Monday, January


th
5
Today, we will begin to work toward our senior
research projects (yes, that’s the essay part of the
project). This essay will be an analysis essay (not to
be confused with the argument or expository essay).
To begin, I’d like you to consider your project and
what possible topics you might want to research.
Picking the right research topic is imperative to your
work, as it will enable you to write a strong essay
for your Senior Project Portfolio.
Here are Some Model Ideas:
If my Senior
I should avoid
And instead should consider looking up issues such as…
Project
topics such as…
experience is…
Job shadowing
a
doctor.
What a doctor
does on a daily
basis.
What positive and negative impacts is “Obamacare” having on
doctors’ practice and patients’ access to care?
What potential solutions show potential to help deal with the
spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and infections?
Rebuilding a
car’s engine.
The process of
how to rebuild
an
engine.
What emerging technologies will influence carmakers in the
future?
What are different opinions about engine structure and
efficiency, and what are the strengths/weaknesses of each?
Volunteering at The numbers of
a
homeless people
homeless shelter. in America
What urban areas have implemented successful programs to deal
with homelessness, and what made these programs successful?
Which social systems (schools, government assistance, nonprofit, etc.) can best prevent and/or respond to
homelessness?
Warm up Questions 1/5


What makes the topics to avoid inferior to the more
preferable topics? List as many reasons as you can
think of.
Based on this, what is a reasonable criteria for
useable research topics?
Topic Ideas: Criteria
It will explore an issue that individuals may have
diverse perspectives or opinions about.
 The idea will not produce just a report about a
topic.
 It will not be overtly persuasive, where you advocate
for or celebrate one “side” over another.
 The paper that you will end up writing must provide
balanced and unbiased research and analysis on
multiple (more than two) perspectives or opinions related to
the issue; in your conclusion, your paper will “come to a
conclusion” based on a thorough analysis of all perspectives,
and that conclusion may include the determination that one
perspective is preferable to another.

Learning Targets:




To distinguish strong topic ideas for senior research
project essays.
To establish a criteria for strong topic ideas.
To annotate the Senior Research Project essay
handout.
To brainstorm project ideas.
Senior Research Project

Get a packet. Let’s discuss!
Homework

Homework #1 due January 11th!