Researching Your Career Path What Will Work Best For Me? The First Research Project—How to Get Started, PART 1.

Essential Questions With a shoulder partner, discuss your answers for the essential questions. Come up with as many answers as possible. Write those answers on separate sheets of paper. You will need this sheet of paper later on. Why should I do my own research on any topic? Why not just look up the answer in Wikipedia?

The Project—Why we are doing this? Planning on joining the military service? How much more would you make if you went in with an associates degree rather than a high school diploma? A bachelor’s degree? Want to be a chemical engineer? Where are the best programs and what do you need to enter into those fields? This is a research project tied into helping you determine how best to pursue your long term career goals.

Steps for Research Papers Generate Idea Write a thesis Chart the direction of your research Draft a proposal Establish a schedule Gather sources Write effective notes Avoid plagiarism Read/evaluate sources Organize your ideas Draft paper in an academic style Use MLA style

Step 1: Focusing on the Subject Most research requires either that you brainstorm an idea, or as is the case with this project, focus on the specific subject. You need to pick a career path to study. Examples: Orchestra conductor, Master Chef, Theoretical Physicist, Medical Research Scientist, School Teacher, Pediatrician, Military Officer, Television Producer, or Chemical Engineer. You pick.

Step 2: Writing a Thesis Statement There are actually three types of central statements that you can make when writing a thesis statement. Quickly they are: Thesis Statement Enthymeme Hypothesis A brief definition for each follows. Although this will have less relevance for this project, you will need to know this for future research projects.

Thesis A thesis advances a conclusion that the writer will defend: Contrary to what some philosophers have advanced, human beings have always participated in wars.

Enthymeme An enthymeme uses a because clause to make a claim the writer will defend: There has never been world peace, because nations always fight for resources.

Hypothesis A hypothesis is a theory that must be tested in the laboratory, in the literature, and/or by field research to prove its validity: National leaders are motivated by the need for self-preservation and the best interests of their nation.

Let’s write a cheesy thesis (on that sheet of paper) (your chosen profession here) is a desirable profession for current high school students to pursue because (give your first reason here) and furthermore (list your second reason or belief or support for previous reason here).

Step 3: Charting the Research For this step you need to plan a bit. What exactly are you going to research? Make a list. Requirements for this profession. Does it require special training or education? Certification? Licensure? Where can I get the requisite training or education? What are my potential earnings once I have the prerequisites and training? What are the best job markets for my profession?

Step 4: Drafting a Proposal This is simply a declarative statement of your intended research. Example: “ I intend to determine the best schools for training in the field of mechanical engineering, to locate the top companies who utilize mechanical engineering, and to determine the overall long term prospects for people entering into this field in the next 5-10 years.”

Step 5: Establish a Schedule Plan your schedule. Research papers, because of the numerous steps involved, cannot be put off until the last minute. We will be talking about this step more throughout the upcoming weeks. I cannot over emphasis the importance of this step. You will need to be working on this paper in regular intervals. I will grade each step individually. Plan accordingly.

When we meet next week… We will continue walking through the steps of a research paper (i.e. you will work on steps 3 &4). You will be looking at sources, note taking, organization, drafting, revising, and citing sources. If you have not yet picked up your computer please do so. You will not survive without it.

EXIT TICKET (On that sheet of paper) Reflect upon the material covered today. What information did you feel was most important or useful? Explain what that is and why you chose this item. Turn it in as you exit the classroom.