English 101

Appendix B – Research Assignment

Appendix B:
Note-Taking Worksheet

Find three sources of information on your topic. List any vocabulary words or key
concepts you needed to look up a definition, in order to understand the article. State
the author’s position: What is the author’s main point of writing this article? Under
Observations & Other Notes, list anything you found of interest you could use for
your research paper.

Article #1 (news story)

Title: The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age
Author: 60 Minutes Correspondent Lesley Stahl
Publisher & Publication Date: CBS News – February 22, 2009 (I watched the show,
and the transcript of the interview was posted online at http://www.cbsnews.com)
Vocabulary words
Drinking underground: behind closed doors, into most risky and least manageable
settings (fraternity houses, basements, locked dorm rooms)
Pre-loading: downing as much alcohol as possible before going out.
DUI: Driving under the influence
Key Concepts
The law in ’84 to reduce the drinking age is failing. It has created a culture of
dangerous and irresponsible drinking.
Reduce the age to 18 and teach them to drink responsibly.
Law enforcement will be able to focus on DUI and over-consumption.
Passing an exam would result in a license to drink.
Author’s Position
Lesley Stahl, a CBS news reporter, conducted the interview and good reporters are
unbiased and remain neutral. Her main reason for conducting the interview and
broadcasting the story on 60 Minutes was to open up the debate of reducing the legal
drinking age to 18 and to bring forth both sides of the story – the pros and cons.
Observations & Other Notes
Law enforcement support (par’s 12-18)
Irresponsible alcohol use (par’s 6-10)
Law enforcement ineffective – could use time better (par’s 17-19)

Article # 2 (book)
Title: Current Controversies: Teens and Alcohol
Author: James D. Torr
Publisher & Publication Date: Greenhaven Press, Inc., c2002
Vocabulary words
Alcoholism: Continued excessive or compulsive use of alcohol.
Alcoholic: A person addicted to alcohol.
Zero-tolerance: A concept of imposing pre-determined punishment regardless of
extenuating circumstances.
English 101
Appendix B – Research Assignment
Key Concepts
How serious is the problem of underage drinking? What problems are associated with
teen alcohol abuse? Does alcohol advertising encourage teens to drink? Are age 21
laws effective in reducing teen alcohol abuse? What measures are effective in reducing
teen alcohol abuse?
Author’s Position:
Author is neutral. The purpose of the book is to present a diverse selection of primary
sources representing all issues of the debate in question.
Observations & Other Notes:
This book explores many of the arguments of whether to reduce the drinking age or not
and it includes the opinions from both sides of the debate. The information comes from
a diverse group who would be considered experts in the field and who would provide
reliable statistics. The book will be a useful resource for my paper because it includes
counterarguments and refutations for each debate.

Article # 3 (article)
Title: Underage Drinking is a Serious Problem
Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Edited by Andrea C. Nakaya
Publisher & Publication Date:
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center
Greenhaven Press, 2007
Vocabulary words
Illicit drugs: illegal
NIDA: National Institute on Drug Abuse
YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
CDC: Center for Disease Control
Alcohol related brain impairment: Problems with memory, cognitive (thinking related)
abilities and physical coordination.
Alcohol poisoning: Alcohol poisoning occurs when a person drinks a large amount of
alcohol over a short span of time, causing the blood alcohol level to rise to rise rapidly
(an overdose of alcohol).
Key Concepts: Statistics re: underage drinking:
29% aged 12-20 had at least one drink 30 days prior to the survey.
97.3% of that 29% engaged in binge drinking with past 30 days
15.5% reported heavy use (par’s. 4-6)

50% of violent crime is alcohol related

90% of collage rapes involve alcohol
97,000 college students are victims of sexual assault or date rape each year.
95% of violent crimes on college campuses involve alcohol. (par’s. 10-12)

Social costs of underage drinking estimated $53 billion, including $19 billion from
traffic crashes and $29 billion from violent crime. (par. 18)

Author’s Position:
English 101
Appendix B – Research Assignment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services argues that underage alcohol use
is a widespread and serious problem and remains an intractable health and public safety
problem.
Observations & Other Notes
Three major national surveys were used to gather information.
Representative samples of 12-20 year olds
Annually surveys 8th, 10th & 12th graders
Worldwide surveys of military personnel conducted by the Dept. of Defense
Neurobiological research.
Contributors include Dwight Heath and Stanton Peele from AIM’s Social Scientific
and Medical Council as well as two papers from WHO, contributions from NIAAA,
MADD, David Hanson and many others.