Becky Lyons
Freewrite Research Ideas



The topic I have chosen to focus on is the loch ness monster and the beliefs and controversies surrounding it and other urban legends.

Urban legends have become an intricate part of our society and their existence help spark the interest and curiosity of the general public. There are many controversies and beliefs associated with the sightings and stories surrounding the many different myths, and these help to form a very interesting part of our culture. One myth in particular that has captured attention for years deals with the Loch Ness Monster from Scotland’s Loch Ness. The existence of this creature has captured the attention of citizens and scientists alike for decades and there is an endless pursuit to prove the validity of photographs and stories associated with the great monster.
To research this topic I hope to initially explore the general history of the myth concerning “Nessie” and learn more about the origins of the stories. I will also attempt to find listings of sightings and photographs that have been used to try to argue for the monster’s existence. To do this, I will need to research urban legends in general in research books or other materials, and then I will narrow my search and focus mainly on the legend of the Loch Ness Monster to go back to my initial argument and main point of the paper.
The most difficult part of this assignment will be both limiting the information that I want to use in this report, and developing a final argument or conclusion from the information. There could be many arguments I could form using this information and topic, and I will have to choose one that will not only be interesting, but one that I can find evidence and support for in order to prove it’s validity.