What should the topic of my next essay be?

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 02:37pm

I have decided that I am going to write an essay. But cant decide on a topic. I need your help, they all make me quiver with anticipation, but I cant choose.

The Necessity of Genetic Enginering

The Evolutionary Origins of Ethics and Altruism

The Necessity of Inetllecutal Liberty in a Democratic Society

Ignorance and Stupidity: An Epidemic?(this one I can actuallyuse for a scholarship, will require field research, and will be rather long)

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-01-04 02:44pm

Seriously, if the stupidity one can net you a scholarship go for it. It also very much needs to be said, but if benefits weren't a factor my vote would go for the genetic engineering one, because that is one area where ignorance and misconceptions run especially rampant.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 02:48pm

The ignorance epiemic I can do for Young Epidemiology Scholars. An epidemic need not be a disease.

I will be doing one for them anyway, but I need to find a good topic.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2004-01-04 02:55pm

I'd be willing to help you with the evolution of altruism...

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 03:03pm

Thanks!

I will probably do all of these at some point, it is just a matter of when and in what order.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-01-04 03:25pm

Whichever one is the least preachy. The necessity of genetic engineering sounds like a good choice.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 03:46pm

TO Clarify: The stupidity epidemic would entail an analysis of standardized test scores, tests of basic knowledge, and how we in the US rank with other industrialized nations in science and math.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-01-04 03:53pm

Go for the money Aly. You can't really have enough at this point.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-01-04 04:25pm

That's sounds good, but "Stupidity Epidemic" is a bad title for a scholarship essay. Think up something more scholarly sounding.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 04:40pm

Ignorance and Stupdity: A Problem of Epidemic Proportions.

I am not very good at titles, but I think that works.

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2004-01-04 04:50pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:Ignorance and Stupdity: A Problem of Epidemic Proportions.

I am not very good at titles, but I think that works.

How about something along the lines of:

"Poor Education: An Epidemic Plaguing Our School System"

You don't want your title to sound like you're deliberately insulting someone. Remember, you want something like this to sound as professional as possible, yet at the same time not something that screams "this will bore me to tears". (You can go ahead and use the title I provided if you like.)

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-01-04 05:34pm

How about "Inquiry into the deficiencies in the quality of education in the United States"?

[edit]changed my mind while it was transmitting[/edit]

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2004-01-04 05:43pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:Ignorance and Stupdity: A Problem of Epidemic Proportions.

I am not very good at titles, but I think that works.

"The Promotion of Ignorance by Educational Systems in the U.S. and the Polarisation of Wealth"

Not really what you intended with your essay, but it's an observable trend.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2004-01-04 05:46pm

The education topic is pretty interesting. YOu should take a look into things like PISA and those studies/surveys.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 05:46pm

WHat I will probably do, is work with the evolution of ethcs for one essay(also worth a scholarship) and work on the Epidemiology essay over the long term, seeing as it requires massive research including my own experimentation.

I will have really bad hand cramps over the next few months.

The Aliens · Post by **The Aliens** » 2004-01-04 07:45pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote: I will have really bad hand cramps over the next few months.

Yeah, I know the feeling.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-01-04 08:30pm

Ignorance and Stupidity: The Failings of a State Based Educational System.

What most forget is that education is entirely left up to the individual States, so in some places, like New England, you get kickass high schools, while in the South, like Florida, your public schools are the worst in the nation.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-01-04 08:49pm

If you do your essay on the sad quality of American public education, you should add something about teacher qualifications. Here's a true story:

My high school band director described his college education as follows: he drank beer, smoked pot, and played trumpet for four years. Since he was a music major, he took NO science courses and only college algebra for his single math credit. When he took the Georgia teacher's examination (all Georgia teachers take the same one) he scored in the 97th percentile in math and science.

He did better than 97% of all the people who wanted to be teachers in the state of Georgia. These are people who supposedly took math and science classes, and will be teaching those classes. Frightening, is it not?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-01-04 08:58pm

Maybe he was really smart. It happens.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2004-01-04 09:17pm

It doesnt work that way in Math and Science... You cant Bs your way through those subjects.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-01-04 09:20pm

StormTrooperTR889 wrote:Maybe he was really smart. It happens.

Admittedly, he WAS the only competent teacher I had in high school. However, when he told me the story, his point was NOT that he was really smart but that the wannabe teachers of the state of Georgia are really stupid (something I knew already) because they couldn't do better than a drugged-up trumpet player who'd been actively killing his neurons for four years. Maybe 80th or even 85th percentile would have been alright, but 97th percentile is a bit...extreme. My band director was smart but he wasn't the genius the score would (or perhaps should) lead you to believe.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-01-04 09:20pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:It doesnt work that way in Math and Science... You cant Bs your way through those subjects.

I've done it. Although college would be much more difficult.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2004-01-05 03:55pm

The Genetic Engineering and Evolution of Ethics would be the most itneresting to me, personally, but I think you should go for the scholarship and to hell with whatever anyone else thinks.

Lt. Dan · Post by **Lt. Dan** » 2004-01-05 04:37pm

You should do something like how advanced we are but the every day american dosen't knows where the hell New Mexico or that it is a state in the U.S.A.

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2004-01-05 11:24pm

Definitely go for the failure of the school system.

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What should the topic of my next essay be?

Which Should I Write?

What should the topic of my next essay be?