Research Outline

Emma Templeton

Eng 103-010

Lamos

Research Paper - Outline

I.  Introduction

·         Hook: When you flip through a magazine, or are casually watching the TV, how many times do you come across advertisements concerning fast food restaurants?  Also include some statistics on the rate of childhood obesity within the United States.

·         Thesis:  The advertising of the fast food industry in the United States is geared towards children, which in effect has caused the rate of childhood obesity within this country to increase over the past thirty years.

·         Implications: What are the effects of fast food advertising on a child's mind? What makes them want to eat fast food so badly?

II. The Beginnings of a Catastrophic Downfall

·         A brief overview of childhood obesity rates within the United States in present day as compared to the mid-1970s.

·         Research popular chain restaurants advertisement campaigns throughout those same years and compare the obesity rate to that of the advertising.

1.      McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, etc.

1.      Need to figure out which restaurants to focus on.

·         Use of ethos to catch the reader's attention, and therefore allowing the child to crave their food.

·         Source: Crawford and Jeffery’s Obesity Prevention and Public Health

·         Source: Childhood Obesity: Public-Health Crisis, Common Sense Cure

III. Target: Children

·         This section will be centered on how fast food companies cater their advertisement campaigns to children

·         Fast food companies are able to do this through commercials, toys, kid’s meals, mascots, etc. which are all forms of ethos

VI. Growing Up Into Obesity and Other Outside Influences

·         Counter arguments will be addressed in this section.

·         Many believe that fast food and fast food advertising is not a main reason for the increase in childhood obesity over the years

·         Source: Jan Grover’s book Food

·         Another counter argument can be that the children do not have control over how often they eat fast food – it is in the hands of the parents/guardians

V.  So, What Does This Say About America?

·         Summarize/recap all of the arguments in the paper into a smooth, flowing conclusion

·         Remember to address counter arguments also

Questions to address:

·         Why is this significant to America and why is such a huge concern across the United States?

·         If childhood obesity is such a monumental concern, what can we do about it? How can we decrease the number of children who are obese?