Research Direction
Define a feasible topic connected to the student's academic interests.
Research and writing portfolio development for applicants.
Writing Output
Turn research work into readable portfolio materials.
Admissions Link
Connect the project to essays, activities, and major selection.
Research writing portfolios need a question, method, and student-owned output.
A student says they like neuroscience but has only watched videos and read articles.
The RWP path should narrow the topic into a question, such as sleep and adolescent attention, then produce an annotated bibliography, a small evidence review, and a final paper or presentation.
Planning sequence
Week 1-2
Narrow the question
Move from a broad field to a question that can be researched with the student's current level, time, and data access.
- Write one broad topic, three narrower questions, and one feasible question.
- Define what kind of source or data can answer it.
Week 3-5
Build the evidence base
Students learn how to read sources, separate claims from evidence, and keep a traceable bibliography.
- Summarize sources by claim, method, limitation, and relevance.
- Identify one disagreement or gap in the sources.
Week 6-8
Draft the argument
The student turns notes into a structured argument instead of a collection of summaries.
- Create an outline with claim, evidence, counterpoint, and conclusion.
- Use citations to support reasoning, not to decorate paragraphs.
Week 9-10
Package the output
The final artifact should be usable: paper, presentation, poster, portfolio page, or interview talking points.
- Create a one-paragraph project abstract for applications.
- Record what the student learned and what could be researched next.