Counterintuitive Spring 2023

1. KERR, Z. , LINCOLN, A. , DODGE, T. , YEARGIN, S. , COVASSIN, T. , NITTOLI, V. , MENSCH, J. , ROOS, K. , DOMPIER, T. & CASWELL, S. (2018) . Epidemiology of Youth Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse Injuries in the 2015 to 2016 Seasons. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 50 (2), 284-291. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001422. https://tinyurl.com/yvczbx9m
   1. This article is the results of an observational study done prior or in the year 2018. Where multiple contributors had compiled a list of injury possibility percentages of the different types of injuries that can happen in both men’s vs women’s lacrosse. The conclusion of the study was that men’s lacrosse has a higher chance of injury than women’s, due to the heavey contact between sticks.
   2. I used this article to enhance the idea that increasing the padding leads to more injuries and that this is one of the ways men win games. Injuring their opponents in order to retrieve the ball and score. This brutal behavior is the reason why women’s lacrosse is better, women do not need to rely on injuring their opponent. 
2. World Lacrosse Women’s Rules Sub Committee. (2021, February). CLARIFICATION FOR WOMEN’S RULE BOOK, 2019-2020 [Memo]. https://tinyurl.com/jfsc7vts 
   1. The Clarification for Women’s Rule Book is a rule book for women’s lacrosse that is updated yearly to any changes the committee decides. This is the entire rules of women’s lacrosse, to the meaning behind each term used during the game to the “do’s and don’ts” of lacrosse. This is the 2019 to 2021 edition of the women’s rule book.
   2. I have used this article to clarify rules and terms to the readers, in order for them to understand what I am trying to argue, they must know how lacrosse works.
3. NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee, & Scroggs, W. (2019). 2019 and 2020 NCAA MEN’S LACROSSE RULES AND INTERPRETATIONS (A. Supergan, Ed.). NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. https://tinyurl.com/3njy5att  
   1. This book is the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules and Interpretations of the 2019 and 2020 rules, not fully updated for the year 2021. Regardless this book gives the reader an idea of how men’s lacrosse works, just like the women’s rule book. Clarifying terminology and rules for those who do not know how lacrosse works.
   2. This book was also used as a clarification for the readers in order for them to fully understand the point I am trying to get across. Without fully explaining the differences between the men and women’s lacrosse, it would be hard to argue why one is better than the other.
4. Dymowski, C. (2016, April 20). Lacrosse has different rules for men and women. The Ithacan. https://tinyurl.com/ycktrmfn 
   1. This article from The Ithacan, a student run newspaper of Ithaca College, was written by Cal Dymowski where he highlighted the difference between men’s and women’s lacrosse rules. Going over the basic differences and how some of the athletes and coaches feel about the differences.
   2. I used this article to support the idea that men’s lacrosse is favored more solely due to the high levels of contact. Using the testimony of the people interviewed in the article to support the fact that women’s lacrosse is less popular.
5. Carey, J. (2012). New directions of play: Native American origins of modern lacrosse (Order No. 1518272). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1039261901). Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/2p99khv2
   1. Jeff Carey, the author of this article states that this thesis is to educate the readers about the history of lacrosse from the seventeenth century up until the early twentieth century. Lacrosse used to be a Native American sport that had been adapted and passed on through the years, becoming what we see today.
   2. This allowed me to introduce lacrosse from what it was originally and how women started to get involved. Explaining that even in the past the hurdles to play the game were around from the beginning of women’s lacrosse.
6. Claydon, J. (Ed.). (2021). Origin of Men’s Lacrosse. World Lacrosse. https://worldlacrosse.sport/about-world-lacrosse/origin-history/
   1. Jane Claydon was another author that wrote about the native americans and more specifically the logistics of the game. Talking about how the goals were “500 yards to several miles apart” and that there can be between 100 and 100,000 men playing at once. Give details about equipment and the englishmen who watched and adapted the game
   2. This was also used to introduce the game to readers, give a fun little history lesson about the game, that I thought would be nice to throw in.
7. Hamilton, M. (2017, August 28). Lacrosse Has Untapped Potential as TV Sport, ESPN Producer Says. USA Lacrosse Magazine. https://tinyurl.com/2ppjy46k 
   1. Hamilton’s article talks about how the men’s lacrosse tournaments have drawn more viewers than women’s. He discusses possible reasons for the lack of viewers in the overall sport and why some are more popular than others due to the easy to follow ball.
   2. I use this to show the difference in viewers as well as popularity due to the physicality of the sport. Compared to other sports mens is one of the smaller yet due to contact sports being the top sports for a majority of viewers it is easy to assume that people are drawn to more physical sports, since they have high stakes. As well as more entertainment and better flow.
8. Sanches, M. (2017, April 12). Women’s and Men’s Lacrosse: Same Name, Different Sports [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i39zllGnJkI
   1. A video posted by Mayara Sanches posted a video talking about the difference between men and women’s lacrosse, mainly talking about the physicality of it. Members of the girls team talk about their opinion about helmets and physical contact. Coaches from both men’s and women’s state an opinion about how women’s is a strong sport without heavy amounts of contact.
   2. Focusing on the fact that women don’t want to sport to pressure for more gear but loosen their rules is a popular opinion among the lacrosse community. Even so, I talked about how even the male coach couldn’t imagine not hitting their opponents in defense. Giving the idea that women are better because they have found a way around the physical contact men use so heavily.
9. Lacrosse All Stars. (2014, October 24). 2015 NCAA Faceoff Video – Notre Dame vs. Team USA – Lacrosse Best Moments [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL1z6a96Y1w
   1. A video by Lacrosse All Stars showed three to four draws in men’s lacrosse, the video is simply displaying the best draws from the 2015 NCAA Notre Dame vs Team USA game.
   2. This source was used as a reference for those who need a more in depth knowledge about draws. Since they can be difficult to put in words as someone who plays women, it allows the reader to visualize it better.
10. Bell, R. C. (1998). A History of Women in Sport Prior to Title IX. The Sport Journal. https://thesportjournal.org/article/a-history-of-women-in-sport-prior-to-title-ix/ 
    1. Richard C and others summarize the works of others in the article about how men dictated women’s physically active lives. Talking about how much a person should exert themselves and that they should only do certain activities if they are in a certain class in society.
    2. Dictating a woman’s life by giving them ideas and “facts” about the body and what to do and not to do when it comes to activities. How they get weakened once a month and that is a very crucial time to do nothing.
11. CrashCourse, & Green, J. (2005, December 15). Women in the 19th Century: Crash Course US History #16 [Video]. Youtube. https://tinyurl.com/nahhcvjn  
    1. John Green is the creator of CrashCourse, in the episode he talks about the nineteenth century of women’s rights and the changes throughout the years. He talks about the reform groups created in order to bring about change, as well as the treatment of women. How men were controlling every aspect of their lives and they had no control if something went wrong.
    2. I talked about how men had caused the women of today to still be discriminated against by creating these ideals that women can only handle so much and had a very simple role in life. Women back in the day had no way of supporting their family or had an escape from an abusive husband. Being trapped in a marriage due to the laws made against them, women had to make a stand, yet there is still a hold on how women should play.
12. The United States Senate. (n.d.). Woman Suffrage Centennial [Lecture notes]. United States Senate. https://tinyurl.com/yckvt26v
    1. It is a short paragraph by the United States Senate detailing the dates and events that allowed women to vote in america. 
    2. This helps in the causal argument about men being the root of the problem, and how women fought to correct it but it’s still a factor in today’s society.
13. Gough, C. (2021, September 23). Number of college sport scholarships available in the United States in 2020/21, by sport and gender [Fact sheet]. Statista. https://tinyurl.com/yw53jr2d 
    1. A list compiled by Christina Gough is to show what sports give more than others, allows athletes to attempt to play multiple sports in order to receive scholarships for school and so on.
    2. I talked about how popular lacrosse has become and how it is one of the top sports when it comes to scholarships, not only is it a competitive sport but there is competition to be the best. 
14. Blinder, A. (2021). Report: N.C.A.A. Prioritized Men’s Basketball ‘Over Everything Else’. The New York Times. https://tinyurl.com/2s3hu4hw 
    1.   This article by the New York Times is sadly not new news to women in sports, unequal treatment has been an issue for years. One basketball was treated drastically differently from the men’s team, “Food quality varied drastically, as did lounges for players and gift bags provided to participants.” This also happens in team gyms and so many other occasions across the sports community.
    2. I wanted to show that lacrosse is not the only sport that gets treated differently because there are women playing. This discrimination runs deep through the the big companies in charge of running the psorts world and it hurts to see this happen.

1. DeAngelis, T. (2004). Consumerism–Consumerism and its discontents. https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/discontents

Background: In today’s world we own so many materialistic items and endless other commodities that weren’t around in the past 50 years, but we are not any happier. Consumer culture has reached a high and there has been a decrease in life satisfaction. People who organize their lives around extrinsic goals such as acquiring materialistic items, report greater unhappiness in relationships, poorer moods and more psychological problems. Extrinsic goals focus on possessions, image, and status, and intrinsic goals aim at outcomes like personal growth and community connection. Material things are neither bad nor good, but it is the role and status they play in one’s life that can be problematic. It is important to find a balance where you can appreciate what you have, but not at the expense of the things that really matter, such as your family, community and spirituality.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It provides evidence and examples of negative effects caused by the search and the abundance of happiness through the examination of materialism. It helped support my claim that people have a tendency to chase or long for a false sense of happiness, that is influenced by what others deem as proper success.

2. Dfarhud, D., Malmir, M., & Khanahmadi, M. (2014). Happiness & Health: The Biological Factors- Systematic Review Article. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 43(11), 1468–1477. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4449495/

Background: Happiness consists of two underlying factors: endogenic factors (biological, cognitive, personality, and ethical sub-factors) and exogenic factors (behavioral, social cultural, economic, geographical, life events, and aesthetics sub-factors). From all endogenic factors, biological sub-factors are the most significant predictors of happiness. The existence of major differences in the happiness of infants is an indicator of biological influences. Neuroscience studies showed that some parts of the brain (e.g., amygdala, hippocampus, and limbic system) and neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and endorphin) play a large role in the control of happiness. A few studies pointed to the role of cortisol and adrenaline (adrenal gland) and oxytocin (pituitary gland) in controlling happiness.

How I Used It: This source served as a scientific definition and explanation for short-term happiness. I used it to explain how our body releases chemicals into our bloodstream to help regulate our emotions. Brain chemicals that induce happiness include dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. Parts of the brain and neurotransmitters play a large role in the control of happiness and pleasure. Our actions, surroundings, and emotions in turn influence our body chemistry.

3. Gruber, J. J. (n.d.). Four ways happiness can hurt you. Greater Good. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_ways_happiness_can_hurt_you.

Background: By recognizing the potential pitfalls of happiness, we enable ourselves to understand it more deeply and we learn to better promote healthier and more balanced lives. Happiness has a cost when experienced too intensely. When people experience intense and perhaps overwhelming amounts of happiness, they no longer experience the same creativity boost. When we experience happiness, our attention turns toward exciting and positive things in our lives to help sustain the good feeling. When feeling happy, we also tend to feel less inhibited and more likely to explore new possibilities and take risks. As we would not want to feel angry or sad in every context, we should not want to experience happiness in every context. Also, certain kinds of happiness may at times hinder our ability to connect with those around us.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It provides evidence and examples of negative effects caused by the search and the abundance of happiness. It explains that too much happiness can result in taking more risks and engaging in risky behavior. This causes negative effects on a person’s physical and mental health.

4. Gruber, J., Mauss, I. B., & Tamir, M. (2011). A Dark Side of Happiness? How, When, and Why Happiness Is Not Always Good. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(3), 222–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691611406927

Background: There is a strong popular and scientific emphasis on happiness in today’s society as a beneficial outcome, which is evident by the increasing demand for guidance through motivational speakers, life coaches, and self-help books all with the primary focus of increasing happiness. One question that is being asked is “Might happiness be dysfunctional at times?” Most people’s immediate response is in opposition to that question; however, people have not considered if happiness may, under certain circumstances, be maladaptive. If there is a high intensity of happiness, people experience no psychological or health gains and sometimes they may experience costs. For example, when experiencing high degrees of positive emotions, some individuals are more inclined to engage in riskier behaviors, such as alcohol consumption, binge eating, and drug use.

How I Used It:  This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It provides evidence and examples of negative effects caused by happiness, and how people experience no psychological or health gains. It also explains that too much happiness can result in taking more risks and engaging in risky behavior such as alcohol consumption, binge eating, and drug use.

5. Hall, A. (2014). Life Satisfaction, Concept of. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, 3599–3601. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1649

Background: The concept of life satisfaction is used in philosophical and psychological accounts of happiness and well-being. “Life satisfaction” is regularly used as a synonym for “happiness” and is often either identified with or seen alongside well-being. However, there are two distinct senses of “satisfaction” at use in these various accounts. In some cases, “satisfaction” refers to the perceived fulfillment of expectations or standards and in other cases, “satisfaction” refers to a feeling of being pleased with something. Because of these different senses of the term “satisfaction,” there are broadly two different conceptions of life satisfaction at use in life satisfaction accounts.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that identifying the fulfilling purpose of life would increase the well-being of people. This was used to help define the terms “life satisfaction” and “satisfaction” and the concept of life satisfaction. “Happiness” and is often associated with well-being and there are two individual implications of the word “satisfaction”.

6. Kashdan, T.B. & McKnight, P.E. (2009). Origins of Purpose in Life: Refining our Understanding of a Life Well Lived. Psihologijske teme, 18 (2), 303-313. Retrieved from https://hrcak.srce.hr/48215  

Background: Purpose can be characterized as a central, self-organizing life aim. As a life aim, a purpose generates continual goals for efforts to be devoted. A purpose provides a foundation that allows a person to be more resilient to obstacles, stress, and strain. There are three pathways. The first process is involving effort over time and resulting in a purpose after clarification. The second process is involving a transformative life event where a purpose arises and adds clarity to the person’s life. The third process is social learning – involving the formation of purpose through observation, imitation, and modeling.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that identifying the fulfilling purpose of life would increase the well-being of people. This was used to define the term “purpose” and how it relates to the meaning of life and life satisfaction. Following the path and direction of a purpose can also lead to other elements of well-being such as life satisfaction, serenity, and mindfulness.

7. Mauss, I. B., Savino, N. S., Anderson, C. L., Weisbuch, M., Tamir, M., & Laudenslager, M. L. (2011, September 12). The Pursuit of Happiness Can Be Lonely. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025299

Background: Even though it is natural to want and search for happiness, valuing happiness may have negative consequences. According to most North Americans, they value wanting to be happy above many other goals with the expectation that happiness not only feels good but is beneficial for you. Happiness is usually defined in terms of personal positive feelings or a personal gain and striving for personal gains can damage connections with others. For example, people who have high self-esteem often fail to attend to others’ needs and a narrow determination of achieving goals can cause people to disregard others’ feelings. This causes the pursuit of happiness to damage people’s connections with others and results in loneliness. Studies were conducted and examined correlations between valuing happiness and reports of loneliness in a large community sample. Another study was conducted as well to test the effects of experimental manipulation of valuing happiness on loneliness, through self-reports and a hormonal indicator, progesterone, of social connection. These results suggest that valuing happiness is linked to greater loneliness on a suggestive basis.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It provides evidence and examples of negative effects caused by happiness, and how people experience no psychological or health gains. It has a negative impact on your mental health as, searching for happiness leaves you with no one you can emotionally or physically connect to. This is a higher risk for more depressive symptoms.

8. Zerwas FK, Ford BQ. The paradox of pursuing happiness. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. 2021;39:106-112. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154621000541. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.03.006.

Background: Despite a common misconception that happiness is beneficial for you, a considerable amount of evidence suggests that valuing happiness to an extreme degree can backfire. The more value that people invest in happiness, the less happy they are in actuality. People approach the process of pursuing happiness similar to how they would approach any other goal. Typically, the more someone strives towards a goal the more likely they are to reach that goal. However, this logic doesn’t apply to happiness. Studies have shown that people who extremely value happiness are also less likely to attain long-term happiness, which is explained by lower levels of psychological well-being and life satisfaction. These patterns were strongly emphasized for individuals experiencing low life stress. It was also shown that those who pursue happiness, seem to be at risk for poor mental health and are associated with more depressive symptoms. Furthermore, it is found that having high expectations for the intensity of one’s happiness can be damaging by making the goal highly unreachable. Monitoring one’s progress towards happiness also creates room for negative meta-emotions, which are a negative emotional response to an original emotion.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It explained how a considerable amount of evidence suggests that valuing happiness to an extreme degree can backfire, such as poor mental health, depressive symptoms, and lower levels of psychological well-being.

9. Siegel, R. (2015, May 16). Why you need to pursue happiness. Next Avenue. Retrieved December 11, 2021, from https://www.nextavenue.org/why-you-need-pursue-happiness/.  

Background: There are large amounts of scientific evidence that we should take active steps to increase our happiness as well, as it may be nearly as important in helping us achieve longer, healthier lives. Those who reported the highest level of satisfaction appeared to gain as much as 7.5 to 10 years of life. Beyond the impact on longevity, there is evidence linking positive emotions to a lower risk of certain diseases. Psychologists have noted the human tendency to adapt to new circumstances, whether positive or negative. Something that initially delights you eventually feels like the norm. The initial sense of happiness fades and an urge to acquire the next bigger or better thing once again takes hold. The pursuit of happiness has been called the “hedonic treadmill,” because you may feel that you have to keep exerting yourself to stay in the same place.

How I Used It: This source served as the opposition to my claim and my thesis. I used it in my rebuttal to take down the opponent so that it can further my claim. This source explains the importance for pursuing and searching for happiness. I used the claims made by the author to point out the undermining phrasing and irrelevant evidence in his article.

10. Cui, P., Shen, Y., Hommey, C. et al. The dark side of the pursuit of happiness comes from the pursuit of hedonia: The mediation of materialism and the moderation of self-control. Curr Psychol (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02104-9

Background: The dark sides of the pursuit of happiness have been emphasized before, but it does not deter people from pursuing happiness. There are few studies that explore the unethical behaviors of the dark side of the pursuit of happiness, but they do not distinguish the roles of different types of happiness. Based on hedonic and eudaimonic happiness orientations, the current research proposes that hedonic motives facilitated by materialism are more likely to lead to unethical behavior than eudaimonic motives. Hedomic motives focus on pleasure and happiness, while eudaimonic motives focus on meaning and personal expressiveness. A study was conducted in which 331 participants were sampled in an attempt to test these hypotheses and the results confirmed that hedonic motives promote unethical behavior through the facilitation of materialism. The study further found that self-control also plays a role in the relationship between materialism and unethical behavior. Overall, the study suggests that the dark side of the pursuit of happiness may arise from the pursuit of hedonia. As hedonic motives influence people toward the pursuit of extrinsic material goals, under low self-control levels, people are more likely to choose active means to achieve extrinsic goals, which leads to a higher tendency to engage in unethical behaviors.

How I Used It: This source served as direct evidence to support part of my thesis, that eliminating the single-minded search for happiness in life would increase the well-being of people. It explains how there is a dark side to happiness and that there is a relationship between materialism and a false sense of happiness. It causes people to have low self-control and have a higher tendency to participate in risky behaviors.

1. Dr. William R. Lile. “A Patient Is a Person, No Matter How Small.” Family Talk, 31 Mar. 2021, https://www.drjamesdobson.org/blogs/dr-william-r-lile-do-facog/patient-person-no-matter-how-small

Background: This article is an article written by a doctor that displays his opinion that life begins at conception. It is an opinion article and discusses how the doctor treated unborn children as patients because they share DNA with their parents. 

How I used it: I used this in my rebuttal argument to display the side of the argument that I was arguing against. This article displays the pro life argument that I attempt to argue against in my paper.

2. “Pregnancy Resulting from Rape.” https://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-2175(15)33527-9/fulltext.

Background: This article discusses the data about pregnancies that result from rape. The article talks about how pregnancy as a result of violence is not explored. In abusive relationships women’s autonomy is violated. 

How I used it: I cited this source in my rebuttal argument that advocates for abortion. I advocate that pregnancies that result from rape should have the option of aboritons. I show how many women can not control getting pregnant from being rape and should be allowed to have control over their bodies and pregnancies. 

3. Talbot, Margaret, and Eliza Griswold. “The Study That Debunks Most Anti-Abortion Arguments.” The New Yorker, 7 July 2020, https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-study-that-debunks-most-anti-abortion-arguments.

Background: This article talks about a long term study about women who are contemplating abortion. Some of the women follow through with an abortion and some of them chose to continue their pregnancy. The study measured the women’s feelings twice a year for five years. All of the women in the study were seeking abortions. 

How I used it: I used this article by advocating for abortions to be used based on the findings in the study that is discussed in the article. I made an argument against the ban of abortions with this article by using the findings. 

4. “Understanding Pregnancy Resulting from Rape in the United States |Violence Prevention|injury Center|CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 June 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/understanding-RRP-inUS.html.

Background: This article shows the facts behind pregnancy that results from rape. It discusses the short term and long term data of being raped and the pregnacy that could happen from rape. 

How I used it: I used this article in my rebuttal argument to show that rape is a serious problem. The pregnancy that results from rape is a problem and abortion can help offer a solution. Abortion should be allowed as an option becuase of the seriousness of becoming pregnant as a result of rape. 

5. “Access to Contraception.” ACOG, https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/01/access-to-contraception.

Background: This article shows that there are many barriers for women to access contraceptives to prevent pregnancy. It discusses some solutions that people should implement to increase abortion access. It also breaks down the barriers for women to receive contraceptives. This article shows that unintended pregnancy is a result of no access to contraception.

How I used it: I used this article extensively throughout my essay to define the reason for unintended pregnancy. Showing that unintended pregnancies happen because of the many reasons women do not have access to contraceptives. 

6. “Clinicalkey.” ClinicalKey, https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/playContent/1-s2.0-S1521693410000180?scrollTo=%23hl0000072.

Background: This article discuss safe abotion and unsafe abortion. The article talks about why women have unintended pregnancies 

How I used it: I used a lot of material from this article to define abortion. I also used the material to show how there are barriers to women for contraceptives.

7. Haddad, Lisa B, and Nawal M Nour. “Unsafe Abortion: Unnecessary Maternal Mortality.” Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedReviews, LLC, 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2709326/.

Background: This article shows that there are many women hospiltaized from unsafe abortions. 

How I used it: I used this to show that unsafe abortions are a problem and need to be resolved by having abortions be safe for women. 

8. “Insurance Coverage of Contraceptives.” Guttmacher Institute, 10 Nov. 2021, https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/insurance-coverage-contraceptives#.

Background: This article talks about how insurance coverage of contraceptives does not meet the demand for them. There are many limitations on insurance that do not cover contraceptives. 

How I used it: I used this article to point out that there are limitations from insurance companies that create another barrier for women to access contraceptives. 

9. Lawrence B. Finer Lori F. Frohwirth, et al. “Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives.” Guttmacher Institute, 3 Feb. 2020, https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/2005/reasons-us-women-have-abortions-quantitative-and-qualitative-perspectives.

Background: This article discusses the reasons why women have abortions. It shows where a woman’s mind is at when she wants to terminate her pregnancy. It analyzes data and talks about the outside factors that contribute to having an abortion. 

How I used it: I used this article to show a woman’s perspective on having an abortion. I showed how there many factors that influence a woman to have an abortion. 

10. “Preventing Unsafe Abortion.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preventing-unsafe-abortion.

Background: This article discusses what abortion is and how big the problem is. It shows the consequences of not having abortion care. It shows what could happen if abortion care is expanded. 

How I used it: I used this article in my definition argument to show what abortion is and how not being able to have acess to abortion may be a problem. 

11. “Unintended Pregnancy.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 June 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/unintendedpregnancy/index.htm

Background: This article discusses how unintended pregnancy happens. It talks about what the CDC aims to do to help prevent unintended pregnancies. 

How I used it: I used this article to show the reasons why unintended pregnancy happens and what solutions to implement to prevent unintended pregnancy. 

12. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Preventing unsafe abortion. World Health Organization. Retrieved October 10, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preventing-unsafe-abortion

Background: This article talks about unsafe abortions and how to prevent them from happening.

How I used it: I used this to show that unsafe abortions are risky and should be taken seriously. I used the reasons stated in this article to help prevent unsafe abortions from happening

1. Obesity and Cancer (nih.gov)

Obesity and Cancer | CDC. (2021, March 10). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/obesity/index.htm

Background: This study covers that weight, weight gain, and obesity account for approximately 20% of all cancer cases. Evidence on obesity is showing the benefits of physical activity for breast and colon cancers. The growing epidemic of obesity provides a challenge to clinical practice and the implementation of guidelines for the management of weight. Data from the past 25 years point to obesity as a cause of approximately 14% of cancer deaths in men and up to 20% of cancer deaths in women. Overweight and obesity have increased from 15% in 1980 to 35% in 2005. The researchers, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), studied and tested the rates of obesity in the majority of the common cancers. Researchers concluded that that obesity was a cause of 11% of colon cancer cases, 9% of postmenopausal breast cancer cases, 39% of endometrial cancer cases, 25% of kidney cancer cases, and 37% of esophageal cancer cases. Since the 2002 IARC report, new evidence has supported a cause-and-effect relation between overweight and obesity and the start of these cancers, increasing the responsibility of cancer resulting from obesity. The estimation is that overweight and obesity cause approximately 20% of all cancer cases. Coming behind tobacco, overweight/obesity is the second highest cause of cancer cases. Obesity is one of the top leading causes of cancer. 

How I used it: This article served as direct evidence to support my thesis, that overweight and obesity are steadily increasing and that obesity is one of the top leading causes of cancer. This article fit perfectly for my arguments because it included so many percentages that people can relate to. For example, the percentage of cancer cases was 20%, you just have to wait and see if you are that 20. This source is reliable and helps pull readers in. Readers should want to read this article to see how they should stop themselves from getting cancer. 

2. How cancer affects men and women differently | Edward-Elmhurst Health (eehealth.org)

How cancer affects men and women differently. (n.d.). Www.eehealth.org. https://www.eehealth.org/blog/2017/11/how-cancer-affects-men-and-women-differently/

Background: After observing this article, men are more likely to get cancer while women are more likely to survive it. Men are 6% more likely to die from any type of cancer than women. Men are 12% more likely to die from a certain type of cancer than a woman with the same type of cancer. “A recent study suggests that the differences between the sexes may in part be due to carcinogenic exposures and lifestyle factors like cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol and eating fattier foods — all of which are more prevalent among men.” Men are less likely to get cancer scans than women. They attend to avoid medical attention. Developing cancers can be traced back to the hormones contributing to differences in men’s and women’s “immune systems, metabolism, and general susceptibility to cancer, as well as genetic differences.” Sex is an important factor in the diagnosis and prognosis of many diseases. The risk of cancer is much higher in males, relative to females, for a majority of cancers at most ages, exposure factors implicated in these sex disparities include hormones, body mass index (kg/m2), viral infections, carcinogenic susceptibility, and health care access and utilization. Gender plays a role in different cancers. 

How I used it: This article helped support my hypothesis because it goes into detail about the odds of women and men surviving cancer. This fit perfectly in my argument because my hypothesis went into detail about how men are more likely to get cancer than women. Women are more likely to survive it. I used this because once again it pulls the reader in. Readers should be concerned about if what they are doing is a healthy way to live and how to dodge cancer and obesity. This article hit points on sex and how it is a factor in the diagnosis of many diseases, not just cancer.

3. Energy intake, physical activity, energy balance, and cancer: epidemiologic evidence – PubMed (nih.gov)

Pan, S. Y., & DesMeules, M. (2009). Energy intake, physical activity, energy balance, and cancer: epidemiologic evidence. Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.), 472, 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-492-0_8

Background: Physical activity, body size, and metabolic efficiency are related to total energy intake. It is difficult to assess the independent effect of energy intake on cancer risk. There are sufficient pieces of evidence to support the role of physical activity in preventing cancers of the colon and breast. The association is stronger in men than in women for colon cancer and in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women for breast cancer.  Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns, and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations. Epidemiologic evidence indicates that obesity is probably related to cancers of the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder, and aggressive prostate cancer. It is known that obesity does not have a role in lung cancer. People who are obese can have lung cancer, but it is not a factor of lung cancer. Obesity in other cancer risks is unclear. The body mass index can determine whether you are obese or not. Body mass index is a value derived from the mass and height of a person. The body mass index is used as a screening tool for overweight and obesity. Being overweight and obese can cause changes in the body that help lead to cancer. Some of these changes are long-lasting inflammation and higher than normal levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor, and sex hormones. The risk of cancer increases with the more excess weight a person gains and the longer a person is overweight.

How I used it: This was used for many reasons. No one understands the real damage obesity can cause. This article recognizes the BMI and its value derived from the mass and height of a person. This comes into the role of obesity because football players have a big mass and they are tall. Those football players are considered obese but they are healthy. This article helped with my rebuttal argument. 

4. Cardiovascular and other competing causes of death among patients with cancer from 2006 to 2015: An Australian population‐based study – Ye – 2019 – Cancer – Wiley Online Library

Ye, Y., Otahal, P., Marwick, T. H., Wills, K. E., Neil, A. L., & Venn, A. J. (2018). Cardiovascular and other competing causes of death among patients with cancer from 2006 to 2015: An Australian population‐based study. Cancer, 125(3), 442–452. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.31806

Background: Studies have shown that with improved cancer survivorship, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other noncancer events compete with cancer as the underlying cause of death, but the risks of mortality in competing-risk settings have not been well characterized. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of conditions that involve the heart and blood vessels. Common complications include heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke. The number of individuals living with a history of cancer has continued to increase. CVD deaths are varied by first cancer site, indicating increased risks after the first diagnosis of lung cancer, hematologic malignancy, and urinary tract cancer. For individuals with all cancers combined, CVD was the leading cause of competing mortality in both male and female patients with cancer. CVD can be caused by obesity. Men are more likely to be more active than women. Heart disease and weight loss are closely linked because your risk for heart disease is associated with your weight. If you are overweight or obese, you may be at higher risk for the condition. Medical experts consider obesity and being overweight to be major risk factors for both coronary heart disease and heart attack.

How I used it: I used this in my rebuttal argument because it went against the fact that obesity causes cancer. Many other things cause cancer such as CVD. This is beneficial to my argument because not only do people have to worry about becoming obese but also have to worry about gaining CVD. My readers should start to believe that unhealthy habits will lead to death. This also contributed to my causal argument because obesity contributes to CVD and cancer. 

5. Overweight and obesity predict better overall survival rates in cancer patients with distant metastases – Tsang – 2016 – Cancer Medicine – Wiley Online Library

Tsang, N. M., Pai, P. C., Chuang, C. C., Chuang, W. C., Tseng, C. K., Chang, K. P., Yen, T. C., Lin, J. D., & Chang, J. T. C. (2016). Overweight and obesity predict better overall survival rates in cancer patients with distant metastases. Cancer Medicine, 5(4), 665–675. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.634

Background: Cancer remains a leading cause of death and a major public health concern worldwide. “According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, approximately 12.7 million cancer cases are newly diagnosed and 7.6 million cancer deaths occur each year globally.” The current retrospective study is designed to investigate the potential association between BMI and overall survival in patients with distant metastases and favorable performance status. Multiple recent studies studied patients with chronic diseases and have reported an inverse association between body mass index. The World Health Organization’s BMI classification system, which includes the following categories: underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), normal-weight (BMI: 18.5–24.99 kg/m2), overweight (BMI: 25–29.99 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Another point of consideration of the merits when dealing with the prognostic significance of BMI in cancer patients is the time of its determination. Due to lean body mass, reductions in adipose tissue may become more pronounced in advanced disease stages. “Tumors of high malignant potential are supposed to require higher levels of energy for growth. The findings indicate that overweight and obesity are independent predictors of better overall survival rates in cancer patients with distant measures and good performance status.‌”

How I used it: I used this article mainly because it has a study from the World Health Organization which is the most reliable source. This source goes into detail about BMI and survival rates. Lean body mass, reductions in adipose tissue may become more pronounced in advanced disease stages. It describes the different BMI so you can determine whether or not obesity can become a problem. 

6. Kanter, R., & Caballero, B. (2012). Global Gender Disparities in Obesity: A Review. Advances in Nutrition, 3(4), 491–498. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.002063

Background: This article talks about how weight gain occurs due to energy imbalance. Sex refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. The causes of obesity are biological and social and may vary considerably by sex or gender. This article illustrates gender disparities in overweight and obesity. Physical activities, cultural values, biological factors, and urbanization were the most commonly discussed explanations regarding gender disparities in overweight and obesity. This article introduced how sociocultural facts have an effect on weight. Excess weight is gained as a result of gender differences in dietary intake. The implications of excess weight gain on health may also vary by sex. Ultimately, solutions aimed at obesity prevention, from community-level programs to national-level policies, maybe the same for both men and women. But these may be more effective at obesity prevention if they are conveyed in a gender-specific manner.

How I used it: This article was beneficial to use because it was very specific on the differences between men’s and women’s calorie intake. I specifically used this to describe the differences between men’s and women’s obesity. 

7. Intriguing Pros And Cons For Being Overweight | For Big & Heavy People. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://forbigandheavypeople.com/pros-and-cons-for-being-overweight/#:~:text=%20Health%20Benefits%20Of%20Being%20Overweight%20%201

Background: This article goes into detail about the pros and cons of obesity. This article explains how the mentality of the world we live in is pressurized to have the perfect body and to not have any fat on you. Unfortunately, that is never the case. Being overweight is not necessarily a bad thing. There are benefits such as you are less likely to be cold during the wintertime because there are more layers of fat on you. You have a less restrictive diet. There are a few health benefits of being overweight such as an increased immune system resulting in fewer sick days. The pros of obesity are very slim. The cons of obesity overpower the pros. You carry around more weight a day. There are troubles with exercising. How you handle obesity is whether or not you are okay with your weight. Your number one concern in life should be your health. If your weight is affecting your health then it is time to take action in the unhealthy habits you are living. 

How I used it: Obesity has many disadvantages including the lack of ability to be mobile. The enhanced immune systems of people with obesity are due to their lack of activity, the body has no option but to increase the immune system due to the amount of fat in the body. 

8. Walsh, G. (n.d.). Why obesity is not a choice. The Irish Times. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/why-obesity-is-not-a-choice-1.4095580#:~:text=The%20psychological%20approach%20in%20understanding%20our%20 behaviour%20 surrounding

Background: This article states the issues and society’s view on why obesity is not a choice. The reason so many people fluctuate with weight is that diet programs do not look deeper into the whys of our eating habits and weight gain. Obesity is not a choice. “It carries a complex combination of biological and psychological factors, including environmental and social elements, which affect our weight. Addressing this impact can encourage greater weight loss.” Obesity is genetic the majority of the time. “Genetic factors, the impact of stress, eating behaviors, food cues, emotional eating, mental health, adversity, and social and economic status all have a significant bearing on weight loss and gain.” Obesity causes depression and many mental health issues.” Weight gain or weight loss can cause health issues. It is not a choice. 

How I used it: This article was crucial to my thesis as it discusses how obesity is mostly caused by genetic disorders and not as much about intake. This is the most important part of the article because it is meant to reach out to the public and inform them that everyone who is fat is not obese and that most obese people are genetically given the disease. 

9. Brehm, B. J., & D’Alessio, D. A. (2014, November). Environmental Factors Influencing Obesity. Nih.gov; MDText.com, Inc. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278977/

Background: Obesity prevalence is significantly associated with sex, racial-ethnic identity, and socioeconomic status, which creates complex relationships between each of these characteristics. “Given the extent of the information on individual, environmental, and social hierarchy constraints on obesity development, it is important to understand how these can merge with clinical care.” Discussing someones’ food diet can cause insecurities. Diabetes was mentioned in this article. The Diabetes Prevention Program is a lifestyle program focused on weight loss through dietary change and increased physical activity.

How I used it: The main components of this article that I used is the fact that it explains the prevailing differences in populations and why some cultures and sexes have a higher probability of becoming obese. In poor neighborhoods where there is less money, you do not tend to see higher chain amenities but rather fast-food chains which are filled with empty calories that have no nutrition and build fat at a very low price. 

10. How 10 Olympians With Cancer Fought the Disease. (n.d.). Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/famous-athletes-who-defeated-cancer-513804

Background: This source presented many different examples of how cancer is not a discriminative disease. It does not matter how much a person weighs, how tall they are, or who they are, whether they’re a celebrity or a normal person walking in the street. Cancer is a destructive disease that is not selective at all. In this article, there are the names of 10 Olympic stars who suffered from cancer. 

How I used it: I used this article to convey the message that anyone can get cancer and that it is not a selective disease and can attack anyone. Someone who believes that being skinny or active will prevent all cancer is the reason included in this article. If people do not have yearly checkups or believe that cancer is not a danger to them then they may overlook the symptoms that come before. Being able to understand the symptoms and understand that it doesn’t matter who a person is or what they do is a crucial element to beating cancer. This article puts unusual and unknown information into the public so that they may think twice before overlooking an oddity in their life.