FINDING
A TOPIC
|
FINDING
|
The I-Search... Finding THE TOPIC
Finding a topic
is the most important part of this entire project. Why? Because you are going to
live with this idea for 4 weeks! So pick something that makes a difference
in your life! Something you feel strongly about! Or something that you’ve
always wanted to know more about!
One reason
the I-Search is called "The I-Search" is because you are going to pick a subject
that you want to know more about. You’ll formulate some questions and
then search for answers. Hopefully, you’ll go straight to the source to
find your answers.
For
instance, if you want to know how a guitar is made, you’ll visit Bourgeois
Guitars in Lewiston and interview the owner. If you want to know if being lefty
is genetic or a birth defect, you’ll call that scientist in Maryland. If you
want to know more about Autism, you’ll interview a doctor. These site visits and
interviews are called primary sources. You’ll also use encyclopedias, magazines,
videos, newspapers, and reliable sources on the internet. But, no, you don’t
want your report to sound like an encyclopedia article. It needs an angle, your
perspective; that’s why it’s called an
"I"
- Search.
_____________________________________________________________
So, you want to know how to get a topic. It’s easy! Follow these 3 simple steps.
1. List ideas that fascinate you. For example… sports, magic, school, dreams, technology
2. Narrow those ideas down. For example… school… being a teacher!
3. Get an angle. For example… "Being a Teacher: The Best Job in the World"
Here is a sampling of ideas. Notice that each topic has an ANGLE of interest...
"Global Warming:
a Hot Topic"
"Lefties… In
Their Right Mind?"
"Manatees:
Misfortune in Florida"
"The Death
Penalty: The Million Dollar Deal"
"West Nile
Virus: Should we be Afraid?"
"Cloning:
Solution or Disaster?"
"Global
Warming: a Hot Topic"
"Everest…
Dangers of the Big Mountain"
"Dreams… What
do They Mean, Anyway?"
"Autism:
What’s Going on in There?"
"Obesity: The
Weighing down of America's Children"
"Homework: Is
it really necessary"
"Gangs:
Society's Problem"
”Weapons of
Mass Destruction: What are they? Where are they?”
"Nazi War
Criminals: Has Justice Been Served?"
"Hate Crimes:
On the Rise in America?”
"Dying to be
Thin: Eating Disorders"
"Biological
Warfare: What’s in our Future?"
”Everything
You Always Wanted to Know about Dogtraining”
"Eco Cars:
Transportation for the Future?"
"So What's
new in Robotics?"
”Samurai:
Living by the Code of Honor”
”Who is
Buddha, anyway?”
”The Atomic
Bombing: Nagasaki and Hiroshima”
GENERAL
TOPICS:
"___(name of
famous person)____: a rare talent"
