Research Project Intro: The Future

Introduction to Research Project: The Future

By the end of the semester, you will produce a Research Project with the following (due dates TBA):

1. a high-quality research proposal (see attachment)

2. a high-quality annotated bibliography (specific instructions and example forthcoming);

3. a high-quality research paper of 5 - 7 pages and 6 - 7 sources, half of which must be non-internet sources. (specific assignment forthcoming);

4. a high-quality oral presentation to the class of your research findings, to be accompanied by a visual component (Powerpoint, website, photos, projected notes, etc.), 5-10 minutes in duration.(specific instructions forthcoming).

General Idea of Research Project:

The project will entail your researching a specific topic of interest to and affecting a large number of people, pertaining to the future. The idea is to investigate and report trends, predictions, plans, forecasts, prognostications, tendencies, etc., on a matter of importance as it will manifest itself some years from the present. In short, your job will be to provide your audience with information about what’s going to happen, according to experts, in the area of your choice. For example, one might investigate some aspect of future of educational computer technology, both the immediate future (five to ten years?) and the more distant future; or one might examine the future of the human population (maybe in the United States) and the demands population growth or demographic change will place on a particular industry or government or social institution. Again, the idea is to provide your audience with useful information to raise their awareness and get them ready for what is likely coming.

What you need to be doing now:

Decide on a general topic of interest to you. (Please see the Forbidden Topics below.)

Do some general reading and searching.

Narrow your topic to one you can manage adequately in a 5-7 page paper.

Focus your reading and searching.

Forbidden Topics:

Your instructor reserves the right to reject any topic proposed for this project. The following are off limits already:

Global Warming (If you want to deal with some narrower aspect of this idea, talk to me.)

Tobacco use

Abortion

Universal healthcare (aka “free” healthcare, government healthcare)

Advice

Keep in mind that you will produce an annotated bibliography of your research sources and a works cited page and internal documentation as part of your final paper; therefore, you will likely want to keep up the materials you locate. Save all document info. Organize a file with websites, titles, thoughts, notes, photographs, videos: whatever might save you time and effort and whatever you might be able to use in the production of your research project.

If you need more information on the research process for the time being, go here.