1. In the space below, write the title of your tentative topic (e.g. Internet addiction)

Brain injuries as a result from receiving concussions while playing sports.

2. Briefly state why you chose this topic.

I chose this topic because I have received concussions as a result of head to head contact while playing football.


3. Spend about five minutes listing what you already know (if anything) about your topic. For example, are you aware of any interesting facts, common misconceptions, your own assumptions, important people or institutions involved, key schools of thought, the extent of the problem, current trends, etc.?

-Players often receive concussions, but do not realize they have one.
-Concussions can cause brain damage.
-There are 3 different types of concussions.
-mild
-medium
-severe
-Different types of turf (playing surface) can raise the probability of receiving a concussion.

4. Now spend at least fifteen minutes brainstorming a list of questions about your topic you’d love to learn the answers to. Make this listas long as you can, and don’t worry whether every question is a good one.

What parts of the brain are affected by concussions?

What are the short term effects?

What are the long term effects?

What are the medical terms for concussions?

How long does it take to recover from concussions?

Are there any concussion prevention methods?

Has any new football equipment been developed to protect players from head injuries?

What are the signs and symptoms?

Should players be allowed to compete after receiving head injuries/concussions?


5. If you’re working in a computer lab (or generating hard copies of the exercise), your instructor may ask you to comment on other students’ responses to Steps 1-4. Focus particularly on what your classmates did in the fourth step. For each you view, do two things: add a question you would like answered about the student’s topic, and mark the question you find most intriguing.