Write Your First Research Report
8 weeks · 3 milestones
Pick a topic that genuinely interests you and write a 3–5 page research report with at least 3 cited sources. The topic is entirely your choice. A teacher or parent confirms the report is complete and sources are cited. A document link or file is accepted proof.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
A research report begins with a specific question, not a broad topic. 'What are dolphins?' is a topic. 'How do dolphins communicate with each other?' is a question with a specific answer that requires finding and evaluating evidence. Once you have your question, find at least three sources that help answer it. At least one source should not be a website — a book, an encyclopedia entry, or a magazine article from your library counts. Write a list of your sources with the title and where you found each one before you begin reading closely.
Proof required
Share your research question (one sentence) and your list of at least three sources, each with a title and where you found it. A photo of handwritten notes or a typed list are both fine.
What gets checked
- A research question is stated as a specific question, not a topic — 'What is climate change?' is a topic; 'How does climate change affect polar bear populations in the Arctic?' is a research question with a scope that can be answered in 3–5 pages
- At least three sources are listed with enough information to locate them — 'a website' is not a source entry; the website name and article title, or book title and author, must be present for each
- At least one source is not a website — books, print encyclopedias, and school library databases all count; this requirement develops source diversity and reduces over-reliance on a single search engine