I first learned about abortion and the various arguments surrounding it when my freshman health class debated the topic.  I was greatly 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.

My first article, "Cell Reproduction: Mitosis and Meiosis," does not list an author but was posted on BBC's website.  It gives a brief explanation of cell reproduction, and in a concise manner, the article explains DNA and chromosomes and the processes of mitosis and meiosis.  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.  Since the author of the article is not listed, his/her bias cannot be analyzed.  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.

A less scientific article,"The Best Pro-Life Arguments for a Secular Audience" by Cathy Ruse and Rob Schwarzwalder, 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.  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.  Ruse and Schwazwalder both have certain legal credibility because of past positions they've held; however, they are writing for The Family Research Council website, which has a significant bias since it tends to be mostly conservative with a Christian influence.

Unlike Ruse and Schwarzwalder's article, "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.  Condic argues that human life begins at fertilization when the diploid zygote is first formed.  She 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.  Since she focuses on the scientific facts about the unborn fetus, she fails to address that while many people agree the unborn baby is alive, they do not believe the baby has any personhood yet.  As in the article by Ruse and Schwarzwalder, the unborn children are the stakeholders for Condic's argument.  Condic has a doctorate degree and is currently working on extensive research regarding embryonic neurons.  As a professor at the University of Utah, School of Medicine, where she teaches on embryonic development, Condic is well versed on this subject and has the knowledge and authority to make her argument.

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 intend to find articles that address various perspectives on the topic and sources I can use in my refutation.

