Drawing on Sources

Fouled Out by Eyal Press
Drawing on sources. Paragraphs 13 and 14 consider some of the effects of college sports Those paragraphs make it clear that people do not agree about what the effects are. In an essay, consider one or more of the effects of college sports. For ideas, try visiting the National Collegiate Athletics Association website (www.ncaa.com) and click on "Enforcement & Reinstatement" to read about some of the problems faced by college athletes and the rules to which they must adhere. You can also look in the Social Sciences Index or Psychological Abstracts under the heading "college athletes."

Complexion by Richard Rodriguez
Drawing on sources. Rodriguez tells about his shy feelings as an adolescent, describing times that he withdrew from the company of family and friends because of his insecurity. Today, many young people wrestling with issues of identity and difference find community and compassion online. In 2000, the New York Times published a series of in-depth investigative and narrative articles titled "How Race Is Lived in America." The website for this series includes forums for reader response as well as links to other sites that provide community and advocacy to members of many different ethnic groups. To read the series, go to http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/race. In your journal, write a response to one or more of the articles. You can also visit the website of The National Forum on People's Differences at http://www.yforum.com/. This discussion site encourages candid conversation among people of different ethnic and demographic groups. Using the information from the New York Times series and/or the National Forum on People's Differences, write about how the experiences of a particular group cause them to feel insecure, angry, hopeful, or another emotion.

Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space by Brent Staples
Drawing on sources. Racial profiling occurs when the police make decisions based solely on race. For example, police officers who automatically stop and question young black males are practicing racial profiling. Summarize the arguments used to defend racial profiling and the arguments used to attack it. You can find information by typing in the phrase "racial profiling" at www.findarticles.com or by looking up "racial profiling" in The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature or the New York Times Index.

What Is behind the Growth of Violence on College Campuses? by Dorothy Siegel
Drawing on sources. Visit the appropriate offices on your campus to learn how much and what kid of crime exists at your school. Also learn what measures are being taken to make your campus as safe as possible. Report your findings and whether or not you think more needs to be done. If so, state what. If not, explain why not.

It's Just Too Late by Calvin Trillin
Drawing on sources. Substance abuse among teenagers is a serious problem. Write an article with an anti-drug message suitable for high school newspapers. Your goal is to communicate information that will persuade students to avoid drugs. Remember to keep your audience clearly in mind, so you stand a chance of convincing your reader. For information, check Social Sciences Index under the heading "Substance Abuse and Youth" in your campus library. On the Internet, you can use the search engine www.yahoo.com and click on "health," then "teen health," and then "teen substance abuse."