Finding Sources

            There’s something about starting the search for books and articles on your topic; it’s an exciting feeling. You almost forget how little you know and how much you’re learning as you start reading through many different sources.

            My trip to the library yielded me three very interesting books: Why Animal Experimentation Matters, Animal experimentation: Opposing Viewpoints, and Animal Experimentation, (whose citations are available in the Works Cited page here.)

            Just reading through some of these chapters has already given me ideas on how to approach or organize my research. It’s interesting to see how the arguments are built. For example, in Animal Experimentation: Opposing Viewpoints, Jack Botting and Adrian Morrison discuss in their article, "Animal Research is Vital to Medicine," how animal experimentation was crucial to many medical developments and refute some of the claims of animal-rights supporters.

          What I found most interesting was how they defended the use of animals. Many sulfanilamide drugs were tested on animals, and this was proved to be a good choice. Prontosil, one of the compounds, was found to have no effect on bacteria in vitro, but successful in combating infection in mice. From this other drugs were created to treat infections. (Botting, Morrison 81).

In Why Animal Experimentation Matters, part IX of the article "The Paradigm Shift Towards Animal Happiness" give a background of how important animal experimentation has been in medical research—from curing smallpox to finding a vaccine for rabies. The most interesting part is that these developments have helped both humans and animals. “Vaccines for distemper, parvovirus, rabies… [and] antibiotics—all these and much more have been developed using research animals” (Tannenbaum 124). Treatments for diseases, and even nutritional foods, have all bettered the lives of animals through animal experimentation.

“Animal Research Saves Lives” (from Animal Experimentation) reiterates the important role animal testing has played in history. Sabin describes how animal experimentation led to the polio vaccination. I agree with how she explains that those who believe animal experimentation should end are not looking at the big picture. “Every child who has… [had] the Sabin Vaccine knows polio only as a word… Thank heavens it’s not a part of their reality” (Sabin 11). This last quote shows just how important animals have been in research, and that by banning it, we are possibly shutting the door on possible future treatments.

This is just the beginning. As I continue to go through these articles, I hope to discover not just the good, but also the bad of animal experimentation. Despite past developments, is it still valuable today? What are some of the claims made by animal-rights supporters? Will they cut holes into the idea of the importance of animal testing, and how will they, in turn, be contradicted?

Research with a Grain of Salt

            There is a lot of bias to be aware of as you begin your research. As you learn more about your topic, you may start agreeing with one opinion and leaning towards their side.

            Don’t fall into that trap.

            One of the hardest parts of research, especially when you first start browsing and learning more about your topic, is the risk of developing a bias, whether based on the facts you read or the opinions and reviews of others. Remaining impartial is important in starting out, as reviewing all sides of the story allows you to better understand your topic and have a better grasp of what you want to write about. So what can you do?

            Take everything you read with a grain of salt.

            Write notes, challenge the ideas in the articles you read, question the author’s views— these are all helpful ways to avoid falling onto one side early on. There’s always a backstory to each side, so it’s important to understand the topic and all arguments before making any judgments.

           The first thing I did was read (and skim) as many articles about the pros and cons of animal experimentation. One article, Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing?, stood out to me specifically, (the link of which can be found here). It compared both sides of the argument and tried to remain impartial in order to relay the facts that built the pros and cons.

  

            What I found most helpful was writing down questions and notes next to each argument. I asked questions such as: What are the long-term or overall effects? How does animal use in research compare to alternative methods? Why are there instances of animal cruelty in labs if it is more conductive for research to keep lab animals safe and healthy? Are there specific benefits of animal experimentation that allow it to remain an important part of research in modern scientific society? Question what you read; it helps to build the basis of the knowledge on your topic and opens up new inquiries and ideas.

            And this has also helped me to finally form my research question: What are the benefits and drawbacks of animal experimentation in research, and are there better alternatives?

Forming New Ideas

            Research is something that everyone does, more often than one would think. Research doesn’t just mean sitting in a lab or making a new discovery that will revolutionize science and technology— it can be much simpler. Research is when you look up different colleges and majors to decide where you want to apply. It’s when you look up new coupons and sales for a trip to the mall, or when you check the stock market statistics to make a decision on whether or not to buy a certain stock.

            Research serves the basis for a lot in our lives, even the small things. But for extended research, like writing a paper on a specific topic, it can be a daunting task. Researching and compiling what you find to put it into words is always a challenge. If you want to start a research process, the best way to begin is to choose a topic that you love and go with it.

            But how do you know what you want to research? What are you willing to learn about and devote your time to? If you can’t think of a topic to start with, start by looking up a broad topic that interests you, or read some articles in a magazine or journal that you find intriguing. Take notes and free write. Write down as many ideas as you have, and from there you’ll be able to narrow it down. This part isn’t always simple, and isn’t always easy, but once you clear this hurdle and have your beginning, it will drive you forward.

            And so this is where I stand now, trying hard to search for a question that intrigues me. There are many broad topics that draw my attention, such as cancer research, new scientific discoveries, and even controversial topics like animal experimentation in research. However, narrowing it down is where I am stuck. But as I explore different possible questions and topics, such as the role of animals in cancer research, or perhaps how training helper animals is similar and/or different to what is done in animal experimentation, I can unravel new ideas that will help me to embark on my path towards beginning my research.