In this seminar each student will research, write, and present the findings of a major, original research paper. The paper (approximately 25 pages) should build on your major field of study and related in some way to your internship experience. The class will help guide you through the many stages of a research project: 1) selecting a meaningful question or problem that you wish to investigate; 2) reviewing existing scholarly writing on the topic in order to better articulate why your contribution is fresh and significant; 3) organizing and revising drafts of your paper; 4) designing and effectively delivering an oral presentation of your findings. As we help each other negotiate these steps, we will also consider issues related to what constitutes “expertise” and why researchers may present competing evidence and conclusions. The class may include some guest speakers from and visits to some of the many research institutes in Washington.