Table of Contents

	Letter to Parents Planning Your Project Researching Your Topic Options for Senior Reseach Safety Health Privacy Act Partnerships Selection of Phase Plagiarism APA Format Overview of APA Paper Suggested Websites Designing Samples Calendar of Events Checkpoint #1 Checkpoint #2 Checkpoint #3 Checkpoint #4 Request for Mentors Senior Research Presentations Presentation Practice Guide Grading Rubrics Statistics Tool Sr. Research Home

Checkpoint # 2 Hypothesis and Paper Introduction

September 17, 2008

Most students will be working with their homeroom teacher to complete their Senior Research project.  Some students may be working with other teachers who are project advisors.  You must submit your materials to the teacher that is directing your project!

You will provide your homeroom teacher or project advisor with 3 items. 
 
1. A signed letter from you and your parent or guardian that you have read and understood the senior research requirements.  The letter is located on the CSW website.

2. The hypothesis statement will be submitted via the school's intranet.  Follow the instructions on the site and provide all detail.  You are encouraged to start now to plan for your project.  Your homeroom teacher or project advisor will tell you if your hypothesis and project is accepted, needs modification or are rejected.

Your homeroom teacher or project advisor will be looking at your hypothesis statement, which must be measurable and clearly state the control and variables in your study.  Your hypothesis statement must be in the form of an if..then statement. All hypothesis statements must be measurable.  As an example, do not say few but less than 10%.

The hypothesis is organized in the following format:  If the (independent variable) is (describe how you changed it), then the (dependent variable) will (describe the effect).

For additional information on the correct statement of a hypothesis that you must follow,

www.accessexcellence.org/LC/TL/filson/writhypo.html.

1. You will provide your homeroom teacher or project advisor typed minimum 2 pages for the Introduction and 1 page each for the Method and the beginning of the Reference page in APA format.

1. Write your introduction.  It should contain the background information for your project with the lead into your hypothesis. It is expected that your Introduction contain references that demonstrate that you spent time researching your topic.
2. Write the Method including mathematical methods that you will use.

3.  Create your Reference page
                  a. All references must be cited in APA format.

It is expected that as you continue with your research and experimentation, your Introduction and Method will improve.  At this time, your homeroom teacher or project advisor needs to review your hypothesis, beginning research and analysis for completeness.  Mistakes made at this checkpoint are difficult to correct as the research progresses.

At this time, your homeroom teacher or project advisor will approve or modify your hypothesis.  Once the hypothesis and outline are approved, you cannot change the topic or the hypothesis.  Take your time and make sure that you have the resources and the interest in the topic since you will be working on it for the entire year!  Seek assistance before the due date.