I­Search Research Project What is an I­Search paper? The I­Search paper is designed to teach the writer and the reader something valuable about a chosen topic and about the nature of searching and discovery. As opposed to the standard research paper where the writer usually assumes a detached and objective stance, the I­Search paper allows you to take an active role in your search, to experience some of the hunt for facts and truths first­hand, and to provide a step­by­step record of the discovery. Your final draft will describe chronologically the process you went through in investigating your research question. The “I” in I­Search means you write in first person, that you are an interactive and reactive participant in the I­Search writing process. In a more formal research paper, which you will probably be assigned in other courses, the use of “I” is not appropriate. In a formal research essay, a writer cannot say, for example, “I think” or “I feel.” In contrast, the I­Search paper invites you to tell about your research journey from your point of view, asking you to reflect and analyze using “I.” An I­Search paper calls for you to tell, in the form of a story, virtually every step of the search which led to the answer to your question, including the dead­ends and failures, which means that you can be drafting your paper as you proceed with the search rather than waiting until you have all the information you need before deciding upon what you will actually write. It also means that you can tell your readers of your frustrations as you underwent your search. Even if you have not found the answer to your question, you can still write your paper, explaining to your readers at the end of your paper that your question remains unanswered and describing what you did learn that was worthwhile or how you would amend your search on a future attempt. Ideas to keep in mind when writing an I­Search paper:

Topic is private but the language must be public and appropriately academic, but not pretentious (more on language below)

Citation procedures must be followed as though writing a research paper The paper must be appealing to a general academic audience

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The I­Search Journal

It is almost impossible to undertake an I­search without keeping a journal, however informal. Carry a notebook with you while working on the I­search and keep note of dates and times of everything you do, along with the following details:

Every visit to the Library, including search method employed, titles of books or articles perused, along with their call numbers, names of helpful library staff, and so on. Be sure to include details of failed or frustrated searches.

Appointments made for personal interviews, including the locations. Each use of the computer, including URL's of websites and e­mail addresses of people or

institutions contacted. Brief notes of your reactions to events, situations, and information you encounter. Letting your

readers know how you react to what you find is most important. Brief notes of interview or library search information. Of course, you will be keeping more

extensive notes elsewhere or as photocopies, print­outs, or audio tapes. Consider keeping a dual entry log. Simply draw a line down the center of your note paper. On the left side of that line write down quotes from an interview, lines from something you have read, or visual impressions from a site visit you made. On the right side of the line write your reactions to these observations. Later, you can transfer the details and your reactions to your actual paper. Parts of the I­Search Paper

What I Wanted to Know What I Already Know The Search What I Learned Conclusion

The above information is from the following website: http://teacherweb.com/FL/MLEC/Harris/I­Search.html

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Table of Contents

Pages Topic 1 Explanation of I­Search paper 2 Explanation of I­Search Journal 3 Table of Contents 4 Grade Level Assignments 5 Due Dates and Time Lines 6 I­Search Proposal & Teacher Approval Form 7 I­Search Rubrics 8­12 Sample I­Search paper: Siberian Husky 13 I­Search Help page for What I Want to Know 14 I­Search Help page for What I Know 15 I­Search Help page for The Search 16 I­Search Help page for What I Learned 17 I­Search Help page for How to cite a reference MLA style in text 18 I­Search Help page for Works Cited page 19 I­Search Help page for Personal Statements 20­27 Sample I­Search paper: Living with Asthma 28­29 Sample Career Research Paper Outline 30­35 Sample Ideas from Midway College for 11th grade I­Search paper

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Grade Level Assignments 9th Grade Choose a person to research. It should be a person that you DO NOT know a lot of information about. 10th Grade Choose a place or a heritage to research. It should be a place or heritage that you DO NOT know a lot of information about. 11th Grade Choose a social issue to research. It should be a social issue that you DO NOT know a lot of information about. 12th Grade Choose a career or job that you are interested in possibly pursuing. You can research the career or you may research a topic, issue, or controversy within the career field. 12th Grade Forbes Writing Project Write a paper giving information about the program that you studied at Forbes Road Career and Technology Center. See sample Career Research Outline for other topics to include. Must include why you choose to study your program and Forbes and what you plan to do after graduation. Use the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional information http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ Paper Requirements:

Must be typed Font: Times New Roman Double Spaced Must have 1 inch margins Must include a Works Cited page Minimum of 3 sources – including one from a book Paper must include correct heading and header which includes student’s last name and page

number Include paragraphs Include headings for each section

Students will present what they learned in class as a result of the research. Student’s presentation must include a visual of some type. The visual will be completed AFTER the paper is written.

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Due Dates and Time Lines

Activity Due Date Date Completed Points I­Search Proposal and Teacher approval form

/10

What I Wanted To Know section including hook to grab readers’ attention typed in paragraph form

/10

What I Know section typed in paragraph form

/10

Locate minimum of 5 sources Create word document

with Internet links Include 1 book Print out sources

/5

Summary describing how you conducted your research typed in a paragraph

/12

Works Cited page in MLA format

/10

Research completed Notes highlighted and

written What I Wanted to Know

Questions answered

/30

Final copy of The Search section typed in paragraph form

/13

What I Learned and ConclusionOutline

/10

What I Learned and Conclusionsections typed in paragraph form includes in text and parenthetical citations

/25

Completed paper with Works Cited page turned in before oralpresentation

Complete Score will be recorded on I­Search Paper Rubric

Uses effective language and sentence structure in addition toappropriate punctuation and usage.

/20

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Oral Presentation of Research includes visual (see rubric)

/30

*The items highlighted above in gray are included on the I­Search Paper Rubric. I­Search Proposal & Teacher Approval Form

I will complete my I­Search on (topic) ______________________________________________ List 8 to 10 questions that you have about your topic (These questions will guide your research.) ______________________________________________________________________________

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Student signature _____________________________________________________________ Teacher signature (approval) _____________________________________________________

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I­Search Rubrics

Name __________________________________________ Period __________________

I­Search Paper Rubric The student produces an I­Search that: Includes information that he/she already knows about the topic

/10 Identifies information that he/she wants to know about the topic

/10 Describes his/her search /25 Identifies and organizes the information that he/she learned as a result of the search

/25 Follows the MLA format for Works Cited Information

/10 Uses effective language and sentence structure in addition to appropriate punctuation usage

/20

Total Points /100

Oral Presentation Rubric I­Search Information Presented: (10 points) Explain the following:

A.What subject did you choose? B.Why did you choose this subject? C.What did you learn about this subject?

/10

Method of Presentation: (10 points) The student displayed the following:

A.Did you use a visual display? (poster, power point, audio, model,booklet, etc.)

B.Did the student give eye contact to the audience? C.Did the student speak in a clear and audible voice?

/10

Preparation: (10 points) The student prepared for the oral presentation by:

A.Did the student report with all the necessary items? (copies of I­search paper, visual display)

B.Was the student organized? C.Did the presentation start on time?

/10

Final Score /30

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Comments:

SAMPLE SIBERIAN HUSKY I-SEARCH PAPER

Example 1

Kaitlin Example

Teacher’s Name

English 9,10,11, or 12

13 March 2000

Siberian Huskies

What I Wanted to Know

When I first began my search for this I­Search, I chose a question that

I really wanted to know the answer to. I chose my “burning question” to be,

“What is the best way to raise a puppy?” I’ve always liked dogs, but I’ve

never been allowed to get one. I wanted to find information out about dogs so

if the day ever comes when I am allowed to get one, I will be well prepared.

What I Know

Before doing this paper, I really didn’t know much about any type of

dog. I’ve never owned a dog before, so I’ve never had any experience raising

or caring for one. I know that it is important to train your dog when it is young

so that the owner can control it as it grows up and so that it can’t pick up any

bad habits. As far as who should do the training, I didn’t know. I had read

some places that it is better for the owner to do the training, yet other places

Paper Heading Includes a header with student’s last name and page number in the top left corner of each page Title of Paper What I Wanted to Know Heading Hook your readers with an attention­grabbing statement. In a paragraph or two tell what you wanted to know or learn about your topic. What I Know Heading Explain what you already know about your topic.

9

said it is better to take the dog to a professional trainer who knows what they

are doing.

The Search

When I began searching for information, I really didn’t know where to

begin. When we first got the computer lab, I started typing in things like,

Example 2

“raising dogs” or “raising puppies” or training dogs” or training puppies.” I

quickly found out that all these phrases were way too general. After glancing

at the first few of the thousand titles I got, I knew I had to change my phrase, I

then considered typing in certain aspects of training that I wanted to learn more

about. After thinking about all the aspects of training a dog, I decided that it

would be easier to just pick a certain breed of dog and research it. If I had sat

and typed in all the parts of training, it would have taken too long. As I learned,

training can be different from breed to breed, so this could have been another

problem I would have run into.

I finally decided to completely change my question to “What is the best

way to raise a Siberian Husky?” I chose a husky because, in my opinion,

they’re the most beautiful breed of dog and I’ve just always liked them. I then

began to start changing my phrases I typed into the computer. I started by

typing in “Huskies.” I mostly got information on the University of Connecticut

basketball team, the Huskies. Once again I changed by phrase, settling on

“Siberian Huskies.” Finally, I got titles that were really helpful. There were

only a few titles, but I looked at all of them. Most of them had pretty basic

The Search Heading Summarize the steps that you took to find the answers to your questions. How did you do

your research? Where did you

look? What did you do? Tell about any problems that you experienced. (For example, were you unable to find an answer to a question that you had about your topic). Tell about any changes to your questions that you had to make. Too much

information and you needed to ask a more specific question

Unable to find an answer to a question that you had

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information on them and some great pictures of beautiful huskies.

One website was particularly helpful to me was called “Blues Help

Place.” It is a site dedicated to training huskies. What makes this site a little

different from other websites is that it was setup by a regular guy, not a

professional dog trainer or breeder. The site was set up by a man named Eric

Gene and he talks about what worked while he was raising his husky named

Blue. Some of the tips he gives people are the opposite of what books tell you

Example 3

to do, but he still tells you that it worked with his dog. An example of this is

when he is teaching about leash­training. In most books, you’re told to never let

your husky off the leash. However, Eric says that in his particular case, letting

Blue run free very once in a while was fine. He does caution you that every

dog is different and what worked for him might not necessarily work for every

dog (Gene). I emailed Eric with a few other questions I had about raising

huskies that I couldn’t find the answers to on his website. Unfortunately, I

never got a reply from him, so I just kept researching to see if I could find the

answers to those questions. Luckily, Blue’s website had some great links that I

found very helpful.

The webpage of the Seneca Siberian Husky Club was also very

helpful. There was an email address on that page so I tried emailing some

questions to that person, but once again I got no reply. All in all, I found some

very helpful tips on many aspects of raising a Siberian husky puppy such as

positive and negative reinforcement, housebreaking, behavior, basic commands

Tell about one or two websites or resources that were helpful. Tell/Summarize why the resources were helpful. What kind of information did the helpful resources give you? Include in text and parenthetical citations if you include specific information from the source. What I Learned Heading

11

training, exercise, off­leash training, and health care.

What I Learned

By doing this search, I learned many interesting and useful things about

the Siberian husky. Not only did I learn the basics like how much they weigh

and how to train them, but I also learned about their personality. I learned that

huskies are very intelligent dogs, even though many people don’t think so.

Huskies are often seen as stupid because they don’t always follow directions

that are given to them. Because of their high level of intelligence, huskies get

bored very easily with games, so it is very important to vary the activities you

Example 4

do with your husky or he could decide to go and find something more amusing

to do, like dig holes in your year (Lft).

Huskies are very good diggers and can jump very high making it very

difficult for owners to keep a husky in a confined space. Huskies were bred to

run, so at any given chance, they will take off. Huskies should get at least

twenty minutes of vigorous exercise every other day. I was surprised to learn

that huskies are an affectionate breed (Kaplan). I had always thought that they

were related to wolves, so I figured that they are not very affectionate and

were more of a guard dog. As it turns out, huskies are closely related to

wolves and make very poor guard dogs because they are so friendly (Woods).

Unlike other dogs, huskies don’t need to be washed very often. Their

coat has natural oils in it that clean the coat so owners only need to wash the

dog two or three times a year (Gene).

Tell what you learned from your research. (Include the answers to your questions from your What I Wanted to Know section) Tell any information about your topic that you learned that you found interesting. Include any information that you learned about your topic that you did NOT include in your What I Wanted to Know section. Include in text and parenthetical citations if you include specific information from the source.

12

Food and health care isn’t too much of an expense for the owner.

Huskies were bred to work on a minimum amount of food, so for their size, you

don’t need to feed them that much. There are not many diseases or disorders

in this breed, so other than regular checkups the owner usually doesn’t have to

worry about too many extra expenses (“Health and the Siberian Husky”).

Overall, by doing this paper I’ve learned all the advantages and

disadvantages to owning a husky. I know the information I learned will prove

to be very useful if I ever do decide to get a Siberian Husky.

Example 5

Works Cited

Gene, Eric. Blue’s Help Place. 9 May 1997. Web. 10 Jan. 2000.

“Health and the Siberian Husky.” Seneca Siberian Husky Club. n.d. Web. 4

Feb. 2000.

Kaplan, Nancy B. “Keeping Your Husky Healthy and Fit.” Seneca Siberian

Husky Society. 13 May 1997. Web. 10 Feb. 2000.

Lft, Steven R. Siberian Huskies. 14 May 1997. Web. 14 Feb. 2000.

Woods, Todd. Siberian Husky General Information. All About Siberian

Huskies. 16 May 1997. Web. 22 Jan. 2000.

Conclusion Statement = Summarize what you learned as a result of your research. Works Cited is on a separate page. It is the last page of your paper. Must be in alphabetical order by author’s last name and/or article title.

13

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I­Search Help What I Wanted To Know Write what you would like to learn as a result of conducting your research. Write 8 to 10 things/questions that you would like to answer or learn about your topic. Sample sentence starters for your paragraph: I wanted to know… I was curious… I was interested in… I wanted to find out… I wondered…

15

I­Search Help What I Know Write EVERYTHING that you know about your topic before you do your research. Sample topic sentence: I chose (state your topic) because (your reason that you wanted to research the topic). Before researching (your topic) I knew…

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I­Search Help The Search 1.Tell HOW you did your research. 2.What did you DO?

Suggestion of things to write about:

Tell what search phrases and questions that you used. Tell what Internet search engines you used. If you used books, tell how you searched the library for the books that you needed.

Tell about any problems that you experienced. (For example, were you unable to find an answer to a question that you had about your topic).

Tell about one or two websites or resources that were helpful.

Tell why the resources were helpful. What kind of information did the helpful resources give you?

*Use Transition Words!!!!!* First, Second, Third… Then Next Last Finally

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I­Search Help What I Learned 1.Tell what kind of information you found during your research.

2.Tell what you learned from your research. (Include the answers to your questions from your What I Wanted to Know section)

3.Tell any information about your topic that you learned that you found interesting. Include any information that you learned about your topic that you did NOT include in your What I Wanted to Know section.

4.Conclusion Statement = Summarize what you learned as a result of your research.

Sample Conclusion Statements

Overall, by doing this paper I learned… As a result of this paper, I learned… In summary, I learned… In conclusion, I learned…

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I­Search Help How to cite a reference MLA style

Book: Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play professional baseball in the Major Leagues (O’Sullivan, 3).

author’s page last name number O’Sullivan writes that Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play professional baseball in the Major Leagues (3). Website with author’s last name given: Cyril Thomas Mitchell was born near Carnwath, Scotland. He later changed his name to Paul Mitchell (Clemente).

author’s last name Website no author listed write the name of the article: Kobe Bryant is married to Vanessa Laine. They were married in April 2001 (“Kobe Bryant Biography”).

Name of the article If a website has page numbers, include them in your citation. See MLA style book citation.

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I­Search Help

Works Cited Page Use the following website: EasyBib to create the Works Cited page. http://www.easybib.com/ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

How to make a hanging indent on the Works Cited page After you have pasted your resource from Son of Citation Machine… 1.Highlight the entire resource 2.Format Paragraph Indentation Special Hanging

*Make sure your resources are in alphabetical order*

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Another helpful website with information about MLA format: Purdue OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/

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I­Search Help Personal Statements

Your I­Search paper should have personal statements throughout. For example: I wondered… I thought….. I did not know…. I knew…. I was surprised to find out…… I expected….. I wanted to see…. It was hard to…. It was easy to…… I still didn’t……. I still want to….. Next time I will…… I didn’t find…. I was happy to find…. I was glad that I… I was frustrated because…..

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SAMPLE I­SEARCH PAPER

LIVING WITH ASTHMA

What I Already Knew / What I Wanted to Know

“Well, Annie, it looks like you have asthma,” our family physician

informed me. I could not believe what I was hearing. I thought that I had been

suffering from a very stubborn cold. Questions started going through my head as I

listened to Dr. Davis explain my condition. I’m in high school. Aren’t I too old to

get asthma now? How can I stay on the softball team? Will I still be able to go on

camping and hiking trips with my family?

I already knew that asthma is a chronic disease which affects the lungs

and that certain medications help control the number and severity of asthma

episodes. (That’s when the coughing and wheezing start.) I didn’t know much

more than that.

I needed to know more about what might trigger an asthma episode. Will

I be able to keep up with other players on the softball team? Are there certain

types of trees and plants that I should avoid? After much pleading and

negotiating on my part, my parents had finally agreed that our family could have a

dog. Will I be able to live with it?

I made a list of the things I needed to know. From that list, I was able to

form my research question: Can I effectively manage my asthma? Later, I was

able to form an answer.

The Story of My Search

My search took about three weeks. I began my research by doing some

background reading in the Encarta online encyclopedia. That site provided a

Hook your readers with an attention­grabbing statement. Explain what you already know about your topic. Tell what you want to know about your topic. Form a research question Steps of the research process

22

definition of the term asthma, information on how the lungs function, the causes of

asthma attacks, and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Statistics on the

number of Americans with the disease were included in the article. Most of the

information, including the statistics was supported by the information in the Merck

Manual of Medical Information.

From there I did an online search combining the terms asthma and

managing in the Google search engine . Of the many sites that were available, I

chose to use the American Lung Association’s web site. There the information on

asthma was current, well organized, easy to understand, and it provided answers

to all three aspects of my research question. A Whois search of lungusa.org

confirmed that the web site was registered to the American Lung Association. It

gave me a street address at which I could contact the American Lung

Association, as well as the date the site was last updated. Again, I used the Merck

Manual of Medical Information to confirm the accuracy of the information. This

was the only resource I evaluated for accuracy, currency, authority and purpose.

Dr. Davis referred me to an allergy / asthma specialist named Dr. Emma

Anders. Since she was going to treat my asthma, I decided to interview her for

my paper. I forgot to take her busy schedule into account, and I did not know that

she had planned a short vacation during the time I was doing my research. She

graciously agreed to meet with me after her office hours one day. Dr. Anders

was a great source of information on all aspects of my disease, but the most

unique feature of our interview included a demonstration of two instruments, a

peak flow meter and a metered­dose inhaler. She also sent home a video on the

appropriate use of both pieces of equipment.

23

During the next week I went to my school library. My school librarian

directed me to the reference section where were many specialized medical

encyclopedias. I chose to use the Merck Manual of Medical Information because

it was the most current publication on the shelf. The vocabulary was much more

technical than what I had found in the other sources. Included in the article were a

table that showed the different medications used to treat asthma and a graphic that

illustrated the correct use of an inhaler. Using the library’s OPAC (Online Public

Access Catalog) to search for books, I did a subject search using the term

asthma. My school library didn’t have any titles that dealt with asthma. I realized

that I would have to go to the public library to find books.

Still at my school library, I talked to our school librarian about using

Proquest, a very comprehensive online magazine / newspaper database. Our

librarian showed me how to use the “Browse Topics” feature. This feature

allowed me to find the search terms used by Proquest and to narrow my search. I

found asthma listed as a search term with 111 subtopics. I narrowed my search by

adding the subtopic athletes to one of my searches and allergies to another.

At the public library I searched the OPAC (Online Public Access

Catalog) using asthma as the search term in a subject search. Surprisingly, many

of the titles shown in the catalog were checked out. I didn’t want to place any

titles from other libraries on hold, so I checked out 1 of the 2 titles on the shelf.

The book, Breathe Right Now: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and

Treating the Most common Breathing Disorders, was much longer that I had

anticipated. Consequently, I read only some of the chapters.

By the end of the third week, I felt I had plenty of information. My

24

original search question remained the same: Can I manage my asthma? I was

able to define exactly what it was that I wanted to manage. I ended up narrowing

my topic to three areas I had to deal with in order to manage my asthma:

medications, sports/exercise, and environmental factors.

The Search Results

According to the information in the Encarta encyclopedia, many

Americans, besides me, have asthma and that number has increased dramatically

in the last 20 years. “More than 17 million Americans suffer from asthma, with

nearly 5 million cases occurring in children under age 18. In the United States,

asthma causes 5,500 deaths each year… Among all Americans, the prevalence of

asthma increased more than 60 percent between 1982 and 1994.” (1) The

management of asthma is a health issue for many people besides me. As a result

of my research I have found that I can manage my asthma and live a full,

active life by minimizing the effects of environmental factors that can

trigger asthma episodes, following my physician’s instructions about

medications and by sticking to an exercise program

Numerous substances can trigger an asthma attack of coughing, wheezing, and

shortness of breath. Allergens constitute the largest category of triggers

(Abramowicz). According to Susan Berg, “Allergens are substances that

produce an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to them.” Common

allergens are pollens from plants, animal dander, dust mites, mold and mildew

(23). Dr. Anders said we would do a series of skin tests for allergies right away.

If I am allergic to certain triggers, allergy shots will help by desensitizing me to

them, making them less likely to trigger an episode (Anders).

Description of narrowing the research topic Thesis statement Support for thesis

25

If I am allergic to certain pollens, I can reduce the chances of an asthma

episode by staying indoors when those pollens are in the air. Indoors, I can reduce

the risk of an episode by using the air conditioner to circulate air while keeping

windows and doors closed to keep pollens out. Cleaning the air with an air

cleaning device can reduce dust mites, mold spores, and other indoor allergens

(“85 % of Americans”).

Two instruments are commonly used in the treatment of asthma. The first

is called a peak flow meter. This is a tube about six inches long; its purpose is to

measure your ability to push air out of your lungs. When you exhale into it, you

can determine if your lungs are working at their capacity. If they are not, you

know it is time to take some medication, often with a metered­dose inhaler (Peak

Flow Meters). A metered­dose inhaler, a hand­held pump, delivers medication

directly to the airways and helps patients get their breath back very quickly

(Anders).

There are many different medications that doctors may use to help

people with asthma. Medications can be injected, taken orally or inhaled. Inhaled

medications are usually a first line of defense because they work very quickly,

usually in less than 5 minutes. This is because they go right into the lungs and not

into other parts of the body. Certain anti­inflammatory drugs are used to keep air

passages open and prevent asthma episodes. One type of these is called

corticosteroids. I was relieved to find that these are not the same kind of steroids

that cause serious side effects in athletes. The risk of side effects with

corticosteroids is very small. (Asthma Medicines).

Twenty or thirty years ago doctors believed that physical exercise made

Support for thesis Support for thesis Support for thesis

26

an asthmatic patient’s condition worse. At that time doctors believed a quiet,

restful life was best. Now new research is showing that “people with breathing

disorders who can maintain a regular program of exercise and activity are able to

experience maximum cardiovascular fitness along with greater symptom control,

or an increased ability to exercise and do the activities of daily living. Exercise

trains the respiratory muscles to work more efficiently” (Smolley and Bruce,

127­128). I had been worried that I would have to drop off the softball team or

miss our next family camping trip. These facts, however, made me confident that

I would be able to continue to do both.

Nancy Hogshead, a former Olympic athlete, demonstrates some exercises

for asthmatics on a video called Aerobics For Athletes. I tried some of the

exercises, and they are great. Nancy serves as a wonderful role model. She and

other Olympic athletes including Rob Muzzio, Jim Ryun, Jackie Joyner­Kersee,

and Amy VanDyken have had to deal with asthma, and many of these athletes still

compete (Smolley and Bruce, 128). In fact, a recent study of Olympic athletes

revealed that “more than 20 percent of the American athletes who participated in

the 1996 Summer Olympic games may have had asthma” (Olympians”). I am

very encouraged by this fact.

After doing the research, I concluded that if I developed a plan for myself,

I would be able to manage my asthma. My plan addresses the areas of medical

treatment, environment, pets and sports. If I find that I have allergies, I’ll take the

allergy shots. I’ll take my medications and monitor the peak flow levels every day

as well as go in for checkups every three months. Prior to outdoor activities such

as hiking and camping I’ll have to check the pollen counts that are published in our

Support for thesis Answer to the research question

27

local newspaper. If the counts are high, I won’t be able to participate. As for

getting a dog, our family will have to postpone that decision until I’ve found if I’m

allergic to them. Finally, I can continue to participate in my sports and physical

activities. I’ll use the peak flow meter before and after softball games, do

warm­up breathing exercises, and keep an inhaler handy for emergency use.

My Growth As A Researcher

I actually learned a lot about doing research as a result of this project. For

one thing, doing the research took a lot more time than I thought it would.

Consequently, I have learned to plan my time more efficiently. I’ll schedule an

appointment well ahead the next time I want to interview someone. My writing

skills also improved. I learned to use an outline to organize my thoughts before I

begin to write. I’m also better able to write a well­developed paragraph that

focuses on one topic. Proquest and the OPAC at the public library are both tools

that I hadn’t used before but, will use with my next research project. I also learned

how to evaluate information from web sites. In addition to these academic

benefits, I got a lot of information that will help me lead a full and active life, in

spite of my asthma.

Adapted from:

O’Dell, Lee, Richard Vacca and Renee Hobbs. “Living With Asthma.”

Elements of Language. 3rd course. New York: Holt, Rinehart and

Winston, 2004 : 223­227.

Significance of the research experience

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Works Cited

Abramowicz, Mark. “Asthma, Bronchial.” Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia.

CD­ROM. Microsoftpor., 1993­97.

Aerobics for Asthmatics. Videocassette. Allergy and Asthma Network /

Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc., 1993.

Anders, Emma R., M.C. Personal interview. 12 Apr. 1999.

“Asthma.” The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Whitehouse Station: N.J.

Merck Research Laboratories, 2003.

“Asthma Medicines.” American Lung Association Web site. American Lung

Assocition. 15 Apr. 1999. <http://www.lungusa.org / asathma /

astasmeds2.html>.

Berg, Susan. “Recently Diagnosed with Asthma?” Asthma Mar.­Apr. 1999:

22­24.

“85% of Americans Don’t Know the Air in Their Homes May Be Hazardous to

Their Health.” American Lung Association Web site. 24 Mar. 1999.

American Lung Association. 15 Apr. 1999.

<http://www.lungusa.org/press/association/85percent.html>.

“Olympians Don’t Let Asthma Hold Them Back.” Asthma Mar.­Apr. 1999: 15.

“Peak Flow Meters.” American Lung Association Web site. American Lung

Association. 15 Apr. 1999.

<http://www.lungusa.org/asthma/astpeakflow.html>.

Smolley, Laurence A. and Debra Fulghum Bruce. Breathe Right Now: A

comprehensive Guide to Undertand and Treating the Most common

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Breathing Dosorders. New York: Norton, 19981

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Sample Career Research Paper Outline

I. Name of Career Field and reasons for studying this particular career. II. History of the career III. People in this career

a.Approximately how many people are now employed in this career field? b.Briefly discuss current employment trends relating to this career. c.Where are jobs related to this career most often found? Why?

IV. Duties of this career a.General Duties b.Specific Duties c.Hours of work ordinarily required d. Is there anything unusual about the number of hours or nature of the work schedule

which might relate to this job field? (Seasonal fluctuations, days, nights, split shifts etc..) V. Qualifications of workers in this field.

a.Sex b.Age c.Health and physical d.Personality e.Experience f. Aptitude g.Education (general level and type required) h.Other i. What are the most common methods of entry into this career?

Which one would you choose? Why

VI Education Planning

a.Develop your own education plan, including preparation for this career, including courses you’ve taken or will take in high school to prepare.

b. If you decide to attend a post-secondary school, what entrance requirements might you expect? What is the length of training? Cost of training?

c.Briefly describe any armed forces training opportunities that relate to his career. d.What are the scholarships, loans or grants that you could apply for to help with the cost

of this training? e.Other training-apprenticeship, company or on-the-job training?

VII Related Fields

a.List and briefly describe seven career fields related to the one you have chosen to explore.

VIII Finding a job in this career field.

a.List our local firms where employment in the career field could be found. b. Job advertisement. Clip and attach on a separate sheet a job ad from the local

newspaper, magazine or other source to you paper. c. If you were to apply for this job, whom would you ask for recommendations. List

three persons. d.Attach your resume and cover letter to this paper.

IX. Earnings a.How much can you expect to make from this career?

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1.Beginning salary? 2.Average Salary? 3.Exceptional Salary?

b.What expenses might you have to meet in following this career? X. Nature of the Job

a.List some benefits, other than salary, that you would expect to gain form this career.

b.What hazards can you anticipate in this job field? XI. Career Advancement

a.What are the chances for advancement in this field? b.Would advancement require additional training? c.Would advancement require additional duties? Explain. d. Is there a need for continuing education to hold this position? Explain

XII Reflection

a. After studying this career in depth, state why you would or would not be interested in

making this your own career objective.

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Sample Ideas from Midway College for 11th grade I­Search (Students are not limited to this list for topics. Students should choose a topic that they are interested in.) http://www.midway.edu/library/topics# Abstinence programs Do they work? Advertising Should certain kinds of ads be banned in the interest of health/morality/annoyance – alcohol, cigarettes, prescription meds, etc…? Africa Why so many wars? What’s the solution? Airplane accidents Who is responsible? Should families of victims be entitled to compensation? Airport security Should the government use invasive pat-downs and body scans to ensure passenger safety or are there better methods? Al Qaida Has U.S. policy actually spread terrorism rather than contain it? Will it get better or worse? Why and how? Alcohol Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18? Animal rights Should it be illegal to use animals for sports and entertainment? Arming pilots Good idea? Art A few years ago, an artist was criticized for depicting the Virgin Mary with elephant dung. When is art not really art? Athletes in high schools Should shoe companies be able to give away free shoes and equipment to high school athletes? Beauty contests Do they serve any purpose in society? Bridges, roads, waterways Why the government gets a bad report card on America’s infrastructure. Bullying laws Should the state or federal government put laws into place to prevent bullying? Cell phones How have they changed us socially? Censorship Should parents censor textbooks and other literature for children in schools? Cheap labor U.S. companies that move factories to undeveloped nations barely pay employees enough to live on. Is it unethical to pay cheap wages or are companies doing those workers a favor? Child soldiers

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Why and how children are used for war Church arson Hate crime? Civil disobedience Is breaking the law for a cause justifiable? Civil unions If civil couples have the same rights/privileges of married people, why get married? Climate change Is global warming a hoax? Is it being exaggerated? Coal Should the use of coal be subjected to stricter environmental regulations than other fuels? College athletics Should college athletes be paid? Cyber crime What are the latest ways to steal identity and money? Divorce Should we reform laws to make it harder to get a divorce? DDT Should DDT be re-approved for use in the wake of recent bedbug outbreaks across the country? Electronic information preservation Does the Information Age mean we are losing important historical information? Exams Exams often do little more than measure a person’s ability to take exams. Should exams be outlawed in favor of another form of assessment? Fast food Are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity? When is it individual responsibility and when is it appropriate to place blame? Felons and voting Should convicted felons have the right to vote? Feminism Is feminism still relevant? How do young women view feminism? Fitness programs Should companies allow employees to exercise on work time? Flag Should children be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance in schools? Food Steroids. Anitbiotics. Sprays. Are food manufacturers killing us? Gap year Should teens in the U.S. adopt the British custom of taking a “gap year” between high school and college? Gay marriage Should there be a constitutional amendment that allows gays and lesbians to legally marry? Generations How 4 different generations in the workplace can work together. Grades

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In some European schools, fewer than 10% of students get As. Is there grade inflation in the U.S.? Why so many As for Americans? Health care crisis Most developed nations have universal health coverage. Why doesn’t the U.S., the wealthiest nation, have it? Holocaust Should denial of the Holocaust be illegal? Homeland Security Are we safer since the creation of this department? Infidelity In some states, it is illegal to cheat on a spouse. Should we prosecute cheaters? Is a law that’s not enforced really a law? Immigration Should illegal immigrants be made legal citizens? Internet and children Are children smarter (or more socialized) because of the Internet? Internet regulation: Should the federal government be allowed to regulate information on the internet? Iraq War Is America winning or losing the War? What is the measurement of success? Have the benefits outweighed the costs? Iraq War Vets Are they being cheated on medical benefits? Journalism Should newspaper reporters be required to reveal their sources? Juvenile offenders Should juvenile offenders be tried and punished as adults? Kyoto Protocol Should the U.S. join Kyoto to curb greenhouse gases? Lead poisoning Should the U.S. stop importing Chinese-manufactured toys? Literacy Are Americans “literate?” Malpractice How can we balance the need to lower the cost of malpractice insurance with the fact that physician malpractice is one of the leading causes of death? Marijuana legalization: Should the federal government legalize the use of marijuana? Media Does the media, both print and broadcast, report fairly? Does it ever cross the line between reporting the news and creating the news? Military Should the U.S. have mandatory military conscriptions? For whom? Mining What safety measures made the recent Canadian mining accident a non-casualty event, while

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recent U.S. mining accidents have been fatal? Models Should there be a minimum weight limit? Moms Should stay-at-home moms get a salary from the government? Muslim Americans What is life for them like in the U.S. after September 11, 2001? No Child Left Behind Act Is it working? Noise pollution How much is too much noise? What, if anything, should we do to curb it? Nonverbal communication How do men and women communicate differently using body language, and why does it matter (in dating, the workplace, social circles)? Obesity and weight loss Should thin people have to pay Medicare and other health costs for the health problems of obese people? Should obese people have higher premiums? Oil companies Do oil companies make big bucks while the rest of us pay over $3 a gallon? Organ sale Should we legalize the sale of human organs? Overpopulation What would happen globally if the demand for natural resources is greater than the supply? Paparazzi What, if any, limitations should be applied to the paparazzi? Parents Should parents be held responsible when their children break laws? Prescription medicines Should there be a national database to track controlled substances (i.e., oxycodone) or should it be a state issue? Privacy Should the government be allowed to wire tap without permission? Privacy What medical information should be confidential? Who, if anybody, should have access to medical records? Public figures Does the public have a right to know about a public figure’s private life? Racial bias in media Does news coverage favor whites? Religion Is there one true religion? Road rage Why do normally patient people become impatient behind the wheel? School lunches Should government impose restrictions on what kinds of foods can be served in school

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cafeterias? School uniforms Pros and cons of school uniforms. Sex offenders Once they leave prison, are laws about where they may live and be employed unfair? Single sex schools Do children learn better in boys-only and girls-only schools? Smoking bans Should the federal government pass a nationwide indoor smoking ban? Social anxiety How is it different from shyness? And, are we a society of anxiety? Spanking Should it be outlawed? Sports parents What are the effects on children whose parents push them in sports? Statutory rape Recently, a 17-year-old boy was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl. Are statutory rape laws patronizing to girls and discriminatory to boys? Steroids Should they be legalized? Suicide bombers What kind of person becomes a suicide bomber? Terrorism Can terrorism ever be justified? Title IX Has it helped women’s sports? Has it harmed men’s sports? Tough love Does parental “tough love” really work? Toys Do certain children’s toys create social or emotional problems? Vaccines Should parents avoid vaccinating their children? Wage gap Women still earn only 75 cents for every $1 a man earns. Explain why. Wages There’s a minimum wage, but should there also be a maximum wage/salary a person can earn? Wind energy Is wind energy really that cheap? Is it effective? Is it practical? Women in the clergy Should women be priests, pastors, ministers, and rabbis? Workaholics Do Americans work too hard? Does working more actually reduce productivity? Is a 40-hour work week too much? Should there be a mandatory cap on the number of hours a person can work? Should there be changes in employment laws to give Americans more relaxation time? Working mothers

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What differences, if any, are there in children who are raised by stay-at-home moms and working moms? Does society today still discriminate against working mothers who wish to have flexible work schedules?

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