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David Brunk
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
2-12-2015
Topic Proposal: Insert an engaging Title here
Introduction/Overview
Cell phones have revolutionized the way we communicate, engage in learning at school,
and maintain relationships with our peers. There are countless benefits to having a small
computer to carry around in your pocket. One would certainly agree that cell phones have
progressed us further into a digital age where paper is becoming obsolete. But I think that there
are negative effects to having a cell phone that often get overlooked.
I will be exploring how cell phones and how technology in this category have impacted
our society.
There is no doubt that there is some controversy over cell phones. One debate that has
been sparked is school policy on cell phone use in the classroom by students. Teachers might
argue that they distract from learning, while the student might say that they can help find
information in a moments notice. And with constant upgrades to cell phones, it can be difficult
for schools to keep an updated policy. Another area that has been impacted by cell phones is
driving. According to the CDC, 69% of drivers age 18-64 reported that they had talked on their
cell phone while driving within the last 30 days before being surveyed. 31% reported that they
had sent a text message while driving within that last 30 days. Because of this several states have
enacted laws that ban talking and texting on the cell phone while driving.

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Initial Inquiry Question(s)

How have cellphones impacted our society? Have they impacted our society for the
better? Are there negative effects to having a cell phone? Do the positive effects outweigh the
bad effects? Are there potential health risks to having a cell phone? What are the long term
health effects of cell phones?

My Interest in this Topic

The topic of cell phones and their effects interest me because technology is fun. Who
doesnt enjoy having a cell phone? Almost everybody has a cell phone now. There is always
something new being discovered and as it is implemented into society, it is interesting to see how
people react and how we adapt to accommodate the new technology. I want to explore why we
love cell phones and how our society has changed with the invention of the cell phone. I already
know how it has affected me, but I want to learn how it affects others and our culture as a whole.

Next Steps
In my ongoing inquiry into the long and short term effects of cell phones on society, I
will use a variety of sources. One that I have continued to find reliable and informative is the
Internet; specifically several honored newspaper journals and respected articles. I will continue
to draw information from this source. I will also be using the library on campus. I will search for
academic articles and peer reviewed papers in order to gain more information about my topic.

Peer Review by William

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Search for interesting facts about health risks. Maybe CDC?

Good relevance of topic

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