Independent Research Independent Research is a college level course offered in some high schools. At the beginning of the school year, students think about a question with no answer- a "beautiful question"- and conduct primary and secondary research on their topic to answer it. Students read multiple studies and write reports on each, summarizing them and explaining how the information helped move their project along. Students in this class seek out professionals and interview them to expand their knowledge about their topic. For primary research, students can conduct interviews, surveys, and experiments to gather new information. At the end of the year, students present their research, both primary and secondary, multiple times in front of other classrooms and create a final product, such as a website. |
My Research Experience I am a sophomore enrolled in the G/T independent research class at my school. For a year, I researched how inclusion could potentially lower the high and dangerous risks that the LGBTQ community is at high risks for. I interviewed Ms. Linda Rangos, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education at Howard County, and two professional researchers on LGBTQ issues- Dr. Bryan N. Cochran, clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Montana in picturesque Missoula, and Dr. Steven T. Russell, Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor, Child Development. For my primary research, I surveyed 108 students at my school about how they feel about inclusion in our school. I created this website to share what I learned from my research.
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