The Plot Against People by Russell Baker
Drawing on sources. The products we buy work most of the time. However,
some products are flawed in design and/or execution; in the case of cars, these
are referred to as "lemons." Research a product you or a friend or family
member has had trouble with. Has the manufacturer issued a recall or offered a
refund? Use classification to report experiences other consumers have had. Has
the manufacturer done all it should to remedy the problem? You can start by looking
at Consumer Reports in your library's periodical section, or by going to
the subheading "Business and Economy-Consumer Advocacy and Information"
at www.yahoo.com.
White Lies by Sissela Bok
Drawing on sources. Select a king of product frequently advertised, such
as cosmetics, toothpaste, soft drinks, or cleaning products. Examine advertisements
for the product type on television and/or in print and write a classification
of the ways the product is advertised. Draw a conclusion about how deceptive
or truthful the advertising is. The Ways of Meeting Oppression by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Drawing on sources. On April 8, 1968, four days after Martin Luther King,
Jr., was assassinated, U.S. Representative John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat,
introduced legislation to make King's birthday a national holiday. However,
it was not until Aug. 2, 1983, that the House of Representatives approved legislation
to commemorate King in this way. Research the events leading up to the creation
of Martin Luther King Day and classify the ways we celebrate it. How appropriate
are these celebrations? For information, use the phrase "Martin Luther
King Day" at www.yahoo.com or look under
the entry "Martin Luther King Jr." in Africana in your library.
What's in Your Toothpaste? By David Bodanis
Drawing on sources. Personal care products such as toothpaste are not
the only products containing chemical additives. Most of our food products do
as well. Read the labels on several kinds of packaged food; for example, canned
and frozen vegetables, breakfast cereals, lunch meat, bottled salad dressing,
and cookies. List the most frequently occurring additives, and then look those
additives up to learn what purpose they serve. You can check Social Sciences
Index under "food additives" or visit the website of the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html),
and look under the heading "Program Areas." Write a classification
of some of the most frequently occurring additives you found, using their purpose
as your ordering principle. College Pressures by William Zinsser
Drawing on sources. Interview 10 students, either in person or by e-mail,
to learn about he pressures characteristic of students on your campus. Then
classify those pressures. Explain how your classification compares to Zinsser's.
Have college pressures changed since Zinsser wrote his essay. Territorial Behaviour by Desmond Morris
Drawing on sources.Proxemics is the study of how space is used
and how people react to the use of space. It includes the study of personal
space, which Morris discusses in "Territorial Behaviour." Write a
classification of the ways people are affected by personal space. As an alternative,
classify cultural differences I the use of personal space. For information,
type in the keyword proxemics at www.yahoo.com
or look up "personal space" in the Social Sciences Index in
your library's reference room.
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2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education