Purpose: Focus on a topic and refine your research plans.

Goal: Learn more about your topic and create a thesis statement that explains your opinion on the topic and how you will support your topic

Criteria of the assignment:

• TOPIC: What is the basic topic you plan to write about? (Be sure this topic falls within the parameters of the assignment.)

• STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Why are you particularly interested or qualified to write this paper? Include any special relationship or connection you have with this topic.

• GUIDING QUESTION: The fundamental question that directs the search for understanding.

• WORKING TITLE: Short, clear, intriguing two part title. The first part is the general topic, the second part is your opinion. General Topic: Opinion

• WORKING THESIS: In a single sentence, capture the essence of what your paper will explore. Basically, what you will prove in your paper. (Use a 3-prong thesis statement.)

• PRELIMINARY RESEARCH: What scholarly articles (6-8) have you found on this topic? What interesting bits of information have you found thus far? What is your overall plan with the research you have gathered.

The topic that piques my interest most is the one about Sex Ed Programs. The topic about Sex Ed Programs brings one of the most controversial arguments regarding the place of sex education in the contemporary world. Such a further research on such a topic would provide crucial conversations that reflect on the impact of sex education to school children, as well as it place in the modern societies. My choice of the topic is catalyzed by the negative trend that is being recorded regarding sex lives and sexual behavior of young people, especially teenagers (school children) across the country and abroad.

1 Topic: Sex Ed Programs

Explanation: Sex Ed programs are usually geared towards educating school children, especially teenagers about sex education.
Interest: this topic is crucial as there is an increased percentage of teenagers involved in sexual intercourse, and thus it is essential to extend research on the viability and impact of Sex Ed programs in schools.

Guiding Argument: Children, and especially teenagers are usually curious about their sexuality, and thus teaching them sex education at rather younger age could be contributing to increased sexual-related behavior in the recent past.
Counterarguments: children can learn about safe sexual practices and equally understand the appropriate age for engaging in sexual intercourse.
 
2. Topic: Single-Sex Schools

Explanation: there are numerous schools that only enroll single sex to discourage unnecessary sexual interactions between boys and girls.

Interest: the topic is crucial considering that more children find it difficult to co-exist successfully with others of their opposite sex.

Guiding Argument: children who study in single-sex schools are limited learning on how to interact and co-exist with individuals of their opposite sex.

Counterarguments: children who study in single-sex schools learn or perform better as the environment provided in such schools empower them to focus only in seeking education.

3. Topic: Sports Impact on Academics

Explanation: the majority of children who took part in sports did not show better grades as compared to those who took part in less sporting activities.

Interest: the topic is essential as it explores how sports affect the academic performance of children in schools.

Guiding Argument: children who participate too much on sporting activities are highlighted to perform worse than those who are less active in sports.

Counterarguments: children who take part in sports usually perform better as sports enhance good mental health.
 
4. Topic: Distance Learning Degrees

Explanation: Distance learning degrees are commonly viewed to be of less quality as compared to conventional learning degrees.

Interest: the topic is important in revealing the quality of distant learning degrees, as well as their relevance in the competitive job market.

Guiding Argument: Distance learning degrees are of low quality as students do not have a personal interaction with their tutors.
Counterarguments: distance learning degrees are competitive as any other degrees as they satisfy examination board of the respective university they are offered.