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 * Have fun exploring ideas, reading, and selecting your topic!
 * Be sure to talk with Mr. French, Mrs. Giljames, or Mrs. McNeer as you work through the possibilities.

Some Guidelines for Choosing a Topic

 * 1) **Choose a serious topic, one** **deserving of research****.** In other words, choose a topic worthy of the attention of students, faculty, and guests who will listen to your speech. Hint: something intellectually meaty is often a good choice!
 * 2) **Choose a topic (or an approach to a topic) that is** **new to you and your family**; you won’t get the full benefit of the process if you’re mostly recycling ideas and information you already have.
 * 3) **Choose a topic** **you feel deeply interested in or passionate about**; you will research and work with it for much of this year during the term paper and the speech processes.
 * 4) **Remember that you’re entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts.** As a researcher, //you are a **juror** exploring your topic with an open mind, NOT an advocate arguing a particular position//. Be prepared to change or modify your preliminary ideas and feelings.
 * 5) **Topics covered within the past two years may __not__ be used this year.** Talk with Mr. French or Mrs. Giljames if you have or want ideas for exploring a different aspect of a topic that has been used. [|List of last two years' topics.]
 * 6) **Consideration of all those within our community may make some topics unacceptable for purposes of the term paper and speech**. Ultimately, when the term paper informs your speech, our audience will range from those barely out of lower school to grandparents. Avoid topics promoting or denouncing religious views; those focusing on celebrities (sports, entertainment, royalty) without sufficient academic merit; those exploring sensational topics or which concern pseudo-science such as conspiracy theories, paranormal phenomena, UFOs, the occult, astrology; or those advocating or denouncing positions on inflammatory issues.
 * 7) A suggestion: **brainstorm many ideas**, then narrow your choices to 3 or 4. Research a little on each--this is a legitimate use for Wikipedia! See which one seems the most "meaty" and avoid any that appear to be dead ends.
 * 8) **See Mr. French and Mrs. Giljames for final topic approval.**


 * Use Good Sources **

Be sure your potential sources pass the C.R.A.P. test. To save time later, annotate/save/copy preliminary sources that look valuable and record citation information. Download this PDF for instructions on annotating nonfiction reading selections: []
 * For a description of the CRAP test, download this PDF: []
 * Youtube demonstration of basic source evaluation: []
 * Practice Exercise: []

= Where to Look for Topic Ideas and Basic Information =

1. Books, magazines, and newspaper articles on display in the Upper Library. Use the catalog if you already have specific subjects in mind.

2. Websites which offer lists of topics by categories; some provide pro-con information. The most complete is NC Live's "CQ Researcher." To access NCLive's CQ Researcher,

You may browse CQ Researcher Online by Topic, Date, Pro/Con, or Issue Tracker. BE SURE to check the dates of reports so you only use those with current information and resources. For a good example of how to organize information, select a topic and review all the links.
 * get your public library card number and go to []
 * Select "Current Issues"
 * Select "CQ Researcher"
 * Select "Forsyth County Public Library" ** --Key in your public library card number ** and you're there!

See also ProCon.Org which includes info on many topics. And here's a list of argumentative writing topics that might help you to think of a great topic to pursue:
 * []
 * []
 * []

3. Wikipedia and some blogs may also be helpful; just remember that you must try to identify the facts, opinions, and propaganda in ALL your sources. Each source should pass the CRAP test.

4. National newspapers, TV/cable news broadcasts and their websites. Sometimes you can listen to/watch a report and download a transcript to read/annotate at the same time.
 * http://www.usatoday.com/
 * http://www.washingtonpost.com/
 * http://nytimes.com/

Explore also National Public Radio (NPR): @http://www.npr.org/, especially Morning Edition - @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3 - and All Things Considered - @http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2

> @http://www.pbs.org/ > @http://www.pbs.org/topics/news-politics/
 * Public Broadcasting (PBS):

> Newshour: @http://www.pbs.org/newshour/ > Diane Rehm -[| http://thedianerehmshow.org/]
 * Discussion programs that feature in-depth discussion and/or bring together various viewpoints :
 * Charlie Rose - []

= = =** 5. Browse subject links in the frame to the right! **=
 * British Broadcasting (BBC): @http://news.bbc.co.uk/
 * Aljazeera English: @http://america.aljazeera.com/
 * Science News: []
 * Science Daily: []
 * Science Friday: []
 * Marketplace.org: @http://www.marketplace.org