SOCIAL ISSUES RESEARCH PROJECT

DUE FRIDAY, May 19th WORTH 50 points (see rubric on backside)

Topic: Any Social Issue not covered directly or in-depth as a class. Examples are included in a
list below. You may choose another topic if approved by Mr. Hirsch.
This is a 6-8 page (double spaced) RESEARCH paper. As such, you must keep track of
your sources so you can cite factual information, as well as to create a bibliography.
Your paper should include:
1) An in depth description of the issue itself with examples/evidence from your research.
2) The social problems which cause it and how it affects people with examples/evidence
from your research.
3) Potential resolutions to the issue with examples/evidence from your research.
http://rhsweb.org/library/social_issues.htm

 Abortion  Flag Burning  Pollution

 Affirmative Action  Food Safety  Population
 Afrocentrism  Gangs  Pornography
 Age Discrimination  Gender Issues  Poverty
 Animal Rights  Genetic Engineering  Prayer in Schools
 Anti-Semitism  Gentrification  Premarital Sex
 Binge Drinking  Global Change  Prostitution
 Breastfeeding in Public  Global Warming  Public Nudity
 Capital Punishment  Government vs. Religion  Race and Racism
 Censorship  Gun Control  Racial Profiling
 Child Advocacy  Health Care Policy  Same Sex Marriages
 Child Labor  Homelessness  Secondhand Smoke
 Child Modeling  Housing  Sexuality
 Children's Rights  Human Genome Projects  Shorter Workweek
 Church-State  Human Rights  Social Security Reform
 Civil Rights  Immigration Reform  Socially Responsible Investing
 Cloning  Immunization  Stadium Taxes
 Consumer Advocacy and  Incest  Sustainable Agriculture
Information  Internet  Sustainable development
 Corporal Punishment  K-12 Education  Sweatshops
 Correction and Rehabilitation  Language Policy  Tax Reform
 Creation vs. Evolution  Legalization of Marijuana  Term Limits
 Death Penalty  Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual  Terrorism
 Disabilities  Literacy  Tobacco
 Discrimination  Media Ethics and Accountability  Transphobia
 Diversity  Men's Movement  Urban Sprawl
 Drunk Driving  Militia Movement  Video Games
 Drug Policy  Minimum Wage  Violence
 Drugs in Sports  Mining  Violence in Schools
 Educational Equity  Multiculturalism  Voluntary Simplicity
 Employment and Workplace Issues  Native American  Waste Management
 Environmental protection  Nuclear Proliferation  Weapons Disarmament and
 Euthanasia  Oil and Gas Nonproliferation
 Extended Breastfeeding  Organ & Body Donation  Welfare Reform
 Factory Farming  Ozone Depletion  World Population
 Famine  Patriotism  Whistleblowing
 Fat Acceptance  Peace and Nonviolence  Xenotransplantation
 Feminism  Philanthropy  Zoos
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2
Intro/Thesis Engages and orients Orients reader; Orients reader; Fails to orient
reader; provocative defensible thesis defensible thesis reader; unclear
thesis presents presents subject presents subject thesis statement
subject and opinion and opinion but lacks opinion
when appropriate
Topic TS strongly TS expresses TS attempts to TS pails to express
expresses claims claims clearly express claims claims related to
Sentences & clearly related to related to thesis clearly related to thesis
Claims thesis thesis
Context Clearly establishes Establishes Attempts to Fails to establish
sources or sources or establish sources sources or
circumstances of circumstances of or circumstances circumstances of
evidence. evidence. of evidence evidence
Evidence Exhaustive and Well-chosen and Present; supports Lacks evidence;
relevant; specific to complete; specific thesis and claims; fails to support
thesis and claims; to thesis; citations citations may be thesis and claims;
citations complete are complete and incomplete or citations
and correct. correct incorrect. incomplete or
incorrect
Commentary Insightful; clearly Well-reasoned; Adequate; relates Inadequate; fails to
relates evidence to clearly relates evidence to thesis relate evidence to
thesis and claims; evidence to thesis, and claims; may thesis and claims
develops an claims, and be superficial or
argument argument redundant
Conclusion Reflects thesis; Reflect thesis: Reflects thesis; “so Does not reflect
effectively extends extends ideas or what” present but thesis or is
ideas and stimulates stimulates further not clearly incomplete; “so
further thought; thought; “so what” indicated what” not
clearly establishes is indicated indicated
“so what”
Organization Creates coherence Clarifies meaning; Logical; evidence Distracting;
and unity; evidence evidence well adequately evidence
seamlessly incorporated; incorporated; awkwardly
incorporated; smooth transitions present transitions incorporated;
transitions inconsistent transitions missing
or awkward
Style Precise diction; Appropriate Some appropriate Limited or
varied and controlled diction; varied and diction; clear, appropriate
syntax; unique or appropriate syntax; correct syntax; diction; awkward
definitive voice; clear voice and developing voice syntax; voice or
controlled tone. appropriate tone and tone tone inappropriate
for purpose
Correctness No errors Few errors Noticeable errors Errors distract and
inhibit reading