Service learning projects (10 hours of service) will generally be direct service projects with a small research component. Some possible community based organizations include:

• Part of the Solution (POTS)
  • register and within 1-2 days, you will be able to sign up for your slots
  • located near Fordham University
• New Roots Bronx–community garden project
  • this is 2 blocks from Hostos!
  • If you are interested, let me know and I can introduce you to the organizers
• CUNY Citizenship Now and CUNY School of Law Emerging Needs Clinic
  • check out this organization and see if it is a good fit for you
• New York Cares
  • there are a VARIETY of projects on this site
  • first create an account and go through several steps to become a registered volunteer (do not pay for the background check)
  • then sign up for service opportunities that fit your schedule
• Books to Prison Collection Project
  • Visit the exhibit (free/ open to the public) with workshops
  • Sunnyside Book and Media Swap: three boxes of books have been collected, coordinate more books, organize, and drop off
    • consider creating a video or creative representation of the project
  • Contact your Congressional representatives and ask them to support the Prison Libraries Act
  • Do research on censorship and prisons/ incarceration and the Bronx

Writing a Research Question

Start using the Library Databases to help you come up with a good research question! Do your research! The research project requires five academic sources. The service learning project requires two academic sources. Research papers will be 8-10 pages. Service Learning Project papers will be 4-5 pages. Both will include short oral presentations.

Check out this Guide!

Check out these examples.

Research projects are an alternative to a service learning project. Both should focus on the Bronx and be related to topic covered in Bronx Beautiful (Beauty, Urban Planning and Development, Arts and Culture, Environment, Health, Education, and Advocacy).

Check out Hostos’ Lib Guide on Topic Selection. Pay particular attention to scope–is it too broad? too narrow? Check out the list of suggested community based organizations.

Project Proposal

1. What is your research topic? Provide a description and make sure to tie your topic into the Bronx and one or more Bronx Beautiful course topics/ themes.  
2. What is your research question? 
3. Why are you interested in this topic? In what ways is this research meaningful to you?  
4. What do you already know about this topic? 
5. What readings from the syllabus do you plan to incorporate? Why?  
6. What is at least one academic article you plan to incorporate into your research paper? Include the FULL citation in MLA or APA.
7. For Service Learning projects, what is your community based organization?
8. What would you like to know about this topic that you don’t already know?  
9. What questions do you have for me?  

Project Update #1

In 1-2 pages, describe your progress on your SL Project. 

Here are some things to include:

• What have you done so far?
  • IF your project includes direct service (i.e. POTS), describe your accomplishments
    • INCLUDE a full description (your notes from the service experience) plus specifics (i.e. dates, times, etc)
    • If you have not done your service yet, please indicate WHEN you signed up
  • If your project entails interviews, case studies, or surveys
    • INCLUDE your questions or survey link (remember, these should be checked w/ me before you disseminate them)
      • Describe who you plan to interivew (HOW/ approx. # of interviewees) and when OR who you plan to distribute your survey link to (HOW/ appox. # of respondents)
  • ALL projects entail research
    • Include the full citation (APA formatting) of at least ONE academic source (use the Hostos Library One Search) for SL Projects and TWO academic sources for research-only projects
    • Include 1/2 page min. of your notes from the article (or articles)
      • What are the key points? What is useful for your paper/ research?
      • For the specific passages you plan to include in your paper, decide whether to 1) paraphrase and cite OR 2) direct quote and cite (like your double entry journals) and INCLUDE this in your SL Check In
• What questions do you have for me? 
• How do you feel so far about your progress and your project? 

How do I sumibt this assignment? You can use the Blackboard Assignment link to upload a Word document. You can submit in class on 10/17. You MUST use the guiding points above. 

50 points/ due no later than Tuesday, October 17th by 9:30 a.m.