How to Get Started on an Independent Research Project
When you really want to impress the college admissions board, an independent research project can be the way to go.
An independent research project has several advantages for the most ambitious students: It shows that you’re developing an important sense of curiosity, a real passion for your chosen field and the ability to think creatively. It also shows your intellectual resourcefulness and your capacity for self-direction.
So, how do you get started? Here are some tips:
1.) Identify a Topic of Interest
Pick something that reflects the “real you,” and something that you know will keep you engaged because that’s the only way to keep your enthusiasm going from start to finish.
Ideally, you want to tie your project into something timely and fresh, so spend some time looking at websites and magazines that discuss current affairs in the field, whether that is health care, business or the fine arts.
2.) Define the Purpose and Format
What’s the purpose of your project, and how do you intend to present the results? Are you doing this to inform, persuade, provide a solution or just learn more about a topic that relates to your academic goals? Having a specific goal can help you feel motivated and create a bigger impact with your results.
Your format is how you intend to present your method and results. Depending on your topic, you could make your presentation a research paper, an essay or a piece of performative art.
3.) Find a Mentor
If at all possible, you want to have a mentor you can lean on throughout your process. They can advise you, help you better define your topic and goals, and lend their professional experience to your work as you go.
Mentors can also sometimes open doors that you cannot. They may have access to other experts in your field that you can interview and guide you to information sources you might not realize are there.
4.) Set a Timeline
Another thing your mentor can do is help you stick to your goals. Work with your mentor to create a timeline for each step of your project, such as:
- Completing the background research
- Writing your thesis statement
- Performing in-depth research and/or experimentation
- Outlining your results and presentation
- Drafting your presentation and refining it
Make sure that you put your independent research goals on your calendar with your other obligations so that you can see exactly what time you have. This will control how quickly you have your research ready for presentation, which is critical.
5.) Present Your Finished Results
This could mean different things depending on the nature of your work. You may end up submitting your final work in a peer-reviewed magazine, for example, for formal publication. Or, you may end up creating a polished draft that you can simply submit with your college application. If your project involves the performative arts, you may put on a public presentation and record it.
An independent research project may be intimidating to start, but the process can actually be enjoyable if you pick the right one – and the effect it can have on your chances of admission to your preferred school can be astounding.