The document proposes a research study on teen pregnancy as a social problem, highlighting factors that influence early pregnancies, particularly in developed versus developing nations. It discusses the significant impact of media on social perceptions of teen pregnancy and outlines the negative consequences for teen mothers, their children, and communities. The study aims to investigate the causes, media influence, and social implications of teen pregnancies, with a set of research questions guiding the inquiry.

1. Running head: PROJECT TOPIC PROPOSAL
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Running head: PROJECT TOPIC PROPOSAL
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Assignment 1: Project Topic Proposal
Britney B. Hassan
SOCI 498
American Public University System
Assignment 1: Project Topic Proposal
Teen pregnancy as a social problem
Introduction
Teen pregnancy is a case whereby a teenage girl, between the
ages of 13 and 19 can become pregnant. Typically, a girl within
this age range cannot be considered to be an adult and thus
considered too young to conceive and bear a child. Besides this,
childbearing comes with many other responsibilities in which
case a teenage girl may not be able to address.
Background
Thesis: This research seeks to investigate significant facts and
factors surrounding teen pregnancy, which identifies it to be a

2. social problem.
The issue of teen pregnancies have has been a matter of concern
to religious leaders, policymaker, social scientists, and the
communities due to the threats posed on the lives of the young
mothers and their children. The life of a teen girl changes the
instant that she bears a child at such as young age. The life of
the child is also affected in multiple ways, and so is society.
Already, the topic of teen pregnancy has attracted the attention
of parents, social communities, and leaders who wish to take
various initiatives to reduce its incidence. However, the social
perception of teen pregnancy continues to challenge these
efforts due to media influences, which continue to portray teen
pregnancy positively.
According to analysis by Edwards (2015), persons who are
below 25 years comprise half of the world’s population with 1.8
billion making up those aged between 10 and 25 years.
Evidently, most people become sexually active before they are
20 years old. Besides this more, 49 percent of girls in the least
developed countries get into marriage before they reach 18
years. This set of data shows that the risk of having teenage
pregnancies is still high. There are fewer cases of teenage
pregnancies in the world today as compared to how the situation
was in the early days before the 1970s. However, this is no
reason to justify the current rate of teenage pregnancies nor is it
a claim that the situation has been exaggerated. The truth of the
matter is that most of the teenage pregnancies in the earlier days
were to married couples; besides this, early childbearing was
considered to be a social norm. Current situations are
completely different from what existed in the past, especially
since many women, who choose to postpone childbearing, have
socially adopted methods such as the use of contraceptives and
legal abortion. This topic is important in comparing the past and
present experiences of teen pregnancy with the aim of
projecting what the situation will be like in the future.
Statement of the problem

3. Importance of the study
Teen pregnancies affect different parts of the world differently.
The situation experienced in developed countries is definitely
different from what is being experienced in the least developed.
This is determined by the social and economic factors in the
respective countries. It is therefore important to conduct this
study to investigate the factors, which influence teenage female
into early pregnancies. Is this issue out of their control or are
they just a victim of circumstances? According to Mkwananzi
(2017), teenage pregnancy in developing nations is attributed to
issues such as low levels of education, high poverty rates, and
lack of parental guidance through the teenager’s life.
Particularly in South Africa, Mkwananzi conveys that the
country has experienced an increased rate of teenage
pregnancies. “Many girls are getting pregnant at a very tender
age.” This makes her question the social moral disposition of
the residents. From her research, she concludes that teen
pregnancy is more of a social issue than an emotional or
physical issue. Many teenagers don’t have a good relationship
with their parents, which enable them to talk about certain
issues, which in turn would more likely help the teenager in
avoiding an unwanted pregnancy.
Is the situation the same in developed nations? The situation is
very different in developed countries where more teenagers
have access to quality education and sensitization about how to
avoid teen pregnancies. However, the context of the influences
of teen pregnancy is still considered a major social concern; the
difference, in this case, is that the media has significantly
contributed to influencing teenage girls to think that teen
pregnancy is acceptable in the society and nothing is wrong
with it. Different sources have researched the role played by
mass and social media in influencing the social perceptions of
teenage pregnancy. The general argument is that it’s not only
teen pregnancy which should be considered to be a social

4. problem, but the portrayal of media of teen pregnancy in itself
is also a bigger social problem. In this part of the research, it
shall investigate how the media has continued to glorify sex and
paid no regard to responsibility.
According to Strukel (2016), American reality TV series such as
Teen Mother have portrayed teenage pregnancy in a way that is
more likely to encourage a teenage female to become pregnant.
The media has continued to focus on themes such as changing
relationships and the struggles that teen mothers have to
undergo when raising the child whereby it teaches the teenage
girl that there is always a way through life after teen pregnancy.
This type of depiction by the different media sources has
increased the urge to indulge in sex and get pregnant among
teenagers.
Besides film, music has also negatively influenced teenagers
into indulging in sexual acts without the considerations of
abstinence or the use of contraceptives. This has encouraged
more teens to engage in irresponsible behavior as they seek to
satisfy their desires without minding the consequences of their
actions. As a result more teen girls who get pregnant are forced
to drop out of school so that they can tend to the needs of the
baby first before they can embark with their education. In the
current world, a teenage girl is expected to be engaging in life
development activities such as education, which will enable her
to peruse other life opportunities. For this reason, teenage
pregnancy has been viewed as a social problem. Besides this,
the incidence of teenage pregnancy is a social concern, which is
caused by irresponsible behavior in teenagers, lack of maturity,
illiteracy, poverty, and other negative social attributes
(Wendland, et al. 2017).
The purpose of the study
The purpose of this research study is to investigate significant
facts and factors surrounding teen pregnancy, which identifies it
to be a social problem. In this section, the research will focus

5. on the negative impacts of teen pregnancy in our society
(Wendland, et al. 2017). These impacts will be classified into
three segments; i) impact on the teen mother, ii) impact on the
child, and iii) impact on the community (this will include the
siblings of the teen mother, the parents, and the larger
community).
Research questions
This research will seek to answer the following questions:
1. What factors have continued to cause teen pregnancies in the
world?
2. What role does social media play in encouraging or
discouraging teen pregnancies?
3. What negative impacts of teen pregnancies make is a major
social problem?
Conclusion
The topic of teen pregnancies is broad since it cross-cuts on
different human dispositions such as culture, social status,
religion, nationality, and education. This research will address
different factors relating to teen pregnancy as it seeks to bring
out different reasons as to why it should be considered as a
major social problem, which needs to be addressed so as to
reduce its occurrence and the level of negative impacts, it has in
our world.
References
Michael Strukel, (2016). TEEN PREGNANCY AND MEDIA
ENGAGEMENT: A USES AND GRATIFICATIONS STUDY.
David Strukel.
Sibusiso Mkwananzi, (2017). Teenage pregnancy in South

6. Africa: Setting a new research agenda. Retrieved from
https://allafrica.com/stories/201009150057.html
Steven Edwards (2015). 10 things you didn’t know about the
world’s population. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2015/04/10-things-didnt-know-
worlds-population/
Wendland, J., Lebert, A., de Oliveira, C., & Boujut, E. (2017).
Links between maltreatment during childhood or adolescence
and risk-related substance use among young adults. L'Évolution
Psychiatrique, 82(2), e17-e26.
Final Paper
You are the manager of Acme Fireworks, a fireworks retailer
who sells fireworks, puts on ground display fireworks, and large
aerial display fireworks. The company started in the owner’s
garage two years ago and now has 15 employees that you
manage. The company started as a sole proprietorship, and the
owner has never changed the entity. The owner has informed
you that the company has received inquiries from several large
businesses wondering if the company could create several
fireworks displays on a regular basis. The owner told the
inquirers that the company could fill such display orders, and a
price per display was agreed upon. It was discussed that most of
the cost for a fireworks display is for skilled labor, insurance,
and the actual service of setting off the fireworks. No other
details were discussed. The owner is anticipating that new
employees will need to be hired, but he is worried that if the
large orders for fireworks displays do not continue, the
company will not have the funds to pay the new employees. The
owner is now considering changing the business entity, but he
does not know what entity to form or how to form it.
The owner has asked you to do the following:
· Determine if the contracts with the businesses will be
governed by common law or the Uniform Commercial Code

7. (UCC), and explain why.
· Analyze whether the owner formed a contract with the
businesses, and apply the five essential elements of an
enforceable contract.
· Explain the potential personal liability to Acme Fireworks if a
spectator is injured by a stray firework from a fireworks
display.
· Discuss the different employment types and relationships
relevant to agency law, and analyze the advantages and
disadvantages of each type specific to Acme Fireworks.
· Explain why Acme Fireworks should not operate as a sole
proprietorship. Recommend a new business entity, and provide
rationale to support your recommendation.
For each task, be sure to analyze the relevant law, apply the
facts to the law, and make a conclusion.
The paper
· Must be 8 to 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including
title and references pages) and formatted according to APA
style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site..
· Must include a separate title page with the following:
· Title of paper
· Student’s name
· Course name and number
· Instructor’s name
· Date submitted
· Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct
thesis statement.
· Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. That
is, describe what your response is to the content, either positive
or negative, and defend your position. If multiple options,

8. alternatives, and/or positions are present and are being rejected,
you must also defend the reasons for rejecting an option.
· Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
· Must include at least five scholarly sources, two of which
must be from the Ashford University Library, in addition to the
course text.
· Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the
Ashford Writing Center.
· Must include a separate references page that is formatted
according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing
Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external
site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be us