Term Paper TopicsTerm Paper Topics

2009-20102009-2010

Roller CoastersRoller Coasters

HistoryHistory DesignDesign Safety ConcernsSafety Concerns

Did you know?Did you know? The longest roller coaster The longest roller coaster

is the Steel Dragon 2000, is the Steel Dragon 2000, located at Nagashima Spa located at Nagashima Spa Land in Japan.Land in Japan.

-RCDB.com-RCDB.com

The Social Networking The Social Networking PhenomenonPhenomenon

Sudden rise in popularitySudden rise in popularity Time waster, or Time waster, or

untapped potential?untapped potential? MarketingMarketing

Did you know?Did you know? There are 94,748,820 There are 94,748,820

people with Facebook people with Facebook accounts in the U.S.accounts in the U.S.

-Checkfacebook.com-Checkfacebook.com

Nikola TeslaNikola Tesla

Supposedly invented the Supposedly invented the light bulb before Edisonlight bulb before Edison

Died penniless, gaining Died penniless, gaining credit for his credit for his groundbreaking work in groundbreaking work in science, mathematics science, mathematics and the study of and the study of electricity and radio electricity and radio waves only years after waves only years after his deathhis death

Did you know?Did you know? Nikola Tesla ‘s mother Nikola Tesla ‘s mother

was also an inventor.was also an inventor. - TeslaSociety.com- TeslaSociety.com

Art/Music TherapyArt/Music Therapy

Scientific ResearchScientific Research EffectivenessEffectiveness MethodsMethods

Did you know?Did you know? Art therapy programs Art therapy programs

have been used to treat have been used to treat veterans suffering from veterans suffering from PTSD.PTSD.

-ArtTherapy.org-ArtTherapy.org

Universal HealthcareUniversal Healthcare

Opposing viewsOpposing views Possible SolutionsPossible Solutions ImplicationsImplications Where does it leave the Where does it leave the

middle class?middle class?

Research tip:Research tip: If you pick this topic, you If you pick this topic, you

should be ready to scour should be ready to scour the news weekly to stay the news weekly to stay current. Beware of bias!current. Beware of bias!

Airline SafetyAirline Safety

Pilot trainingPilot training Aging aircraftAging aircraft Work conditionsWork conditions Anti-terrorist measuresAnti-terrorist measures

Did you know?Did you know? More than 50% of all More than 50% of all

plane crashes are caused plane crashes are caused by pilot error.by pilot error.

-PlaneCrashInfo.com-PlaneCrashInfo.com

Military SuicidesMilitary Suicides

CausesCauses Are they on the rise?Are they on the rise? What is the American What is the American

military doing about it?military doing about it?

Did you know?Did you know? Nearly 130 confirmed Nearly 130 confirmed

suicides occurred in thesuicides occurred in the U. S. Army alone last U. S. Army alone last

year?year? -NYTimes.com-NYTimes.com

Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso

LifeLife CubismCubism Value of his artworkValue of his artwork

Did you know?Did you know? Pablo Picasso’s father Pablo Picasso’s father

was an art teacher.was an art teacher. -Artchive.com-Artchive.com

Recovered vs. False Recovered vs. False MemoryMemory

Brain research and Brain research and evidenceevidence

Case studiesCase studies Also known as Also known as

Confabulatory Confabulatory HypermnesiaHypermnesia

Research tip:Research tip: Science journals from a Science journals from a

database are the best database are the best place to get reliable case place to get reliable case study reports.study reports.

““Living off the Grid”Living off the Grid”

Environmental and Environmental and agricultural effectsagricultural effects

LifestyleLifestyle Expenses and other Expenses and other

costscosts

Did you know?Did you know? As of 2006, As of 2006, Home Power Home Power

estimated that over estimated that over 180,000 American homes 180,000 American homes provided their own power.provided their own power.

--HowStuffWorks.comHowStuffWorks.com

CinemaCinema

HistoryHistory Alternatives: Video Alternatives: Video

Streaming, Netflix, etc.Streaming, Netflix, etc. Future?Future?

Did you know?Did you know? The film The film Don Juan Don Juan

(Warner Bros., 1926) was (Warner Bros., 1926) was the first movie with sound.the first movie with sound.

-FilmSite.org-FilmSite.org

What’s in your Makeup What’s in your Makeup Bag?Bag?

Questionable ingredientsQuestionable ingredients Federal RegulationFederal Regulation Health risksHealth risks Hey guys, it may be time to Hey guys, it may be time to

axe your Axe: Your cologne, axe your Axe: Your cologne, body wash, and shaving body wash, and shaving cream aren’t regulated, either! cream aren’t regulated, either!

Did you know?Did you know? The average adult uses 9 The average adult uses 9

personal hygiene products personal hygiene products daily, with 126 separate daily, with 126 separate chemical ingredients.chemical ingredients.

-CosmeticsDatabase.com -CosmeticsDatabase.com

H. L. HunleyH. L. Hunley

Confederate submarine Confederate submarine was the first sub to sink was the first sub to sink an enemy ship in battlean enemy ship in battle

Lessons learned?Lessons learned? Scientific or historical Scientific or historical

approachapproach

Did you know?Did you know? The Hunley sank and was The Hunley sank and was

raised and rebuilt 3 times!raised and rebuilt 3 times! -Hunley.org-Hunley.org

Women in the MilitaryWomen in the Military

HistoryHistory Impact on the military Impact on the military

and societyand society Roles and StrugglesRoles and Struggles

Did you know?Did you know? Mr. Knoetgen’s great Aunt Mr. Knoetgen’s great Aunt

Mary Laux was in the first Mary Laux was in the first battalion of Women battalion of Women Marines to graduate from Marines to graduate from boot camp at Parris boot camp at Parris Island, S. C. in 1949.Island, S. C. in 1949.

The Future of Print The Future of Print ResourcesResources

Information AgeInformation Age Kindles, audiobooks, e-Kindles, audiobooks, e-

zines, e-books, zines, e-books, databases, and e-databases, and e-journals journals

Is print media obsolete?Is print media obsolete? Value of physical textValue of physical text

Research Tip:Research Tip: Librarians make great Librarians make great

primary sources, hint, hint.primary sources, hint, hint.

Modern TechnologyModern Technology

Health RisksHealth Risks Impact on SocietyImpact on Society Are these Are these

communication devices communication devices actually impairing our actually impairing our communication skills?communication skills?

Q: Can you tell which Q: Can you tell which one doesn’t belong?one doesn’t belong?

A: Nintendo GameBoy, A: Nintendo GameBoy, circa 1989. Tetris, circa 1989. Tetris, anyone? anyone?

PythagorasPythagoras

Ancient Greek MathematicianAncient Greek Mathematician The man who brought you pi The man who brought you pi

and aand a² + b² = c²² + b² = c²

Did you know?Did you know? Pythagoras had a cult Pythagoras had a cult

following that worshipped his following that worshipped his knowledge of numbers.knowledge of numbers.

-http://Phoenicia.org/-http://Phoenicia.org/Pythagoras.htmlPythagoras.html

Bubblegum MusicBubblegum Music

60s and 70s60s and 70s The Hollies, the Monkees, the The Hollies, the Monkees, the

BeeGees and the Jackson 5BeeGees and the Jackson 5 Origins in/Impact on Pop and Origins in/Impact on Pop and

Rock musicRock music

Research tip:Research tip: Bubblegum music doesn’t Bubblegum music doesn’t

have a very strong web have a very strong web presence. You’ll have to go presence. You’ll have to go old school for this topic and old school for this topic and hit the books! Also try music hit the books! Also try music mags on databases. The mags on databases. The good news? You don’t have good news? You don’t have to struggle to get current to struggle to get current sources.sources.

GymnasticsGymnastics

Long-term impact on the Long-term impact on the bodybody

Traditions and historyTraditions and history

Did you know?Did you know? Men have been competing Men have been competing

in Olympic gymnastics in Olympic gymnastics since 1906, and women since 1906, and women have been competing have been competing since 1928.since 1928.

-HickokSports.com-HickokSports.com

Are We Over-medicated?Are We Over-medicated?

Pain managementPain management Over the counter vs. Over the counter vs.

prescriptionprescription Alternative remediesAlternative remedies

Did you know?Did you know? Workers miss Workers miss

approximately 3.8 billion approximately 3.8 billion hours of work each year hours of work each year due to pain.due to pain.

-PainMed.org-PainMed.org

The HomelessThe Homeless

Innovative solutionsInnovative solutions Living on the edges of societyLiving on the edges of society Growing up homelessGrowing up homeless

Research tip:Research tip: Keeping track of the Keeping track of the

homeless is difficult. homeless is difficult. Statistics may be outdated or Statistics may be outdated or incomplete. Make the most of incomplete. Make the most of your resources by focusing your resources by focusing on the human side of on the human side of homelessness.homelessness.

Energy Independence vs. Energy Independence vs. Environmental PreservationEnvironmental Preservation

American oil reservesAmerican oil reserves Dependence on foreign Dependence on foreign

oiloil Environmental CostsEnvironmental Costs Alternative energy Alternative energy

sourcessources

Research Tip:Research Tip: Avoid bias by including Avoid bias by including

sources from both sides of sources from both sides of the debate and keeping the debate and keeping an objective view while an objective view while researching.researching.

NanotechnologyNanotechnology

Microscopic roboticsMicroscopic robotics Implications for medical Implications for medical

and scientific fieldsand scientific fields

Research Tip:Research Tip: Technology-related topics Technology-related topics

call for up-to-date call for up-to-date resources. Use science resources. Use science journals from databases journals from databases and and reputablereputable online online sources.sources.

Censorship in the Digital Censorship in the Digital AgeAge

Is censorship ever Is censorship ever appropriate?appropriate?

Examples Examples Does technology make it Does technology make it

easier or harder to easier or harder to enforce censorship?enforce censorship?

Did you know?Did you know? Digital censorship goes on Digital censorship goes on

in these very walls. Can in these very walls. Can you think of an example?you think of an example?

Designer DogsDesigner Dogs

Ethical issuesEthical issues Benefits (low shedding, Benefits (low shedding,

hypoallergenic, etc.)hypoallergenic, etc.) Cloning concernsCloning concerns

Did you know?Did you know? This Yorkie/Poodle mix is This Yorkie/Poodle mix is

referred to as a Yorkie-Poo or referred to as a Yorkie-Poo or YorkieDoodle.YorkieDoodle.

-Longislandpuppies.com -Longislandpuppies.com

Adolph Hitler: Before the Adolph Hitler: Before the WarWar

Hitler’s childhoodHitler’s childhood Early warning signsEarly warning signs Rise to Power – how did it Rise to Power – how did it

happen, and could it happen happen, and could it happen again?again?

How did Hitler’s early How did Hitler’s early experiences shape his experiences shape his strategies later in life?strategies later in life?

Research Tip:Research Tip: Hitler is one of the most Hitler is one of the most

infamous men in history. Try infamous men in history. Try to bring something new to the to bring something new to the discussion by narrowing your discussion by narrowing your topic to a specific aspect of topic to a specific aspect of his life. his life.

Selecting your TopicSelecting your Topic

Take time to do some preliminary Take time to do some preliminary research.research.

Go ahead and use WikiPedia to help Go ahead and use WikiPedia to help you get a feel for your topic (just don’t you get a feel for your topic (just don’t use it for actual research).use it for actual research).

Consider all aspects of the topic.Consider all aspects of the topic.Pick something that interests you, but Pick something that interests you, but

that you don’t know much about. It’s that you don’t know much about. It’s easier to avoid personal bias that way.easier to avoid personal bias that way.