Ryan Gemmell
ENG201 – 12pm section
Formal Essay Four: Data Article Comparison
Metawrite: Marijuana Effects Growing up in the 21st century, it is obvious that many things are changing in the United States, and the world. For college students in Michigan, and many places around the country, the medical and recreational use of the cannabis plant, known as marijuana, is not a mysterious or uncommon occurrence. Over recent years, more and more people have been accepting the idea of using this plant for it’s medical benefits, or even recreationally. Therefore, studying articles of primary research on the effects of varied marijuana use seems logical and interesting for a social sciences article comparison essay. One article being compared is by Grant, Atkinson, Guoaux, and Wilsey; the other by Corey-Bloom, Wolfson, Gamst, Jin, Marcotte, Bentley, and Gouaux. Following is a summary-critique of a different article by Battistella, Fornari, Thomas, Mall, Chtioui, Appenzeller, Annoni, Favrat, Maeder, and Giroud. The formal article comparison is an attempt to show the reader a fair and unbiased approach to a currently illegal “drug”, while establishing the similarities and differences of data gathering techniques, as well as study findings. Both initial articles are based upon the hypothesis of marijuana positively affecting a specific medical issue. They are compared with a particular interest in a conclusive, beneficial, result. However, the most interesting aspect was responding to the final article about the effects related to operating a motorized vehicle. Traditional Brauch English 201 procedures were followed in order to complete the essay. The professional credentials of the main authors were established. Being as there were so many, the top listed contributors were used. Much of the information was listed or linked directly to the sites of the articles; all found using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) PMC database. Google and Wikipedia were rarely used to search for additional information. Finally, the summary-critique was written using the separate, third article.
Ryan Gemmell
ENG201 – 12pm Section
Formal Essay Four: Data Article Comparison
A Comparison of I. Grant and J. Atkinson (2012), Medical marijuana: clearing away the smoke, Open Neurol J. 6, 18-25, and J. Corey-Bloom, T. Wolfson, and A. Gamst (2012), Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, CAMJ 184, 1143-1150.
These two articles investigate the potential positive effects that marijuana use can have on different medical issues. Studies of this kind have not been common until recent years. Due to this, both articles chosen were published in the same year of 2012. These studies used clinical trials; one article relating to general, chronic pain relief. The second article investigates the possibilities of marijuana relieving the specific multiple sclerosis symptom “spasticity”.
Grant and Atkinson’s article was published on May 4th, 2012. The purpose of their study was to collect valid, primary, data showing evidence of the medicinal effects that can occur from smoking marijuana. The sources used in this article include varying older studies with similar intentions. The article thesis is clearly stated in the immediate introduction, that cannabis may very well be useful as medicine.
Grant and Atkinson begin by stating the recent up rise in public marijuana opinions, and the general acceptance of the plant being used as a medicine. The hypothesis is quickly revealed when they announce their belief in cannabis being useful for managing neuropathic pain and spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis, as well as other possible medicinal benefits. These ideas, combined with todays new technologies and abilities to further research the potential uses of this plant is said to be a main factor in the authors reasons for pursuing this data. All of the medicinal cannabis
