Question: NARROW TOPIC: You need to narrow your topic. You don't want a very general paper on a huge topic; you want a focused topic and detailed information on that don't get too narrow or you will not be able to develop your ideas.
- There are two classic types of argument: arguments of value and arguments of policy.
- Medical ethics topics pose the interesting challenge of often having elements of both types of arguments.
- Argument of Value: This is based on ethics, values and taste.
- For this reason, it's very difficult to persuade someone of your opinion.
- Reviews of music, food, films or books are arguments of value.
- Arguments of Policy: These are arguments about how something should be handled.
- One example is a campus smoking policy.
Body Paragraphs: estimate 2/3 page maximum. You need several main points. Break some of your main points into sub points with each being developed into its own paragraph. (Develop with quotes, facts, information)
- DO NOT STRUCTURE BODY PARAGRAPHS: Positive aspects/negative aspects
- Body Paragraphs should be separate, specific points about your topic
SAMPLE PAPER TOPICS: I am defining medical ethics rather broadly so something where new developments in science have impacted ethics would be fine.
• Tuskegee syphilis study
• Cloning extinct animals
• Designer babies
• Gender testing of athletes (continued)
• organ donation (should organs be for sale? Medical tourism: Organs from people in impoverished countries?)
• surrogate mother/parents
• gender assignment to newborns
• genetically modified food/food labelling
• Patents on genes and gene products
• Use of knowledge of a person's genome (health care, jobs, premarital)
• Xenotransplantation (organ transplants between species)
• Cloning technologies for infertile couples
• Growth enhancements (as in growth hormones) for meat animals
• Experimental gene therapy use in humans
• Frozen embryo ownership and/or disposal
• Use of information from the Human Genome Research Project
• Transgenics and evolution
• Use of cells/tissues removed during surgical processes or after death (Henrietta Lacks and others)
• Use of biological agents in bio-terrorism
• Irradiation of our food supply
• Use of bioengineered (transgenic) crops to feed humans (safety)
• Genetically altered fish as a protein source
• Fish farming and its effect on the environment
• DNA vaccines to control disease
• Implantable brain chips
• Use of biotechnology to extend age in humans
• Should it be mandatory to report infectious diseases?
• Should vaccines be mandatory? MMR, HPV, Flu, etc.