For my research essay I will be examining how one state has a higher murder rate compared to the neighboring state who has considerably less strict gun laws. Throughout the past few years some states have become more stern in terms of gun laws as a result to lower the murder rate. Other states have remained to keep their laws the same because thats what they deem traditional. Statistics provided by Neighboorhoodscout.com, has revealed that the murder rate of Chicago, Illinois compared to St. Louis, Missouri is much higher due to the fact that Chicago, Illinois was at the top of the list and St. Louis, Missouri was two spots away from the bottom of the list. Based off this evidence it leaves people to wonder if states enforce strict gun laws why is their murder rate is so much higher than states who have gun laws that are not as strict?

During the process of my research I was able to discover that in Chicago,Illinois that most gun related crimes have been committed with guns outside that city or state. This means people are bringing guns from other states into Illinois to commit crimes. Another report showed that the gun laws of Missouri could be argued to be one of the weakest gun laws. This was discovered in the article when the author stated how the regulations in Missouri are similar to other mid west and deep south states, claiming them to be lenient. However even though these laws are lenient they still have lower murder rates in comparison to states with strict gun laws. A noticeably difference between the two states would be within Missouri, their gun laws have remained the same due to their traditional views. Missouri’s traditional views of allowing people to easily obtained guns would eliminate one of Illinois problems. The on going problem in Illinois is most gun related crimes are committed with guns outside of that state. If Illinois where to lessen their gun laws people would not need to bring guns outside the state.

Sources:

1)  Does Chicago Have the Strictest Gun Laws in the Country?

The Essential Content of the Article: This article goes in depth about Chicago’s gun laws stating if they are in fact the strictest gun laws or not. Throughout the article it uses quotes from people such as the Chicago police officers and Donald Trump. Later in the article it uses a table and pictures of shootings within Chicago since 2010 to help support their claim.

What it Proves: This article proves that Chicago, Illinois may have strict gun laws but that does not necessarliy mean they are the strictest laws in the country. The article also proves that residents within Chicago do not follow the strict gun laws because people continue to bring in guns from different states.

2) Missouri Gun Laws

The Essential Content of the Article: This article reveals each fact in terms of gun laws in Missouri. This article informs the reader about the different gun laws Missouri has within its state borders and how some of the gun laws in Missouri are similar to other mid west and deep south states.

What it Proves: This article proves Missouri’s gun laws are very lenient and how Missouri is susceptible about gun trafficking because their laws are so weak but neighboring states are stricter and it could be a possibility guns are being exported from Missouri. Another point that was proven was likewise to other mid west and deep south states Missouri shares similar traditional values in terms of gun laws which could be one of the reasons Missouri’s gun laws are lenient.

3) Top 30 Highest Murder Rate Cities

The Essential Content of the Article: This article shows a ranking system of the highest murder rates ranking from 30 to 1, 30 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. Data collected for the ranking system involves, cities with 25,000 or more people, the number of murders reported to the FBI to have occurred in each city and the population of each city.

What it Proves: This article emphasizes the ranking system of the highest murder rate listing the different cities in order from 30 to 1 and some states have more than one city in this list proving that some states murder rates are higher than those who did not make the list.

4) Illinois Gun Laws

The Essential Content of the Article: This article reveals that Illinois is very strict in terms of gun laws.In terms of registration for a gun it is not required expect the city of Chicago. Within the city of Chicago a registration for any firearm is required

What it Proves: The article points out the various laws within Illinois and informs the audience about each specific law.

5) NRA-ILA

The Essential Content of the Article: This article reveals the facts about gun laws within Illinois. The article also goes in depth about certain requirements that need to be met before obtaining a firearm as well as requirements for purchasing a firearm online.

What it Proves: This article emphasizes not only what is needed to obtained a firearm, as well as the laws that pertain to firearms but also particular things that exceptions depending on the gun law.

For my research paper i will be researching if, and how much, race plays as a factor in getting pulled over and furthermore, the events that transpire throughout the process of a routine stop.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/08/the-big-question-about-why-police-pull-over-so-many-black-drivers/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/09/09/you-really-can-get-pulled-over-for-driving-while-black-federal-statistics-show/

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=702

Reality Check: Are Black Drivers Pulled Over More Than White Drivers?

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-cops-race-injury-20160725-snap-story.html

In my research I am going to shine the light on the many unjust realities against people of color in our U.S. justice system. Our Justice system was designed to punish every person who breaks the law to the fullest extent of the law. If someone robs a bank our justice system is supposed to give them the maximum punishment established by law. In many cases this is not what happens. In cases around the U.S. people of color are being sentenced to longer jail times than a Caucasian person who committed the same crime.

According to a graph on the population of prisoners under correctional supervision was around 6,000,000 in 2014. It is shown that 60 percent of those incarcerated are people of color. That means approximately 3,600,000 of those people were either African American or Hispanic. This is a problem overlooked by the U.S. Someone might object to the fact that there is a problem but my research will expose the problem in the justice system.

Sources

1. “Key Statistic: Total Correctional Population“

The Essential Content of the Article: This is a website that gives the annual population of the United States. It also gives the populations percentages of different races.

What it Proves: The numbers given in my research are accurate.

2. “The top 10 most startling facts about people of color and criminal justice system in the United States.”

The Essential Content of the Article: This article presents numerous facts about the unjust problems in the United States justice system. It mostly highlights the vast amount of people of color incarcerated.

What is Proves: People of color are being flooded in the correction system.

3. “Criminal Justice Fact Sheet”

The Essential Content of the Article: This article proposes the percentages of crimes such as having illegal drugs witch committed by people of color and Caucasians. It shows that even though it is the same crime people of color are more likely to get arrested and convicted.

What it Proves: It proves that there is a problem that should be fixed in the system.

4. “Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams”

The Essential Content of the Article: This file gives the details of the crime committed by Stanley. It shows how his conviction played out from his crime to his execution.

What it Proves: It proves that Stanley committed murder and was punishes to the fullest extent of the law by the death penalty.

5. “Charles Manson”

The Essential Content of the Article: This file gives details of the crimes committed my Charles Manson. It reports the case against Charles Manson in it’s entirety.

What it Proves: It proves that Manson was found guilty on murder and conspiracy and was sentenced to death but was granted life in prison because the state of California abolished the death penalty.

Many people talk about Tinder, and other dating sites, often with jest and a lack of seriousness; however it does have a major impact on our society. The age in which people are getting married has been going up consistently in the past few decades, and especially in the past few years. I plan to prove how the dating culture has been corrupted by mobile dating apps that have given way to “hookup culture”. I firmly believe there is a connection between increased use of the internet for “dating” and lower rates of young people in committed monogamous relationships. The purpose of my essay is not to condemn alternative lifestyles, or “hookups” but to prove and analyze the relationship between their popularity and apps like Tinder.

As a child of the 21st century, the downfall of marriage and monogamy seems to be a part of my future. As a college student hearing about Tinder hookups and awkward dates is a very common thing.

1.)

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/18/opinions/robbins-tinder-online-dating/

Essential content of the article: This CNN article brings up how Tinder has created a marketplace for casual sex. It raises a lot of questions and does have some good points to adhere to.

What it proves: There is reference to other written works discussing Tinder that prove it promotes casual sex.

2.)

Click to access MS-2.pdf

Essential content of the article: It is not so much of an article as much it is a graph provided by the U.S. Census that shows median age of marriage in the USA from 1890 to present.

What it proves: This is a great representation of higher ages of settling down. It shows the subtle rise in marriage ages.

3.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/tinder-dating-app_n_3044472.html

Essential Content of the article: Huffington Post recognizes how Tinder turns dating into a commodity or game instead of something that is treated with respect.

What it proves:
The article proves how the app has turned people away from dating. It also talks about more than just Tinder being used- furthering my point that it is all dating sites.

4.)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teen-doctor/201111/why-dont-teens-date-anymore

Essential content of article: This essay is looking at how teens do not date anymore. It provides insight from a parent (a different viewpoint of dating).

What it proves: The essay has to be taken with a grain of salt because it clearly is disapproving of hookups and sexual promiscuity. However it does make good points about the popularity of hooking up over dating.
5.)

http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-tinder-use-linked-to-negative-psychological-effects-0815161

Essential content of article: Most of my articles are about Tinder and dating, this one is about Tinder and self esteem. The point made here can be useful within my argument, even if it is not directly.

What it proves: This article proves that Tinder can affect people psychologically, while other articles were more speculative.

For my research essay I will be examining if standardized test scores are truly indicative of a school’s performance. In the United States, K-12 education as of recently has been dominated by high stakes standardized tests. These tests are often used to generalize not only student intelligence, but also school and teacher quality. While many believe this is a fair basis since standardized tests are equal across the nation, there are many other aspects that this group fails to consider. Availability of resources, testing bias, and socioeconomic factors all play a role in making standardized tests not so equal.

As the United States continues to reform national education plans, standardized testing should be a way to start. It is hard to believe that one standardized test could be used as the factor that decides how successful a student, teacher, and school is. The intense high stakes that are put on standardized testing show the system’s lack of value for education on a day-to-day basis.

Sources:

Standardized Testing: Harmful to Educational Health

The Essential Content of the Article: This article, instead of merely stating that standardized testing is harmful, breaks down each specific reason that standardized testing is not as standard as believed. The beginning of the article cites specific research studies that show flaws in the standardized testing system such as test validity and testing bias. The end of the article researches how standardized testing impacts schools and students.

What it Proves: My thesis is that standardized testing isn’t truly indicative of student and school performance and this article points out the specific flaws that make testing a bad indicator. This source does not delve deeply into each flaw, but will allow me gain enough knowledge to do more research. This article also provides great research about the harm that high-stake testing does to schools.

How Standardized Is School Testing? An Exploratory Observational Study of Standardized Group Testing in Kindergarten

The Essential Content of the Article: The entire article is dedicated to one study where 10 kindergartens were observed while administering the “same” standardized test. The conditions and behaviors in each individual classroom allowed the researchers to conclude that the tests, although meant to be standardized, were actually incomparable.

What it Proves: This article provides a credible study that displays that standardized testing is not always standard. This will be used as evidence to support my thesis that standardized testing is not a good indicator of school and student performance. Since the tests are not as equal as they seem, shown in this study, it shows that it is not a strong factor to use to compare schools nationwide.

The Impact of Standardized Testing on Minority Students

The Essential Content of the Article: The article researches three types of bias in standardized testing: bias due to content factors, bias due to norms, and bias in testing conditions. The purpose of the article is to highlight the unfairness of standardized testing on minority students and how it will affect them throughout their life. The bulk of the article is spent citing specific research and adding more detail to support the claims made in the beginning.

What it Proves: The article highlights a clear problem in the standardized testing system. Minority students are at a clear disadvantage and this article provides the information needed to back up that claim. Since minority students are not on an equal playing field, this helps support my thesis because standardized tests cannot be a strong indicator of school and student performance if they are not fair to everyone.

Why Standardized Tests Do Not Measure Educational Quality

The Essential Content of the Article: The article is devoted to backing up the central claim that using standardized tests to measure school quality is like measure temperature with a tablespoon. The article argues that when they were invented, the mission of standardized testing was to evaluate what skills that students possessed at certain levels. This knowledge was then meant to be used to modify curriculum to better fit the desired skills. Therefore, it is completely wrong to use standardized testing to rank schools when its purpose is to improve schools. The article uses real questions from past standardized tests to emphasize the flaws and biases within the system.

What it Proves: This article, instead of just focusing on today, goes back into the history of standardized testing. This will allow me to demonstrate a rise in importance of testing and show how that has harmed schools. It also proves, by using actual questions from tests, the biases in standardized testing. This knowledge will allow me to better back up the idea that testing cannot be an accurate indicator of success. The tests were never meant to evaluate school quality, but rather to improve curriculum.

Standardized Tests Do Not Effectively Measure Student Achievement

The Essential Content of the Article: This article examines the idea of “student achievement.” Many would define student achievement as a student’s success on state tests, however the author urges that tests fail to reward students for many important characteristics. Creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, curiosity, resourcefulness, and enthusiasm are just some of the many vital characteristics that standardized tests do not measure. These characteristics are undeniably important to have yet a child’s achievement can be judged without even considering them.  The article also argues that standardized testing promotes shallow thinking students. Students are urged to seek out the quickest and most obvious answer when taking these tests and therefore deep thinking and problem solving is not measured either.

What it Proves: This article provides an interesting perspective on standardized testing. While the other sources are primarily focused on the flaws within the tests and in testing conditions, this sources focuses more on what the tests lack. This article proves that the word achievement is very complex, especially when it comes to schools and students. Standardized tests, on the other hand, are not very complex. The whole purpose of the tests are to be standard and simple. Therefore, it is hard to define something that is complex using something that is standard. Student and school achievement is so much more than the score of one simple test.

Aaspiringwriter’s Proposal

For my research essay I will be examining arguments presented against Modern Feminism. Feminism is a movement started with a goal to achieve social, political and educational equality of women with men. In recent years this movement has been able to draw a great attention from both sexes. While many choose to become feminists to support this movement, there has been a subsequent rise in anti-feminist’s who are with equality. It is evident that from time to time women have been subjected to not possess as equal caliber as men: physical and intellectual. But has feminism become more of a bad attitude and less of a positive movement? Inequality is faced by everyone regardless of their gender, race and color. The question is should feminists promote women as victims who are weak and vulnerable or should the focus be diverted to promote equality instead. Is feminism simply Hypocritical? Or did people misjudge the actual meaning of feminism?

In my research I found that women face a significant discrimination compared to men. Regardless of the social, economical or political status there are deep gender inequalities in many societies. Saudi Arabia prohibits women from driving. Countries like India and China Infanticides baby girls. They prefer a male child over a female child because of the dowry system and one-child policy. In U.S a women makes only 82 percent compared to her male friend working in the same field. In some countries women can’t even own a land, they don’t even have a right to initiate divorce. In-fact in many countries girls are banned from getting any education. Every single day hundreds of thousands of women faces violence, abuse and are raped, molested and humiliated. This gender discrimination is a real problem and not just a hoax. There are very few lucky people who haven’t seen it or faced it but it is still out there.

Aaspiringwriter’s Sources

1. WOMEN AGAINST FEMINISM: 26 PROVOCATIVE ARGUMENTS

The Essential Content of the Article: This article provides a counterintuitive approach to feminism. While it appreciates all the privileges feminism has brought for women all over the world. It also highlights and questions its true relevance with the 21st century female.

What it proves: Feminism is a movement to make women strong and independent, but somehow it is portraying women as victims.

2. Why We Still Need Feminism

The Essential Content of the Article: This article points out how feminism has helped to improve the position of women in society and why we still need to continue it.

What it proves: There are discriminations against women. It might have reduced to a certain extent but it is still there.

3. “Women’s work” and the gender pay gap

The Essential Content of the Article: This article gives an insight on how society provides unequal opportunities to women at every point of their career, training and education choices

What it proves: Gender wage gap is real. Due to suppressed earning it is harder for women to balance work and family.

4. Facts and Figures: Ending Violence against Women

The Essential Content of the Article: This article provides facts and figures for the violence happening against women all over the world and some preventive measures.

What it proves: Women are constantly abused both physically and sexually and there are very less initiatives undertaken to prevent it.

5. WHY FEMINISM CAN’T BE REPLACED BY EQUALISM OR HUMANISM.

The Essential Content of the Article: This article argues why a separate movement for women is necessary. A separate movement does not mean that feminists believe women are superior. But it is necessary because women are generally the underprivileged sex.

What it proves: Feminism isn’t only about women and their rights. Feminism is not about making men weak or women strong. It’s about giving everyone the power to be strong, ambitious, vulnerable, – based on their personalities and experiences, and regardless of their gender.

No More Helmets In Football

For my research paper I will examine that football players shouldn’t wear helmets and tackle like rugby players tackle. Over the years people are starting to wonder if helmets are really helpful in the NFL because the players can still get head injuries. Helmet companys are answering back by adding more padding inside the helmets. Padding in helmets can only work but so far because padding in inside each helmet can provide some type cushion for the skull but not for the brain. The brain is surrounded by fluid that can cushion it also but to a certain extent. As a scenario, a player is gets hit on his blind side at full speed and the defensive player accidentally hit the player helmets the amount of fluid in our brain can’t stop the brain from hitting the skull. Also, the way a football player may dive for a tackle can cause a concussion because their head could hit the ground hard or even worse they could land on their head.

If people watch the sport of rugby they will see the differences in the way they tackle versus the way football player tackle. The obvious difference is that they don’t use as much padding as football players do. The less padding players have the more cautious they are. In football, players wear a bunch of padding and some may think they are indestructible when they have it on and hit other players extremely harder than if they didn’t have padding on them.  That is a misconception because padding can only help but so much when it comes to certain types of hits.

They state that football players should be taught to not use their heads as a weapon when going in for a tackle, instead they should tackle like rugby player do. Another reason that can result in concussions in football is that the ball carrier can get blind sided by another player from a defensive player. On the practice field players should try tackling a different way… without helmets for some of the drills to help them get in the habit of not leading the tackle with their heads but instead with their arms.

1) Football helmets are creating more problems than they solve

The Essential Content of the Article: Sporting News reports on how football players shouldn’t wear helmets or pads because they could tackle just like the rugby players tackle.

What It Proves: It provides videos of legal and also illegal hits in the NFL which can cause a player to receive a concussion or even worse. Also, it provides evidence of people who agree with the idea of football players not wearing helmets.

2) Lemco: Why Football Needs Less Pads

The Essential Content of the Article: Football players wear a lot of padding and think they can get hit as hard as they want and not get hurt, however, in rugby the players wear less padding and they are more conscious of receiving or giving injuries.

What it Proves: The different mindset of football player versus the mindset of rugby players and how they go about taking or giving injuries.

3) Concussions: Rugby Can Help Football

The Essential Content of the Article: Rugby players should teach football player how to tackle right that would lessen the rate of concussions in the NFL.

What it Proves: It goes over that tackling rules of rugby and that some of the tackles in the NFL that are legal are illegal in rugby.

4) Pads and Helmets: Rugby vs. Gridiron

The Essential Content of the Article: The collisions in football are greater than in rugby. “Rugby is a contact sport and football is a collision sport.”

What it Proves: Rugby only have one on one collisions the other player on the field are their for support. Whereas, football collisions are occurring at every down.

5) Helmetless Football? It’s the New Practice at New Hampshire

The Essential Content of the Article: The University of New Hampshire tried a new way of practice by tackling without helmets. New Hampshire is one of the leading college in head and neck injuries. They tried a different approach to tackle players by not wearing their helmets or some of the drills

What it Proves: Football players can tackle without using helmets. They just have to tackle a different way. For example instead of going into a tackle with their heads they can tackle with their bodies or perform a method of wrapping their arms around a player to make a tackle.

For my research, i will be looking at the rapid increase of baseball pitchers needing to get elbow surgery because of young bad habits.  This surgery is called Tommy John and was named this after the first MLB pitcher that got hurt.  Tommy John surgery is when the UCL tears and is replaced with a ligament not needed somewhere else in the body.  Many athletes get this surgery but is most common among baseball players.

When researching more about the topic, i found out that this is rising because of kids throwing more curveballs at a younger age causes more stress on the elbow and leads to the injury faster.  The thing about curveballs being thrown is that it twists your full arm and puts a lot of strain on that ligament at all times.  Playing as a little kid, coaches need to know that it is about more fun then competing and kids can’t hit to perfection any how so there should be no chance of the kids throwing curveballs at the age.

1:  The Tommy John Epidemic 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/tommy-john-epidemic-elbow-surgery-glenn-fleisig-yu-darvish/

The Essential Content of the Article: This article shows how fast the rate is going up in which baseball pitchers are needing to get this surgery.  Just alone in 2014, there were more surgeries then in all of the 90s.

What it Proves: It proves that the rate is going up and the surgery is becoming more common to pitchers.  It also shows there can be ways to avoid getting an arm injury this serious from studies done through different organizations.  These studies have been done from levels of little league all the way to the pros.

2: Young Arms and Curveballs: A Scientific Twist

The Essential Content of the Article:  This article shows how throwing curveballs at a young age can stress the arm out earlier and lead to higher rate of an injury.

What it Proves: This article proves the reasons behind why it is bad to throw curveballs at the young age.  Kids are not fully developed so they don’t have enough neuromuscular control meaning they can get fatigued when throwing curveballs causing things in the arm to break down.It also shows ids also do not have proper mechanics which puts strain more on the arm causing more likelihood of injury.

3: Examine the Rapid Rise of Tommy John Surgery in Youth Baseball

http://www.si.com/edge/2015/07/30/examining-tommy-john-surgery-youth-baseball-mlb

The Essential Content of the Article: This article shows the rise in kids being injured due to throwing to much.  There is one answer this article gives and that kids these days are just simply overthrowing which when not developed can cause injury.

What it Proves: This article proves that kids who get injured and want to continue to play must get the surgery.  It also proves that kids when they are younger usually play sports all year round as in 3 different sports but now kids are playing baseball in the fall, winter, spring and summer which is causing to much stress on the body and arm leading to injury.

4:Pitch 22

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12842678/why-tommy-john-surgeries-cease-soon

The Essential Content of the Article:  This article shows the grind behind the pitchers who have so much to prove and all the stress it puts on the arm during the process leading to injury.

What it Proves:  It proves a few things, first that throwing a baseball overhand is very unnatural to the body.  You see pitchers throw once a week but softball pitchers can go every game because underarm is a normal motion.  This article shows that someone who throw a 95mph fastball has so much stress on the arm that the forearm wants to detach from the body but is held to the upper arm by the UCL ligament.

5: Broken From Baseball

http://www.10news.com/longform/broken-from-baseball-the-rise-in-youth-baseball-injuries

The Essential Content of the Article: This article shows the damage that can be done from overthrowing and the pain kids can go through after this happening.  It also shows some details behind what the UCL does and how it can be hurt.  Also, this article gives some information on the man Tommy John in which the surgery was named from.

What is Proves: This article proves that kids are being over used.  Kids these days start playing travel ball which is stated in the article that have kids competing all over the country and going to showcases.  This is a lot of stress and work ethic for a young kid who is not fully grown so can have easier injury cases.

For my research, I came to the conclusion that my topic will discuss how hitting a softball is different than hitting a baseball. By “different,” I mean harder. Most believe softball is a sport girls play when the can’t compete with “the big guys.” In fact, softball pitchers have much greater force than a baseball pitcher. The angle, speed, distance, and spin are just a few of the aspects of how difficult hitting a windmill pitch really is.

Most also indicate that since the ball is bigger and brighter, is must be easier, right? Wrong. Everything about softball pitching is totally different than baseball’s over hand style. The only aspect that seems to be the same is the batter standing in their same box. While researching, it has been proven over and over again how hitting a 65 mph softball is more difficult than hitting a 95 mph baseball.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/sports/article_07444756-beee-557f-9bf6-7814fdb3f653.html

The Essential Content of The Article: The point of this article is about comparing the two. Since a baseball is small, it can move more, but the softball pitch angles up and can continue to go on that up angle through the strike zone. This makes a pitch like this very difficult. The author also discusses how the distance and speeds differ. Though hitting the softball is not impossible, but getting a productive hit almost is.

What it Proves: This article proves that there are some comparisons with softball and baseball, but not many. The skills of the batter must also be in the equation as well. Their are batters at the college level hitting over .500. This can mostly be from their impressing hand-eye coordination.

http://pzoneacademy.blogspot.com/2011/10/which-is-more-challenging-task-hitting.html

The Essential Content of The Article: This author makes points that are focused on the actual eye muscles that the batter uses while waiting for the pitch. How we can’t see near and far at the same time, and how our eyes must adjust so quickly. Also, the author discusses the bats that are being used in the college level and professional.

What is Proves: This proves that the batter will have almost the same kind of aspects for hitting both baseball and softball. The difference in this is what the angle and distance of where the ball is coming from.

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/fivering_circus/2004/08/the_softer_they_come.html

The Essential Content of The Article: This author discusses the many aspects of hitting a softball, and how the pitch is really thrown. It discuss how important the pitchers are in softball. We know pitchers like Jennie Finch and Liza Fernandez because of their ability to make batters unable to hit their pitch affectively. The author also goes into an overview of some of the softball history.

What it Proves: This proves how affective a softball pitcher can be. The point with the famous pitchers is something that is never thought much of. People know great baseball hitters like Babe Ruth and Mike Trout, but when do we see outstanding softball hitters? Softball pitchers also have almost twice as many pitches as a baseball pitcher does. Which is another aspect as to why hitting this ball is so difficult. The uncertainty of where the ball is going to end up and what speed it’s going to be is extremely challenging.

http://baseballrebellion.com/cpippitt/the-myths-of-hitting-down-and-through/The Essential Content of The Article: This article talks much on how to hit the ball. The angle the batter must take to make contact at the correct position. The author also discusses different kind of bat issues. There are also some diagrams explaining the angles and contact points made in the strike zone.

What is Proves: This proves more scientifically how a batter hits the ball. This article is mostly about hitting the baseball, but softball batters make almost identical swings. Softball batters hit with a different contact point because the different angle of the ball coming in. Which is why hitting that 12″, bright yellow ball is challenging.

Throw Like A Girl by Jennie Finch (page 167)

The Essential Content of the Story: Finch discusses a part in her life when she had a job at This Week in Baseball. During this time, most of her sessions their was for proving how powerful she is. They had her pitching the incredible professional ball players, and striking most out on a daily bases. She states that most players didn’t want to face her because of the teasing they would get from their teammates.

What is Proves: This proves that a few dozen professional baseball players, who hit 95 mph fast balls almost everyday, were scared to face the great and powerful Jennie Finch. I feel like this proves that even professional baseball players can’t even come in contact with Finch’s movement and speed. Being the “best of the best” in baseball means nothing when it comes to softball.