Unleashing a Project: creative classroom endeavor embarks on constructing a cannon as part of an unrestricted assignment
In an unexpected turn of events at Princeton University, a student successfully dodged a fireball during a group project for a Thermodynamics Lab. The project, which involved building a butane combustion cannon and analyzing its thermodynamic qualities, took an unexpected turn when a sparker ignited during a test, causing a fireball that the student managed to dodge.
Despite the near mishap, the team was able to trudge through the project, finding enjoyment in their chosen topic. Coming up with research topics is critical for a student's success, especially for the thesis or independent project required to graduate from Princeton. Choosing the right topic can make an assignment more enjoyable, as the student learned during this project.
Alexandra Koskosidis, Engineering Correspondent, discusses tips for choosing an interesting and manageable research topic for thesis or independent projects, especially in research-based courses.
- Align with Your Genuine Interests: Pick a topic that genuinely excites you, as sustained motivation is crucial for long-term projects.
- Ensure Feasibility: Assess whether the topic is doable within your available time, skills, resources, and budget to avoid overly ambitious scope.
- Start Broad, Then Narrow: Begin with a broad area of interest, then progressively narrow down to a specific, well-defined question or problem that you can explore in depth.
- Research Existing Work: Conduct preliminary literature reviews to identify gaps or underexplored areas, ensuring that your topic offers originality and relevance to your field.
- Develop a Clear Thesis Statement: Formulate a concise thesis statement outlining the central question or issue your work will address, which provides focus and direction.
- Consider Relevance and Impact: Choose a topic relevant to your discipline, academic goals, and practical significance to stakeholders or your field.
- Consult with Advisors: Engage early with your supervisor or subject experts to refine your topic and ensure alignment with academic standards and expectations.
- Evaluate Manageability: Ensure the topic scope is neither too broad nor too narrow, providing ample material without overwhelming research demands.
- Ethical Considerations: Make sure your research respects ethical guidelines and legal requirements relevant to your discipline.
By applying these strategies—interest, feasibility, focus, originality, relevance, advisor input, and ethics—you can select a research topic that is both engaging and manageable for your thesis or independent project.
The student, who struggled to find a topic for open-ended assignments, learned a valuable tool for coming up with topics in the future: bouncing crazier and crazier ideas off of friends and then picking them apart until a promising idea is found. The difficulty in selecting a topic lies in fulfilling three major criteria: does it fit the prompt, does it fit the scale of the project, and is it interesting to the student.
The team faced hurdles during the project, including solving problems with and sometimes rebuilding components of the cannon, as well as analyzing data and writing the report. The cannon was built from sections of PVC pipe and a grill igniter, and the team faced challenges in getting the spark from the igniter into the combustion chamber without decreasing its strength.
Despite the challenges, the team was able to successfully ignite the cannon, but during a test without firing a projectile, the sparker suddenly ignited while pointing at the student's face, causing a fireball that the student dodged. The team was able to trudge through the less engaging parts of the project because they found the topic interesting, and they would have found the report more painful to write had they chosen a less creative project.
The student's final project was a group project to design and test an experiment or apparatus exploring thermodynamic concepts. The project was part of a "Research-based Courses" course, and the student was enrolled in the "Junior Paper (JP)" course, which is a requirement for all Princeton engineering students. The student's near-miss experience with the fireball serves as a reminder of the importance of choosing the right research topic and the potential risks and rewards of pursuing innovative projects.
- The student understood the importance of personal growth and learning in choosing an engaging and manageable research topic for their "Junior Paper (JP)" course, which is part of Princeton University's "Research-based Courses."
- To avoid major pitfalls and ensure success in education-and-self-development projects like their upcoming independent project or thesis, students can follow Alexandra Koskosidis's tips for selecting suitable, interesting, and feasible research topics.
