In your mini research project, you will investigate this theme further. Here are some researchable questions to consider. Decide on the one you will address in your project. Remember that you will have to write about only a portion of each “big question.”

Literature
• In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is justice served when Tom Robinson is found guilty of rape?
• In The Kite Runner, which you read earlier in this course, is justice served when Sorab uses a slingshot and puts out Assef’s eye?

Social Studies
• What effect has Title IX Education Amendments of 1972 had on men’s and women’s sports at the high school and college levels?
• Choose one of these landmark decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court . What are the important details of the case? What were the short-term and the long-term effects of the case?
• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
• Roe v. Wade (1973)
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Current Affairs
• Many individuals in the United States are serving prison sentences for crimes they did not commit. Is the justice system always just?
• It is just that in many places of the world, children perish as a result of inadequate water and food resources while in other places, there is such an abundance that food is destroyed to keep prices stable?
• Does justice triumph when boys as young as 8 years old are forced to train for militant groups?

YOUR TASK…
Pick the researchable question that most appeals to you. Start to brainstorm about it in your study guide.
• After brainstorming, decide if you want to keep that “big question” or investigate another one instead. You will do better work if you have a topic that really interests you.
• Record your final choice of “big topic” in your study guide.

Narrowing Your Topic
Now that you have selected your researchable question, it’s time for the next step – narrowing your topic to fit the needs of the writing task.
Remember that you will NOT be writing the complete research paper. This means that you need to choose one aspect of the broader topic and focus all your research efforts and time on that smaller part. You will need to narrow your topic.
For example, suppose you chose the researchable question about Title IX and sports. The purpose of the law is to promote equality of opportunity for male and female athletes. Notice how many narrower questions are parts of that big question. Any of them would be suitable for your mini research project.

Big Question:
• What effect has Title IX Education Amendments of 1972 had on men’s and women’s sports at the high school and college levels?

Narrower Questions:
• How has Title IX affected athletic programs in my state?
• How has Title IX affected major sports such as basketball and football?
• How has Title IX affected minor sports such as swimming?
• How has Title IX affected the availability of scholarships?
• How has Title IX affected funding for sports?
• How do high school coaches react to Title IX?
• How do college coaches react to Title IX?
• What important court cases involve Title IX issues?
• What injustices have resulted because of Title IX issues?
• and many others
YOUR TASK…
Look again at the researchable question that was your final choice Reread your notes about it in your study guide.
• Brainstorm a list of possible narrower topics that you could adequately write about in one to two pages.
• Decide on the final narrow topic you will research and write about. Record that in your study guide.

WebQuest: Research Your Topic
First, you selected your researchable question. Next, you narrowed it to the part of the “big question” that you will address in your mini research project. Now it’s time for the next step – finding information about it.
Think back to the Section Warm-Up, “Finding Reliable Research Sources on the Internet.” That is exactly what you are looking for.

Step 1: State your preliminary thesis.
• Take your “big question” and answer it from what you already know about it.
• If you are working in the Title IX question, you might create this thesis: The Title IX Education Amendments of 1972 have had a harmful effect on men’s sports in this state without significantly increasing women’s access to athletic programs.

Step 2: Look for reliable Information on the Web that (a) supports your thesis and (b) does NOT support your thesis.
• Look for articles that give facts rather than opinions.
• Look for articles that help you understand the topic in more detail. You might not quote or reference these articles. Instead they will help you decide which sources are the best to use. Try to find 3-4 articles of this kind.
• Look for articles that you can reference specifically in your project. Try to find 3-4 articles of this kind.
• Print the best articles or save them on your computer.
Step 3: Be sure to have citation information in hand before leaving the web site.
• Look for author’s name, the title of the page, and the name and URL of the website.
• Information changes or disappears. Write down the date you last accessed the web site.

The Writing Process: Organize Your Thoughts

Part 3: Reading to Research Your Project

You have chosen the part of the “big question” that you will write about in your mini research project. Now it’s time for the next step – finding information about it.

If you are uncomfortable with an outline, you may try using a web or another visual organizer. Whatever you use, make sure it is effective for you.

It does not really matter how you organize your writing. It does matter that you take the time to do that.

Assignment
Develop a tentative outline or other graphic organizer for your mini research project. You should make sure that whatever your plan is, it must be obvious to your teacher that you have spent a considerable amount of time researching and thinking through your conclusions.