Katie Sharpe
Research Paper Outline
March 3, 2009
Professor Amy Jessee
Lowering the Drinking Age to Eighteen
I. I. Introduction
A. “Hook” line
B. Background
C. Thesis: The drinking age should be lowered to eighteen due to the fact that it would decrease the number of college-aged students who drink just in spite of the law.
II. II. Why is the drinking age 21?
A. What makes society see a 21-year-old as mature and an adult?
B. Other countries’ drinking ages
III. Benefits of lowering the drinking age
A. Statistics on why drinking-age laws are ineffective
B. Help lower the crime level
IV. How to go about changing the law
A. Reactions of other people to lowering the drinking age
B. Steps to take in order to lower the drinking age
V. Conclusion
A. Restatement of thesis
B. Quick look back

Your outline could include a few more details that would support your thesis. At this point, I find it difficult to agree with your opinion. I'm not sure that reducing drinking citations is the best reason to lower the drinking age. Can you write 2500 words on that warrant alone or are their other factors? Consider expanding your thesis to cover all the aspects in your argument, including maturity levels, other countries' experiences, ineffective drinking laws, and students' opinions. Your goal is to back up your opinion with facts.
ReplyDeleteI like it! Maybe work on your thesis a little more, so it not only states what your argument is going to be, but it also provides a view of how you're backing your argument up. Say why lowering the drinking age would lower the number of college aged students who drink in spite of the law. It makes sense, but add a little to the thesis. Also, make sure you have a wide variety of statistics to support a lower drinking age, that prove how students drink in spite of the law, and statistics that show why an 18 year old can responsible enough to drink.
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