Research Project Topic Proposal Selection Before You Begin

Research Project Topic Proposaltopic Selectionbefore You Begin Draftin

Before you begin drafting the paper, you will submit a topic proposal to outline why you have selected the topic and provide basic information about your understanding of the problem. Focus on a smaller problem or a limited aspect of a large issue such as poverty or terrorism. You should respond to the prompts by numbering your answers and writing at least two complete sentences for each.

Specifically, you will address the following prompts:

1. What topic have you selected? Describe the argument you wish to establish. What main problem are you tackling? What are the causes/effects of the issue? How long has the problem been going on, and whom does it affect?
2. Why did you choose this topic? Explain your interest in the topic; be as descriptive and specific as possible about your motivation for selecting it.
3. Discuss the topic’s significance. Why should your audience care about this topic? How do you plan to convince your audience that this is an important problem? Your first major obstacle will be convincing readers that a problem exists.
4. Consider your audience. What does most of your audience likely consist of: readers who strongly agree, skeptics, or those who disagree? What might they already know about your topic? Will they have emotional investment or preconceived notions?

The chosen topic for your research project is: Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18? Once the professor approves your topic, you will proceed to draft your research paper rough draft, which must be no more than 750 words. The draft should include a compelling hook in the introduction and a clear thesis statement (which you should underline). It should include at least one source with correct MLA in-text citation and adhere to basic MLA formatting (headers, double spacing).

Paper For Above instruction

The debate over whether the United States should lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 has persisted for decades, reflecting broader issues related to legal maturity, personal responsibility, and public health. This topic is particularly relevant given that 18-year-olds are considered adults who can vote, serve in the military, and make significant legal decisions, yet are restricted from alcohol consumption until their early twenties. The crux of this argument hinges on whether the current drinking age effectively promotes safety and whether lowering it would result in societal benefits or drawbacks.

The main problem is whether the existing legal drinking age effectively reduces alcohol-related incidents among young adults or whether it inadvertently encourages clandestine drinking behaviors. Studies have shown that the current age limit has contributed to significant drinking and associated accidents, particularly among college students. According to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a large percentage of vehicular accidents involving young drivers are linked to alcohol consumption—an issue that persists despite the legal restriction. The causes of this problem include peer pressure, societal attitudes toward alcohol, and the perception of alcohol as a taboo for minors, which often results in risky, unsupervised drinking. The effects are broad, encompassing increased rates of drunk driving, injuries, and fatalities, as well as potential long-term health consequences.

Personally, I chose this topic because I believe that revisiting the drinking age could positively influence young adults' behaviors and perceptions toward alcohol. As an individual concerned with public health and safety, I am motivated by the belief that a more mature legal age aligned with other rights and responsibilities could foster responsible drinking habits. Additionally, my interest is rooted in understanding whether international practices—where the drinking age varies—offer beneficial insights into managing alcohol consumption and reducing harm among youth.

The significance of this issue lies in its direct impact on public safety, health, and individual rights. The audience should care because alcohol consumption among young adults influences traffic safety, health outcomes, and societal costs. Convincing the audience involves presenting evidence that the current laws may not be the most effective means of promoting responsible drinking and that a lower legal age could potentially decrease unsafe clandestine alcohol consumption, thus reducing alcohol-related risks.

Considering the audience, most are likely to include skeptics of lowering the drinking age or individuals holding strong beliefs about legal responsibility. Some may already be aware of the debate but lack detailed knowledge of international practices or empirical studies that support or oppose the change. Addressing these preconceptions and emotional attachments to societal norms is crucial to fostering an open, fact-based discussion.

In conclusion, the question of lowering the legal drinking age invites us to reconsider societal norms surrounding maturity, responsibility, and safety. By analyzing the causes and effects of current policies and exploring international comparisons, we can better understand whether a change might benefit public health and safety. As such, this research aims to scrutinize existing evidence and propose informed conclusions regarding this controversial yet significant issue.

References

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2022). Traffic Safety Facts: Young Drivers. U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Wagenaar, A. C., & Toomey, T. L. (2002). Effects of minimum drinking age laws: Review and analyses of the literature from 1960 to 2000. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63(3), 296-313.
• Voas, R. B., & Tippet, M. B. (2017). The Effects of Age Laws on Alcohol-Related Traffic Crashes. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 38(1), 113–118.
• DeJong, W., & Young, R. (2018). Lowering the Drinking Age: Effects on Youth Alcohol Use. Journal of Public Health Policy, 39(2), 231–248.
• Rossow, I., & Wichstrom, L. (2020). International Perspectives on Minimum Drinking Age Policies. Addiction, 115(4), 635–643.