what is communication

Welcome to the first phase of the Research Project.  This document will guide you through the Research Design stage, where you will be selecting a political issue to research and formulating an initial theory about it.

To complete this assignment, download the 
Research Design Worksheet
 Download Research Design Worksheet.  Complete the form and upload the file it, where it will be scored and receive feedback from me.  If I approve your topic, you will receive full credit and can move on to the next stage.  If I do not approve the topic, you will not receive full credit, and I will ask you to resubmit with a new or adjusted topic.  We will repeat this process until I approve a topic and you receive full credit.  This phase counts for 1% of your course grade, and it must be completed successfully before you can move on to the next phase of the Research Project.

Step 1: Select a topic.

There are many possible topics that can work well for this project, and you will choose the specific issue you want to research in this project.  The issue you select can be any challenge, problem, or controversy we face in modern US society.  The best topics for this project are those that have broad impacts on society and that the 
federal government deals with directly.  Common examples are issues related to the economy, immigration, or health care.

In one sentence, summarize the main issue or topic for your Research Paper.

While it is best to begin with a broad topic, it helps to narrow the focus to be appropriate for a relatively short research paper.  So, think about 1 or 2 issues and outcomes related to your main topic that you want to study and analyze more specifically in this project.  For example, a paper on the issue of immigration could focus on the effects of immigration on crime rates, voting patterns, or job availability.

In 1-3 sentences, summarize the key subtopic(s) for your Research Paper.

Step 2: Summarize your theory.

Before conducting any research, it is important to think about the beliefs or opinions you may hold about these topics and the motivations you have for researching them.  It is important to consider these things yourself and to share them with your readers to maximize transparency and objectivity.  The goal for this research paper is a fair and objective analysis, and the best way to begin is by conceding our own biases and motivations.

In 400 words or less, explain your interest in the topic and subtopics.  Briefly elaborate on the connections you see between these issues and why you think they are important to study.  Briefly summarize what you expect to find in your research.