Literature search: Search for at least 5 articles for your essay topic: Use search engines Google Scholar, Science Direct or Academic Premier Searches to find the articles. Make sure these are reliable scientific (primary) articles. These citations that you use must be cited in the body of the essay, and the complete citation has to be included at the end of your essay. If online html link is available, enter those also. Details on the essay: You must include the following information as separate headings within the essay. In other words, your essay has to be broken down into these sections:
1. IMPROVEMENT OF A CROP OR ANIMAL OF YOUR CHOICE THROUGH DOMESTICATION AND BREED Choose an animal or plant that is used for food, and make sure that someone has done breeding improvement on it. Describe the domestication process: How was it bred and selected? Describe the genetic alteration: what traits were changed from the wild organism? State the genes that were changed. State the significance: Current usage of this organism, impact of its farming on economy, food, nutrition, global health, etc. If there was global or local harm done from this domestication, farming and use of the organism, state them. State the current problems, challenges, as well as benefits. Discuss both supporting and opposing views using scientific and technical explanations.
2. GENETIC ENGINEERING OF EITHER CORN OR COW AND THE IMPACT OF THIS IMPROVEMENT Introduce one genetic modification done to your organism, including date, location, etc. Describe how the genetic engineering was performed. Include details and figures. It should be at least as detailed as the example of GM plants and animals in my lecture videos on GM method. State the detailed positive effects of this modification. State the detailed negative effects of this modification. Discuss both supporting and opposing views using scientific and technical explanations.
3. IMPACT OF WATER, SOIL AND OTHER FACTORS ON FOOD PRODUCTION Introduce the factors that affect food production, explain how water, soil and other factor affect food production, how soil affect food production. Cite all the articles used, including book chapters. Discuss both supporting and opposing views using scientific and technical explanations.
4. FOOD PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Introduce the concept of food production and sustainability. Explain how food production affects the environment. Explain the many ways in which we can achieve sustainable agriculture. Explain the social and ethical aspects of sustainable agriculture and why we must pursue it. Make connections to the real world issues here.
5. DIET, HEALTH AND HUNGER Introduce the concept of diet and nutrition. Explain how food processing affects human health and especially obesity. Explain the origin, cost and mechanism of some of our consumed food. Explain what the world eats and the difference in diet and health between countries. Explain what hunger is and how global hunger is significant. Explain the social and ethical aspects of food production and what our responsibilities are to our current and future generations. Make connections to the real world issues here in terms of both health and hunger.
6. CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF OUR FOOD Introduce the concept of corporate and government control over our food. Explain what this is and exactly how it controls our food market. Explain what free market is and how it affects our food. Explain the complexity between feeding the world vs. agribusiness domination. Summarize the farm bill and subsidies and how they affect food production and health. Explain the social and ethical aspects of food production and what our responsibilities are to our current and future generations. Make connections to the real world issues here in terms of both health and hunger.
7. SUMMARIZE YOUR ARTICLE: summarize this article and include your personal thoughts, ideas and conclusions here. Include your personal experiences here. I will be looking for this section to see what your opinions are about all that you have learned in this entire course. 8
. CITATIONS: Cite all the articles used (Follow the MLA citation format) Standard direction for essay: This essay will consist of eight pages (12-point font, double-spaced, and one-inch margins) using a minimum of five references from the primary literature.
