PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY RESEARCH CENTER

CONTEMPORARY TOPICS LIST

Abortion Environmentalism National Security
Adoption Ethnic Relations Nuclear Weapons
Affirmative Action Euthanasia Nutrition
AIDS (Disease) Family Oceans
Alcoholism Family Relations Political Corruption
Animal Rights Feminism Pollution
Assisted Suicide Gambling Population Growth
Athletes Gangs Pornography
Bioethics Genetic Engineering Poverty
Biological Weapons Genocide Prisons
Birth Control Global Warming Public Assistance
Capital Punishment Gun Control Race Relations
Censorship Hate Crimes Racism
Chemical Weapons Health Insurance Rape
Child Abuse Health Care Reform Religion
Church And State Homelessness Renewable Energy
Civil Rights Homosexuality Right of Privacy
Cloning Human Rights School Violence
Crime Illegal Immigrants Sex Education
Crime Victims Intelligent Design Sexual Behavior
Death Internet Smoking
Divorce Iraq Social Security
Domestic Violence Islamic Fundamentalism Stem Cells
Drinking (Alcoholic Beverages) Juvenile Alcoholism Suicide
Driving While Intoxicated Juvenile Drug Abuse Teenage Pregnancy
Drug Abuse Juvenile Offenders Teenage Sexual Behavior
Drug Traffic Marijuana Terrorism
Drugs And Athletes Marine Resources Conservation United States Foreign Relations
Eating Disorders Media Violence Violence
Education Medical Care War Crimes
Elderly Medical Ethics Water Pollution
Emigration and Immigration Mental Disorders Welfare Reform
Employment Mental Health Women
Endangered Species Middle East Women's Rights
Environmental Policy Narcotics Control Working Women
Narcotics Legalization Youth

WH ERE TO SEA RCH:

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Book Series
Taking Sides Library Databases:
Pro/Con Facts.com (Issues & Controversies)
Opposing Viewpoints Gale (Opposing Viewpoints)
Proquest
POWER Library
 SAMPLE RESEARC H QUESTIONS TO GUID E RESEARCH
TS=Taking Sides; OV=Opposing Viewpoints; PC=Pro/Con
A meric an Forei gn Polic y
1. Should the United States force democracy upon other nations?
2. Does United States foreign aid harm other nations and/or the U.S.?
3. Should a permament UN military force be established? (TS: World Politics)
4. Should China be condemned as a violator of human rights? (TS: World Politics)
5. Will European unification strengthen Europe?
6. Did the Persian Gulf War weaken the U.S.?

A meric an His tor y

*The following topics are discussed in TS: American History

1. Was the Salem Witchcraft hysteria caused by a fear of women?

2. Was the Mexican War an exercise in American imperialism?
3. Have historians overemphasized the slavery issue as a cause of the Civil War?
4. Was the New Deal an effective answer to the Great Depression?
5. Was it necessary to drop the atomic bomb at the end of World War II?
6. Did the antiwar movement prolong the war in Vietnam?

Biome dic al Ethics

1. Is surrogate mothering a valuable service? (TS: Family and Personal Relationships)

2. Should humans be allowed to receive animal organ transplants?
3. Should HIV-infected surgeons be allowed to operate? (TS: Bioethical Issues)
4. Should newborns without brains be used as organ donors? (TS: Bioethical Issues)
5. Is electroconvulsive therapy safe? (TS: Psychological Issues)
6. Should post-menopausal women become pregnant?
7. Could genetic screening of embryos harm society? (PC)

Censors hip

1. Should flag burning be banned? (Also: TS: Legal Issues)

2. Are stronger child pornography laws needed? (OV Database)
3. Should "hate speech" be tolerated? (Only in TS: Moral Issues, Political Issues)
4. Should video games be censored? (PC; TS; OV)

Mass Me di a

1. Does media violence contribute to society's violence? (TS: Mass Media and Society;)
2. Is subliminal persuasion a threat? (TS: Psychological Issues)
3. Is television harmful for children? (TS: Mass Media and Society)

Male/Fem ale R oles; Wo rkin g Wo men

4. Do working parents harm children?

5. Does day care harm children?
6. Has women's increased participation in the work force harmed society?
7. Are women victims of discrimination in the workplace?
8. Is sexual harassment in the workplace exaggerated?
9. Should women serve in military combat? (TS: Gender Studies)

For more ideas, visit: http://valencia.cc.fl.us/lrcwest/kaysmith.html