ESL Reading 4 & 5

Research Project #1—Project Weight 100 points

            This semester we have worked with both non-fiction and fiction reading selections that have introduced a wide variety of topics.  Your job is to choose one of the topics that is of interest to you, conduct further research within the area, and report your findings to the class.

Choose from the following topics:

• Self-actualization

• Racism

• Problems & potential solutions within public education in US

• Current use of technology in health care

• Culture Shock

Conduct your research.   Be sure to use the class guide that the PCC librarians have provided for you as the launching point for conducting your research.  This will help you narrow your search, use scholarly sources, and find appropriate material.  It will also make it easier for the librarians to help you!

Gather your research.  Although you will probably review more sources, your final project should make use of and cite three sources of information.  Your sources must include at least one of each of the following:

• Statistic from a statistical handbook or reference source

• Article from Academic Search Premie

• Article from an additional online database

Present your research.  Prepare a Works Cited page listing the sources that you use.  This page must follow MLA standards for documentation.  Your Works Cited page must be typed.  There are many places to find out how to construct this page including:  composition handbooks, library tip sheets, and the library web site.  Prepare a 5-10 minute class discussion in which you present your findings.  Prepare a poster or other visual aide to help your organize your presentation and to help the class understand your material.  You may include small captions on your poster; this will help you remember key data.  You may also prepare 1 3” x 5” note card with to help you remember difficult words, phrases, and information. 

You may not read your report; this is a discussion, not a speech!