As the last few months of senior year pass by, seniors are presented with a mix of academic and fun stuff to wrap up their education. One of the biggest things academically are graduation requirements. Along with this, one requirement is doing a research paper and as a senior myself, let’s just say it is the last thing we want to be doing with just a few months left…

“Research papers are long and annoying and I hate writing them. I understand it’s somewhat important, but when I found out it’s a graduation requirement it bothered me because there’s so many other things going on with just the last few months left that focusing on a research paper and having to make sure I get a good grade to graduate is the last thing I want to be doing,” said senior Nicholas Dominguez.

ILS  seniors have to earn a 70 and above on their research paper to graduate which may not sound that bad but after Christmas break, seniors get hit with what’s called “senioritis.” In that  final year of high school there’s a decline in motivation because most of us just want to finish so writing a research paper in the second half of the year is really exhausting.

“If it was a journalism or a special intensive focused on writing and stuff, ok. But it’s not. It is a regular English class so really I don’t think it should be a requirement considering they grade it very harshly and not everyone is gonna write research papers for a living,” said senior Camilla Souza.

Some of us just complain and see it as a task that we have to do but there’s more importance behind it than just the fact that it has to be done so we can graduate:

Whether we like it or not, that act of writing essays or even a research paper not only teaches us new things but it picks our brains, allows us to explore new pieces of information, etc. In high school, teachers are there firsthand to help, critique, and then to aid us do better. In the real world (college) professors may allow you to complete a draft, grade it, and then you’re on own to make sure your paper turns out well. So a research paper isn’t just facts; it’s a journey of discovery and the process of writing well, a skill that we’ll all need when we get to college. It is also a  goal to find answers to important questions and add new knowledge to what we already know. 

There are high expectations for a research paper. It needs to be thorough, honest, and well done. The purpose statement is a promise to the reader that the paper will meet these standards. It’s like an agreement to follow the rules and present a credible topic for exploration. 

So instead of complaining and procrastinating, we might as well feel a sense of responsibility and notice that it isn’t just for school; it’s a way of adding something valuable— a small but important contribution to the world of knowledge.