Research Paper

Contextualizing Your Project in Established Literature

You will now conduct a short but detailed research paper on your topic. Think of this as a literature review to help you fully understand the first two points below and then discuss the third, which is where your work comes in.  This assignment is both your necessary background preparation to work on your topic and your justification for why your project matters.

  1. What are some of the root causes of the challenge you're addressing in your project? You'll want to look critically for economic, social, political, geographic, and institutional barriers or conditions that have created the environment in which your problem emerged and exists.
     
  2. What are the existing and attempted policy measures to address this issue both in your own community and in peer communities?
     
  3. Gaps (this is where it gets fun!) - After reviewing previous attempts to address the problem and understanding better where it comes from, what gaps in the literature do you see. Hint: A gap in the literature is usually where you want to fit your own work in - you're going to help fill the gap.

You need to be knowledgeable on this subject matter to affect real change. It's critically important that you don't go in presenting possible solutions that have been attempted and failed, or aren't feasible for any number of reasons. To ensure you develop credibility and respect with your Community Partner and other relevant stakeholders, you must be knowledgeable.

Submission Guidelines

  • 5 pages of 11 or 12 pt font, single-spaced (approximately 2500 words, not including reference pages)
  • appropriately and consistently attributed in correctly formatted in a citation style of your choosing
  • well-written, thoroughly edited, organized discussion
  • must contain at least 15 unique sources (all cited within the body of the submission)

Want to know more?

Here are some resources for learning more about how to conduct and structure your literature review.