In terms of quality my expectations are simple. Responses should be well written and clearly address the issues being discussed. “Yes,” “No” or “I agree” answers will not count. Writing something brief on the due date will not allow you to score well. In order to do well on this, you need to be an active and interactive participant in the discussion, talking not only about information you’ve found yourself, but also about what other people say in the discussion. Your grade will be determined by the instructor, who will read your journal entries. Your score is based on four criteria:
Your use of careful, well thought-out statements and questions. (Original contribution)
The degree of your involvement in the discussion (ongoing involvement)
How you integrate other people’s comments into your own findings. (Interactivity)
Length of entry (1st entry – minimum four paragraphs and 16 sentences / 2nd entry – minimum two paragraphs and link to scholarly article or website)
Currently, late-term abortions are making the news in the United States. Please tell us your opinion on abortion. We have worked 4 weeks at having constructive, critical thinking discussions. We have addressed many hot topics and I expect the same level of civility for this topic as you have all shown for the other topics.
Below are some questions to ponder when addressing this issue. Chose one, multiple or all to help you construct your viewpoint on the topic.
OPINION AREA 1: Abortion is murder. It’s always wrong. Discussion Questions: What about in cases of rape? What about when the mother’s life is in danger? What about in cases of incest? What if the parents knew the child would be horribly deformed? If the embryo can’t live on its own, how can you prove that it’s a separate human life? At what stage would you view life as present?
OPINION AREA 2: Abortion should be legal and free for everyone. Discussion Questions: What about the people who would use abortion as a free form of birth control? Why should my tax dollars be used to pay for someone’s abortionespecially if I think abortion is morally wrong? How is making abortion free and legal any different from making murder free and legal?
OPINION AREA 3: Abortion is OK as long as a girl’s parents give their permission. Discussion Questions: What about parents who don’t have their child’s best interests at heart? What about students who don’t live at home? How can you decide at what age it’s suddenly OK for women to decide on abortion for themselves? Why should parents have the right to tell their child what to do with her own body? What about the father’s or the father’s parents’ right to decide what happens to the baby?
OPINION AREA 4: Abortion is OK only in cases of rape or when the mother’s life is at stake. Discussion Questions: How can you dictate what’s right or wrong for someone else? What gives you the right to force a child to come into the world when you’ll have absolutely no responsibility in raising it? What about pregnant women caught in deep poverty how can you deny them the right to an abortion?
