Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress Essay

Stress in the Workplace, Its Signs; the Key Areas of Employee Stress in the Workplace and Work-Life Balance - Essay Example This essay explores the several causes of stress in the workplace that may result in poor performance and other negative impacts in the workplace. These may include employees facing conditions of overwork, low levels of job satisfaction, job insecurity, and lack of autonomy and/or harassment in the course of work. Workplace stress has detrimental effects on the well-being of employees as well as an effect on health. Work-life balance refers to the policies that aim at achieving a greater complementary and equality or balance between work and various home responsibilities. The policies apply to all workers whether parenting or not. Lack of these policies would result in different forms of stress in the working environment. Failure to meet the work-life balance may result to stress in employees and may affect organizational performance. Individuals and organizations should be able to identify the stressors in workplace and design amicable solution to combat the issue. If there is an ea rly address on potential stressors, individuals and organizations may be able to alleviate the negative effects associated with stress. To handle the menace well, employees need to identify signs and possible stressors. On the other hand, managers need awareness on the effects of stress on employees and general performance of the company in terms of output. It is necessary for an individual to learn how to keep away from stress as it is necessary too for employers. A person who is subject to stress may show various signs. These signs may be inward or outward depending on the different people. Inward signs may consist of immediate body changes such as the change in heart rate, nausea, or vomiting. Other internal signs may include a feeling of anger, protest, frustration, guilt, embarrassment, memory loss, prolonged sleeplessness, and strange dreams. These indicate stress and require attention before affecting work and personal life. Outward signs are noticeable by colleagues and thos e in the managerial sector. They include increased smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug taking. Reduced performance, irritability, absenteeism, complaints about ill health and deteriorating relationship with colleagues may indicate stress.

Interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Interview - Assignment Example There are two types of breast cancer. One is ductal carcinoma and the other is lobular carcinoma. Ductal carcinoma is a cancer that occurs in the lining of the milk duct and is the most common type of breast cancer (National Cancer Institute, nd). This is the type of cancer that afflicted the respondent patient. Lobular carcinoma on the other hand is a breast cancer that begins in the milk glands or lobules of the breast. Breast cancer can be invasive and can spread to other areas surrounding the tissue from where it began. Breast cancer also afflict both men and women albeit it is more prevalent among women. The symptoms of breast cancer includes presence of a lump or thickening in the breast, swelling, dimpling, redness, soreness of skin, change in shape or appearance of the nipple and nipple discharge (American Cancer Society, 2010). In our respondent, the initial symptoms were a small lump in the left breast. A small discharge of blood from her nipples which could be observed from the marks in her bra. According to related literatures, genetics is a very small factor in the occurrence of breast cancer. It only composed of around 5 to 10% of all recorded cases (Wattendorf, 2012). What is more prevalent cause of breast cancer is risky lifestyle, lack of children to breastfeed, high levels of hormones and unhealthy eating habits including obesity. Of these causes, smoking tobacco has the highest risk. Long term tobacco smoking increases the risk of contracting breast cancer by as much as 35 to 50% (Miller et al., 2011). Lifestyle, could be the risk factor in the case of the respondent since she is a long-term smoker where tobacco smoking is part of her cultural background. Respondent: At first I just ignored the lumps in my breast because I did not feel any pain. Then one day, I felt pain in my left breast. It was not very painful it is tolerable. So I waited for the pain to just go away and hoped everything will be

Development Of The Modern Atomic Theory Philosophy Essay

Development Of The Modern Atomic Theory Philosophy Essay The Modern Atomic Theory states that: 1. Atoms are no longer considered indivisible or indestructible; 2. Atoms of the same element can have different weights and atoms of different elements can have the same weight; 3. Atoms are the smallest particles that take part in chemical reactions; and 4. Atoms do not always have to combine in simple ratios (Wiz IQ). The development of this theory can be contributed to the works of John Dalton, J.J. Thomson, Robert Millikan, Ernest Rutherford, Henry Moseley, Niels Bohr, Gary Motherfucking Oak, and Sir James Chadwick. John Dalton was the first scientist to propose a version of the modern atomic theory. He based his atomic theory off of ancient Greek philosophers theories on atoms, although his theory was much more accurate than theirs. Dalton did not have any experimental designs for his theory, but he did have a lot of quality research. He proposed a standard symbol for each element (right). He found that chemical elements were composed of atoms, and that the atoms in one element were all identical in weight, but atoms of different elements had different weights (Atomic Theory). John Dalton was able to prove this information because of his development of a method used to find atomic weights. He also found that atoms only combined in small whole-number ratios. This information is related to the formulation of the Law of Multiple Proportions (Historical Outline). The Law of Multiple Proportions states that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound, the mass of one element and the mass of the other element are in a ratio of small whole numbers. He created the Law of Multiple Proportions as he was experimenting with finding the atomic weights of elements (Britannica). With all of his work, John Dalton came up with his own atomic theory. It stated that 1. Matter is made up of very small, indivisible parts known as atoms; 2. Atoms of the same element are identical in every way; 3. Atoms of different elements are different in all ways; 4. When atoms of the same or different element combine they form compound atoms; 5. When combined, they do so in simple, whole-number ratios; 6. An atom is the smallest particle to have a part in chemical reactions; and 7. An atom can neither be created nor destroyed (Wiz IQ). When J.J Thomson was only 14 years when he enrolled at Owens College, Manchester. He then went on to become a Fellow of Trinity College, after that he became a professor at Cambridge. As a professor, Thomson made a few trips to America, and when he returned, he made the most brilliant discovery of his career. Thomson had discovered the electron. While he was on another trip to America, he lectured on some things he thought the structure of an atom would be (Thomson Nobel Prize). Before him, Dalton had done a lot of research with atoms, but his theory had nothing about the physical and internal structures of atoms. The evidence that led him to believe Daltons theory was not the most accurate was his own discovery of the electron, or negatively charged particles (Historical Outline). Thomson discovered the electron while experimenting with cathode rays; he concluded that a cathode ray is a stream of negatively charged particles that has a mass about 1000 times smaller than a hydrogen a tom. With this information he proposed that cathode rays are streams of particles much smaller than atoms, and that theses small particles were pieces of atoms (American Institute of Physics). In 1904, Thomson made a model of what he believed the internal structure of an atom looked like (Chemical Heritage Foundation). He called this model, Plum Pudding, because there was a positively charged bowl with negatively charged electrons in the atom that were like plums in pudding (History of Atoms). Robert Millikan grew up in rural America as the son of Reverend Silas Millikan. He attended Oberlin College. After he graduated, he taught elementary physics. He became a professor at the University of Chicago after being a teacher in every grade level. Millikan made many advancements in his career, but by far, his greatest discovery was that of the charge of an electron. Millikan determined the unit charge of the electron Thomson discovered (Millikan Nobel Prize). With the unit charge of the electron, the mass of electrons and positively charged atoms could be calculated. He found the unit charge of the electron by using his oil drop experiment. In the oil drop experiment, Millikan dropped oil drops a certain distance in air and measured how long it took the drop to fall. Then he turned on an electric field, and measured how long it took for the oil drops to rise the same distance upward. With the two times-up and down-of the oil drops, Millikan could find the mass of the drop of oi l and its total charge. Sometimes the charge of the oil drop would change and he concluded that these changes were small multiples of e, an important unit charge (Franklin). Ernest Rutherford grew up with a father who was a wheelwright and a mother who was a schoolteacher. When he was 16, Rutherford entered Nelson Collegiate School then went on to study at the University of New Zealand, where he earned a masters degree in mathematics and physics. Rutherford was awarded the Exhibition Science Scholarship, which enabled him to study at Trinity College where he would work closely with Thomson, the man who discovered the electron and found that atoms were made of electrons. Another Scientist who did work with atoms was Millikan did who found the charge of an electron; Rutherford went in depth to find a more accurate depiction of the internal structure of an atom and how the electrons play a role in its structure (Rutherford Nobel Prize). He experimented with alpha rays and concluded, with their help, that the atom was a small, heavy nucleus with electrons in orbit around it. Rutherford developed a model of this atom with a nucleus and orbiting electrons; the picture to the right is the Rutherford model. This would become the base for the model that is still accepted today (Atomic Theory). Besides stating that electrons orbit a nucleus, Rutherford also discovered the proton, which makes up the nucleus of a hydrogen atom. He found that a proton has a single positive electric charge, and that every atomic nucleus has at least one proton present. Rutherford proposed the existence of the neutron but he did not have enough factual information to prove its existence. He also proposed that all of the positive charge and all of the mass of the atom occupied a small space in the center of an atom and that most of the atom is empty space occupied by electrons (Historical Outline). Henry Moseley was raised in an educational environment. His father was a biologist and a professor of anatomy and physiology, his grandfather was also a biologist and conchologist. Moseley was awarded a scholarship to attend Eton College. After Eton College, he went to Trinity College at the University of Oxford. He then went to the University of Manchester to study under Sir Ernest Rutherford (Moseley Wikipedia). Moseley was a young scientist, who was mostly known for his work with atomic numbers and the periodic table. He experimented and found that the x-rays elements emit increase in a linear manner with each following element on the periodic table. He thought this could be directly related to the positive charge on the nucleus (Henry Moseley Wikipedia). Moseley then proved that the atomic numbers of elements were not random, but had a physical basis that could be measured. This is known as Moseleys law, and it justified many ideas in chemistry by placing the elements on the peri odic table into the correct order based on atomic number, not atomic mass (Royal Society of Chemistry). Moseleys law also justified Rutherfords view of the atom. It justified this model of the atom because the law states that the atomic number of an element is also the exact number of positive charges in the central atomic nucleus, and also Rutherfords proposal that the atom is a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons (Moseley Wikipedia). Niels Bohr also grew up in a very educational atmosphere. His father was a distinguished physiologist, and his mother came from a family in the field of education. Bohr attended Copenhagen University where he went on to study physics. After receiving his Doctors degree, Bohr studied at Cambridge, where he studied under Thomson and Rutherford. Bohr started to study the structure of atoms based on Rutherfords findings (Bohr Nobel Prize). Ernest Rutherford found that an atom is a nucleus with electrons in orbit around it, Bohr realized that his model was not entirely correct; according to physics, it should be very unstable (PBS). Bohr came up with two rules that he applied to the movement of electrons. First, he said that electrons can only orbit a certain distance away from the nucleus. Secondly, he proposed that electrons only moved in restricted, consecutive orbital shells, and that the outer, high energy orbits determined the chemical properties of different elements (History of At oms). Bohr also suggested that electrons jump from one orbital ring to another without ever being in an in-between state. Meaning that when atoms give off energy, such as light or heat, the electron will jump to a higher or lower orbit. Bohr created a model of what his evidence would look like; the picture above is the model Bohr created, it is still used today. When Bohr published this new discovery in 1913, some people did not accept it because of the basis of his information. Bohr developed his idea off of simple atoms, but the solid evidence was that his model matched up with patterns of light emitted by real hydrogen atoms (PBS). Sir James Chadwick was born on October 20, 1891. He attended Manchester High school before entering Manchester University. Chadwick graduated in 1911 from the Honors school of Physics. He actually studied under Professor Rutherford, and he would continue to work with Rutherford for some time and in the future. Chadwick then moved on to Cambridge, where he would discover the neutron. While at Cambridge, Chadwick took a look at the current atomic model and found there was something missing (Chadwick Nobel Prize). In the previous atomic model, there were no neutrons, which made the atomic model seem incomplete. Ernest Rutherford had proposed the existence of an electrically neutral particle, but was never able to prove it existed. In 1932, Sir James Chadwick discovered the neutron. He found it to be slightly heavier than the proton with a mass of 1840 electrons and have a neutral charge (Discovery of Neutron). The incredible effort and great amount of time these scientists put in to discover more about atoms and their potential is what led us to the knowledge we have today. All of their research combined resulted in the birth of the modern atomic theory.

The Racial Debate in Lumpkin’s To Make My Bread Essay -- Lumpkin Make

The Racial Debate in Lumpkin’s To Make My Bread A passage beginning on page 350 of Grace Lumpkin’s "To Make My Bread" addresses the issue of black vs. white in the world of the mill strikers. The discussion comes about as a result of a note left by those factory owners and elite overseers who acted against the strike. The message read, â€Å"Your union does not believe in white supremacy. Think about that, white people.† Obviously the goal of these words centered on the hope of playing with the emotions of the white strikers. They had always been looked down upon and scorned at by those on â€Å"Struttstreet,† who had considered mill hands to be the equivalent of ‘white trash,’ yet they still had been able to maintain the upper hand with regard to their rights and respect in comparison to the blacks of the community. The note, from the leaders of the town, serves as a means of putting down these whites again, now categorizing them as equals with a black worker. Key remarks such as â€Å"Your unio n† and the direct address to the â€Å"white people† add to the sentiment of you vs. us, only now â€Å"you† me...

Cost-effective means

There are many advantages of doing both insurance and banking with the same company. First, it is a cost-effective means of managing assets and insurance concerns, enabling consumers to save time, energy, and money spent on transactions. Second, integrated insurance and banking makes it easier for the consumer to communicate his or her needs in terms of insurance claims and appropriate payment adjustments with respect to emergency and crisis circumstances. Lastly, it enables an individual to build a deeper relationship with the bank and to better get to know its services.On the downside, doing both insurance and banking with the same company increases the risks of losing insurance payments and other assets when the company loses money from its investments or is affected by criminal activities. Although money and other deposits in a banking or insurance company are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, it only reimburses up to a predetermined amount which might be less than a consumer’s actual bank or insurance deposits.2. ) I am not as comfortable with doing my banking transactions online as with a clerk in a brick and mortar bank due to security and privacy concerns. The internet remains an unsafe platform for conducting sensitive transactions as criminals are developing techniques to capture pertinent consumer and financial data almost as fast as online banking security experts are trying to develop more sophisticated means of securing internet banking services.In the same manner, I would not be as comfortable working with an insurance agent for my banking needs as I would be with a banking clerk since I would worry about an individual having too much information about my financial status and resources. 3) Among the services that a consumer gets from a brick and mortar bank that might not be as easily provided by an online bank are automated teller machines for convenient deposit and withdrawals, and personal, in-depth consultations abo ut banking services that could be accomplished just by walking into a bank or its branch.

Research Paper and Argument Topics

1 The University Writing Center â€Å"Because writers need readers† Research Paper and Argument Topics Race and Ethnicity Gender and Sexuality Multiculturalism and Diversity Advertising and Marketing Economic Issues Environmental Issues Media Issues Consumerism and Convenience Culture TV and Film Sports and Entertainment Race and Ethnicity †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should racial profiling be a legitimate law enforcement policy in some areas? Should Affirmative Action for state university enrollment be continued?Should the primary method of public school funding (property taxes in individual school districts) be amended to create more fairness in schools? If a university offers â€Å"African-American Studies† or â€Å"Black Studies† as courses, should it also offer â€Å"European-American Studies† or â€Å"White Studies†? How do certain television programs perpetuate racial or ethnic stere otypes? Should schools only purchase textbooks that offer revised or alternative perspectives on historical events? What should be done about racial disparities in the sentencing of criminals? Should the American government pay reparations and return land to Native Americans?Should hate groups have the right to distribute literature on university campuses? If research shows that certain racial or ethnic groups receive poorer medical care on average, how should this problem be corrected? Should government organizations have staff that accurately reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender balance in society? Criminal Justice Religion The Political Process Education National/International Policies UCF Issues Civil Liberties Counter-Culture Issues Youth Issues Local Area Issues Gender and Sexuality †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What should be done to eliminate salary disparities between men and women?What should be done to create equity in executive positio ns for women in particular corporations and industries? Should women be allowed in military combat? To what extent? Is healthcare for women underfunded? In what ways? Should insurance companies that cover the cost of Viagra prescriptions also be required to cover birth control and regular examinations for women? Are homosexual characters and topics appropriate for primetime television? In what ways does gender play a role in student success and teacher attention in the classroom? Should the Equal Rights Amendment be revived and made part of the Constitution? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 ttp://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 2 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the Family and Medical Leave Act be extended beyond 12 weeks? Should prostitution be legalized? Under what conditions? How does pornography differ from prostitution? Is it contradictory that one should be legal while the other is not? Should homosexual marriage be permitted in Florida? Should homosexual couples in Florida be legally allowed to adopt? Multiculturalism and Diversity †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should English be made the official language of the United States?Should ESL students be taught content courses in their native language? Should high school history classes and social studies curricula be changed to reflect diversity and multicultural perspectives? Should Columbus Day be discontinued in favor of a new post-colonial perspective? Should Christmas, Easter, and other religious observances be considered national holidays? Should the United States have a more stringent or more relaxed immigration policy? Advertising and Marketing †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How do certain kinds of advertising perpetuate gender, racial, or religious stereotypes?How do certain kinds of advertising make claims of patriotic values? How do mass marketing and manufacturing affect originality and creativity in the arts and other fields? Does the American consumerist society conflict with democratic values? In what ways? How does advertising treat convenience as necessity? Are certain kinds of advertising unethical? Should product placement in television, film, and other media be controlled? Should product advertising and selling be permitted in public schools? Should communities retain the naming rights to baseball parks and football stadiums, or should businesses be allowed to purchase these rights?Does the modeling industry bear any responsibility to provide healthy, realistic physical role models for young women? Is the use of sexual imagery in ad campaigns unethical? Should tobacco and liquor advertising be allowed on television? Should all billboard advertising of alcohol be banned? Should tobacco and alcohol companies be allowed to use ad campaigns that could be considered child-friendly? Why are alcohol companies now allowed to advertise on television under certain conditions (after primetime, with responsible drinking messages in some ads, etc. )? Economic Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the local sales tax be increased/decreased?Should â€Å"sin taxes† on alcohol and tobacco be increased to help pay for the increasing costs of medical care? Should Florida increase the use of toll roads to pay for local road improvements? Do local power and utility companies operate as monopolies? Should purchases made over the Internet be taxable? Should the government provide financial assistance to people whose retirement funds were invested in the stock of companies that may have used unethical accounting practices (i. e. , Enron, Arthur Andersen, etc. )? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. eduW:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 3 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Argue for or against the earning potential vs. risk of investing in a certain kind of stock. Argue for or against a controversial trade tariff or tax. Many stock analysts describe the nature of today's stock market as completely different from the stock market of twenty or thirty years ago. Argue for or against this assertion. Does America have a responsibility to assist its industries financially and politically if other countries' industries receive similar assistance from their own governments?Argue for or against Federal Reserve strategies that attempt to keep inflation low. Large corporations such as Walmart and Barnes & Noble have been criticized for driving mom-and-pop shops out of business. Is this a valid criticism when considering the nature of supply and demand? A few years ago, the U. S. Mint issued a new form of dollar coin. Argue for or against the continued use of this new currency. Should the United Kingdom join other E. U. countries in converting its currency to Euros?Environmental Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should national environmental policy focus on developing more oil resources or developing renewable energy sources? Should our national energy policy focus on building more nuclear power plants? How does overseas oil dependency influence our economy and/or international policies? Should genetically engineered food be labeled differently? How do city zoning laws and ordinances affect development and conservation? Which civic policies should be changed to encourage conservation rather than new land development? Should recycling be mandatory? How should recycling efforts be funded?Should fines for littering and dumping be stronger? Should fines and penalties for corporate pollution be more punitive? Should the fuel efficiency of SUVs a nd pick-up trucks be raised? Should the government offer tax credits for the purchase of hybrid or alternative energy vehicles? Should the designations of endangered and threatened species be changed? Should loss of economic/industrial benefits be considered when land is preserved for endangered species? Should more civilian oversight be created to monitor government and military pollution? Should environmental studies become a mandatory part of science curricula in public schools?Should third-world countries be held to the same levels of pollution control as more advanced nations? Argue for or against new environmental regulation concerning a specific industry (e. g. , clear-cutting for raising cattle vs. tropical rain forest protection). Argue for a specific regulation that will make a certain business or industry more environmentally safe. Media Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ How does profit motive in media corporations influence what and how information is broadcast? What ethica l considerations or conflicts of interest exist for a corporate media news channel?How and why do certain media outlets contribute to sensationalism in news reporting? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 4 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is the Internet a positive development for news reporting? Does it represent a more democratic medium of information? How does specific media bias affect how news is interpreted and delivered? How has the conglomeration of media companies influenced radio and TV content? Do cable companies represent a monopoly?Should more customer options be available with cable television? Should cable services be offered on an a la carte system (for example, paying $40 a month for 40 channels individually chosen by the consumer)? Should a stricter rating system be im posed upon television programming? Should tabloid television be scheduled only for late night time slots? Should parental locks be optional or mandatory on televisions? Consider media influence on national political campaigns fifty or a hundred years ago in comparison with such influence today. Should new regulations be imposed to make current campaign coverage more equitable?Should music-sharing programs that facilitate piracy on the Internet be outlawed? Should websites that allow the free download of bootlegged movies be shut down? Do production companies have the right to shut down websites that allow the free download of sound or video clips from their media? Consumerism and Convenience Culture †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the official work week be shortened/extended? How is shopping an American cultural value? Which American or cultural values does the mall represent? How does the concept of consumer credit influence our econom y?How does American consumer culture deal with the concept of death? How are the values, expectations, and rituals of specific holidays such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day influenced by consumer culture? What role does product packaging play in consumerism? What role does the national debt play in consumers’ spending awareness? Consider the issue of disposable products and packaging and their impact on the marketplace as well as the environment. Argue for or against new regulation. TV and Film †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should televised sexual and violent content be censored by the government?Are mandatory ratings a form of censorship? Is there a gender-based double standard regarding nudity, sex, and ratings on television? Which values do â€Å"reality television† shows appeal to? How have they changed television viewing? What does the trend towards voyeuristic TV programs reveal about modern Americ an culture? To what extent has television as a source of entertainment changed American neighborhoods and leisure activities? Which values/philosophies/worldviews are expressed by a certain television program? What impact has 24-hour news coverage had on our TV watching habits?How has it changed our view of information? How does MTV contribute to celebrity and image-selling? How has the television as an invention changed American household and family life? Why are the TV and film industries considered so hard to break into? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 5 †¢ †¢ †¢ Because celebrities are so often in the public spotlight, do they have ethical responsibilities to set good examples for young people?In the past, the Screenwriters Guild of America has pushed for the credit â€Å"A Film By [director's name]† to be banned. Why would the SGA want this, and is this a justified request? Do scriptwriters have a right to be allowed on the set of a movie they wrote, or is this a privilege to be allowed at the discretion of the director? Sports and Entertainment †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How has the increase in ticket prices and athlete salaries negatively affected professional sports? Should professional tennis players only be able to use personalized/custom-made rackets?In World Cup soccer matches that end in ties, should penalty kicks be discarded for some other method of determining a winner? Should professional sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB establish a promotion/relegation system that rewards strong teams from lesser leagues with promotion, while relegating poor teams to a lower division? What changes, if any, should be made to NBA rules to preserve the integrity of the sport? Do celebrity athletes bear any responsibility for being role models for children? Should the instant replay remain in effect in the NFL? Should it be extended to other sports as well?Should teams with potentially offensive logos and nicknames (like the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins) change their names to be more racially sensitive? To what level should collegiate sports be funded? What is their relationship to academics? Should college athletes be paid to play? Does Title IX actually promote gender equality in college sports? Should GPA standards for college athletes be raised or more rigidly enforced? How have professional sporting events been negatively influenced by entertainment, including Jumbotrons, music, and crowd-pleasing activities?Should certain kinds of performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in different sports? Should creatine be banned from Major League Baseball? Should women be allowed to play in professional sports leagues that have no female league equi valent (NFL, NHL)? How have the four major professional American sports (baseball, basketball, football, and hockey) affected the rise of other sports such as soccer and lacrosse? How have ESPN and other media sources influenced (positively or negatively) professional sports in the last twenty years? Should communities bear all, part, or none of the burden of financing new sports arenas for professional teams?Criminal Justice †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the criminal sentencing process be reevaluated or changed because of racially unfair sentences? Which changes should be implemented to prevent prison rape? How has the proliferation of privately funded prisons changed the criminal justice system in America? Should certain non-violent crimes be punishable by fines rather than jail time? Are state-mandated â€Å"three-strikes† policies unfair? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit Ra cksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should children who commit certain crimes be treated as adults? If so, should there be a lower age limit to this policy? Are exile programs (where a criminal is sent to prison in a distant state) fair? What kinds of rights should criminals have? Which conditions of incarceration are fair? Are certain kinds of capital punishment cruel and unusual? Should capital punishment be suspended because of racial disparities? Should capital punishment be suspended because of the chance of executing an innocent person? Should prison be punitive or rehabilitative in nature?Now that genetic/DNA evidence is admissible in court, should controversial closed cases be re-opened? If someone has already been executed, should his or her case be re-opened under certain circumstances? Should some kind of reparation be made to the fami lies of the wrongfully accused? Should there be a limit to the number of death row appeals that can be made? Presuming that capital punishment is allowable, what types of crimes should this apply to? Only murder? Treason? Is society's obligation to simply remove a criminal from society, to actually punish the criminal for crime, or a combination of both?Considering this, what is the purpose of the death penalty in America today? Should the legal requirements for obtaining a search warrant be changed? If an officer finds something that s/he was not looking for (e. g. , narcotics in an automobile that was being searched for firearms), why should or shouldn't the officer have the right to take the accused into custody? Consider the issue of â€Å"reasonable suspicion† in your discussion. Why are lawyers stereotyped as sharks? Is this a fair representation, and if not, why is it so prevalent? Many consider today's justice system to be too slow.What improvements could be made to e xpedite the system without sacrificing due process? Some states have harsher penalties than others for drunk driving. Consider the policies of a particular state and argue for a change in the penalties. Define â€Å"terrorist. † Under what circumstances, if any, is â€Å"terrorism† acceptable? Should terrorists be tried in a military or civil court? When tried in our court system, should the citizens of other countries have the same rights as citizens of the United States? Argue for or against an amendment to the statute of limitations for a particular crime. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Religion †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What, if anything, should constitute acceptable â€Å"prayer† or moments of silence in public schools? Should religious schools be required to teach health/sexual education from a non-religious perspective? Should religious phrases be removed from American money? Should government provide faith-based organizations with funds to help the needy? Should evolution be the official curricular focus of public schools regarding human origin? Should faith-based organizations be given tax exempt status by the government, even if the organization does not provide any concrete services for the needy (food, shelter, etc. )?Should the Orlando-based Holy Land theme park be given tax exempt status because it is run by a faith-based organization? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 7 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is the government justified in denying the Wiccan religion tax-exempt status because it fails to meet one of the government regulations in defining a religion – that of congregating at a regularly scheduled time and place? How has the role of the Catholic Church been affected by the recent accusations of sexual abuse by pri ests?Argue for a specific change in church policy regarding these crimes. Are public school winter holidays still generally organized around Christian holidays rather than those of any other religions? Argue for or against a change in policy. On campus, faith-based organizations can receive funds as part of a club. Does this follow the separation of church and state? Should Christmas, Easter, and other religious observances be considered national holidays? The Political Process †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the Electoral College be discarded in favor of a simple popular vote in presidential elections?Do alternative political parties in America receive fair treatment during elections? Should third party candidates be allowed to participate in national debates? How do the media help or hinder third parties? Should they receive equal and free airtime on major networks? Should the campaign f inancing system be reformed? Should presidential candidates be barred from spending their own money for their campaigns? What is the relationship between personal campaign finance and free speech? Should terms of senators and congressmen be further limited?Should a national form of health care be created, or should health care remain a private industry? Examine the historical reversal of the value systems of Republicans and Democrats. Should a particular Congressional District be reallocated? Argue for a policy change that would make the American democratic process more efficient. Are checks and balances a crucial element in American government? Does this process work as it was originally intended? Has the executive branch of the American government gained too much power in the last fifty years? Cite specific examples in your argument.How has/will new technologies like the Internet change the political process? How can the voting process in national elections be made less confusing? Education †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is standardized state or national testing (such as the FCAT or SAT) helping or hurting American schools? Is the current system of public school funding (primarily through property taxes) unfair? Does it contribute to inequality in the public school system? Should tracking be used in determining courses for public school children? Should magnet and charter schools be encouraged or discouraged?Should the system of busing students to school be amended? Should local school districts be redrawn to create schools that are more equal? Should federal school vouchers be used at religious schools? How does the separation of church and state apply to this issue? Consider the needs of a teacher's salary vs. the realities of the funding schools now have. Argue for a change in education budget allocation. Do teachers in classrooms of thirty or forty children accomplish their intended tasks as educators? Should they be expected to? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. ah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 8 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Some standardized tests scores factor in to how much money a school will receive in the next fiscal year. Is this an ethical way to demand accountability from a school, or does this further punish lower-performing schools? Consider the benefits and drawbacks of a home-school education vs. a public school education. Conservatives, liberals, and radicals all have different ideas about the purposes of a public education.Research several perspectives and argue for or against a particular viewpoint. How necessary are the arts in the public school system? Argue for or against a change in funding for a particular district. National/International Policy †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ In which situations, hyp othetical or actual, is U. S. military intervention in other countries justifiable? In which situations is it not? Does the threat of terrorism warrant the suspension or curtailment of civil liberties? What policy should the American government have towards international political crises? To the Middle East?To Israel? To Tibet? What should our policy be towards trade with China? Should the United States support the expansion of NATO to include the Baltic states? Should mandatory military service be required for all men and women in America? What are the ethics involved when considering the separation of powers and allowing a Presidential Line Veto? Is shuttle diplomacy a better alternative to gunboat diplomacy in the modern world? Consider the CIA's pre-September 11th policy of non-assassination and its post-September 11th policy of pro-assassination. Argue for or against this new stance.Does the United States have a right to preemptively protect itself from terrorist attacks by att acking nations accused of sponsoring terrorism? Not considering the United States, what is the most powerful nation on the planet? Explain the criteria used in making this judgment. Should the United States change its policies on educating foreign nationals and issuing student visas? UCF Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What is the best solution to the parking issues on the UCF campus? Should the GEP (General Education Program) be changed? What courses should be added or dropped?Should the composition program at UCF be changed? How? Should the course be worth a different number of credits? Is the concept of UCF as a â€Å"metropolitan university† a good idea for the future of the school? Should Greek Park expansion take place, even if it means developing environmentally delicate areas? Is corporate funding of university research a good idea? Should public universities have the right to sell the names of campus buildings to corporations? Argue for or against the UCF football program joining the MAC. Should UCF fund the men's basketball team more heavily?Should UCF devise a different scheduling method for classes held in modules and portable trailers? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 9 †¢ †¢ †¢ Should the â€Å"tradition† of not stepping on the Pegasus symbol in the Student Union be reevaluated? Argue for or against more university funding for student services such as the Student Academic Resource Center and the University Writing Center. What purpose does the campus newspaper serve, and how well does it achieve its purpose?Civil Liberties †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should people between the ages of 18 and 20 be allowed to drink adult beverages that contain a lowered alcohol content? Should legal hemp produ ction be reassessed by the Florida legislature? Under which conditions (if any) should medical marijuana use be legal? Under what rationale have some states gone against federal regulations and fought to allow medical marijuana use? Do terrorist attacks justify any suspension of civil liberties in the name of national safety? Should prison sentences for non-violent â€Å"victimless† crimes be commuted to community service or alternative methods of punishment?Is there such a thing as a â€Å"victimless crime†? What rights do airplane passengers give up by allowing themselves to be checked before boarding? Argue for or against a specific passenger check policy. What rights do people lose when on public school property? Is the suspension of these rights valid? Proponents of a lowered drinking age sometimes note the disparity between the draft age (18) and the legal-drinking age (21). Argue for or against the validity of this comparison. Counter-Culture Issues †¢ â₠¬ ¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Should people under eighteen years of age be required to have parental permission to get tattoos and piercings?Is ear piercing of children of a certain age child abuse? Should rave clubs have limits on their operating hours? Why have recent raves been shut down in the Orlando area? Was this action justified? Do owners of raves have a right to operate a business that can be potentially harmful to youth? Youth Issues †¢ Should the minimum age for attaining a driver's license be increased? Should this be a national standard? †¢ Should the mandatory age for quitting school be raised or lowered, or is the current age of sixteen justified? †¢ Should computer skills be a fundamental part of education curricula?Local Area Issues †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What kind of public transportation system would be best for Orlando? Would light or high speed rail best serve the interests of Orlando residents? Should local zoning restrictions be changed to encourage community development? How do current zoning restrictions limit or control growth? Should police patrol the University Drive area more stringently? Should regular speed traps be a part of this patrol? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14 0 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ How does traffic light timing influence traffic in the UCF area? Should traffic light patterns be recalibrated to help reduce congestion? Should Alafaya Trail be expanded to four lanes from McCollough Road through Oviedo? Should off-campus UCF housing be restricted because of conflicts with local neighborhoods? Are the policies of local apartment complexes fair? How should they be changed? Should new development in the Orlando area face more stringent environmental considerations? Should carpool restriction s be placed on certain Orlando highways for certain times of the day?Should Orlando campaign for a professional baseball team? A professional football team? Would having a professional basketball team contribute to the prestige of the city? How does tourism in Central Florida affect local communities? Should legalized gambling in the form of casinos be considered as an economic boost to this area? Should dancers be allowed to perform nude in local establishments? UWC at UCF (407) 823-2197 http://uwc. cah. ucf. edu W:UWC ArchiveUWC BackupUWCHANDOUTSPublic HandoutsLit Not on Lit RacksResearch Paper and Argument Topics NEW. docx Jun-14