


My name is James Smith, and I am a current junior at Central High School. Include your activities resume to allow the faculty to get to know more about you and your interests.Reach out to faculty members whose research interests you (a sample email is listed below as a guide).Search current research studies, by professors and graduate students, on local colleges’ department faculty websites.Start to document potential research topics related to your interests.Make a list of your future career interests.To get started, students can follow these steps: One way to find a mentor is by reaching out to college professors who are researching or studying a similar topic that you are interested in pursuing. Work With A College Professorįinding a mentor to work with you on a research project can help you gain access to resources, guide you through the data-gathering process, and help you form conclusions. After a year-long investigation, students will write a 4,000 - 5,000 word paper on the topic. By the end of this course, students will have completed both a team project and an independent paper and presentation.AP Research lets students explore any research topic or issue in which they are interested. Both courses guide students through a research project, writing an academic thesis paper, and making a public presentation.ĪP Seminar, a year-long course, encourages students to explore real-world issues. This program from the College Board consists of two Advanced Placement (AP) courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Other school pathways for conducting an IRP include AP Capstone. By always looking for ways to continually progress with their projects, students can demonstrate to colleges their motivation and skills. Students who win their school’s science fair should always look to take their accomplishments to the next level and compete at the state or national fair. Some high schools have research classes with an independent project component that can be submitted to local science fair competitions. There’s a built-in advantage to this approach because the student can utilize school resources and mentorship from their instructors. One of the first avenues to consider is whether your high school already has a research program or a research-based curriculum that you can tap into to start a project. Research Projects Through Your High School
