Term Research Paper, Part A$,$ due in Unit $4$

This explanation of Research Project Part A is meant to complement the Moodle instructions, not replace them, so please read both of these instructions prior to submitting the assignment.

The term research paper is a single project with four different parts. The purpose of the research project is for you to carry out both primary and secondary research to answer a specific question about an issue in a particular place. As such, you will be defining a case study site, which should be a location near to where you live that you can visit to take pictures and record any other information that you deem to be relevant to answer your research question. This specific research question or research topic should be something that you are interested in and that you think is suitable for a term$-$length research project. This is essentially the question that you will try to answer by conducting research. The more specific this question is$,$ the more able you will be able to answer it$.$

Your research project will also require a theoretical framework. Think of this as the 'lens' though which to view your research in order to answer your question. You cannot investigate every aspect of your research site, so you will want to focus on a particular conceptual context, such as the economy, culture and identity, urbanization$/$urban development, how people use space $($socio$-$spatial relations, public space, nature$-$society relations, the governance of space, etc.$),$ demographic characteristics of a space, social and economic inequality, and so on$.$ Choose one or two of these theoretical lenses in order to frame and answer your research question.

Part A of the project is short $(3-4$ sentences$)$ but requires careful consideration, as this is the starting point for the entire project. You are to provide three pieces of information. First, in one sentence, state the specific case study site. Next, in one or two sentences, state the research topic$/$question$.$ Finally, in one sentence, state the theoretical framework or 'lens' that you will use to frame the entire research project. Please write you answer directly in the space provided in Moodle. As you are only asked for three specific pieces of information, the provided space should be more than enough.

I have provided an example in the Moodle instructions that I am repeating here below. Please do not use this study site or specific topic$/$question for your own research. This project would have been suitable for me$,$ because at the time I was living in Ottawa and could visit the site to take picture and 'get the lay of the land'. In other works, I could do field research and collect primary data. But much had been written on this project in City of Ottawa reports, news articles and editorials, city councillor position statements, etc. These sources can be considered secondary sources of data, and these combined with my own primary data would provide me with research results through which $1$ could answer my research question.