The essay topic has debatable issues that involve ethical, legal, social or cultural factors as well as scientific
knowledge.
The essay should both explain the relevant genetics and weigh these other considerations.
Approach
the topic with an open mind, but don’t hesitate to express any well-reasoned opinion or recommendation.
Essay must be between 800 and 1400 words long. It must be your own work: all submissions will be scanned
for plagiarism. You may not present as your own work the output of any artificial intelligence text generator such
as ChatGPT, in whole or in part.
Write for a general, educated audience.
You are expected to do some research: starting with Wikipedia or other reputable
sources is OK, but check them, and use primary sources if possible. General, textbook-level genetic knowledge
need not be sourced, but relevant specific findings, and other writers’ analyses or opinions, should be referenced
with in-text citations and a bibliography. There is no required format for references and no specific number of
references is required. The bibliography is not included in the word count.
Below I have listed two prompts. Pick one of them.
1) Should older men have children? Women over 35 who are pregnant are often advised about the increased risk,
with advancing maternal age, of their child having a chromosomal aneuploidy such as Down syndrome, and are
offered prenatal testing. Recent findings suggest that the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism
increases significantly with paternal age. Why is this? Should older men be advised against fathering children?
After what age? Explain how the risk may arise, and assess whether a recommendation can and should be made.
Or
2) Should first-cousin marriages be allowed? The laws on cousin marriage vary widely between states in the USA.
First-cousin marriages are illegal in 25 states; some states recognize such marriages performed elsewhere, but
others do not. Laws and practices also vary between countries and cultures. Are there any good reasons, genetic
or otherwise, to prohibit or discourage first-cousin marriages? Your essay should make and justify a
recommendation to state legislators, to keep or change the current law in your state.
