Independent Study: An Overview

PURPOSE:• To research a topic of

personal interest to you.

• Clarify a career choice.

• Solve a problem that has always bothered you.

TOPICS• What do you want to do with your

life?• What do you want to learn more

about?• What makes you angry?• What do you want to change in

society, in America, in the world?

SOURCES• Primary sources:

– Conduct an original survey– Conduct an interview– Experiment or observation (optional)

• Secondary sources:– Books – General press articles– Peer reviewed journals– Op/Ed articles– Historical documents (diaries, letters, tracts, declarations,

columns, proclamations, treatises, essays, commentaries, manifestos, mandates, addresses, lectures, eyewitness accounts, charters, principles, speeches, and dictionaries).

Primary Source Requirements:

• Original Survey: – at least ten questions of

varying types.– questions should explore

attitudes.• Original Interview:

– 3-5 questions that require more than a yes/no response.

– Interview an expert or survey respondent.

PRIMARY SOURCE OPTIONS:• Original Observations:

you may wish to conduct a series of observations to help you prove your thesis.

• Original Experiments: you may wish to conduct an experiment to help prove your thesis.

Secondary Source Requirements:

• Read at least part of one book.• Read at least one peer

reviewed journal.• Read at least two general

press articles.• Read at least three opinion

pieces.

Secondary Source Options:• Preview at least one

documentary.• Interpret at least one image.

A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION:

• Is researchable• Is answerable in whole or in part• Is important to many people• Is suggestive of other questions• Is innovative• Is provocative• Is honest and direct and not

deceptive• Is clear and unambiguous• Its answer has possible use in the

world

Is genetic engineering beneficial for civilization?

• Is researchable• Is answerable in whole or in part• Is important to many people• Is suggestive of other questions• Is innovative• Is provocative• Is honest and direct and not

deceptive• Is clear and unambiguous• Its answer has possible use in the

world

What is the impact of social media on our culture?

• Is researchable• Is answerable in whole or in part• Is important to many people• Is suggestive of other questions• Is innovative• Is provocative• Is honest and direct and not

deceptive• Is clear and unambiguous• Its answer has possible use in the

world

SAMPLE RESEARCH QUESTIONS:• Are girls being exploited at younger and

younger ages?• How do sleeping disorders affect families,

communities, societies?• Should the US be spending millions in the war

on drugs?• Are we a loveless culture?• How much influence should religious beliefs

have on lawmaking?• Why is Holocaust education still necessary in

our society?• Is society dehumanizing itself by not

recognizing the existence of modern slaves?• What is the impact of advertising on our

culture?

Sample research questions:

• Have corporations/government become complicit in the obesity epidemic?

• Can schools recognize and curb hazing?• Is the theatre district in danger of extinction?• Why is it man’s nature to struggle for power?• Can a child’s education be considered

complete without exposure to the arts?• What are the bases for denying medical

treatment?• How have events in the Middle East affected

American attitudes towards terrorism?• Is polygamy a violation of freedom of religion

or a violation of human rights?

How do I set up the research paper?

• Title Page• Purpose Page• Methodology Page• Operational Definitions Page• Clean Copy of Your Survey Page• Graphs of Survey Results Pages• Conclusions Pages• Limitations Page• Suggestions for Further Research Page• Works Cited Page• Appendix Pages

TITLE PAGE:• In center of center, title of

your project.• Beneath it in center, your

thesis.• In lower right corner, your

name, date.• Colorful graphics optional.

PURPOSE PAGE:• 1-2 paragraphs explaining why you

chose your topic and what you hope to accomplish by your research into it.

• Written in first person.• Personal and impassioned.

METHODOLOGY PAGE:• 2-3 paragraphs describing what

research you did, what sources you contacted, what methods you used to obtain your data.

• Explain how each method generally helped you to prove your point, understand your issue, attain your goal.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS PAGE (optional):

• A listing of terms you are using in your paper that are relevant to your topic and that your readers may not be familiar with.

• As you read your secondary sources, highlight any terminology. This way, you have your op-defs ready to go.

COPY OF YOUR SURVEY:• Reserve a clean copy of your

survey. • Save your survey on your

computer or USB.

GRAPHS OF SURVEY DATA:• Use Create-a-

Graph or other site to make your graphs.

• Use bar, line, or pie graphs depending on the demands of your results.

CONCLUSIONS PAGES:Should include the following and be organized in a way that best fits with your data:•Analysis of the complexity of your topic; opposing viewpoints on it.•Analysis of your primary source(s); why you believe your respondents answered as they did.•Comparison of primary and secondary research; speculation about why your data does or does not reflect experts’ data.

LIMITATIONS PAGE:• Answer: What obstacles prevented

my research from going further?• Avoid:

– could not find any information. – did not have enough time.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH PAGE:

• Answer: What would you do if you could continue researching your topic next year?

WORKS CITED PAGE:

• Use MLA format.• Create your

bibliography using online sites:– www.easybib.com– www.bibme.org

APPENDIX:• Transcripts of your interviews. • Notes from your observations and

experiments (optional).