Rooms 202 and 200 Independent Research Project Overview and Calendar Name:__________________________ (IRP) December 17-February 15(plus

presentation dates/times) We encourage you to be creative in your research and to find a process that is effective for you, but we have set up the following process and time line as a guideline for proceeding with work. Process: 1. This week, find at least three possible topics, brainstorm your topics using questions and already familiar information, begin research locating available materials. Three brainstorms and this sheet due Friday, December 21. 2. We encourage you to start doing some basic searches now to get a sense of the breadth and depth of your possible topic. A basic search now will help you narrow down or focus your topic and give you a sense of whether or not there is enough varied information to support you in your research. You may also want to start looking at what kinds of books are available through the Madison Library System. We will be traveling to Sequoia Branch Library after winter break to check out materials. Each of you will be assigned a teacher-advisor and will also be a part of a peer research group. We will try to schedule library trips during the first four weeks of our research process. 3. On Monday, January 7 we will present information about research proposal writing. Write a proposal (research statement with thesis question, outline of questions, annotated bibliography, and organizational approach) and continue research/data collection, taking accurate notes and keeping citation information. Draft of proposal Friday, January 11. Final proposal due Thursday, January 17. You will be researching/note-taking as you revise your proposal. 4. Set content through draft/revision process. First draft due Friday, February 1. This can be a pretty rough draft with the intention of getting you to start writing your paper.

5.

Final written paper including appropriate citations and bibliography. Due Friday, February 15.

6. The IRP Fair will be Wednesday, February 13, 2012. Individual presentations will be the week of Monday, February 18.

Locating a Research TopicBrainstorms Due Friday, December 21

Name:

Brainstorms: Looking for a topic and guiding questions. In beginning your research, it is important to work to find a topic that will hold your interest for at least six weeks of hard work. There is a universe of topics out there, so we expect you to begin this process by listing three possible general topics that you are interested in studying. During the course of the preliminary stages of research, work to clarify your topic and to focus it as much as you can. Narrowing your research down to a single guiding thesis question can be challenging and will require that you discuss your ideas with other people. Your research should be an attempt to build upon or create a theory, compare and contrast several subjects, or gather information that is in need of organizing. In order to help you decide upon and narrow a general topic area, we are requiring that you create three brainstorms (idea webs) for three topics that interest you and to list meaningful reasons why you selected these possible topics. General Topics and Brainstorms: List your topics as they are at this point. Maybe you have a thesis questions already. List your formulation of them here. 1.__________________________________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________________________________ 3.__________________________________________________________________ * Create a brainstorm or webbing for the three topics you listed and attach them to this sheet. It will help to list some brainstorm items in question form.

Justifying your topics: Please list reasons why you are interested in these topics. Saying just because or I am just interested and like it are not good enough explanations. Why, specifically, are you interested in the topic? Asking yourself how you first came to know or learn about the topics may help you. Please take time to do this thoughtfully--it will help you tremendously as you conduct your research and in writing your paper! Topic 1 Reasons: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Topic 2 Reasons: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Topic 3 Reasons: __________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________