Running head: PITBULLS 1

Pitbulls: Vicious or Misunderstood?

Taylor-Jo M. Crace

Piketon High School

PITBULLS 2

Abstract

More often than not when people hear of pitbulls it is not good, people never want to praise the

good actions because they are too busy complaining about the bad. The society that we live in

today always looks for the negative in things which does not help the reputation of this beautiful

breed.

Keywords:
PITBULLS 3

Pitbulls: Vicious or Misunderstood? Commented [1]: Introduction is neeeded

Background

Dog fighting is one of the biggest reasons as to why pitbulls are thought to be so vicious.

In the 1800s old english bulldogs were bred and used for bull-baiting on the British Isles.

According to Kellie Stevens (2016) in her article How Americas Dog Became Public Enemy

#1 - And Why Theyre Making A Comeback Bloodsports were outlawed in 1835 in the UK, so

rat-baiting and dogfighting - which were easier to hide from police- became the new sports of

popularity. When people immigrated to America they brought their dogs with them and used

them as working dogs and protectors. ()

Method

I constructed and conducted a survey titled Pitbulls: Vicious or Misunderstood? Which

consisted of eight questions. The eight questions were the following: which of the following age

groups are you? The choices were 13-18, 19-25, 25-30, and 30+. The second question asked,

Are you familiar with different types of dogs? Which consisted of the answer choices yes, no,

and kind of. The next question was a short answer response because I knew that many

respondents would have a lot of different answers and the question was, How many dogs have

you had in your life? The question following was a continuation of the first by asking, Were

any of them pitbull? and the answer choices were yes, no, and pitbull mix. The next question

also went along with the on before it; the question was, If so, was it aggressive? and this was

short answer. The sixth question in my survey asked, Have you ever encountered an aggressive

dog? and the short answer question that followed asked the breed of any aggressive dog that

they had ever encountered. The final question was, In your personal opinion, do you believe

that pitbulls are born aggressive or do you believe that it depends on their owner and how they
PITBULLS 4

are raised? Please explain. After I posted my survey to various social medias and gave people

time to respond, I ended up with 184 responses.

Participants

No question in the survey that I conducted was required to be answered by anyone so

although the total number of people that took my survey was one hundred and eighty-four, the

amount of responses on each question varies. One hundred and eighty-three people chose to

respond to the first question which asked about age groups. Fifty respondents were in the age

groups choice of thirteen to eighteen, twenty-six were nineteen to twenty-five, six were in the

twenty-five to thirty, and one hundred and one were classified as the thirty and up category. The

second question was Commented [2]: This is a good start!

Discussion

The main argument when it comes to this topic is whether or not the instinct to fight or

the trait of aggression comes from how these dogs are raised or if it comes from their bloodline.

References

Clemmons, Gary L. (DVM). (2014). Canine Aggression. Dog Owners Guide. Canis

Major Publications.
PITBULLS 5

Retrieved from: http://www.canismajor.com/dog/aggres1.html

Crace, Taylor. (2017). Pitbulls: Vicious or Misunderstood? Piketon, Ohio. Google forms.

Retrieved from: https://goo.gl/forms/6WmIgidzZnsSYRH62

Enos, Sara. (2014). Animal Welfare. The Problem With People, Not Pitbulls. Time

Magazine.

Retrieved from: http://time.com/2927759/the-problem-with-people-not-pit-bulls/

Hare, Brian & Woods, Vanessa. (2016). Pitbulls Are Chiller Than Chihuahuas. The

Atlantic.

Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/09/pit-bulls-are-chiller-than-

chihuahuas/500558/

Pickens, Rebecca. (2013). Michael Vicks Pit Bulls & Dogfighting: Ramifications of

Media Coverage. Journal of Student Research. Richmond, Kentucky.

Retrieved from: http://jofsr.com/index.php/path/article/view/137

Rubric rating submitted on: 10/13/2017, 8:44:24 AM by danielle.cook@redstreaks.org

3 5 8 10

Intro: Discussion of Minimal discussion Minimal discussion Limited discussion Clearly identifies
Research of research focus of research focus or of research and discusses
Your score: 5 and purpose of purpose of research. focus/purpose of research
research.Research Research question research. Research focus/purpose of
question and thesis and thesis is not question and thesis research. Research
is poorly articulated well articulated is described but not question and thesis
or is absent as well articulated is clearly articulated
altogether

Intro: Background Provides very little May not give Gives the reader Briefly gives the
Information & infomoration for the enough information enough information reader enough
Importance audience. The to thoroughly to thoroughly information to
Your score: 8 importance or familiarize the familiarize thoroughly
significance of the auidence with the themselves with the familiarize
study is not clear. topic or goes into a topic but goes into a themselves with the
PITBULLS 6

too much detail.The little detail. The topic without going

importance or importance or into too much detail.
significance of the significance of the The importance or
study is superficial. topic is describe but significance of the
not articulated very study is emphasized
well. and clearly
articulated.

Background An incomplete The history or The history or The history or

Information or description of background of the background background
Methodology subject's history or subject is overly information of the informaiton of the
Your score: 3 background is general or too subject is described, subject is
provided. OR specific. OR but not clearly thoroughly
Description of how Description of how articulated. OR described and
the data was the data was Description of how clearly articulated.
collected, what/how collected, what/how the data was OR Provides
many data sources many data sources collected, what/how accurate, thorough
were analyzed, plan were analyzed, plan many data sources description of how
of analysis or of analysis or were analyzed, plan the data was
measurement measurement of analysis or collected, what/how
instrument is very instrument is measurement many data sources
confusing/not somewhat instrument is were analyzed, plan
articulated confusing/not adequate but of analysis or
sufficiently. clearly articulated. limited. Limitations measurement
Limitations of the Limitations of the of the study are instrument.
study are not study are addressed addressed but are Limitations of the
addressed. but are inaccurate. generalized. study are clearly
described.

Use of Sources Not all information Most information is All information is All information is
Your score: 3 is supported with supported with supported with supported with
credible sources. A credible sources. A credible sources. An credible sources. A
clear understanding vague understanding understanding of clear understanding
of who has already of who has already who has already of who has already
written about this written about this written about this written about this
subject is not subject is subject is mostly subject is
demotnstrated. demotnstrated. demotnstrated. demotnstrated.

Findings/Results: Level of detail is Level of detail is Level of detail is not A comprehensive

Organization (a) severely insufficient, and as sufficient, and level of detail
Your score: 5 insufficient, and there are more there are some provided and are
there are serious organizational organizational well-
organizational issues.Tables/figures issues.Tables/figures organized.Tables/fig
issues.Tables/figures are not clear/concise are not as ures clearly and
are not clear/concise in conveying the clear/concise in concisely convey
in conveying the data. conveying the data. the data.
data.
PITBULLS 7

Findings/Results: Results are not Results are not very Results are not very Results are clearly
Organization (b) clearly explained. clearly explained. clearly explained. It explained. There are
Your score: 5 The paper is lacking Some major is clear that there are multiple major
any major findings. findings are hinted major findings, but findings that are
at, but not clearly they are not clearly clearly and
explained. articulated. The thoroughly
findings are not all described separately
described in-depth and in depth.
or separately.

Discussion Interpretations/ Interpretations/ Interpretations/ Interpretations/

Your score: 3 analysis of results analysis of results analysis of results analysis of results
severely lacking in lacking in are sufficient but are thoughtful and
thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness and somewhat lacking in insightful, are
insight, are not insight, are not thoughtfulness and clearly informed by
informed by the clearly informed by insight, are not as the studys results,
studys results, and the studys results, clearly informed by and thoroughly
do not address how and do not the studys results, address how they
they supported, adequately address and do not as supported, refuted,
refuted, and/or how they supported, thoroughly address and/or informed the
informed the refuted, and/or how they supported, research question
research question informed the refuted, and/or
research question informed the
research question

Conclusion The paper fails to The paper reiterates The paper reiterates The paper
Your score: 3 reiterate the thesis, some of the the thesis, major concludes very
major claims, and following: thesis, claims, and nicely with a
significance. New major claims, and significance, but is reiteration of the
information could significance. Some not as smooth. If thesis, major claims
be provided. new information is appropriate, a and the importance
provided may be recommendation is while offering a
provided. A made. No new look to the future. If
recommnedation information is appropriate, a
may be appropriate, provided. recommendation is
but is not provided. made. No new
information is
provided.

Documentation of Does not cite Cites some data Cites most data Cites all data
Sources sources. obtained from other obtained from other obtained from other
Your score: 8 sources. Citation sources. APA sources. APA
style is either citation style is citation style is
inconsistent or used. accurately used.
incorrect.

Spelling & Excessive spelling Noticeable spelling Minimal spelling & No spelling &
Grammar and/or grammar and grammar grammar mistakes grammar mistakes
PITBULLS 8

Your score: 10 mistakes mistakes

Manuscript Format: Title page Title page deviates a Title page Title page has
APA completely deviates bit more from APA approximates APA proper APA
Your score: 5 from APA formatting. The formatting. The formatting. The
formatting. The abstract is mostly abstract is mostly abstract is clear and
abstract does not clear but a little clear and concise. concise.
clearly summarize wordy.
the paper.

Sentences Headings and Headings & Used correct Used correct

demonstrate correct subheadings subheadings less headings & headings &
usage, punctuation, completely deviate consistent subheadings almost subheadings
and capitalization. from suggested consistently consistently
Your score: 10 formatting or are
absent altogether

Comments:
Total: 68/120

The essay is not complete or well-polished. There is only one section that provides any
information not obtained from the survey. The essay is only 674 of 2000 words. This is a very
poor attempt especially with extended time given to complete the essay.