Please select a topic from one of the issues studied in the course (use toxic chemicals Environmental Issues). If several topics of interest overlap, you may combine them. If there is a topic that you would like to write about that we did not cover, please send an email to the professor seeking permission.

Please write a well-organized and thoughtful five-page (minimum) paper examining the topic in greater depth than the coverage in Taking Sides.

You may, optionally, submit your selected topic and summary outline to your professor via email before you begin writing your paper. Generally, your outline should include the following major sections which correspond to Level One headings, per APA publications guidelines:

1. Introduction—Briefly describe the issue and state the purpose of the paper.
2. Background—Review relevant literature on the subject. This is a good section to satisfy the requirement for five or more primary sources. Be sure to use APA formatted in-text citations to identify sources for information. Note that in-text citations are required even if the information has been reworded.
3. Methods—State how you will address the issue. For example, you could perform a review of related research, conduct interviews, and/or perform observations. If you use a tool such as a standardized checklist, you should provide information from the research literature on the tool’s reliability and validity.
4. Results—Present the findings from implementation of your selected methods. The inclusion of tables, figures, and/or pictures in addition to describing the results in the text adds much to the paper’s readability. Tables, figures, and pictures must have titles and citations. If a table, figure, or photograph is copy/pasted from a source, you must indicate that permission has been obtained from the source or that the information is public domain (still cite the source).
5. Conclusions—Present your conclusions and recommendations. In general, your own opinions should only be included in this section.
6. References—All of your references must be in APA format