Research Essay Requirements and Instructions
In this essay, you are to choose a technology-related topic that interests you. A list of suggested topics is provided below. You may write on any topic you wish to and if you are interested in writing about a topic other than those on the list or modifying one to your liking, you may do so without seeking my approval. Please limit your topics to those that appear to be feasible within the next 50 years or so (time-travel, teleportation, inter-dimensional travel, invisibility cloaking devices, faster-than-light space travel, and unpretentious social media celebrities are examples of things that are probably not very likely in the near future).
In your essay, you are to describe how the technology you are reporting on may affect society/culture in the future. You should start the paper with a brief history of the technology you are addressing. This brief history part can be 2 ½ to 3 pages long. After the history section of the paper, please include how this technology has affected society so far (these two sections can be merged; they dont need to be separate chunks. In other words, you can talk about the effects/impact of the technology throughout the years instead of history of X technology followed by impact of X technology. Then, you would end up with a longer section that includes both rather than 3 pages of history and then 3 pages of impact, etc.). If you believe that this technology has affected certain diverse groups (social groups that have not been represented effectively or adequately throughout history, groups that have been neglected, and other groups who have a different relationship with technology than what society generally thinks of when the word technology is used, and any and all socially and culturally diverse groups)differently, please talk about that. If you believe that this technology had the potential to include certain diverse groups but failed to do so, please talk about that, as well. The paper must include a description of the technological changes that may occur in the future and the significance of these changes to the society/culture in which it happens; your speculation and forecast of the future impact upon culture and society of various contemporary and future (predicted/forecast) technologies. A major component of the paper is your opinion and speculation on what the future may bring. However, you must use and cite at least 4 credible reference sources. Also, please do not provide an in-depth explanation of how the technology will (or might) work or the specific scientific and technical characteristics of the technology. The required page length is 10 double-spaced pages. Please note that this does NOT include the title page and the references page. In other words, there should be 10pages of your own writing plus a title page and a references page(s). Please refer to the formatting sample on Canvas for more details.
This essay has 3 deliverables: a detailed outline including a working or a finalized direct thesis statement, a first draft which will receive feedback and will need revision, and a final draft. For the first draft, you do NOT need to have all 10 pages ready; however, it would be to your advantage to have at least half of the essay done (with at least 2 in-text citations of your sources) so that I can give more valuable feedback that you can actually use to revise your work. Please refer to the Academic Essay Writing Checklist document on Canvas before you submit your first draft. Your final draft will be the completed version of your research essay.
A list of suggested topics for this essay is provided below:
Contemporary and Future Technology
Technology & Ecology: Friend or Foe? How technology can cause and solve problems
Non-Lethal Weapons Weapons to control, not to kill
Technology and Children
How technology affects children today
Technology and Agriculture Farming in the future No longer 40 acres and a mule
Technology and Politics How todays technology makes a difference, or does it?
Technology and Medicine & Healthcare
Nanotechnology
Impact of the Worlds Fair What would a worlds fair on technology now showcase?
The Internet & Privacy
Genetic Engineering A wonderful new world or an awful new world?
Technology and Entertainment Whats next? What are the issues?
Virtual Reality How can it be used in unique ways to entertain and solve problems?
Augmented reality
Communication Technology What is next?
Impact of Television Is the discussion over on the impact of TV on children and our culture?
Impact of the computer in terms of careers, family life, physical health, dating, etc.
Technology and the Finance Industry How technology will impact upon business.
Transportation Technology Present and Future
Knowledgework
Technology and Women How technology affects women today.
The Patent Process New procedures and how to get a patent.
Famous and Not-So-Famous Inventors Who are todays unsung inventors?
Construction Technology: House of the Future The Smart House
Technology and Crime How the bad guys use technology
Technology and Crime Control How the good guys use technology
Cyber Warfare
Reproductive technologies
Technology and Marketing How we will shop in the future
Technology and the Infrastructure: Then and Now Water supply, transportation, etc.
The Story of the Railroad Its future
The Automobile of the Future How it could affect the economy, daily life & the ecology
The Story of Aviation Its future
Technology & Education How technology could affect learning -future schools
Technology and Manufacturing Manufacturing in the future
Technology and Materialism How technology tempts us to covet possessions rather than what we wish to become; if I can afford it, I can have it. Work to become, not to acquire
Material Science in the Future How new materials could affect our lives
A Comprehensive Investigation of New and Future Technology & Cultural Impact
Robotics Their impact on manufacturing, crime control, daily life, etc.
Global Positioning System The many ways GPS can serve us.
Information Technology How to access accurate information (scholarship) & issues of ethics
Technology & Ethics The issues
morals and temptations caused by technology
Is Technology Good or Bad? Case studies and examples
Universal Design technology accommodation of diverse populations
Technology in other cultures (outside your own culture)
Immigrants and Americas technology past and present
Technological diversity
Using technology to promote diversity
Cultural awareness through technology
Cultural relevance built into technology
Comparison of two different cultural understandings of technology
Identity building using technology (with references to people you encounter)
Other possible general topics:
Artificial Intelligence
Communication
Computing
Development and/or Industrialization in Third WorldCountries
Digital systems
DNA manipulation
DNA/Genetic screening/testing and engineering
Education
Energy
Genetically Modified Foods
Human Cloning
Human reproduction
Life-prolonging technology
Medicine & Medical Technology
Medicine/Medical treatment
Metaverse
Military weapons and warfare
Pollution and waste disposal
Privacy issues
Space Exploration
Sustainability
Television
The entertainment industry
The Internet
Transportation
Urban Sprawl
Urbanization
Weapons systems and military technology
Women Labor