The Newark Board of Education Senior Thesis Project represents the  culmination of the academic coursework that you have completed over the past twelve years and a meaningful demonstration that you are ready to be a graduate of Newark!

The Senior Thesis allows students to showcase their research, writing, critical thinking, and oral presentation skills as they prepare to transition to post-secondary education or the workforce. At the end of this unit, students will complete and submit a formal academic paper that shows how much they have learned about a topic. Students will also prepare for an oral defense of their research in front of a panel.

Research empowers one to better understand:

• what conversations are being held on a topic;

• what matters are still left uncertain

• who are the thought leaders driving the conversations, and who are left out

• what potential solutions or further research should be considered

To become a respected expert on a topic, one must understand the current literature in that field (whether there is an extensive or very limited body of work) and contribute original ideas or findings.

The research process extends beyond academics: the process of asking the right questions, learning how to seek relevant and reliable information, and drawing meaningful conclusions based on evidence is an essential life skill. Many exciting areas of research exist because people were passionate about learning them and desire to share their knowledge with other.

Senior Class of 2025 Paper Guide

Junior Class of 2026 Paper Guide