be put in jail?  What should be done with them?
• Paranormal Phenomena – Is there life after death?  Are there people who can tell the future or communicate only with their minds?  Are there aliens from other planets?
• PETA – Do animals have rights?  Should organizations like PETA act the way they do to protect animals?
• Stress – What causes it and how can we learn to reduce it?
• Technology – Is it changing our lives for the better or worse? 

The topic I’m going to look for information about is __________________________.