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Christopher Figueroa
Professor Gina Lawrence
English 1311
June 29, 2014

Thesis
Understanding genetically modified organisms used in Americas foods can explain the
benefits, the negatives, and what the population actually thinks about the topic.

Introduction
Food consumption today has many options involved. With much of America changing
their lifestyles and becoming healthy, grocery stores are visited more than the fast-food drive-
thru. The vegetables and fruit on display at the store, provides those options of being all-natural
or made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). What is the difference? As a consumer,
the public needs to know the truth about GMOs and the food they consume.

1. Colson, G., & Rousu, M. What Do Consumer Surveys and Experiments Reveal and Conceal
About Consumer Preferences For Genetically Modified Foods?. GM crops and food:
Biotechnology in agriculture and the food chain, 4, 158-165.

Summary
This journal talks about how consumers really feel about genetically modified foods. It
tells that consumers would rather feast on crops than animals that are genetically
modified. Europeans over American would rather pay a premium for non-GM foods.
There is also information on how uninformed consumers react to consumption of the
products of GMOs.

Analysis
The information in the journal provided is unbiased. It is full of statistics from America
and Europe on the common population.

Evaluation
This journal was published in a bioscience book full of other journals. It would help my
paper because of all the statistical facts provided.

2. Helme, M. Genetically Modified Food Fight: The FDA Should Step Up to the Regulatory
Plate So States Do Not Cross the Constitutional Line. Minnesota Law Review, 98, 356-
384.

Summary
This source talks about how the FDA has powers that are not being used. GMOs are still
being used today while, while there really is not much evidence stating that they are bad
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for you. The FDA has stepped back and let the people fight the manufacturers on their
own. The manufacturers are arguing that it would cost too to apply labels to their products.

Analysis
This source is completely biased. It states the facts and does not contain any personal
opinion. The journal shines a different light on the matter from a lawyers perspective.

Evaluation
This information is credible because it was published in the Minnesota Law Review.
Manufacturers should be able to produce what they want, but their product should be
labeled.

3. Jabr, F. Building Tastier Fruits & Veggies. Scientific American, 311, 56-61.

Summary
This journal talks about how GMOs have created a bad name for themselves and how
consumers are not attracted by it. Flavors from fruits and veggies have lost their sweet
and attractive tastes over the years. Fruits and vegetables are now being put through
traditional plant breeding and DNA analysis is being examined two weeks into the
breeding process. GMOs are not being used anymore in the lab because of their
reputation.

Analysis
This journal is very useful and unbiased. It shows a different perspective to cultivating
any fruit or vegetable. It demonstrates the scientific side to this topic.

Evaluation
This resource is very useful for my paper. It demonstrates that there are different options
other than GMOs involved to produce a better crop. Showing better and more accurate
options, opens up doors for the farming industry.

4. Johnson, S. Genetically Modified Food: A Golden Opportunity. Sustainable Development
Law & Policy 14, 1, 34. 69-70.

Summary
This article talks about how GMOs continue be not very popular in the world today.
Many companies have urged scientists to reopen the door on GMOs and consider
research on the Golden Rice. It is a kind of rice that is packed with Vitamin A, can
fight malnutrition, and fight disease. It is something that can be a great option for those in
3
rd
world countries.

Analysis
The information is un-biased and raises the concern for GMO research to be brought back
up. The journal is from American Washington College of Law, so it is a reliable source.
This journal depicts GMOs from a curious scientist perspective.

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Evaluation
I could use this source to explain that GMO should not have to be the only option that
would take over the farm industry. Manufacturing a completely new breed of crop should
only be done to benefit those in need of a steady food supply. This is an ethical way to
observe the topic.

5. Smith, J. (2007, January 1). The Good, Bad and Ugly About GMO's. . Retrieved June 26,
2014, from http://naturalrevolution.org/gmo-resources/the-good-bad-and-ugly-about-
gmos/

Summary
This article explores the negatives to the bad GMOs in the world. It opens up listing the
positives and what it brought when it was first introduced. It then explains the many
negative reasons to the type of farming. It disrupts DNA replication and causes
interruption, as well as death, in the world.

Analysis
The information provides the negatives to GMOs. It differs from the other sources and
the ideas are definitely biased.

Evaluation
It helps my argument greatly because I am trying to show the entire GMO topic
spectrum. The positives and the negatives is a good place to start in any argument. This
article did reinforce the way I feel about GMOs. The information is credible, it is from
an all-natural world website.

6. Tan, S., & Eply, B. Much Ado About Something: The First Amendment and Mandatory
Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods. Washington Law Review, 89, 302-328.

Summary
This journal speaks about how genetically modified foods must provide a label stating
what is in their product. It goes on about how this law might affect the companies First
Amendment. It provides laws, acts, and evidence that might make it seem illegal to do
this, but the people deserve the right to know what they are consuming.

Analysis
The goal of this source is to give the law perspective behind mandatory labeling for
products that are not natural. This source is unbiased, it speaks and explains the law.

Evaluation
This journal is credible due to its publication into the Washington Law Review. It would
benefit my paper by showing that consumers are in total control of knowing what is in a
product and buying whichever product they might like.

7. Unknown. Weighing the GMO Arguments. (2003, March 1). . Retrieved June 26, 2014, from
http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo7.htm
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Summary
This short article completely breaks down GMOs in the food industry and provides the
benefits. It talks about how the idea benefits human health, the environment, and
agricultural productivity. Food would be able to grow in areas that were never possible
and even help with production of vaccines for farm animals.

Analysis
This article is really useful. It is biased, only showing the positives to the topic. It has not
changed my mind on the idea at all.

Evaluation
The article was published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations printed the article. It is a very credible article that talks about the positive side of
GMOs.