WebText - Table of Contents and Syllabus

Topics for Research 190 - Information Literacy

Your name will be posted along side the topic you select.   Questions or comments, please call or e-mail me.  Click here to check the bottom of this page for topics submitted by students.

Red names indicate the 9:30 AM section.  

Blue names indicate the 11:00 AM section.

1. Is there a relationship between automobile emissions and global warming?  Are federal guidelines for auto pollution too lenient or too strict?     Revision - What is the relationship between automobile emissions and global warming?  Are federal guidelines for auto pollution too lenient or too strict?
     

2. What are the personality characteristics of persons with addictions?

 

3. Create a biographical paper on Franz Liszt.  Describe his impact on his contemporaries and on subsequent generations of pianists.

 

4. Create a plan for building strength in athletes who also need to maintain flexibility and speed.  Explain the physiological reasoning behind the plan.

 

5. What is the future of American-Russian relations?  Can the two countries become allies?  What is the history of the relationship since the fall of the Soviet Union? 

    5A.  How have girls and women traditionally been portrayed in the mass media?  How are they portrayed
            now?  What people, actions and events have changed mass media's views? 

6. What is Mad Cow Disease?  How big is the threat to public health, and what can be done to prevent its spread?

 

7. What role did Winchester, Virginia play in the development of George Washington as a citizen, soldier, and political leader?

 

    8.   What role does clothing play in creating our identity?
   

9. Who was Huey Long and what impact did he have on national politics in the 1920s and 1930s?

 

10. Which is the best way to stimulate a lagging economy - tax breaks for the wealthy, or tax breaks for the middle and working classes?  Why?

 

11. Create a biographical paper on Benjamin Britten.  Describe his impact on his contemporaries.

 

12. What role does nutrition play in strength training?  Create a sample diet for a two week period.

 

13. Investigate the bio-mechanics of punting and place kicking.  Develop a strategy for both which will help the athlete maximize his distance, accuracy, and consistency.  Provide this information to the football coaching staff and Shenandoah University.

  

14. What impact has the building of hydroelectric dams had on salmon populations in the western United States and Canada?  Should hydroelectric dams be removed from rivers to improve salmon habitat, or could other methods be used to accomplish the goal of elevating salmon populations?

 

15. Compare and contrast the works of Stravinsky, Hindemith, and Prokofiev.

 

16. What are the physical problems of runners?  What are the best alternatives for those people who cannot tolerate running, but want to maintain excellent cardio-vascular fitness?

 

17. Who is Sojourner Truth and what role did she play in the civil rights movements for women and African Americans?

 

18. How widespread is the use of genetically engineered food, and are genetically altered foods a risk to human health?

 

19. Is the United States doing an adequate job of educating Americans to fill high tech jobs in the computing and communications industries? 

 

20. Will water shortage crises plague the 21^st century in the United States?  What should be done to prevent shortages of drinking water? 

 

21. How did the Soviet government encourage musical and dance creativity in a totalitarian political system?

 

22.  Is lycopene an anti-oxident?  How do anti-oxidents prevent cancer? 

 

23. Is the earned income tax credit an effective way to move poor Americans from welfare to work?

 

24. Has the Communications Deregulation Act of 1996 encouraged too much consolidation in news media?  What are the implications of this consolidation in terms of preparing Americans to become effective citizens in a democracy?

 

25. What can be done to protect our national parks and yet provide access to all Americans?

 

26. Has there been an increase in police abuse of citizens nationally?  What should be done alleviate this problem?

 

27. Does the United States depend too heavily on oil as an energy source?  What are the best alternatives?

 

28. Should government subsidize the purchase of computers and Internet access for the poor?

 

29. Do endangered species laws place an unfair burden on businesses?

 

30. Should stem cells be used in medical research?  What are the key ethical issues?

 

31. Why do Islamic Fundamentalists hate America?  What policies should the United States pursue to work toward better relations with Islamic nations?

 

32. Should courts allow more religious expression in public schools?  Why or why not?  Discuss the key Constitutional issues.

 

33. What role did the African Methodist Episcopal Church play in the civil rights movement?

 

34. What was the Trail of Tears?  Was the United States government fair in its dealings with Native Americans in the 19^th century?

 

35. Will faith-based initiatives in prisons help reform inmates?  Is government funding of religious groups constitutional? 

   36.   What is the cause of Lassa Fever?  What are its characteristic symtoms and how is it
           treated?  Does the latest research provide hope that a cure is imminent?     

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Topics Suggested by Students/Professors
 

1.  What impact, if any, did the Masonic Lodge have on George Washington as a leader?  How was this reflected in his role as a military and political leader?

2.  How does altitude effect the biodiversity; a comparative study of the mountain chains of Mexico starting at the Paso de Cortez and the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.

3.  Who is Archbishop Desmond Tutu and what impact has he had on his country, his religion, and the world?

4.  Describe the Modern Islamic movement in Pakistan, Jami'a al Islami.  What makes it unique - different from other movements?

5.  Who was George Berkeley?  What historical and social events shaped his beliefs?  Provide historical context which will help to explain his philosophy and "thinking habits."

6.  What functions do esters play in environmental chemistry?  Can clay be substituted for acetic acid to produce esters which would be both safer and more cost effective?

7.  "Does the effect of athletic training and academic stresses cause the rise of salivary IGA levels in female soccer athletes which result in upper respiratory infection?"

8.  Create a biographical paper on Langston Hughes.  Describe his impact on his contemporaries.

9.  Due to the recent interest in King Tut, I want to look in depth what is being done to study his mummy. What new things that are found about how he died and why. What will become of his mummy will it stay in its tomb or will it be moved?  I also want to look into the Curse of King Tut.

10.  How will Senator Allen (R-VA) act as President of the United States based on an analysis of previous presidential personalities?

11.  What are current trends in juvenile delinquency - is it increasing or decreasing?  What can be done to reduce and/or prevent it?

12.  Everyone knows what "good" Abe Lincoln did during the civil war, but what decisions did he take which were wrong?  Why were these decisions made, and what impact did they have on the war and its aftermath?

13.  How are men and women portrayed differently in advertising?

14.  Does money really win championships?  Does $164 million dollars = champions of the league, or champions of the payroll?  Has the New York Yankees payroll really changed much since 1977?  Michael Rice might have that answer.

15.  What is the female triad?  What are appropriate methods for prevention, identification, and treatment of the female athlete triad?

16.  What are the problems associated with industrialized farming?  Should the government more closely regulate them?  What solutions are available to solve problems associated with industrial agriculture?    

17.  Union versus non-union workplaces.  Provide historical background and determine the advantages and disadvantages for workers. 

18.  Why do Islamic fundamentalists hate America?  Do non-fundamentalist Muslims feel the same way?  What policies should the United States pursue to work toward better relations with Muslim nations?

19.  Explain the physiology of a torn ACL.  Can these injuries be repaired so that an athlete can return to a pre-injury activity level?  What type of exercise is necessary to facilitate recovery?

20.  The history of Germany from 1945 to reunification.

21.  What was Benjamin Franklin's view of women?

22.  What is Total Quality Management (TQM) and what impact does TQM  have on the ethics and moral conduct of businesses which adopt these practices?

23.  Is it possible for a convicted felon to be placed back into society without any recurring problems.  That it - can recidivism be eliminated in paroled felons?

24.  How is digestion affected by stress?  Can exercise be beneficial to the digestive system?

25.  What is the definition of emotional depression?  Are there various types of depression?  What causes it, what are its symtoms, and what can be done to prevent it?

26.  What "fat loss" supplements are on the market?  Are they effective?  Should they be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and if so why?

27.  What are the migratory habits of waterfowl found on the main campus at Shenandoah University?  Have the migratory habits of these and other waterfowl been changing?  If so how and why?

28.  What are naturally occurring medicinal plants and herbs have antibacterial properties?  How is this determination made?

29.  What are the historical roots of the Baha'i faith?  What is the world view, and how does it apply to this religion?

30.  Is there evidence that behavior standards and disciplinary measures are different for college student athletes?  Division one lacrosse players will be the focus of this examination.

31.  Limitations of social class in Sister Carrie, The Great Gatsby, and Light in August.

32.  Who was Maria Montessori?  What contributions did she make in the field of education?

33.  Is profit a factor in news coverage?  If profit is a factor, how does it influence the coverage of collegiate sports and student athletes?

34.  "Childhood in Poverty"  A study to compare the levels of poverty in the United States, Europe, and third world countries.

35.  How often are defendants wrongly convicted in death penalty cases?  This study will examine the evidence leading to the Illinois moratorium on executions.

36.  What went wrong for Republican candidates in the 2006 midterm Congressional elections?  Did the American voter finally realize the enormity of the waste, fraud, corruption, and venality (capable of betraying honor, duty, or scruples for a price; corruptible) of Republican control?  What must the Republicans do to reclaim Congress? 

37.  The School Commitment Scale in a survey instrument which helps social scientistists understand the level of loyalty or satisfaction a student perceives regarding their school.  What specific information can be learned from a survey of current first year English students, and what are the implications for policy changes for the Shenandoah University administration based upon this information?

38.  How widespread are the use of steroids among college athletes?  What are the primary health implications of using steroids, and assuming they cause adverse health effects, what should be done to reduce their use?

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