Research writing is an academic endeavor that requires an individual to observe certain basic principles. These principles include using credible sources as reference points and outlining papers as scholarly texts. To answer the question of how to write an abortion research paper correctly, writers must review books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and government reports and use that information as evidence in their works. Primarily, writers use this evidence to construct their points of view or strengthen their central arguments. The use of reliable sources in research writing is a must if final papers are to have credibility as scholarly texts. When it comes to the outline, writers must provide an abstract, an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In turn, body paragraphs constitute a significant proportion of the paper and carry essential information.
General Aspects
Abortion is a controversial topic that has seen American society divided into two camps. On one side, there are those who believe it is a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. In turn, there are those who feel a fetus should be protected from any form of harm. Although these two sides often clash in social settings, it is the legal process that has made the abortion debate a national and international discourse. This development provides a fertile ground for scholars to research the issues that have proven central to this controversial issue. The most critical aspect of writing an abortion research paper that an individual should observe is to review and incorporate results captured in existing abortion articles for research papers, including books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and government reports. Hence, these sources give a writer’s work credibility, meaning other writers can use it as a point of reference.
How to Write a Research Paper on Abortion
In academia, authors often rely on the works of others to strengthen their arguments about an issue. However, not every text is suitable for use as a point of reference. For a literary work to become authoritative, it must provide relevant information backed by research. Writing about a topic without detailing specific steps taken in obtaining factual information does not help such writing to attain the threshold of a scholarly work. A review of academic documents reveals a robust use of research findings. Credible sources act as the basis upon which authors premise or strengthen their points of view. Therefore, writing a research paper on abortions requires authors to review existing research on the topic and incorporate it into their works. In turn, the Supreme Court rulings on the matter would be significant in shaping the writer’s arguments.
Major Themes in the Abortion Debate
Just like any other controversial issue, abortion is a topic that encompasses several themes. For example, these themes act as pillars that writers use to shape their arguments for or against in the essay on abortion. In this case, authors writing a research paper about abortion would make their works easier if they identify the main themes that should guide their readers. In essence, arguments that support abortion differ from those that oppose the practice. Regardless of the side of the debate that a writer takes, authors should premise significant themes on the topic of abortion on ethics and legality. On ethics, pro-life and pro-choice arguments approach abortion from the perspective of what is right for both the child and the pregnant woman. On legality, pro- and anti-abortion policies dictate the approach that individual states take on the issue.
States’ Opinion on Abortion
Historically, the federal government has differed with state governments on several issues, including abortion and marijuana use. On abortion, the federal government has relied on Supreme Court decisions to maintain that it is a woman’s right to have an abortion. Historically, the Court has based its rulings on the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which upholds individuals’ right of personal privacy, as protected by the Due Process Clause. This right includes the woman’s right to decide whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Despite this constitutional guarantee, some states in the US have enacted legislation that restricts this right. For instance, Alabama has banned abortion at any point in pregnancy, while Missouri has banned it after eight weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ohio have banned it from the moment a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Movements
It is impossible to talk about abortion without considering the sentiments of both the pro-life and pro-choice movements. Basically, the former argues for the sanctity of life, holding that a baby in the womb deserves protection from all harm. In turn, the latter argues for a woman’s right to choose, including choosing whether she should carry a pregnancy to term or not. Hence, to highlight the differences between these two movements, writers should examine the pros and cons of each side.
Pro-Life Strengths:
- Any life is sacred.
- Abortion is murder.
- A mother can offer her child for adoption.
- Abortion exposes a woman to physical and psychological distress.
Pro-Life Weaknesses:
- Pregnancy can be accidental.
- It is psychologically distressing to raise an unwanted child.
- There is always the possibility of giving birth to a disabled child.
Even if abortion is illegal, women still abort.
Pro-Choice Strengths:
- A woman have a constitutional right to choose.
- A woman has a right over her body.
- Carrying a pregnancy to term can be risky for a woman.
Pro-Choice Weaknesses:
- A woman can be single and financially incapable of raising a child.
- Pregnancy can be an inconvenience to a woman.
- A fetus is not a human being.
Guidelines on an Abortion Research Paper
Besides reviewing and incorporating research in their work, writers should follow strict guidelines when writing an abortion research paper. Basically, these guidelines espouse the principles of scholarly writing and help individuals to understand content logically and form conclusions on the matter under review. Moreover, the most important thing that writers should do is to give credit to sources of information, such as researchers, authors, and government agencies. Ideally, academic papers rely on the use of credible information to support an argument. Therefore, writers must make sure the sources they use to back up their arguments are credible. Credible sources are scholarly sources, such as books, journal articles, and government websites. Relying too much on websites to write a research paper makes the finished work to read more like an opinion. Nonetheless, government websites provide a good platform for accessing relevant data, including statistics and trends.
Research
While the use of credible sources in research writing is highly essential, writers must demonstrate thorough research in presenting evidence. Research involves the use of platforms to identify trustworthy texts, which are often written by people with professional training in specific disciplines. In writing an abortion research paper, writers can visit government websites, including that of the Supreme Court, to identify historical and present patterns in the debate. For instance, writers can understand how cases like Roe v. Wade have become pivotal in this historic debate on abortion. Another platform is professional databases from where writers can access countless journal articles, specifically those in the field of sociology. As a social phenomenon, abortion has received a broad scholarship by sociologists. Another platform that is non-academic but useful in research writing is news media from where media houses document historical and present patterns in the abortion debate.
Persuasion
One of the strategies that writers should utilize when delivering information through research writing on abortion is persuasion. On the issue of abortion, the fact that different schools of thought on the matter exist means that people are easily swayed by opinions and other factors. In such a case, using factual information would be more effective in persuading an individual to switch from one school of thought to another. For example, it would be much easier for a writer to use statistics of women that have died when procuring an abortion illegally to convince a pro-life activist to become a pro-choice crusader. Similarly, it would be more effective for a writer to mention how anti-abortion policies have reduced incidences of unwanted pregnancies in a community in trying to persuade a pro-choice crusader to become a pro-life activist.
Argumentation
Besides persuasion, a research paper writer can use logical arguments to promote a particular point of view. On abortion, the significant arguments that a research writer can use include how the Supreme Court has defended the constitutional right of women, including choosing whether to have a child. Assuming the writer’s audience is the American public, the major thrust of the argument would be the US Constitution and how different Amendments guarantee this right. Another argument that a writer can use is how, despite abortion being legal in the US, different states have continued to enact legislation that restricts the practice. From this perspective, a writer can argue that at the end of the day, laws are insufficient to control abortion, and what is needed is social action where communities teach their women on the pros and cons of abortion.
Narration
Another strategy that a writer can use is narration. Here, writers should incorporate real-life situations to support their points of view. On abortion, taking the stories of women that have had an abortion and using them to either argue for or against the practice would help writers to gain credibility. Also, authors can capture the experiences of health professionals, particularly those that have helped women to have an abortion. Basically, these stories provide readers with a real-life non-academic insight into the dynamics involved in abortion services. More importantly, they help writers to sound not only academic but also be practical in their defense or criticism of abortion. With the abortion debate being controversial, narration helps writers to shape discourse by ensuring that both sides of the discourse do not get lost in politics at the expense of women’s everyday experiences.
Abortion Research Paper Outline Example
Generally, academic papers follow a particular outline, as indicated in the “Information Delivery” paragraph above. On the topic of abortion, the outline for papers on abortion would include:
- Abstract: This is a brief overview of the entire content of a research paper.
- Introduction: Here, writers introduce their topic and provide a thesis statement that underscores the central argument or opinion on abortion.
- Body Paragraphs: Here, authors must provide an in-depth analysis of the major themes of their papers, using research to strengthen their arguments. Part of this research should be what the court of law has ruled historically and presently.
- Conclusion: Here, writers overview entire papers, mentioning the most critical aspects, as discussed in the body paragraphs. Also, authors also make an informed conclusion on the matter, suggesting the way forward based on research findings.
20 Abortion Research Paper Topics
- Arguments For and Against Abortion
- The Abortion Debate
- Roe versus Wade
- Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Activism
- Woman’s Right to Privacy
- Unsafe Abortion
- Legal Restrictions on Abortion
- The Sanctity of Human Life
- Surgical and Medical Abortions
- Reproductive Health
- Unwanted Pregnancy
- Pros and Cons of Targeted Regulation for Abortion Providers (TRAP) Laws
- The Role of Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs)
- Abortion-Related Health Complications
- Abortion and Psychological Trauma
- Overregulation as a Cause of Late-Term Abortions
- The Constitutionality of Anti-Abortion Policies
- Risks Associated with Abortion
- When Abortion is Justified
- The Ethical and Legal Dilemmas Facing Abortion Service Providers
Summing Up on an Abortion Research Paper
Writing academic papers is more than presenting information about an issue. It involves gathering relevant information through a thorough review of credible sources, such as books, peer-reviewed journals, and government reports. In this case, writers targeting the American audience must review, in addition to the above sources, the rulings of the courts as they approach the issue from the perspective of the constitution. For example, Roe v. Wade is a critical case in the abortion debate and serves as the premise of the pro-choice movement. In turn, writing a research paper on abortion requires writers to consider the principles of academic writing, including the abstract-introduction- body-conclusion outline. Besides the outline, authors should ensure that they review and incorporate findings of scholarly works as credible texts serve as pillars of their arguments.