Research Projects for High Schoolers: How-to & Inspiration
Students who are inspired by something should never hold back. Whether it's a scientific discovery, a social issue, or an artistic endeavor, taking that first step to begin a research project allows students to develop critical and creative thinking skills, unlock research capabilities, and connect with important faculty members and mentors.
There are countless research projects for high schoolers on the internet, but finding the right one for you and how to successfully initiate it is key. These projects enable students to develop critical thinking skills, expand their knowledge base, and create real impact within their communities. Here, you will get a deep look into what a research project is, the importance of research projects, provide guidance on getting started, and highlight inspiring examples of student-led research that is shaping the world.
The first and hardest step is getting started. So let’s look into it.
What is a Research Project for High Schoolers?
According to Rutgers University, “A research project is a scientific endeavor to answer a research question. Research projects may include: Case series, Case control study, Cohort study, Randomized, controlled trial, Survey, Secondary data analysis such as decision analysis, cost effectiveness analysis or meta-analysis.” In simple terms, a research project is a way for students to collect, organize, and analyze evidence to answer a guided research question for a specific topic.
Research projects can take various forms, depending on the field of study and the objectives of the research. Since students have so much leeway when it comes to research projects, it is really up to them to decide how they want to structure and format the research; students will generally analyze a scientific question, use a rigorous methodology to answer the question, draw on existing literature/scientific research, involve writing a research paper or similar academic output (e.g., poster, academic presentation), and require mentorship from a research expert in the field.
Research project topics can vary from person to person, depending on their interest, so don’t be discouraged if you find a certain topic interesting but your friend thinks it’s boring. These projects are driven by the pursuit of knowledge, aiming to contribute to the current knowledge of that topic and are a pathway to deeper understanding and discovery.
Importance of Research Projects for High Schoolers
Why should you do a research project as a high schooler? Not only will you be able to explore a field that interests you, but you will be able to communicate your findings and projects with the world to reflect your aspirations.
Research projects provide an opportunity to expand your knowledge beyond the traditional classroom setting and develop a deeper understanding of a particular field or topic. Whether the research is qualitative (interview based) or quantitative (lab based), you will have the same end goal of having a deeper understanding of that topic and coming up with something new to show. You will fully immerse yourself in this research and go far deeper than you ever have before in any research class in high school.
Research projects give high schoolers the opportunity to promote their findings to the world and prove their intellectual knowledge. Universities have reported that research and internships are the two most important aspect of college decisions; prestigious schools such as University of Chicago have stated that “we give research prominence because as a research institution, we certainly like to see students engaging in research at the high school level.”
Research projects also promote problem solving skills since you will be formulating research questions, designing experiments or investigations, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.
How to Make a Successful Research Project as a High Schooler
There are many ways to go about creating a successful research project as a high schooler, but here are a few ways you can take inspiration from peers and work with others to get to your goal.
Find a topic that interests you. Developing a good topic for your research project is very important because it acts as a guideline and determines the overall structure of your research project. The more specific your topic is, the better. To narrow down what topic you want to research, try reading books on the general topic, online articles, and research publications to give you a well-rounded view on what you will be researching for the next few weeks/months. Finding a mentor may also prove to be useful to you because they can act as a guide for you. You can ask a current researcher in that field, a teacher at a university, a PhD student, or an employee at a private lab.
Ask a difficult question. A compelling research topic involves using academic sources and critical thinking to tackle said questions. Regardless of the field, it is important not to shy away from unanswered questions at the start of a research project. Embracing these uncertainties can ignite curiosity and lead to exciting discoveries as you delve deeper into your investigation.
Do AND showcase your research. Some ways you can perform your research is through Literature reviews, Data Analysis, Experiments, Interviews and Qualitative studies, or Theoretical papers. Once you’ve finished your independent research project, the next thing to consider is having your work published. One way you can showcase your research is through high school and college-level publications like Columbia Junior Science Journal and the Concord Review.
Inspiration for Research Projects for High Schoolers
Having the right inspiration and choosing the right topic for your research project as a high schooler may be as important as the actual research; if you aren’t interested, you shouldn’t be researching it. Here is a good list of general topics that you could follow for your research project:
Aerospace Engineering, Architecture, Biology, Business, Entrepreneurship, & Strategy, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Data Science, Economics, Education, Engineering (not Aerospace Engineering), Environmental Science, Gender Studies & Inequality, History & Civilizations, International Relations & Government, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medicine & Public Health, Neuroscience & Neurobiology, Philosophy, Physics & Astrophysics, Psychology, Public Policy, Robotics, Sociology & Anthropology, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Animation, Media, and Art.
While this may seem like an unreasonably long list, it ranges from researching the tip of a paintbrush to figuring out the air pressure and gravity on Pluto. Because your options are so varied, it’s important to choose what is right for you, what you feel comfortable spending a lot of your time on, and what you are interested in to create the most successful research project of your high school career.
Final Words
Now, regardless of what project you choose, it’s important to know that you threw yourself into the unknown. Research projects hold immense value for high schoolers, offering an unimaginable experience that allows students to delve into their passions, expand their knowledge, and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Finishing a research project is a huge milestone, so you should be proud of yourself for starting one and even prouder of yourself for finishing one!
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
