Topic

You began your research project by reading an article from the
news about a current issue or event in society. Your goal in this
essay is to explain to your professor how the research and writing
you have done for your research project changed your
understanding of that issue or event. You will explain what
changes occurred in your understanding and how those changes
occurred.

Here are some questions you can consider in developing ideas
for your essay:

• What changes occurred in your understanding?
◦Do you know more about the issue/event now than you
did before? (Probably!)

◦Do you look at the issue/event from a different
perspective following your research?

◦Have you reconsidered opinions or assumptions that
you held at the beginning of the semester?

• How did those changes occur?
◦Which sources from your research had the greatest
effect on your understanding?

◦Did the process of writing about your topic affect the
way you thought about it?

◦What role did interaction with your classmates and/or
professor play in your understanding of your topic?