Phil Druker, Department of English, University of Idaho

The Research Project:

Early in the semester, you need to decide on a topic for the research project you will complete for this class. The end product of this project should be a 12 to 20 page document in which you report on the research you complete this semester.

This research should be appropriately sophisticated and should include (1) data gathered through primary research (data from laboratory work, field studies, surveys, interviews, or other "hands-on" work where you directly collect data) and (2) data gathered through secondary research (information collected from other people's work, library research). This secondary research involves collecting information from professional journals, government reports, corporate reports, or other sophisticated sources. To complete this secondary research, you will not want to rely on popular magazines, newspapers, or the Internet.

The research project needs to be directed at a specific audience and meet that audience's needs. Thus, in some way your project needs to be aimed at solving a problem for someone. Further, your research project report should not merely summarize the data you collect; rather, you will want to interpret, analyze, and explain your data to meet your audience's needs. You will decide who your audience is for your project and write at an appropriate level of technicality for that audience; however, I should be able to understand the information at least in a general way and follow the logic of the material you present.

If you are working on a research project for another class this semester, you may work on that project for 317. If you don't have to complete a similar project for another class, you should consult with your other instructors to see if they can suggest a project that you can complete for extra credit or a project that will help you more fully understand some problem related to their class or to your field. You might consider trying to work on a project similar to the kind of work you hope to do after graduating so you can show potential employers the kind of work you are capable of producing.

Project Due Dates:

By the third or fourth week you should have decided on a subject area. Then you can focus on a specific topic, do research, refine the topic and find a specific problem, research background information, and develop a research plan. The first progress report, in which you summarize the information you have collected to write the proposal, is due the sixth week. The proposal is due during the eighth week. The introduction for your proposal should form the basis for the introduction to your project report.

After you submit your proposal and I accept it, you will begin compiling information for your the first section in the body of your final report. It is due the twelfth week of class. It will form part of the body of your report. A progress report due after the section of the final report.

The completion report is due during no-examination week. To pass the course you must submit an acceptable final report.