Sophomores Complete Seminar Research Projects

Tandem sophomores have completed their semester-long research projects, presented their work to their classmates over a two-week period, then completed the final stage of their Sophomore Seminar academic rite of passage with an evening Sophomore Seminar Capstone event this week. The community was invited to come and hear about their research, and each sophomore set up an information station complete with display, then answered questions from anyone who stopped by to chat. Students spent second semester researching and writing a 15+ page academic paper on a subject of their choosing. Completed papers include detailed footnotes and bibliographies; topics/papers are argumentative, so students had to make some sort of defensible argument about their topic. They provided some really interesting insights into their topics and displayed their academic maturity over the course of the semester. Well done, sophomores! Check out a list of their impressive and interesting topics below as well as some photos from their Capstone Night. 

• American social perception of animated media
• Efficacy of nuclear energy in combating climate change
• African influence in traditional music of the Americas
• Science behind and effects of nostalgia
• How social media influences body dysmorphia
• Ethics and uses of AI
• How dictators take power
• Impact of streaming services on the music industry
• The function and dangers of propaganda
• Mental health effects of metal music
• Effects of playing characters in film on actors' real lives and psyches
• Effects on and meaning of our dreams
• Components of unhealthy relationships and how to deal with them
• Causes of change in violent crime rates in America
• Reasons for and effects of steroid use in athletes
• Mental and physical health benefits of equine therapy
• Reasons for and effects of scientific ethics codes
• Psychological effects of gambling, e.g., lootboxes
• Use of photography in the fashion industry
• How listening to and playing music affects mental health
• Desirability of the electoral college in American elections
• Origins and effects of American consumerist identity
• History and effects of lacrosse as a major competitive sport
• Effect of male gaze in contemporary media on women
• Failures of the modern American education system
• Causes and effects of monetary inflation
• Ethics of genetic engineering
• How sports broadcasting changed professional sports
• Evaluation of the space shuttle program
• Why Americans continue to buy larger vehicles
• Psychological and physical effects of being in nature
• How ADHD leads to depression and anxiety
• Mental health support of athletes