My two online Child Development classes are underway. I have to come up with a topic for a "controversial position paper." Maybe you guys can help me choose between a few topics. For the assignment, I have to pick a topic and then play "devil's advocate," arguing both sides of an issue and not revealing where I stand until the summary paragraph. Naturally, I want to pick a topic that touches on autism in some way because, obviously, it's relevant to my interests.
Okay, here are three topics I'm considering:
1) Future terminations of pregnancies due to a possible prenatal test for autism.
2) When, if at all, should medication be considered for children with autism?
3) Something about technology and autism, maybe invasive treatments like brain probes, or something like that that could be potentially controversial. Any ideas? I have to cite about four sources, so I can't pick a topic that is too obscure. Maybe the subject of "Should people with autism be 'cured'?" But I don't know if that topic would be scientific enough, it's more of an editorial topic whose answer is both "yes" and "no, autism is part of who my child is."
I agree the first one would
I agree the first one would most definitely be the most controversial. I hate women who terminate because of Down Syndrome, ok I hate all abortions anyways, but I know some women would be so happy for baby even one less than perfect. And how can you test for the severity of the Autism? For all you know you may be aborting the savant who would find the cure for AIDS
I really like the last point
I really like the last point you make!
I once saw a comic, it was
I once saw a comic, it was this man on a hill yelling to a cloud saying why have you not given us cures for aids and such and in the next frame was a finger pointing down. It read, I did and you aborted them all...
I really do not support Obama's abortion plans, but I think it would have eventually happened no matter who was president. I like how he froze the salaries of these people in the white house who already make 100 grand. And I really like his Autism Plan.
Personally, I am neutral
Personally, I am neutral about abortion.
I am earning my degree
I am earning my degree online right now as well. I had to take a similar writing class. I actually enjoyed doing a project such as this. It forces you to look at both sides of an issue.
I think number one would probably get most people's blood boiling. hehe
TODD you're a babe with that
TODD you're a babe with that goatee lol.
Yeah, I want to pick a topic
Yeah, I want to pick a topic that I can put some heart into. My husband thinks I should try to pick a topic where the research could still benefit us personally in the future, which wouldn't be genetic testing. But still, I do have a lot of opinions about that topic.
The only other topic that I can think of that might remotely benefit us in the future is stem cell therapy for autism. That's not TOO controversial since it's not fetal [brain] stem cell therapy but cells from adult skin. Now, THAT is a controversial topic: The sale of skin. Should burn victims, including children, die because the sale of skin is often reserved for lucrative cosmetic surgery? Wait, I don't think I phrased that question in a neutral way...
How about inoculations?
How about inoculations?
Oh, that's like shooting
Oh, that's like shooting fish in a barrel. Too easy! LOL
EXACTLY lol......... an easy
EXACTLY lol......... an easy A.
Sounds interesting - you are
Sounds interesting - you are a busy girl. Why not make a trip to the library and glance through some of the resources they have before choosing a topic? That way you won't stick yourself with a topic on which you have only limited appropriate information available to you.
One topic that seems to be getting some attention (based on some of the articles Todd and you have put up lately) is how the research funding should be split between genetics and environmental cause studies.
Perz
Thanks, that's a good topic,
Thanks, that's a good topic, too, autism research dollars. Actually, that could be tied in with the future pregnancy termination topic. Because what is all of this genetic testing for but to either have people decide to have or not to have children based on their risk factors OR to decide wether or not to terminate existing pregnancies.
That's good advice, going to the college library. Luckily, it is an online class offered through a local junior college. I don't think I would get quite as far in my reserach at the county or city library. It's just that it's such a pain to get figure out the parking situation on campus. Uhg, I'll have to leave my house... :)
Not necessarily. Does your
Not necessarily. Does your registration give you access to the college's e-library (or equivalent).
Most college libraries up here are subscribing to many of the academic journals online and providing at home access via your library card and a login to the system somehow. It's in these journals that you're going to find most of the medical studies, psyche studies, behavioral studies, and stats that you'll need to support both sides of the issues with more than just everyone's opinions. Increasingly, the university libraries are subscribing to e-book providers, too. You "borrow" a book file for a certain period by downloading it right to your computer. The file has a block in it that renders the file inaccessible after the library lending period is over (say 2 weeks from the date it was downloaded).
I would think a college that offers online courses would have a fairly extensive e-library component - so check it out, girl and maybe you won't have to worry about the parking issue :D