Independent Research Project

Follow the topic : Kids in Crisis: when school doesn't work.

Explore other explanations for why or how

Study a perspective contrary to your position

Examine strategies for improvement

Examine the history or extent of the problem in America

EXAMPLES:

How tracking impacts students after graduation - long-term outcomes?

Integration is a viable option for students - reduces negative impact of school segregation

What are some strategies to increase funding equity

How do social aspects of school impact students' outcomes

Assignment Sheet

Final Paper Length: 5-7 pages

For this assignment each student will conduct a small independent research project. You should select a topic and a question that you want to learn about.

I recommend that you continue exploring the same topic from the Position paper, but this is optional. For this research project you will use four articles, two from scholarly sources and two from credible popular sources, and at least two interviews that you will conduct to answer a research question. Your research question will be connected to the main themes of the course but will be more limited in scope.

For instance, your question could be an exploration of why something tends to happen or how it happens. You could ask: How does a student decide to leave high school? Or Why does a student choose to remain in high school?

I am primarily interested in understanding what you have learned about your question. With the limited time and resources you have at your disposal you likely cannot come to a definitive "conclusion." However, you should document what you have learned about your question and what one might want to consider in answering the question or what some possible answers could be. You can also suggest what further research ought to be conducted.

A detailed schedule of intermediate assignments and due dates appears below. The data you will need to gather for this assignment includes:

1. Two scholarly research articles or reports that address this issue. These articles/reports cannot be ones that we have read for class.

2. Two substantive articles from the popular press published by a credible source (national newsmagazine, major newspaper, research tank, education organization, etc.). These articles cannot be ones that we read for class.

3. Two interviews with people who can offer an insightful response to your research question.

Your paper will provide an analysis of the connections and disparities inthe information and perspective these articles and interviews provide in relation to your research question.

Steps, Key Details of Assignment

1. Write a Research Question:Use your Position Paper topic as a starting point. Most people explored one possible explanation for an education problem; therefore, you might ask something like: "what are other explanations for...."; "what are some structural explanations for..."; "what are some psychological explanations for..."?

2. Gather Research Data: Locate and carefully read your articles. You will identify new articles on the same topic. Ideally, the articles will give you an alternate perspective.

3. Write an Interview Protocol:

a. List at least five carefully constructed questions to conduct a 30-minute interview that provides insightful data in response to your research question.

Questions should be open-ended and invite your interview subject to explain his or her experience, opinions, etc. For example, you might ask, "How were you affected by the violence you saw in your school?" Asking for examples or the "story" of why something happened is a good idea.

For example, "Can you give me an example of something someone in your family did that helped you decide to stay in school?" Or "Tell me the story of how you were affected by attending school with students from diverse racial backgrounds."

b. Before submitting your interview protocol, look at each of your interview questions alongside your overarching research question: Describe how the interview questions will help to answer the research question. If an interview protocol question does not answer the research question it directly, then omit it.

4. Send out requests for an Interview: Identify 2-3 people who you would like to interview for your topic. Some suggestions for people you might interview - a local professor with expertise on the topic; a student at Temple, friend or family member who has experience with the topic; staff at a local school or organization with expertise on the topic.

5. Gather Interview Data: Conduct your interviews well ahead of time. During the interviews, you might choose to take notes or record the interview. Your goal is to get as much insight (paraphrasing and/or direct quotations) to include in your final paper. An example of how to incorporate interview data into your paper is posted on Canvas in "Tools for Independent Research".