Connecting Real-Life Issues and Writing Courses: A Few Sample Topics for Essays and Research Papers

A great way to motivate students to conduct research and to write with true enthusiasm and passion is to let them select writing prompts that relate to everyday life and occurrences, and which give them an opportunity to express their point of view. Engaging students in issues they care about, and making sure that the topics are current and up-to-date helps writers avoid the problem of cliched responses, stale statistics, and a flat emotional appeal. Further, guiding students away from cliched, standard prompts may help eliminate copying and pasting and retrieving canned papers from repositories.

1. Human Encroachment and Animal Maulings (why are so many people mauled by bears, etc each year?)

A. Opening -- an illustrative example. Show an example. Follow with a thesis statement and overview.
B. What is going on? What is the problem? Describe it. (Use current examples, and cite sources. The examples should be real. If they are composites or hypothetical examples of what could have likely occurred, be sure to mention so.)
C. What is the extent of the problem? Provide statistics and examples. (use reliable sources, and try to obtain the original statistics, not a watered down version from an excerpt or press release)
D. What are possible explanations? Provide two sides of the story. What do you think?
E. What can be done? Describe possible solutions. What are some communities doing? Do you agree? What would you do?
F. Conclusion (more than a summary) -- Restate what you believe to be the most urgent aspects of the situation, and the most pressing moral or ethical dilemmas. Discuss what you think would be the best approach.

Brown Bears in Kamchatka

2. When Pets Become Predators: What Happens when "cute" and "exotic" pets are released into the "wild" (aka the neighborhood) by their overwhelmed owners?

A. The Nightmare Scenario -- worst case situation (!) Opening -- an illustrative example. Show an example. Follow with a thesis statement and overview.
B. What is going on? What is the problem? Describe it. (Use current examples, and cite sources. The examples should be real. If they are composites or hypothetical examples of what could have likely occurred, be sure to mention so.)
C. What is the extent of the problem? Provide statistics and examples. (use reliable sources, and try to obtain the original statistics, not a watered down version from an excerpt or press release)
D. What are possible explanations? Provide two sides of the story.
E. Common responses and solutions: what are communities doing? Do you agree? why or why not?
F. Ethical Dilemmas: What are some of the issues?
G. The Ethics of the "Easy Answer" -- is the easiest, most expedient solution the most ethical one? Why or why not?
H. What might happen in the future?
I. Conclusion (more than a summary) -- Restate what you believe to be the most urgent aspects of the situation, and the most pressing moral or ethical dilemmas. Discuss what you think would be the best approach.

Pet Boa That Swallowed the Family Cat

3. The New Homelessness in America: Mortgage Crisis Consequences on Families

A. The Faces Behind the Statistics -- Did you know...? Opening -- an illustrative example. Show an example. Follow with a thesis statement and overview.
B. What is going on? What is the problem? Describe it. (Use current examples, and cite sources. The examples should be real. If they are composites or hypothetical examples of what could have likely occurred, be sure to mention so.)
C. What is the extent of the problem? Provide statistics and examples. (use reliable sources, and try to obtain the original statistics, not a watered down version from an excerpt or press release)
D. What are possible explanations? Provide two sides of the story.
E. Common responses and solutions: what are communities doing? Do you agree? why or why not?
F. Ethical Dilemmas: What are some of the issues?
G. The Ethics of the "Easy Answer" -- is the easiest, most expedient solution the most ethical one? Why or why not?
H. What might happen in the future?
I. Conclusion (more than a summary) -- Restate what you believe to be the most urgent aspects of the situation, and the most pressing moral or ethical dilemmas. Discuss what you think would be the best approach.

The New Homeless: The Mortgage Crisis and It Human Impact

4. New Homelessness in America: The Pet Face of the Crisis (Princess Chunk, etc.)

A. "Left Behind" -- and it's not a very nice place to be... if you're a cat, dog, ferret, or iguana...
Opening -- an illustrative example. Show an example. Follow with a thesis statement and overview.
B. What is going on? What is the problem? Describe it. (Use current examples, and cite sources. The examples should be real. If they are composites or hypothetical examples of what could have likely occurred, be sure to mention so.)
C. What is the extent of the problem? Provide statistics and examples. (use reliable sources, and try to obtain the original statistics, not a watered down version from an excerpt or press release) .
D. What are possible explanations? Provide two sides of the story.
E. Common responses and solutions: what are communities doing? Do you agree? why or why not?
F. Ethical Dilemmas: What are some of the issues?
G. The Ethics of the "Easy Answer" -- is the easiest, most expedient solution the most ethical one? Why or why not?
H. What might happen in the future?
I. Conclusion (more than a summary) -- Restate what you believe to be the most urgent aspects of the situation, and the most pressing moral or ethical dilemmas. Discuss what you think would be the best approach.

Princess Chunk