Running head: TOPIC SELECTION 1 TOPIC SELECTION 4 Assignment 1: Research Topics with Explanation Gregory Best Dr. Roger Fontana ENG 215 7/12/17 Topic One: Should taxes on people making over $250,000 a year be changed? Reason for electing the topic One of the principle reasons for imposing taxes is to reduce wealth and income inequality. Individuals who earn $250,000 a year are categorized as rich people. In the United States, rich people do not pay more taxes. This increases inequality in the distribution of wealth and income (Thio & Taylor, 2011). There is need to change taxation policies for those who earn $250,000 a year in order to reduce this type of inequality. The current progressive taxation system is not comprehensive. Despite ensuring that those who earn more money pay a higher rate of tax, individuals who earn less than 250000 are still overburdened by a more rates (Bös & Felderer, 2012). By changing the taxation policies, the government can be able to collect more income, thus reducing inequality by exempting poor people from paying hefty taxes. Tax proceeds gathered from the rich can be sufficient to provide facilities to the poor, thereby raising their standards of living. Target Audience The target audience for this essay will include policymakers, economists, and members of the public. Policymakers include legislators and opinion leaders who need to be enlightened on the need to reduce the ever-widening income inequality in the country. Economists can also gain insights into ways in which the hotly debated issue of income tax can be handled. Thesis Statement: Increasing taxes for those who earn $250,000 and beyond can be an effective way to reduce income inequality in the United States. Topic Two: Should Transportation Security (TSA) regulations be changed? Reasons for Selecting the Topic The Transportation Security Act 2006 was introduced with the primary objective of reducing risks faced by people who travel using public means of transportation. However, new risks and vulnerabilities emerge which have direct impacts in the security plans that are developed in airports, bus stations, and railway stations (Haines, 2011). There is need to re-examine the issue of transport security because democratic systems face a hard task on weighing their responsibility to protect their citizens while ensuring that there is free movement of goods and humans across the country (Marinik, 2011). With the constantly-changing security threats emerging from terrorist attacks and hacking, there is need to review the transportation security regulations. Target Audience The primary target audience for this essay includes key stakeholders in the transportation sector of the economy. They include transport cabinet secretary, legislators, investors in the private sector, and members of the public. Others include heads of transport parastatals and private institutions. Security agencies are also included on issues that have security implic ...

1. Running head: TOPIC SELECTION 1
TOPIC SELECTION 4
Assignment 1: Research Topics with Explanation
Gregory Best
Dr. Roger Fontana
ENG 215
7/12/17
Topic One: Should taxes on people making over $250,000 a
year be changed?
Reason for electing the topic
One of the principle reasons for imposing taxes is to reduce
wealth and income inequality. Individuals who earn $250,000 a
year are categorized as rich people. In the United States, rich
people do not pay more taxes. This increases inequality in the
distribution of wealth and income (Thio & Taylor, 2011). There
is need to change taxation policies for those who earn $250,000
a year in order to reduce this type of inequality. The current
progressive taxation system is not comprehensive. Despite
ensuring that those who earn more money pay a higher rate of
tax, individuals who earn less than 250000 are still
overburdened by a more rates (Bös & Felderer, 2012). By
changing the taxation policies, the government can be able to
collect more income, thus reducing inequality by exempting
poor people from paying hefty taxes. Tax proceeds gathered
from the rich can be sufficient to provide facilities to the poor,

2. thereby raising their standards of living.
Target Audience
The target audience for this essay will include policymakers,
economists, and members of the public. Policymakers include
legislators and opinion leaders who need to be enlightened on
the need to reduce the ever-widening income inequality in the
country. Economists can also gain insights into ways in which
the hotly debated issue of income tax can be handled.
Thesis Statement: Increasing taxes for those who earn $250,000
and beyond can be an effective way to reduce income inequality
in the United States.
Topic Two: Should Transportation Security (TSA) regulations
be changed?
Reasons for Selecting the Topic
The Transportation Security Act 2006 was introduced with the
primary objective of reducing risks faced by people who travel
using public means of transportation. However, new risks and
vulnerabilities emerge which have direct impacts in the security
plans that are developed in airports, bus stations, and railway
stations (Haines, 2011). There is need to re-examine the issue of
transport security because democratic systems face a hard task
on weighing their responsibility to protect their citizens while
ensuring that there is free movement of goods and humans
across the country (Marinik, 2011). With the constantly-
changing security threats emerging from terrorist attacks and
hacking, there is need to review the transportation security
regulations.
Target Audience
The primary target audience for this essay includes key
stakeholders in the transportation sector of the economy. They
include transport cabinet secretary, legislators, investors in the
private sector, and members of the public. Others include heads
of transport parastatals and private institutions. Security
agencies are also included on issues that have security
implications.
Thesis Statement: The transport security regulations should be

3. changed to address the ever-changing security threats in the
United States and abroad.
Topic Three: Should Regulations for Home Schools be changed?
Reasons for topic selection
The introduction of homeschooling policies and rules has been
an important step towards adapting teaching methods that best
fit the needs of children. As a result, children can now spend
extra time with their parents and address difficult concepts
(Rury, 2012). However, concerns have been raised by
policymakers that homeschooling regulations have failed to
effectively address problems such as restraining delinquent
behaviors from children, and effectively dealing with the
problems stemming from lack of comprehensive exposure to
learning materials (Sykes, Schneider & Plank, 2012).
Furthermore, teachers who provide homeschooling services
struggle with the challenge of providing instructional messages
to students who do not interact with others.
Target Audience
The primary target audience for this essay will include key
stakeholders in the education sector. They include both internal
and external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders are school
heads and teachers and students, while external stakeholders
include parents and government agencies in the education
sector.
Thesis Statement: Homeschooling regulations should be hanged
to make the learning process more comprehensive.
References
Bös, D., & Felderer, B. (Eds.). (2012). The political economy of
progressive taxation. New York:
Springer Science & Business Media.
Haines, F. (2011). The paradox of regulation: What regulation
can achieve and what it cannot.

4. Springer: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Marinik, A. (2011). Feasibility of a consolidated security
credential for persons who
transport hazardous materials (Vol. 6). Washington:
Transportation Research Board.
Rury, J. L. (2012). Education and social change: Contours in the
history of American schooling.
Springer: Routledge.
Sykes, G., Schneider, B., & Plank, D. N. (Eds.). (2012).
Handbook of education policy research.
London: Routledge.
Thio, A., & Taylor, J. D. (2011). Social problems. Roca Baton:
Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Running head: PROPOSAL 1
PROPOSAL 5
Assignment 2: Research Proposal – Thesis, Major Points, and
Plan
Gregory Best
Dr. Roger Fontana

5. ENG 215
7/21/17
Proposal: Thesis, Major Points, and Plan
Identification of the Topic Selected: Reasons
The topic selected for research is: Should taxes on people
making over $250000 a year be changed? There are two main
reasons why the above topic has been chosen for study. First,
the United States is one of the countries that have the highest
inequality in the distribution of income and wealth (Thio &
Taylor, 2011). One of the main reasons for taxation is to reduce
this wide inequality (Guvenen, Kuruscu & Ozkan, 2013). Rich
individuals in the country pay fewer taxes in comparison with
their poor counterparts (García‐Peñalosa & Turnovsky, 2011).
This calls for the need to change the taxation policies for those
who earn $250000 a year so as to minimize this type of
inequality.
Another reason for the selection of this topic is the need to
embrace a tax policy that not only speeds up the process of
economic recovery form future economic crises, but also
contributes to the long-term economic growth of a particular
nation (Arnold et al. 2011). This issue has been of concern since
short-term recovery needs increases in demand while long-term
growth requires increase in supplies. Therefore, there is need to
identify possible growth effects of alternative changes to tax
structures that may speed up economic recovery.
2. Thesis Statement: Tax policies on people who make over
$250000 annually should be changed to reduce income
inequality and promote economic recovery.
3. Major Characteristics of the Target Audience
The three main target audience for this study include: state and
federal legislators, tax administrators, and members of the
press. These three groups of stakeholders have various
characteristics. For instance, tax administrators make the final

6. decision on the tax policies to adopt. Administrators may
include the finance cabinet secretary, governors, and the
president of the United States. For instance, tax administrators
play a vital role in increasing revenues and addressing the
efficacy with which they administer, gather, and enforce
taxation among both corporations and individuals (Pollack,
2010). State and federal legislators also formulate taxation
policies and laws. This is because the senate and state
assemblies have the power to pass laws that influence the tax
policies to be adopted. The American Constitution grants the
House of Representatives with the power to pass bills that raise
revenues. Congress on the other hand, has the power to lay and
gather taxes. Finally, members of the press include the
mainstream media and other emerging news platforms that
provide credible information on topical issues. The media plays
an important role in setting the agenda. This is because what the
issues that the media focuses on become the major themes that
people talk about. The power of the news media to set a
country’s agenda, and to focus public attention on few key
issues, is an immense and well-documented impact (Thio &
Taylor, 2011). Not only do individuals get factual information
about tax policies from the news media, they also gain insights
into how much the issue is important based on the emphasis that
placed on it in the news.
4. Scope
The paper will focus on the need to review tax policies in order
to reduce income and wealth inequalities. Another area that will
be of focus includes the urgency of a new tax policy that
promotes economic growth and recovery during recessions.
Thus, the paper will be structured into an introduction, problem
statement, literature review, conclusion, and recommendations.
5. Identification of the Questions to be answered
The research questions will mainly revolve around how best the
taxation policies for those making over $250000 can be changed
to reduce income inequality. The questions will also seek to
address ways in which tax policies can promote economic

7. recovery during recessions. Examples of the questions include:
1. Can taxation policies reduce income inequality?
2. What is the most recommended tax policy for those who earn
over $250000?
3. How best can tax regulations be adjusted to promote
economic recovery during recessions?
6. Research Plan
The study will begin by identifying sources of literature to
guide the process of developing the paper. Thereafter,
participants for the research will be identified through
sampling. The research will utilize both qualitative and
quantitative designs to gather and analyze data. The data
collection, analysis, and conclusion will then follow.
References
Arnold, J. M., Brys, B., Heady, C., Johansson, Å., Schwellnus,
C., & Vartia, L. (2011). Tax
policy for economic recovery and growth. The Economic
Journal, 121(550).
García‐Peñalosa, C., & Turnovsky, S. J. (2011). Taxation and
income distribution dynamics in a
neoclassical growth model. Journal of Money, Credit and
Banking, 43(8), 1543-1577.
Guvenen, F., Kuruscu, B., & Ozkan, S. (2013). Taxation of
human capital and wage inequality:
A cross-country analysis. Review of Economic Studies, 81(2),
818-850.
Maxwell, M. (2004). Setting the agenda: The mass media and
public opinion. Malden, MA:

8. Blackwell.
Pollack, S. D. (2010). Failure of US Tax Policy: Revenue and
Politics. Penn State Press.
Thio, A., & Taylor, J. D. (2011). Social problems. Roca Baton:
Jones & Bartlett Publishers.