<p>Persuasive RESEARCH paper.</p>
<p>You're considering an issue that is long on persuasion and short on research. The controversy part shouldn't scare you away. When it comes to controversy I'm like a moth to a flame. It's the spice of life!</p>
<p>But you'll just presenting arguments...and your research will be confined to other people's opinions.</p>
<p>That said, if you want to research this, you need to look at how school districts set their curricula and how teachers develop their syllabi for the courses...because that will determine the framework by which you can argue -- pro or con -- whether a certain topic should be taught in school.</p>
<p>The fact that people feel strongly one way or another shouldn't a consideration. If you apply the considerations used to determine what gets taught in chemistry and physics to what gets taught in biology, you should come to your answer.</p>
<p>Interestingly, I suspect that such an approach to your argument will lead you to Occam's Razor...as that's basically the approach that I'm advocating you take if you choose to stick to this topic. And the application of that to Darwin's Origin of Species is, I think, the battlefield where most of the science v. religion clashes take place.</p>
<p>Such a paper -- if well researched -- has the potential to be enlightening on several levels all at once. But what I'm suggesting is not exactly light on research. Surveying the principles on which school districts (and then individual teachers) decide what gets taught in science classes outside of biology is probably going to require lots of effort and could make your eyes glaze over.</p>
<p>In the end, though, if you can show that one side or the other (or both) are insisting that the rules for establishing curriculum be changed or modified to accommodate their view on evolution, you will have created a paper that will probably be a terrific read -- controversial or not.</p>
<p>Good luck. Remember, you said it's a persuasive RESEARCH paper...so be sure you incorporate a strong research component (or take a fresh look at the grading matrix that your teacher gave you) so your topic will be one that allows you to get a good grade.</p>