Students will first identify a contemporary topic or issue within their field of study, prospective academic major, or professional community and then form a research question that helps them better understand the topic/issue they have chosen. This topic and research question should guide students throughout Project 1. Students will work to better understand the complexity of the issue through research and write a researched essay that highlights, possibly, elements of the issue that are misunderstood or should be understood in a new way. Students will compose a researched essay about the topic/issue they have chosen. This research essay should help readers understand the complexity of the issue, perhaps highlighting things about their topic is misunderstood or should be understood in a new way.