Spring Timeline

Feb. 26 - March 2:

● Update project proposal

March 5 - March 8:

● Find visuals for the upcoming Student Leadership Conference presentation ✓

● Complete timeline and due dates ✓
● Update advisor about the current research process ✓

March 12 - March 16:

● Send advisor the “working” draft of my final research paper

● Continue working on data & visual collection ✓
● Decide on which company to use for website ✓

March 25 - March 28:

● Review final draft of research paper ✓

● Begin the homepage of my website ✓
● Practice the information and delivery content for the student-run financial literacy
conference ✓

April 1 - April 5:

● Begin the SLC presentation ✓

● Continue updating Professor Benjamin Ferguson ✓

April 8 - April 12:

● Begin polishing the final version of the SLC presentation✓

● Contact peers to review presentation outline

April 15 - April 22

● Spring break!
April 22 - April 26:

● Finalize presentation information with Carly for the Howard County Student Leadership
Conference ✓
● Finish compiling all works cited for the SLC presentation ✓
● Run the SLC presentation by our 3rd period class for a few times ✓

May 1 - May 4:

● Finish Data Collection Part 1 & 2 ✓

● Start researching the organizations to present final product to

May 7 - May 10 :

● Finish May/June timeline ✓

● Finish Data Collection Part 3 ✓
● Complete outline for the final product ✓

May 13 - May 17:

● Encouragement cards ✓
● Polish data collection part 1, 2, and 3✓
● Update advisor ✓

May 21- May 23:

● Encouragement cards ✓
● Begin final product
○ Contact the Bangladesh Embassy ✓

May 27- May 30:

● Encouragement cards ✓
● Upload theme and pictures to website ✓
● FInalize home page and advisor page

June 1 - June 6:

● Encouragement cards ✓
 ● Website (research process, product and data collection, etc.)
● Ask teachers to present research

June 10 - June 17:

● Finished abstract ✓
● Final advisor contact ✓
● Book page ✓
● Advisor thank you letter ✓
● Class reflection presentation

June 18 - June 21:

● Final
Journals
Biweekly Journal: 2/27

Goals and Objectives:

● Finish all make-up work

● Discuss research paper with advisor
● Re-read paper and work on improvement
● Improve quality of data collection

Journal:

Although I felt confident about catching up with my make up work this week, planning
my schedule and seeing everything I have to do is incredibly dreadful/discouraging. However,
there should always be a mixture of good/bad news and sacrifices!! One thing I’m incredibly
relieved about however, is that I finished my research paper last week and no longer have to
stress about that! Note: my conclusion is only one paragraph so maybe it’s not completely
finished…Other than that, the last few days of Independent Research has been incredibly fun,
making cards for teachers and chatting with friends seem like a good mixture, something that is
uncommon in high school. Overall, I’m just drenched with school work (other research papers,
tests), a mixture of extracurriculars and stress. I am confident that I will get through this week,
one major good thing should be enough to cover all the little not so little bad things! Alright now
I’m not even sure what I’m writing anymore but everything’s fine.
Biweekly Journal: 3/14

Goals and Objectives:

● Contact advisor more frequently and send him the “working” draft of my research paper
● Continue working on data collection & visual collection, if not wrapped up already
● Prepare for SLC with Carly
○ Summarize what to include in presentation
○ Start presentation outline
● Decide on which website company to use
● Start thinking about what I want my final project for research to be
○ Where to present my information
■ What platform?
Journal:

For the past two weeks in Independent Research, I’ve been cruising. I am certain that IR
this quarter will be much more fun than second quarter (with all the outlines and writing that
needed to be completed then). A lot of the work this quarter is based upon our final research
project, finalizing the research paper, creating a website, and starting presentations. I’m not
looking forward to starting a website, but I hope that once it’s finished, I’ll realize how much
work I’ve put into Independent Research this year! One thing I am looking forward to this year is
presenting at the Student Leadership Conference, I’ve seen other researchers and IM students
present at the conference last year, and most were well polished. I’ve also figured out what I
want my final research project to be (a presentation), and have been looking for platforms to
present the information to. Overall, I’ve been pretty busy with other things and I’m just
incredibly grateful to have all of these opportunities.
​Biweekly Journal: 5/15

Goals and Objectives:

● Finish homepage of website

● Finish editing the research paper
● Complete the data collection and timeline by the end of this weekend
● Finish writing my page of the IR book
● Email the Bangladesh embassy
● Finish writing the encouragement cards to other peers
● Update advisor

Journal:

This week, I’m determined to finish this week strong with completing most of the
objectives. In class on Thursday, I will start editing the homepage of my website. Tomorrow
night, I will edit a few chunks of my research paper and copy my information into the IR book.
By Friday night, I will have the part 1 and part 2 of my data collection finished. Right after
finishing this journal, I will find the email linked to the Bangladesh embassy, asking if I can
present my final research product. I’m determined to stick through this plan and hopefully will
get everything checked off my list.
​Biweekly Journal: 5/30

Goals and Objectives:

● Finish final draft of advisor letter

● Find opportunities to display final product
● Continue product and data collection of the website
● Overall, finalize the website
● Collect more information for the abstract
● Finish classroom encouragement cards

Journal:

This week, my main focus is on my website. Finalizing the editing and theme, as well as
polishing up any mistakes. Specifically, I need to focus on the product and data collection
portion of the website. In the next week or so, I hope to have a polished version of my website,
as well as look for opportunities to display my final product. I will also be finalizing my side of
the book page and finding pictures to support my website. Since the Bangladesh embassy never
returned my emails or calls, I’ll be looking out for more local opportunities to present my
research. As the end of this research journey is approaching, I will also be wrapping up my
research by thanking my advisor and sending him a letter. Overall, this research journey has been
incredible, and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunities/learning experiences that I have
been given.
Advisor Correspondence
12/14/18 [Email] - First Contact

12/15/18 [Email] - Scheduled interview

12/17/18 [Conference Call & Email] - Interview, advisor confirmation, and follow-up thank you

1/1 [Email] - Wishing a Happy New Year and quick update

1/5 [Email] - Scheduled a conference call

1/7 [Conference Call] - Finalized details about the research outline

1/31 [Email] - Feedback from Professor Ferguson on the rough draft of the research outline

February [Email] - Regular communication about current work

March [Email] - Regular communication about current work

April [Email] - Regular communication about current work and data collection

May [Email] - Communication about final project and work update

June [Email] - Regular communication and request to fill out a questionnaire survey