I need some help on a school project...

[WheelieMan4]

Im sitting here in class and we have to do a research paper on someone or something that deals with any race except white people. I was planning on doing the 700-mile fence between Mexico and the US...but I can't find much info, and we can't use to many websites either. We need info from newspapers and things like that. Any ideas on something I could do it on? Couple of my buddies are doing it on Bubba Stewart.

[DeerNuts]

You're given a really broad choice of topic really. The fence would certainly be an easier one to approach. Here are some links about it:

For introduction:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5408148.stm

Background (to understand potential problems or issues):
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-04-19-border-fence_x.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-09-28-mexico-us-border_x.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/mexico-wall.htm

Tips:
1. Stay away from ".com" sites (exept for newpapers) b/c they are oftentimes biases or unreputable. Ditto for wikipedia.
2. Start with your basic google search. Like: US-Mexico fence, fence, search terms and relevant date(s)
3. Visit academic sites if you need to provide an argument one way or the other. Like the Brookings Institution, other think tanks, any major research university. From there, read articles that point out what each side is saying.
4. Look up local sources. Go to the Mexican govt.'s website (there is definitely an official one). Look up newpaper websites of border states to see what they think.
5. Also look up national sources. Get a sense for what each group feels would be an appropriate situation.
6. Be creative. When analyzing or researching this, put yourself in the shoes of an average Mexican. How would he or she feel? Why? Is the fence a problem? Why or why not? Is there a better alternative?

This is just stuff I thought of off the top of my head and a 2-second Google search. Put some time and thought into it and you'll be fine.

Also, if you choose another topic, use the same approach. Get your facts first, see what the problem is, know what each side says is the solution, then think about which one makes more sense.

Oh, and about not using websites. This is a very current issue, therefore there are not going to be many sources that aren't on the web. Your best shot is to look up magazine articles (USNews, Newsweek, Time, etc...) or newspaper articles. I faced the same problem when looking at recent issues for college. I simply tell the prof. that it shouldn't count as a "web source" if that source is also available in print. So if you find newpaper/magazine articles online, point out they also exist in print. It then counts as "hard copy" source, since it doesn't really matter where you get it from. Where else can you find information on something that happened 2 months or so ago? At this point, there are limited options.

[juanki]

if you want, and if you are going with this subject, i can do a search on mexican news abou this and give you the links that represent the viwes on our part about this. all will be in spanish, so you will have to know somebody that can translate.

[WheelieMan4]

Thanks a lot, I think I can probably get a decent paper out of it...

No thanks juanki...nobody I know that could translate it.

Thanks again

[WheelieMan4]

Here is the outline I just threw together...

I.United States-Mexico Fence
A. Bush signing the bill for the build
B. Area it will cover
1. Cost
II.Illegal Immigrants
A.Hard to cross
1.Security
2.Lighting
B.Find other ways
1.Go around the fence
2.Fly into the US
III.Mexico’s Point Of View
A.Will affect their relationship with the US
B.Like the Great Wall

[Scott-300ex]

ATVSport earlier this year they had an article on that and how they use quads to catch run aways and patrol the line, cuz its on sand.

Look for that.