I first learned what abortion was and the various arguments surrounding it when my freshman health class debated the topic.  I was very affected by the idea of someone killing an innocent unborn baby, and I became interested in researching further into the topic of abortion.  After assessing both sides, I still could not fathom how anyone could not consider abortion murder at any stage of the pregnancy.  I believe the unborn baby to be a living human being from the moment of conception, and since the babies do not have a voice, I believe it our responsibility as mothers, fathers, and citizens of the United States to speak on the behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.  While I have done some research in the past on the topic of abortion, I am not an expert.  All that qualifies me to write on abortion are my sources and identity as a woman and a probable future mother.  After earning my degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, one career option I am considering is to get a doctorate degree and work on researching and exploring alternative options to abortion, which would give me more credibility if I were to write on abortion in the future.


(1) "Cell Reproduction: Mitosis and Meiosis" is an informative article that gives a brief explanation of cell reproduction in a way that can be understood by someone with little to no previous knowledge on the subject.  In a concise manner, the article explains DNA and chromosomes and the processes of mitosis and meiosis.  (2) Since the article is informative, it does not address any morals or values, and it does not have much at stake.  The information contained in the article is commonly accepted by scientists world-wide, so there is not much to debate, and it is unlikely these ideas will change.  (3) The author of the article is not listed, so his/her bias cannot be analyzed.  The article is posted on BBC's webpage, and BBC tends to be a fairly objective and well-known source, which gives the article some credibility.  However, since the article is informative and explains commonly accepted scientific facts, there is not really much of a bias.


(1) "The Best Pro-Life Arguments for a Secular Audience" by Cathy Ruse and Rob Schwarzwalder, as the title suggest, gives detailed arguments against abortion that are angled toward a secular audience.  The authors seem to be speaking to a Christian audience and provide arguments they can use when debating abortion with a non-religious opposition.  (2) The article is overtly pro-life, and its major values include the fetus being a human from conception and to abort an unborn baby is murder.  The unborn babies act as the stakeholders for the arguments made in this article since they are the ones who are most affected by abortion.  (3) The authors of the article, Ruse and Schwazwalder, both have certain legal credibility because of positions they've held; however, they are writing for a website (The Family Research Council) that has a significant bias.  The Family Research Council tends to be a conservative organization and certainly has some Christian influence, so it has a considerable bias towards the pro-life opinion.


(1) "When Does Human Life Begin?  The Scientific Evidence and Terminology Revisited" by Maureen Condic is an article that addresses the issue of defining when human life begins from an objective and scientific perspective and makes a point to leave factors such as religion, philosophy, and social/cultural aspects out of the question.  The author argues that human life begins at fertilization when the diploid zygote is first formed.  (2) The author does not spend much time on values or morals because the aim of her argument is to leave religion, philosophy, and culture out of the picture, but her argument is centered around how the unborn child is a human being from conception and suggests it should be treated as such.  The unborn children are the stakeholders for her argument.  (3) The author has a doctorate degree and is currently working on extensive research regarding embryonic neurons.  She is a professor at the University of Utah, School of Medicine, where she teaches on embryonic development, so she is well versed on the subject and has the knowledge and authority to make her argument.

Feasibility

The question of when human life begins is a question that has been heavily debated, especially in recent years.  There are multiple different sides to be taken on the matter including those who believe human life begins at fertilization, when the baby's heart is beating, when the baby can feel pain, when the baby "looks" like a baby, when the baby can survive outside the mother's womb, and when the baby has been born.  The articles I have found so far mainly reflect the idea that human life begins at fertilization.  I do not plan to make revisions to my research question, as it is a broad question that addresses each of the different views.
