Project Exercises

1 FINER Reading

Please read this post on the FINER research framework and answer the following questions.

For each of the five points, write how you think they apply for your project’s research question in this class.

2 Possible Research Questions

Generate a list of possible research questions that you would be interested in exploring for a large research or design project. For each question, think about how well it meets the FINER framework.

You can refer to our list of questions as you generate your topics.

3 Preliminary Research Question (Assessment)

This is your first project milestone. While your research question may change during the semester, it is worthwhile to think carefully about it now.

Please write a clear statement of your research question.
Write a short plan about your plan to gather evidence.
Discuss how this project meets each of the five criteria in the FINER framework.
- Feasible: What is the biggest concern for finishing this semester?
- Interesting: What about your project will invite a potential reader to read your report?
- Novel: How does this add to the work that has already been done or demonstrated?
- Ethical: Are there any potential harms to folks in your study?
- Relevant: Who is your reader and how will they benefit?

4 Articulate the Argument Reading

Please read Chaubey, Articulate the Argument and answer the following questions:

How does the author define R, A, and P in the text?
In what other contexts besides research papers do you think this argument articulation would be useful?

5 Research Paper RAP Search

We will find and read a paper related to your research question and work to identify the paper’s central argument. Ideally, this paper will be related to your own work so you can start to identify the position of your own research. In your submission, please include

A link to the paper you chose
Your interpretation of
- R, the research question
- A, the answer to the research question
- P, how the work is positioned in the literature
Whether or not the paper articulated the argument clearly.

6 Preliminary RAP (Assessment)

Since you are early in your project, this statement of your “RAP” may change. However, thinking carefully about your argument now will help you create a stronger project even if the direction changes. Keep the FINER framework in mind as you put this together.

Please complete the following:

State your research question
Explain your plan to answer your question
State how your work is positioned in the literature or field

7 Methods Reading

Read the table of contents for both of the linked readings above. Choose a method that aligns with your project from the table of contents. Read that section, describe that method and how it will be useful for your project.

8 Research Paper Methods Search

We will find and read a paper related to your research question and work to identify the paper’s approach to answering the research question. Ideally, this paper will be related to your own work so you can start to identify the position of your own research. In your submission, please include

A link to the paper you chose
A description of the method the paper used
How it relates to any of the methods we have identified in class
What data sources the paper used
Whether or not the paper described the method clearly

9 Project Methods (Assessment)

In this assessment, you will describe the method or approach you are using to provide evidence for your research question. Please respond to each of the following points.

Briefly describe your central analysis method. (Is it a comparison, a measurement, or something else?)
If you are doing a comparison, what two things are you comparing?
What are your likely data sources?
How will you create a counterfactual if you need one?
How does your method use material you’ve learned in your past classes and what new material will you have to learn?

10 Data Presentation Video

Please watch the linked video covering results tables and graphs in the SciWrite course and answer the following questions.

What tables and figure types are you expecting to use in your project?
Why are those good choices for your project and message?

11 Data Scavenger Hunt

Search the web and/or databases for figures or tables similar to what you want to present.

Describe why you chose that figure.
What features of the figure make it effective?
How is this relevant to the figures in your project?

12 Methods section reading/video

Please watch the linked video covering the methods section and answer the following questions.

What are the main points you want your reader to understand about your methods?

13 Preliminary Data Analysis (Assessment)

You will write a preliminary methods section and a hypothetical graph of your expected result. This methods section should be between 200 and 400 words.

Create a Google Doc with comment rights for SSU users
Draft a methods section describing
- Your data sources and/or collection
- Your analysis or modeling approach
Sketch what you expect your main figure to look like
- Include x- and y-axis labels and units
- Show lines, bars, box-and-whisker, or other elements for your message
- Include any legends for different categories of data

14 Results Section Video

Please watch the linked video covering the results section and answer the following questions.

What are the key results you expect to present to the reader?
How will these results be also shown in your maps, tables, or graphs?

15 Report Draft with Results

In this assignment you’ll post your report draft on Google Sheets and fill in the details.

Place link to your report document with Sonoma State comment rights in the linked spreadsheet
Place your current draft of the RAP, methods, and results in the document
If you do not have results yet, detail your plan to gather results and your fallback plan

16 Discussion with Environmental Justice Class

We will be meeting with a class working on projects related to Environmental Justice and Policy. Please prepare for that discussion by briefly reviewing and answering the following prompts.

What outcome do you hope for from your work?
How does your project connect to the course concepts you have learned?

17 Results Draft (Assessment)

By the deadline, you should have a completed first draft of your results section. This draft is your opportunity to request and recieve feedback.

Consider the following points as you prepare this draft

Do your results follow clearly from your methods section?
Have you summarized the takeaway messages from your results clearly?
Does your draft connect the results to your paper’s RAP?

18 First Complete Draft (Assessment)

In accordance with best practices, and GEP expectations, you will turn in a complete draft of your paper in advance of the final draft. By the first draft deadline, your linked paper should

Be 2000 words long
Follow the IMRAD format as described in notes
Have a works cited section (Bibliography)
Have your charts, graphs, and analysis complete
Assume audience has knowledge at level of EMD Senior

19 Video Abstract (Assessment)

In accordance with GEP expectations, you’ll compose a slide deck and a narration of your work.

At least one slide for the introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections
A two-minute-maximum video presentation narrating the slide show.
Provide a link to your slide deck in our google sheet.
Turn in PDF of slides to canvas
- Lastname_SeniorPresentation_GEP476_S22.pdf

20 Final Draft (Assessment)

By the Final Draft deadline, you’ll submit your completed paper for evaluation. Your paper should incorporate the feedback from the first draft.

The paper will be graded on a 3-0 scale on these categories.

Clearly explained context and implications of work
Clearly explained work and results
Repeatability of work
Makes accurate use of EMD/GEP methodologies
Good paragraph structure and topic sentences