need help with a research/debate paper topic

[FreakBaller12]

Hey AO, looking for some help for my 3 part paper. I need a topic idea and there's a few guidelines it has to meet.

It has to be a topic that is not a agree/disagree such as abortion. It has to be
"what is the best way to ___" A topic that can be solved or handled a better way than it is now. Such as alternative fuel source, but I'm not looking to write ANOTHER paper on that as i already did last year.

The RAP(researched argument project) must have 3 parts which I will write over the course of this semester
Part A- outline the problem and give the multiple solutions, reasons for it happening or being an issue, history, etc.

Part B- explain the current solution or other solutions and their flaws. Most research is done for this part. However, I do not give my proposed solution in this part.

Part C- I propose the solution I favor. Either one I did not discuss previously or a hybrid of solution. I need evidence and reasoning for why my solution is best, obviously.

Any input or ideas are greatly appreciated for a topic idea.
Thanks AO

[Hilltop Customs]

campaign/election process.....you could even create your own data here, give out "quizes" of common knowledge about candidates and see how people do. Or surveys on how people feel about the process.


I did something similar on prescription drug abuse over the summer....theres a decent amt of info out there about it, wasnt too difficult to write/give speeches about. You could expand out to cover over all drugs if you felt you didnt have enough filler to reach the required page limit.


Or if you want to challenge the system, do it on the downfalls of the college system. once again, surveys could be an easy source of data, along with personal experience. This one you could run out of sources quickly as no one likes to talk about it. If you want some ideas on this one, I could literally go on for hours....and hours. I actually was going to use this topic for a class, but the class was all freshmen and I didnt want to rain on their parade.

[FreakBaller12]

I was thinking what if I did "How we do make paintball a mainstream sport?"
There are multiple opinions and possible solutions to it. It's a topic I'd enjoye writing about..it just might be a little tough to find concrete research on it aside from interviews or play speculation that would come from forums

[Hilltop Customs]

what kind of length requirements?

Id be worried about running out of things to say, or the grader not taking an interest in the papers.


edit: not trying to be discouraging, I just couldnt think about much to write on that subject.....on the other hand you might feel strongly on the subject and be able to blow through the requirement no problem.

[Warwitch]

Mag Vs. Cocker? :cheers:

[grEnAlEins]

Mag Vs. Cocker? :cheers:
/thread :rofl:

You might be ok with the bringing PB mainstream idea. It depends on how in depth you analyze the situation and what the exact expectations are. What type of course is this for?

[Empyreal Rogue]

Solving childhood obesity.

Fixing the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Better ways of protecting school campuses from school shootings.

More efficient airport security methods (Don't you just miss the days where you could show up 30 minutes before takeoff and still have time to relax before the plane took off?).

Diet / Lose weight / Tone up / Get into shape.

The effects of gasoline. On fire.

[FreakBaller12]

Solving childhood obesity.

Fixing the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Better ways of protecting school campuses from school shootings.

More efficient airport security methods (Don't you just miss the days where you could show up 30 minutes before takeoff and still have time to relax before the plane took off?).

Diet / Lose weight / Tone up / Get into shape.

The effects of gasoline. On fire.
all good ideas, I'll look into them
Our teacher is a little crazy, like gets amped up over weird things. So anything he hasnt heard of or read he'll appreciate such as PB.
It's for my research writing class, my second year of college writing class. I believe the writing requirement is about 750-1000 words per part.

[maxama10]

Dealing with Russia.

I'm currently doing a pro con paper on whether or not Russia is justified in their war or occupation of Georgian territory.


Good luck

[Altimas]

I can send you a speech I wrote for my Speech class on Flatulent Retention. (holding in your farts.. I was against it.)

[grEnAlEins]

I can send you a speech I wrote for my Speech class on Flatulent Retention. (holding in your farts.. I was against it.)
:rofl: :rofl: Oh God. I vote it gets posted.

[grEnAlEins]

all good ideas, I'll look into them
Our teacher is a little crazy, like gets amped up over weird things. So anything he hasnt heard of or read he'll appreciate such as PB.
It's for my research writing class, my second year of college writing class. I believe the writing requirement is about 750-1000 words per part.
You could definitely do that with your paintball idea. In fact, it could be hard not to go over.

[Altimas]

:rofl: :rofl: Oh God. I vote it gets posted.

I'll post it in another thread.

[Pneumagger]

If it's a different class/teacher as you had last year... just use the energy debate subject.
Then you have already done alot of prior research and would only need minor changes to adapt the old paper for use as the new one.

Work hard or work smart... the decision is yours young one. :cool:

[grEnAlEins]

If it's a different class/teacher as you had last year... just use the energy debate subject.
Then you have already done alot of prior research and would only need minor changes to adapt the old paper for use as the new one.

Work hard or work smart... the decision is yours young one. :cool:
You need to be cautious about this advice. Especially if you your school forces you to submit via turnitin.com or a similar service and your prof has a policy about re-using work. Here at Northeastern, we are forced to use turnitin.com for all submissions. It checks against our old papers, papers submitted by people at our school, and the entire turnitin.com com database. Using old work without prior consent of the prof constitutes academic dishonesty here. People get caught on using old work and plagiarism pretty regularly.

That said, if you have the luxury of the ability to use old work, then it might be in your best interest to do so.

[FreakBaller12]

You need to be cautious about this advice. Especially if you your school forces you to submit via turnitin.com or a similar service and your prof has a policy about re-using work. Here at Northeastern, we are forced to use turnitin.com for all submissions. It checks against our old papers, papers submitted by people at our school, and the entire turnitin.com com database. Using old work without prior consent of the prof constitutes academic dishonesty here. People get caught on using old work and plagiarism pretty regularly.

That said, if you have the luxury of the ability to use old work, then it might be in your best interest to do so.
yea it's not going to work, although I'm not using turnitin for this class. Our prof. told us since this project is set up a special way he'll be able to tell that we used an old paper.
I have to bring atleast 2 ideas into class so I think I'm going with:
Alternative Fuel Sources
How to make paintball mainstream
How to get the NY Yankees to win a WS

[grEnAlEins]

How to get the NY Yankees to win a WS
:rofl: Good luck.

[Lohman446]

You need to be cautious about this advice. Especially if you your school forces you to submit via turnitin.com or a similar service and your prof has a policy about re-using work. Here at Northeastern, we are forced to use turnitin.com for all submissions. It checks against our old papers, papers submitted by people at our school, and the entire turnitin.com com database. Using old work without prior consent of the prof constitutes academic dishonesty here. People get caught on using old work and plagiarism pretty regularly.

That said, if you have the luxury of the ability to use old work, then it might be in your best interest to do so.


Ouch, thats rough.

Even though I never reused old work the vast majority of my work was centered around a few subjects, and I could weave these subjects into most any discussion.... so a lot of my papers used a lot of the same research / similiar theories / etc.

[grEnAlEins]

Ouch, thats rough.

Even though I never reused old work the vast majority of my work was centered around a few subjects, and I could weave these subjects into most any discussion.... so a lot of my papers used a lot of the same research / similiar theories / etc.
It isn't so bad. Most of my stuff will be about a similar topic within my field. I just cannot pull pieces/parts from old work. Much of my stuff to come will be based on the same data/theories/studies and be similar. That comes with the territory of research in a specific topic.

[FreakBaller12]

It isn't so bad. Most of my stuff will be about a similar topic within my field. I just cannot pull pieces/parts from old work. Much of my stuff to come will be based on the same data/theories/studies and be similar. That comes with the territory of research in a specific topic.
and isn't that what college is all about?
/warm fuzzy feeling
//warm 100k loan
///where's the beer?

[grEnAlEins]

and isn't that what college is all about?
/warm fuzzy feeling
//warm 100k loan
///where's the beer?
God I hope not, for your sake. I never had to do specific research in undergrad, at least not to the degree that I will over the next 18 months... I sincerely hope that you do not have to in your undergraduate studies :cheers: This is primarily because it looks to be a royal PITA.

[FreakBaller12]

God I hope not, for your sake. I never had to do specific research in undergrad, at least not to the degree that I will over the next 18 months... I sincerely hope that you do not have to in your undergraduate studies :cheers: This is primarily because it looks to be a royal PITA.
oh noes, planning to go to grad school. Please don't rain on my parade...Although I dont want to admit that grad school will be horribley painful

[lazebum]

DO your papaer on the decline of man due to the bottom 10% of the populatation creating 40%of the population and the top 10% creating less than 5% and how that will lead to the rise in stupidity in the human race!

[Lohman446]

DO your papaer on the decline of man due to the bottom 10% of the populatation creating 40%of the population and the top 10% creating less than 5% and how that will lead to the rise in stupidity in the human race!

What set of quantitative values are you using to define who is the top 10% and who is the bottom?

[BobTheCow]

What set of quantitative values are you using to define who is the top 10% and who is the bottom?
Dude, you can't question a guy with a name like lazebum, he is clearly the supreme ruler of people-ranking.

[grEnAlEins]

oh noes, planning to go to grad school. Please don't rain on my parade...Although I dont want to admit that grad school will be horribley painful
Nah, it isn't so bad so long as you hold a genuine interest in what you are doing. Just make sure you like your field before you pursue an advanced degree in it.

[grEnAlEins]

What set of quantitative values are you using to define who is the top 10% and who is the bottom?
The bottom 10% of people are obviously the shortest 10%, as they are indeed below the other 90% :rolleyes:

[lazebum]

sEE AlIENS geTS iTS

[Lohman446]

Nice dodge. Seriously, I'd like to see how defensible your "intellectual" statement of fact is. What criteria are you using?

[BobTheCow]

sEE AlIENS geTS iTS
Are you trolling yourself? What's happening here?

[grEnAlEins]

Are you trolling yourself? What's happening here?
He was making fun of my username's "funky" capitalization, failing--in his infinite wisdom--to realize that capitalization suggests a hard vowel sound. This, for the record, was done because the more traditional "green aliens" and all thinkable standard variations were taken, not because I am a preteen attention whore.

Either that, or he forgot to sign in to his alternate screen name and really is trolling himself :tard:

[grEnAlEins]

Nice dodge. Seriously, I'd like to see how defensible your "intellectual" statement of fact is. What criteria are you using?
*It should be noted that I am sorry for giving him fodder/and out.*

[lazebum]

why do i sudenely feel like i belong in the bottom 10%

WHY OH WHY GOD, WHY!!!!

-pause for dramtic effect-

pan out start sad music.....


this is me with 48hours of sleep depervation!!!!!!!

[Lohman446]

:( Aww man, I thought this thread was going to get fun