Research Project Option:If you opt to carry out an actual research project using existing data, you are free to think creatively about what topic you want study but it should be something with existing publicly available data that you can use, and that is feasible to carry out in a short period of time.  After you have acquired whatever data you plan to use, and analyzed it however you know how to do, you will be responsible for a 5-10 page writeup about your project, which includes a results section showing what you have found.  The writeup will be very similar to the research proposal discussed earlier, except that it will include a results section, and should also cite the source of the data that you use.  Lastly, if you choose this option, then you will have the option of giving a brief 5 to 10 minute presentation on the results of your study to the rest of the class, during the final week.  This optional extra credit presentation will be worth up to 5 points of extra points.  You are free and encouraged to come up with your own original idea for this project but a simple example is below:Example 1: Basic correlational research.  Decide on two variables that are measured in some publicly available data– or can be derived from different publicly available data and test their correlation in order to test a hypothesis.  For example, get statistics from different states or countries, and use derive a variable that you think is important like population density, average income, or latitude, and compare that to an outcome that you think is related.  Is there a correlation between more or less levels your predictor variable, and your DV?  You could do also use a large national dataset, to test the correlation between two or more variables of interest, etc.Example 2: Group comparisons.  Decide on a way to group individuals / institutions together, based on some sort of grouping variable, then compare an outcome between them, that you think may differ in some important way.  Keep in mind there may be personal confounds, since you are not randomly assigning them into the groups, just observing the groups.  Test for differences using a T-test or an ANOVA, etc.