What real research looks like, and how we teach it
Original research is not guesswork, and it is not a worksheet. It is a craft with a clear arc. Here is the process your child will learn, guided step by step by a mentor who does this for a living.
From a spark of interest to a finished paper
Research loops back on itself, but the arc is clear. Over eight to ten weeks, a mentor guides your child through each stage.
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Find a topic
Move from a broad field to a specific angle you genuinely care about, and pressure test that it is doable in the time you have.
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Ask a strong question
Shape a focused, answerable, original question. We use the FINER test: Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant.
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Review the literature
Read the best recent work closely to learn what is known, find credible methods, and locate the unanswered edge.
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Find the gap
Identify the specific thing the literature has not answered that you can. Often a new population, context, dataset, or application.
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Choose a method
Pick the simplest method that genuinely answers the question: survey, qualitative, secondary data, systematic review, computational, or a low risk experiment.
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Collect and analyse
Plan before collecting. Sample honestly, keep clean records, and let the evidence speak, including when a result is null.
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Write it up
Structure the paper the way readers expect: abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, references.
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Cite and revise
Cite every idea that is not your own, then revise across several drafts. Quality comes from revision, not the first draft.
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Submit or present
Prepare for a student journal, a competition, or a conference. Peer review feedback is normal and makes the work stronger.
A good question is everything
The question is the spine of the whole paper. A strong one is specific without being small. It names who or what is being studied, the relationship being tested, and how it will be measured.
Too broad: What is the effect of social media on teenagers?
Focused and original: Does more than three hours of daily Instagram use relate to higher self reported anxiety in Grade 10 students over eight weeks?
Methods that fit a high schooler
Survey and quantitative
Collect numeric data and run basic statistics. Works with free tools and no lab.
Qualitative
Interviews, open ended surveys, or thematic analysis of texts, media, and documents.
Secondary data
Analyse existing open datasets in health, economics, climate, sport, and more. No participants to recruit.
Systematic review
Rigorously survey and synthesise existing studies with defined search terms and criteria.
Computational or modelling
Build or analyse a model, algorithm, proof, or argument in maths, computer science, or philosophy.
Comparative analysis
Compare cases, texts, policies, or datasets to draw out patterns and differences.
Rigour and honesty, not grand claims
Specific and feasible
A tight question, answerable with the time and resources at hand. Depth beats breadth every time.
Grounded and novel enough
Clearly built on existing work, adding a new population, context, dataset, or application. Field first breakthroughs are not the bar.
Ethical and honest
Consent where needed, privacy protected, and limitations named plainly. Acknowledging limits is a mark of maturity.
Publish or present
Presentation is as valid an outcome as publication, and often more attainable. Student journals, competitions like Regeneron ISEF, and conferences are all real paths. We help students find a credible venue and avoid pay to publish traps.
Ready to help your child stand out?
Tell us about the subject they love. Your first conversation is a free, no pressure consultation with a counselor, guidance, never a sales pitch.
Request a free consultation