Outline

I am interested in this research question because I am an avid supporter of switching from gas to electric vehicles. I would like to express my answer to this question in my research project to show my audience the facts about electric cars that most people do not know. The question presented does not directly affect me or my values, although I am the driver of a gas vehicle and I will make the switch to electric as soon as I am able to purchase my own car after college. My entire life I have been around gas automobiles both standard and automatic transmission so experience with electric cars is very limited; however, I have done extensive research on this topic out of personal interest. I believe I am qualified to write about this topic because of the research I have done and the previous knowledge I hold. In addition, I believe that since the issue is so argumentative it is advantageous to have a writer that is experienced and engrossed in both sides of the discussion.

Article 1

The central claim of this article is that the new interest in electric cars is leading to a more efficient energy alternative. Electric cars require a battery with maximum efficiency and storage, and solar panels are a smart and effective method to charge these batteries that could potentially power our homes as well as cars. The values and interests at stake in this article include energy conservation and the consumer, whether it be for electric vehicles or solar panels. Similarly, the companies Solar City and Tesla Motors, both owned by CEO Elon Musk, play a huge role in this argument as these companies produce electric cars, batteries, and solar panels for energy conservation alternatives. The credibility of the author in this article can be deemed worthy as he is a writer for the well-established magazine Time. In addition, the article is filled with data and previous research to add credibility and accuracy. The article shows minimal bias, but it is blatant that the author shows interest in the discussion presented.

Article 2

The central claim of this article is to present the advantages and disadvantages of both gas and electric automobiles. The primary issue, which is the most questioned detail about the switch to electric vehicles, is the cost analysis of gas vs. electric cars in terms of diving distance, fuel consumption, and electricity demand. The major interests in this article are those of the consumer. The article is attempting to detail the most cost effective decision for the consumer by providing statistics that are unclear to the public. The credibility of this author is displayed as he is writing for an energy research company about energy conservation and cost analysis. In addition, the author uses several statistics and graphs to visualize the results of experiments and prove accuracy. Although the author's credibility is supported in the article, bias is also very clear as he does not approach the issue from all angles. The author states electricity demand will cause electricity taxes to be raised tremendously, swaying the reader's thoughts while failing to mention the use of solar panels will decrease electricity demand as it will be free.

Article 3

The central claim of the third article is that the future of electric cars is fast approaching and coming from the east. The major evidence of this claim arises in the article from the statistics given about the improvements being made to companies such as Tesla and Faraday Future, a Chinese start-up company. This evidence includes multi-billion dollar factories that are being created to mass produce batteries and frames for these electric cars. The values and interests at stake in this article are those of the company that the author is writing about. These interests include the publicity and acknowledgement that the companies are receiving for the plans they have for the future of electric vehicles. The credibility of this author is easily noted as the author is writing an article for Bloomberg, a financial, data, and media company that avoids false information. Bias is not present since the nature of the article is to inform the reader what is going on in the world of electric cars and how each company is progressing for the future.

Reflection

The research question provided is arguable because of how opinionated both sides of the argument could potentially be. The topic is not well known and researched by the majority of the public so several separate arguments could arise. A large disagreement that I found in my articles is that some authors are more interested in the cost analysis rather than the energy efficiency and conservation argument while agreeing on some of the benefits an electric car would yield. The different perspectives do not affect mine because I am already entitled to the opinion I have dealing with this topic. I could revise my research question by making it broader to encompass all varying arguments that could stem from this discussion.
