4 answers
Sanya
Student
Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
3
Questions
Asked
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I wanted to do a research paper on how water quality affects the human body and causes specific things to happen. However I’m only a tenth grader in high school and was confused on how to get started with it I was also wondering if I could publish this research paper so the work doesn’t go to waste? I know this kind of research was already done but I just wanted to see it for myself in my specific area.?
I was going to start with sampling water in different buildings around where I live but I can’t figure out how to do it beyond that.
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4 answers
Jessica Helfer BSN, RN
6
Answers
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
Hi Sanya!
It sounds like you have an interesting topic for your research paper! To get started, you’ll want to make sure you find some good quality research articles that have been published in scientific journals on this topic. You will learn a lot about the topic and gather your information for writing your own paper.
There are many ways to find research articles. You can use the Google Scholar search engine and type in the topic of your paper, being sure to change up your keywords in the search bar to bring up a variety of articles. You can scroll through the articles and choose which ones sound interesting to you. Sometimes it’s difficult to find free articles so it requires some patience. Once you find a good article you can scroll down to the end of the article under ‘References’ and they will have listed other articles and sources they used to write their article. This will expose you to even more research articles. PubMed is another free searchable database where you can access literature.
You can also use the CDC website and the WHO website to gather data and facts for your paper. You can search things such as “clean drinking water” or “water quality and health”, etc. Or, if you want to gather data about your local water quality you can Google “water quality report (your city, state)”.
Allow plenty of time for your research paper as searching for articles and data takes a lot of time and patience. Once you gather all of your resources you can then begin to write your paper. Just be sure to always write things in your own words or give credit to who you got your information from in your references section.
After you’ve submitted your final research paper to your teacher wait to receive their feedback on your graded work. This will help you determine if your work is something that could be submitted to a scientific journal. If your teacher believes your work could be published you can try going to different journal websites and contacting them about submitting your work.
I hope some of these tips help to get you started on your research paper. Good luck!
It sounds like you have an interesting topic for your research paper! To get started, you’ll want to make sure you find some good quality research articles that have been published in scientific journals on this topic. You will learn a lot about the topic and gather your information for writing your own paper.
There are many ways to find research articles. You can use the Google Scholar search engine and type in the topic of your paper, being sure to change up your keywords in the search bar to bring up a variety of articles. You can scroll through the articles and choose which ones sound interesting to you. Sometimes it’s difficult to find free articles so it requires some patience. Once you find a good article you can scroll down to the end of the article under ‘References’ and they will have listed other articles and sources they used to write their article. This will expose you to even more research articles. PubMed is another free searchable database where you can access literature.
You can also use the CDC website and the WHO website to gather data and facts for your paper. You can search things such as “clean drinking water” or “water quality and health”, etc. Or, if you want to gather data about your local water quality you can Google “water quality report (your city, state)”.
Allow plenty of time for your research paper as searching for articles and data takes a lot of time and patience. Once you gather all of your resources you can then begin to write your paper. Just be sure to always write things in your own words or give credit to who you got your information from in your references section.
After you’ve submitted your final research paper to your teacher wait to receive their feedback on your graded work. This will help you determine if your work is something that could be submitted to a scientific journal. If your teacher believes your work could be published you can try going to different journal websites and contacting them about submitting your work.
I hope some of these tips help to get you started on your research paper. Good luck!
Hakeem Ola Saka
Freelancer
73
Answers
Maryland Heights, Missouri
Updated
Hakeem Ola’s Answer
That's a fantastic and ambitious research topic! Here are some steps to help you get started and tips on publishing it as well:
1. Define Your Research Focus
Narrow down what aspect of water quality you want to examine (e.g., contaminants like lead, bacteria, or chemicals like chlorine) and which health effects you’re interested in. This helps make the research manageable and targeted.
Decide on the population you want to study—whether you’ll examine effects broadly or focus on specific age groups, such as children or the elderly.
2. Conduct Background Research
Start by reading articles or studies on water quality and health. Scientific journals, reputable websites (like the CDC or EPA), and local government reports can be useful.
You can also look into local water quality reports, which are often publicly available from your area's water provider. These reports can give you specifics about the water in your area.
3. Design Your Methodology
Think about how you’ll collect data—will you analyze water samples, survey people, or use existing data? For a project at your level, a survey combined with publicly available data might be a practical approach.
Consider seeking guidance from a teacher or mentor who can help you figure out what’s feasible, especially if you want to test water quality directly.
4. Analyze the Data and Make Connections
Once you have data, look for trends that connect water quality issues to possible health effects. If you’re surveying people, try to identify patterns that suggest links between the water they drink and their reported health concerns.
5. Consider Publishing Your Work
Even as a high schooler, there are accessible ways to publish. Some journals specifically welcome submissions from high school students, such as the Journal of Emerging Investigators or Curieux Academic Journal.
Alternatively, you could share your findings through a science fair, your school’s website, or local community groups interested in environmental health. These venues can help your research reach people who would benefit from it.
I’d be happy to guide you through any of these steps in more detail or help you find resources for each part. This research could be a meaningful contribution!
1. Define Your Research Focus
Narrow down what aspect of water quality you want to examine (e.g., contaminants like lead, bacteria, or chemicals like chlorine) and which health effects you’re interested in. This helps make the research manageable and targeted.
Decide on the population you want to study—whether you’ll examine effects broadly or focus on specific age groups, such as children or the elderly.
2. Conduct Background Research
Start by reading articles or studies on water quality and health. Scientific journals, reputable websites (like the CDC or EPA), and local government reports can be useful.
You can also look into local water quality reports, which are often publicly available from your area's water provider. These reports can give you specifics about the water in your area.
3. Design Your Methodology
Think about how you’ll collect data—will you analyze water samples, survey people, or use existing data? For a project at your level, a survey combined with publicly available data might be a practical approach.
Consider seeking guidance from a teacher or mentor who can help you figure out what’s feasible, especially if you want to test water quality directly.
4. Analyze the Data and Make Connections
Once you have data, look for trends that connect water quality issues to possible health effects. If you’re surveying people, try to identify patterns that suggest links between the water they drink and their reported health concerns.
5. Consider Publishing Your Work
Even as a high schooler, there are accessible ways to publish. Some journals specifically welcome submissions from high school students, such as the Journal of Emerging Investigators or Curieux Academic Journal.
Alternatively, you could share your findings through a science fair, your school’s website, or local community groups interested in environmental health. These venues can help your research reach people who would benefit from it.
I’d be happy to guide you through any of these steps in more detail or help you find resources for each part. This research could be a meaningful contribution!
Keith Kinsley
Veterinarian
2
Answers
Farmington, Minnesota
Updated
Keith’s Answer
Sanya this may not be my primary area of expertise, but I have a few suggestions that have helped me in "researching" answers to questions I have.
First, you may consider more narrowly focusing your question. For example, consider researching a question such as, "What water quality can impact gastrointestinal health of 3rd world countries relative to developed countries?" - this could come in the form of heavy metals being present, parasites, bacterial contamination or impurities associated with untreated ground water sources. This can really be anything comparatively speaking or you could ask a simple question such as, "What are the 5 most common contaminants in the US water system and what impacts does each have on human health?"
Once you have developed a narrowed question to research, you may want to try running it through an AI program to provide some sources of information. Personally, I do not endorse AI generating the questions for you. However, helping to guide you to relevant information sources is a strength and may inspire a new line of thinking on this topic altogether. You can get very specific with questions here seeking source material - such as information pertinent to your city. Just keep in mind for source information to be found, it must be on the web somewhere. If this does not get you to the answers you hoped for, ask what local offices might be helpful in find such information.
Dive into the source information provided with your key question in mind. This may mean reading or it may mean setting up an appointment the the manager of a water treatment facility and asking for an interview or publicly available information for that facility. Take lots of notes and if necessary dive deeper (ask more questions) into areas that are not as clear or are of immense interest to you.
Finally, organize these notes into an outline with your primary question in mind and begin to tell your researched story. To you point about publishing this work, it is possible in many different forms, but consider what your goal is and whether the research you are doing is yielding lots of answers or if there is very little information on this topic. If little info exists, it may signal a void of knowledge in this area and thus maybe a publication is of value. If lots of information is available a unique, or local view, may draw lots of interest. As a cautionary note, anyone that provided an interview, or an over and above level of help, should probably be given the option to review if you go the route of publication. This is a common professional courtesy when publishing.
First, you may consider more narrowly focusing your question. For example, consider researching a question such as, "What water quality can impact gastrointestinal health of 3rd world countries relative to developed countries?" - this could come in the form of heavy metals being present, parasites, bacterial contamination or impurities associated with untreated ground water sources. This can really be anything comparatively speaking or you could ask a simple question such as, "What are the 5 most common contaminants in the US water system and what impacts does each have on human health?"
Once you have developed a narrowed question to research, you may want to try running it through an AI program to provide some sources of information. Personally, I do not endorse AI generating the questions for you. However, helping to guide you to relevant information sources is a strength and may inspire a new line of thinking on this topic altogether. You can get very specific with questions here seeking source material - such as information pertinent to your city. Just keep in mind for source information to be found, it must be on the web somewhere. If this does not get you to the answers you hoped for, ask what local offices might be helpful in find such information.
Dive into the source information provided with your key question in mind. This may mean reading or it may mean setting up an appointment the the manager of a water treatment facility and asking for an interview or publicly available information for that facility. Take lots of notes and if necessary dive deeper (ask more questions) into areas that are not as clear or are of immense interest to you.
Finally, organize these notes into an outline with your primary question in mind and begin to tell your researched story. To you point about publishing this work, it is possible in many different forms, but consider what your goal is and whether the research you are doing is yielding lots of answers or if there is very little information on this topic. If little info exists, it may signal a void of knowledge in this area and thus maybe a publication is of value. If lots of information is available a unique, or local view, may draw lots of interest. As a cautionary note, anyone that provided an interview, or an over and above level of help, should probably be given the option to review if you go the route of publication. This is a common professional courtesy when publishing.
Bonface Gilbert
IT Tech
2
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Bonface’s Answer
It's fantastic that you're considering conducting your own research on water quality! Here are some useful pointers on how to initiate your study and share your findings:
Initiating Your Research
Formulate Your Research Query: Begin by defining your area of interest. For example, you may question, "How does the water quality in different types of buildings affect human health in my city?"
Review of Literature: Investigate the existing literature on water quality and its impact on health. This will help you comprehend what has been previously studied and identify new areas for exploration.
Design Your Methodology:
Sampling: Plan to gather water samples from the places you'll be visiting (residential homes, schools, public buildings).
Testing: Decide on the parameters you wish to evaluate (pH, lead, bacteria). You may require water testing kits or the services of a local lab.
Data Collection: Gather your data — meticulously record your findings. Include the location, date, and results of each sample.
Data Interpretation: Compare the water quality data with health standards (like those set by the EPA) to identify potential health risks.
Conclusions: Based on your data, discuss the potential effects of water quality on the health of your community. Look for any noticeable trends or anomalies.
Drafting Your Research Paper
Introduction: Present your topic, justify its significance, and state your research question.
Literature Review: Summarize the existing research and highlight the gap your study aims to fill.
Method: Describe how you collected and analyzed your water samples.
Results: Present your findings using tables, graphs, or charts.
Discussion: Interpret your results, discuss their implications, and suggest future research opportunities.
Conclusion: Recap your research and its significance.
Disseminating Your Research
School Journals: Check if your school publishes a science journal or newsletter.
Science Fairs: Participate in local science fairs to showcase your research.
Youth Science Journals: Look for science journals aimed at high school students, like the Journal of Emerging Investigators or Curious Science Writers.
Additional Guidance
Seek Assistance: Approach your science teacher or a local scientist for support and advice.
Stay Organized: Maintain detailed notes on all your processes and results.
Ethics: Ensure you conduct your research ethically, especially when dealing with human health data.
Embarking on your own research project is a wonderful way to expand your knowledge and contribute to your local community. Best of luck!
Initiating Your Research
Formulate Your Research Query: Begin by defining your area of interest. For example, you may question, "How does the water quality in different types of buildings affect human health in my city?"
Review of Literature: Investigate the existing literature on water quality and its impact on health. This will help you comprehend what has been previously studied and identify new areas for exploration.
Design Your Methodology:
Sampling: Plan to gather water samples from the places you'll be visiting (residential homes, schools, public buildings).
Testing: Decide on the parameters you wish to evaluate (pH, lead, bacteria). You may require water testing kits or the services of a local lab.
Data Collection: Gather your data — meticulously record your findings. Include the location, date, and results of each sample.
Data Interpretation: Compare the water quality data with health standards (like those set by the EPA) to identify potential health risks.
Conclusions: Based on your data, discuss the potential effects of water quality on the health of your community. Look for any noticeable trends or anomalies.
Drafting Your Research Paper
Introduction: Present your topic, justify its significance, and state your research question.
Literature Review: Summarize the existing research and highlight the gap your study aims to fill.
Method: Describe how you collected and analyzed your water samples.
Results: Present your findings using tables, graphs, or charts.
Discussion: Interpret your results, discuss their implications, and suggest future research opportunities.
Conclusion: Recap your research and its significance.
Disseminating Your Research
School Journals: Check if your school publishes a science journal or newsletter.
Science Fairs: Participate in local science fairs to showcase your research.
Youth Science Journals: Look for science journals aimed at high school students, like the Journal of Emerging Investigators or Curious Science Writers.
Additional Guidance
Seek Assistance: Approach your science teacher or a local scientist for support and advice.
Stay Organized: Maintain detailed notes on all your processes and results.
Ethics: Ensure you conduct your research ethically, especially when dealing with human health data.
Embarking on your own research project is a wonderful way to expand your knowledge and contribute to your local community. Best of luck!