The deadline for NHD Philly entries is fast approaching!  Friday, February 24 is the deadline to register for the regional competition, and all papers and website projects are due.

This week two interns and I joined a group visiting Wilson Middle School.  We worked with the students, answering their questions about their research process.  I realized that that others may have similar questions. Here are some tips borne of those discussions.

• Focus the topic!  To be able to do your research in the time remaining, consider narrowing your time period or searching for changes in economics, politics, or social life.
• It is really important to show what came before your "revolution" or " reform."  The only way to prove that something made a change is to show the before and after.
• Not all primary sources are created equal!  Just because you found a primary source related to you topic does not  mean it is helpful for your research.  Examine it closely to see if it explains what was revolutionary about your topic or what things  were like before or after the "revolution."

If you are having trouble with these points, either as a student researcher or a teacher working with students, come in on Wednesday evening for assistance from our Student Mentors.