Teaching Students to Conduct Research Essays

Teaching Students to Conduct Research EssaysAs a teacher, I like to use controversial research essay topics for my students. When researching a topic, students often get very bogged down with the research needed to support their opinions. In the process, they neglect all of the details. If they are not careful, they end up writing an opinion instead of a well-researched and objective account of the subject matter.Most people do not spend a lot of time thinking about what others think about a topic, because these opinions are always presented in the form of people's perspectives. Because this is what they are taught from the start of their education, many students simply allow their teachers to select topics that they find interesting and discuss them as if they were facts. They don't question why they are told how they should feel or how they should think.However, controversial research essay topics are actually a challenge. To write a quality essay, students must come up with the be st way to present their information. Because students have a tendency to think in terms of others' perspectives, the researcher must be mindful of how he presents his own viewpoint. A good research essay does not necessarily need to be focused on a single specific topic.Some research essays center on large issues such as religion or the death penalty. Others focus on a small topic such as the differences between the attitudes of men and women when it comes to play. Others are very specific to a certain topic and present research from various angles.Students must also come up with ideas to support the opinions they choose to present. These ideas include writings from other individuals, references from a variety of perspectives, and a research document based upon observations made by the writer. Although the writer may base his conclusions on recent research, he must still come up with a good argument for his ideas.One example of a research essay that can be used to help students dete rmine if they are being as objective as possible, is to have them write about their opinions on race. In this research assignment, students are asked to compile a list of things that are racist and then read comments made by the respondents. They can write about their reasons for taking the position of the white man and whether they can use current studies to back up their beliefs.Another example of a research essay can be written to illustrate the differences between right and wrong. In this case, students can decide whether the use of drugs is right or wrong by examining the statistics on addiction. These students can also decide whether throwing a party is allowed or not by taking into consideration the rules of decorum at a party. And lastly, students can decide if pornography is right or wrong by reading comments made by those who disapprove of it.Using controversial research essay topics is important to teach students how to do research in order to be successful in college. It allows them to look at the situations and factors surrounding a subject and come up with their own opinions. This type of research can help students gain respect for their opinions by showing them how other people came to their positions. While it is difficult to understand why others feel a certain way, it is essential to have their own opinions, because their own thoughts are the most important part of their writing.