if your project appears to be aimless or lacks a thesis that is easily understood. Why is your topic important to your audience?
The next logical step after choosing a topic and narrowing it down to manageable proportions is to decide on a format for the presentation of your research. There are five major ways in which you may present your findings: (1) by writing a research paper, (2) by constructing an exhibit, (3) by putting on a dramatic presentation, (4) by producing a video presentation, or (5) by leading a walking tour. Each category has within it several different approaches and there are also some formats, like a guided tour, that could be considered separately or might be included, as we have here, in conjunction with a video show. It is wise to select a format before you make a schedule and begin your research because each format imposes some special requirements.
Think carefully about all five of the alternatives. That way you can be surer of your choice and you might even run across some tips or pointers that can be adapted to another format. Each requires some special skills and you certainly will want to assess your own particular strengths and weaknesses as well as the resources available to you. Don't be misled into thinking that choosing a format is always an easy decision or one that can be made quickly
A summary statement is used to accompany an exhibit, a performance, or a video presentation. It is a short, written account, usually only two pages in length, which provides information about your project. It clarifies the basic thesis of your research by noting the questions it asks, the documents used to find the answers, and the way you went about doing your project. It answers basic questions such as: What happened? How did this change occur? Why is this important? And what does this conclusion mean?
The major differences between exhibits, performances, and video presentations on the one hand, and historical essays on the other, are the way the findings of your research are presented to an audience. An essay takes the reader through a topic from beginning to end, stopping here and there to examine its various aspects. There is a logical flow of ideas from the first page to the last. In exhibits, presentations, and performances, however, the results of the research are presented
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