ePortfolio Project

Question 1: Marijuana is often called a “gateway drug” that leads to other addictions such as alcohol, nicotine, and “harder” drugs. However, several states in the US have legalized marijuana for medical use and a few for recreational use in small quantities. If you were a police officer in the United States, would you advocate legalization? Is marijuana really a gateway drug? What could the long-term effects of legalization be?

Step 1: Select a topic and begin research

1. Select one of the four Discussion Questions above.

This assignment will be a 5 paragraph essay ranging from 800-1200 words and will be submitted via Blackboard. You will choose 1 of the 4 Discussion Questions presented in Week 10 (Task 6.11.1) to write about and conduct research. Incorporate at least 3 academic sources. Your essay and sources should all be cited according to APA style.

1. Open a document in MSWord or Google Docs to use for notes.
2. Write a list of search terms.
3. Write a list of any good web sites that you think would help (e.g. open source intelligence sites).
4. Begin your search. Use advanced Search and Google Scholar.
5. Copy / paste links to web sites that look interesting.
6. Make notes next to the links about the contents.

Step 2: Collect five or more high-quality sources

1. Download copies of the best sites to read offline.
   1. Look for PDF download links.
   2. Look for PRINT buttons and save as a PDF.
   3. Right-click and choose print or save as.
   4. Be sure that you can find the web site again later for writing your APA references!
2. Read your sources carefully.
   1. Look for bias, facts, and opinions.
   2. Check the authority of the writer.
   3. Check the facts presented.
   4. Think about how the ideas fit in a larger framework of Security Science.