The Right to Privacy

Research Paper 1: Preparation Instructions

This assignment is designed to help you approach your first research paper. Beginning to work on your research paper early will help you avoid rushing things near the end of the course. Using current Turabian format, develop a 1-page document that includes the following aspects:

A thesis statement
A 1-paragraph discussion of where you see your paper going
An outline of your paper. At this point, 2–3 main points and the 2–3 subpoints under each main point will suffice. For example:

II.

III.

At least 7 quality scholarly sources that you expect to use
Any questions or challenges that you would like guidance on

Note: your focus may change as you move deeper into the research, but this assignment will at least get you thinking and moving in the right direction.

Step two:

Research Paper 1: Final Instructions

You will write a 4–5-page research paper covering the most controversial of all the rights in the Bill of Rights—the right to privacy. The purpose of this assignment is to help you analyze this right and its legacy as well as to think through the issues surrounding this right in the context of our legal, constitutional, and religious history.

The right to privacy was first created by the Supreme Court in its 1965 Griswold v. Connecticut ruling. Eight years later, the Court determined that the right to privacy was broad enough to include the right to an abortion.

Access Griswold v. Connecticut from any reputable website (two excellent websites are http://www.oyez.org/ and https://www.law.cornell.edu/). Analyze this case from both a loose constructionist and a strict interpretationist perspective. Apply the principles and knowledge that you have gained in this course regarding America’s religious and legal history. In light of our Constitutional heritage and principles that you have learned in this course, which side is more consistent with our Constitutional heritage? Explain and discuss. Follow current Turabian formatting.

Below are three of the books we are reading for the class. They are good for some of your references:

James McClellan book Liberty, Order, and Justice

James Eidsmoe book Christianity and the Constitution

Donald S. Lutz book The Origins of American Constitution