RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS
The goal of this project is to evaluate a current environmental health issue, discuss the control and/or mitigation measures currently employed, and recommend methods to improve public health policy or practice for that issue. This required research paper project is a15-page (approximately 4,500 words)document thatmust be double-spaced. Each student must choose a different topic. Therefore, before you submit your topic, look over your classmates' subrmissions to be sure it has not been selected. It is first-come, first-served on topic selection.
Your paper must be well documented using current AMA format.You are required to use at least 10 professional, peer-reviewed,scholarly sourcesin the reference page of your paper. Avoid using newspapers, lay magazines, and fact sheets. Articles from non-professional sources will not earn credit. A Medline search is a great way to locate acceptable information. The American Journal of Public Health, New England Journal of Medicine, The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and similar publications are excellent sources. Start early to allow adequate time to find appropriate materials. You must support your opinions with data from the scientific literature. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in automatic failure of the course.
The paper must include the following:
1. Title page with title of paper, your name/ID, date, and course/section (HLTH 505.xx). This page does not count toward the 15-pagelength requirement.
2. Abstract - Provide a short summary of the content of the paper (less than 100 words).
3. Introduction - Describe the nature and scope of problem/issue.
4. Background - Include a review of past policies and practices, both successful and unsuccessful.
5. Current research efforts - Discuss what potential future develoments are being researched. Remember that the project is to be about a current issue using recent research.If nothing has been published in recent years, it may not be as relevant as it may appear on the surface.
6. Discussions- This is the heart of the paper. Thoroughly evaluate the material you have researched. Discuss the pros and cons of various approaches. Analyze the available statistical measures provided by the researchers. Reveal the shortcomings and highlight the merits of the literature.
7. Recommendations- This is where your opinions are given. Opinionsmust be guided by logicand an understanding of the science gained from your research,be void of emotional language, andbe in agreement with biblical truth. A scientifically valid opinion must not violate Scripture or biblical morality.
8. References - Full bibliography of sources used. This page does not count toward the 15-page length requirement.
The reference pagemust have a numbered list of sources according to the order of the first citation in the paper. That assigned number is then used as a superscript to cite the source in the body of the paper. The general format to list a journal and a book respectively in a references section would be as follows:
1. Arya SC, Agarwal N. Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers: Concurrent Vaccinations and Updates on Mosquito Biology. Travel Medicine and Infectious Diseases. 2012; 10: 257-258.
2. Dasgupta A. Prescription or poison: the benefits and dangers of herbal remedies. Alameda, CA: Hunter House Inc; 2010.
SUGGESTED RESEARCH PAPER TOPICS
The following list is intended to help you find a research topic. Feel free to use one of these if the topic sounds interesting, or consider an environmental concern of a similar nature to the topics given. Note that you must choose an environmental issue that is not related to the conservation effort you have undertaken in Discussion Board Forum 1.
• Salmonella and the American food industry
• Heavy metal poisoning associated with electronic equipment salvage among children and young adults in developing countries
• E. coli 0157:H7
• Management of nuclear fallout during natural disasters and industrial accidents
• Controlling emerging diseases (research only 1):
- Hanta virus
- Yellow fever
- HIV
- Hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola and related viruses)
- Lyme disease
- Dengue fever/hemorrhagic fever
- West Nile Encephalitis
- Avian influenza
• Population growth in underdeveloped nations
• Reducing cigarette smoking among American youth
• Risk management of cancer related to tanning beds and sunbathing
• The hidden risks of herbal and "natural" cures
• Hypoxia and manure pits in the agricultural industry
• Heavy machinery, amputations, and other industrial accidents
• Raw milk and disease
• Barefoot running and the risk of disease and injury
• Bisphenol A and plastics in the food industry
• Asbestos related diseases and abatement programs
• Radon exposure in homes
• Lead poisoning in childhood
• Mercury related toxicity from...
- Dental fillings
- Batteries and household products
- Seafood
• Management of radioactive waste from medical and household sources
• Cell phones and cancer
• Electromagnetic fields
• Depletion of the ozone layer
• Greenhouse gases and global warming
• Non-occupational noise-induced hearing loss
• Acid rain
• Nuisance noise and its effects on sleep, learning, and daily stress in metropolitan areas
• Municipal water supplies in areas with burgeoning growth from immigration
• The use of biosolids in agriculture and its risk of human disease
• Construction runoff and a degradation of water quality
• Discarded medications and water quality
• Disposal of household waste (NIMBY)
• Non-acceptance of vaccines among people of faith in industrialized nations
• Disaster management in the United States
• Safety recalls: improving the response to potential risks from household products
• Invasive exotic species (there are hundreds to consider) and the effect on the native environment and health
- Fire ants
- "killer" bees
- Kudzu
- Asian tiger mosquito
- Gypsy moths
- Asian longhorn beetle
• Vitamin A deficiency in developing nations
• Vitamin D deficiency in industrialized nations
• Bedbug invasions
• Pesticide-resistant lice
• Rapid transportation and the effects of time zone adaptation
• Naturally occurring food toxins (choose one):
- Aflatoxins
- Safrole
- Ergot
- Dinoflagellates (paralytic shellfish poisoning)
- Scrombroid
- Tapeworms and sushi.