I need a topic for my paper.

[monkeymommy3]

Ok...here is the assignment, It is an argumentative essay, there must be a problem that has several solutions, and I must discuss each solution and favor one over the others.

I am having a really hard time finding a topic, I just did vaccines for my last paper, or that would have been a good one.

[katmann]

What about poverty or hunger? Lots of different methods are used, many don't work. You could talk about microlending, IMF/World Bank strategies, sustainable communities currently emerging in countries like India. Seems like we fail miserably at these issues in the US, though lots of money is spent trying to eradicate them. Maybe too broad a topic, though.

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

Originally Posted by katmann

What about poverty or hunger?

As an English professor, I do not allow these two issues (along with war, abortion, racism, and such things) because no one is going to disagree that poverty is wrong or bad, same with hunger, so that means that the topic is not argumentative in and of itself. If you are interested in a facet of any of these issues, then you could go into questioning how/whether a certain approach towards them is agreed and disagreed upon.

Still, I discourage these topics because they're rarely very interesting to read and you want, if nothing else in the whole wide world, for your instructor to actually be interested in reading your paper. Put's 'em in a good mood, which is always beneficially to your "bottom line" i.e. grade. I encourage my students to look in their local newspapers for issues that actually matter, to them. It makes the research part so much more interesting, and, I think, profitable for the student because they're required to use more investigatory skills than just google. kwim?

Some of my favorite topics of late have been:

What responsibility to it's neighborhood does XYZ company have in terms of environmental impact?

Should teachers in XYZ school system be allowed to create their own curriculum, or does the need for consistency trump creativity?

What does No Child Left Behind actually look like in our school system, and should it be continued or not?

Gentrification of XYZ neighborhood has benefited and cost the residents, who's rights/wishes/needs trump the others?

Stuff like that . . . . . HTH

[melissabb]

How about AP??? Or breast versus bottle? Or placing your child in daycare or not???

[monkeymommy3]

I have decided on the topic, I am doing the need for Early Childhood Education for every child. If anyone has any input on this, let me know, I am having a hard time nailing down my position on this. I will be discussing Obama's zero to five plan, state funded universal preschools. Thank so much for all of your input on the topic. It really helped.

[katmann]

check this out. This guy Jeffrey Canada is really interesting. He's be able to be really successful at early childhood intervention through the Harlem Children's Zone. A book was just written about him by Paul Tough, I think. And there was a story about his project on This American Life, I think in October or November. Some of the stats are fascinating. Like, the most important determinant of later success academically is how many words children hear from birth to 3 years old (that's from my memory of the TAL show). Here's another link. I just found the whole thing fascinating.

[lisarussell]

Ahh- great topic. I hate the idea. I think it devalues parents and families. I'm in favor of LATER school, like age 8-10 and not earlier school. Having it available is one thing- to each his own, but having it mandatory makes me sad. Little children need to play, they learn so much from playing. I think institutionalization is wrong, especially for toddlers. One on one, responsive communication with siblings and parents teaches little people so much. Standardizing the experience of childhood is just.so.wrong.