Social Studies Project
for Honors Classes
Required
All HHMS honors and most PDP/DP Social Studies Classes require Social Studies Projects.
Teachers will help students walk through the process during the school year. Specific due dates and directions will be specified by the teacher of the class.
3 Parts to the Project
Research Paper
The research paper is typically due late November. It is worth a total of 100 points.
The main components of the research paper are:
Abstract
Body of Paper
Conclusion
Bibliography
Project Board
The project board is typically due at the beginning of Second Semester. It is worth a total of 50 points.
Presentation
The presentation of the project is typically due at the beginning of Second Semester. It is worth a total of 50 points.
Topics
Social Studies Disciplines
There are 7 social studies disciplines from which students can chose a topic.
Anthropology
Projects concerning how culture has developed by people living and thinking together. Examples are Ancient civilizations, Native Americans, customs, festivals, types of shelter and food, religion, etc.
Economics
Projects concerning the utilization of the natural environment to produce the goods and services needed by man. Examples are money, manufacturing, trade, transportation of goods, services, communication, inflation, stock exchange, Common Market, government budgets, etc.
Geography
Projects concerning the relationship between man and his natural environment. Examples include ecology, foreign countries, lands and peoples, maps, flooding, rivers, lakes, cities, conservation, etc.
History
Projects concerning the written story of man and the development of civilizations. Examples include historical events and trends, wars, diplomacy, politics, religious institutions, biographies, etc.
Louisiana History
Any projects you would place in the History category but that are specific to Louisiana
Political Science
Projects concerning principles, organization, and methods of government. Examples include government agencies, constitutions, courts, international agencies, FBI, CIA, etc.
Sociology
Projects concerning people living in groups. Examples include the family, crime, mental health, lifestyles, media, drug abuse, etc.
Topic Considerations
In considering a topic, remember:
1. Value: The topic should be enlightening on some significant aspect of human experience.
2. Originality: If a project has been the subject of a previous investigation, the proposed new study should either furnish substantial new evidence or provide a significant new interpretation. Don't pick a topic that has probably been overdone. If you are not sure about this, ask your teacher.
3. Practicality: Sources must be available which one may use conveniently and without fear of censorship. The scope of the subject should be neither too limited nor too broad.
4. Unity: Every project must have a unifying theme, or be directed to a certain question or thesis; thus there is a point of departure, the development of subject, and specific conclusions.
In selecting a topic, the student should exercise care regarding the scope of the project. The project topic should not be so broad that it cannot be given good in-depth treatment. Conversely, the student’s topic should not be too specific. For example, a topic such as World War II may be too broad and too difficult to complete everything about that historical event in one comprehensive project. On the other hand, a topic such as Louisiana in World War II may be too narrow because information on Louisiana’s involvement in the war would be too limited. A specific topic would, perhaps, be more suitable; some examples are the War in the Pacific, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Allied invasion of Europe, the development of the atomic bomb, or the Battle of the Bulge. It is possible that a student may be able to successfully create a project on World War II or Louisiana in World War II. The key is how the student treats the topic. A student might be able to create a project with a unique perspective on both these topics. However, great care should be given to find the middle ground between topics that are too broad and topics that are too narrow.
This information was copied from Southeastern Louisiana University: http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/socialstudiesfair/Making a Topic a Research Question
Why is a research question essential to the research process?
Research questions help writers focus their research by providing a path through the research and writing process. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.
Steps to developing a research question:
Choose an interesting general topic. If you chose a topic you like, you are more likely to enjoy doing the project! Pick something you are interested in!
Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What issues are scholars and researchers discussing, when it comes to your topic? What questions occur to you as you read these articles?
Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?” or “How did the films of the 1930s reflect or respond to the conditions of the Great Depression?”
Evaluate your question. After you’ve put a question or even a couple of questions down on paper, evaluate these questions to determine whether they would be effective research questions or whether they need more revising and refining.
Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research.
Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.
Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer. They often begin with “How” or “Why.”
Begin your research.
From Topic to Research Question: Example
Adolf Hitler
History Topic
Why did the Germans Follow Hitler in WWII?
Research Question
Lesson Activities
Complete the following lesson activities in your digital interactive notebook for this lesson. You can find your notebook assignment on Oncourse.
Social Studies Disciplines.......... Slide 3
Topic Brainstorming...................... Slide 4
