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World Affairs Challenge

Step 2: Research

  Timeframe:  2-3 weeks

STEP 2: Research

This step is dedicated to learning all about your global issue! 

Then it’s time to understand, observe, and listen during your research process.

This is the most important step in developing your project plan – it is critical to conduct background reading, speak to community members affected by the issue, and explore current innovations on that topic. Developing a holistic understanding of your chosen issue gives your team the best foundation for designing a successful and sustainable WAC project!

There is a lot to accomplish in this step. Click each item listed below to make sure you don't miss anything!

In Step 2:

As a special note, in this program, you will not only learn about the Global Goals, but also how to engage with these issues and the people who are impacted by them in a respectful, learning oriented way. Cultural Humility is at the heart of the World Affairs Challenge, and as such, by enrolling in this program, you are committing not only to learn about environmental issues, but social ones- because each planetary problem can only be solved through coordinated social engagement.

First, set your team up for success with some preparation:

Download or open the tools below so you have all the information you need to develop a research strategy, document your sources, and reach out to the community.

Tools:

  • Download this Project Planning Guide – This document can be used to start from your big idea and narrow down the focus of your project. This is completely optional – just use it as a tool if you need help guiding your idea and focusing your research efforts.
  • Finding Reliable Sources – use this document to help you determine the reliability of your research source. 
  • Citing your sources in a presentation – WAC requires evidence of your research through a citations page to be submitted within and in addition to your video presentation. Use this document to make sure you have everything documented correctly throughout the research process!
  • Learn about the importance of being a global citizen and understanding your place in the world with our Cultural Competency Starter Kit – we recommend that you go through this tool as a team or a class with your your teacher or team leader!

Next, decide on your global issue:

Now that you understand the WAC project goals and this year’s theme, your team must narrow down the topic they want to work on – narrowing your focus to one specific issue gives your team the best opportunity to take action!

Identify the SDGs that interest you most

Start by identifying the SDG goal or goals that cover topics that you are passionate about. Reference the “Targets” under the SDG to help narrow your project down.

Use the WAC Theme resources

Use this year's PLANET Research Guide and the "More Resources" link on each page to generate ideas on a specific global issue on which to focus your WAC project.

Choose one global issue and define it

Decide as a team which global issue to focus on for your WAC project - it's OK for the issue to relate to multiple SDGs, but make sure you have a clear definition of the issue

Now that you have your prep materials and your team has decided on your global issue... let's get into research mode!

Use the tree roots graphic to help you visualize the causes and symptoms of the issue.

STUDY your chosen issue

In order to really understand why a problem exists and how it affects your community, you must learn about the history of the issue and understand what causes it in the first place.

Consider how these factors might contribute to or cause the problem you are researching:

  • History
  • Politics
  • Societal Influence
  • Climate Change
  • Local environment
  • Local or regional economy

 

OBSERVE the issue in your community

Use websites, community events, educational programs, promotional materials, publications, inventions that already exist, and your own senses as you seek to understand the problem in your community.

Fully understanding the issue means also seeking to know what work is already being done. For example, perhaps clean water access is an issue in your community – instead of designing a new water filtration device that will be expensive to build, what devices already exist in your area or other parts of the world that you can adapt or build upon to meet the specific needs of your community?

Studying the issue is one part of research, and seeking input from the community is the other part!

Your team should conduct outreach that involves talking with experts on your topic and seeking input from the community affected by the issue you are researching.

Remember, your project can impact a lot more people than just your teammates, and there are different experiences and knowledge from others that will help you design the most impactful WAC project! This step may take some time, so be patient, persistent, and have a backup plan.

As you study and formulate solutions for your chosen issue, keep in mind the people that will be impacted by what you plan to do- will they be able to maintain autonomy over how the problem is addressed? Have you discussed and researched any cultural factors that need to be respected while enacting your plan? What about factors that might come into play in the maintenance and continuation of your project in the future?

Download the Community Outreach Toolkit for helpful tips!

Click the image to access the whole toolkit as a PDF OR keep scrolling down for all the tools broken down into step-by-step guides.

Watch a 2024 winning WAC team's excellent approach to community outreach in their home of Mombasa, Kenya.

Note the team's preparation and the variety of community members they met with, from leaders to residents!

Download this worksheet and use it as you follow along with the video!

Community resources provide expertise on the issue a team has chosen to study. WAC students identify and interview community resources who also have experience in the area they have selected, in order to take advantage of this information that already exists. 

Remember that these community resources should be part of the community whom your project will impact. For example, if you plan to implement a composting project in your town, you may want to talk to residents, leaders in local government, composting companies, and organizations that have already designed neighborhood composting projects (if they exist!).

Keeping an open mind will help you identify the right partner(s) for your project. Students can contact anyone they would like to interview and may choose to interview more than one community resource. There is not “a perfect” type of community resource. And remember, one organization, company, or individual does not “speak for” OR represent an entire community. Resources may be any of the following:

Businesses

Businesses are generally considered “for-profit” and a company or entity engaged in commercial or industrial activities.

Charities

Charities are dedicated to giving direct assistance, such as money, food, shelter, or medical care to those in need.

Community-Based Organizations

Community-Based Organizations are committed to improving a specific community's social health, well-being, and overall functioning.

Education Institutions

Educational Institutions are Colleges and Universities to advance learning, conduct research, and provide degrees in various subjects.

Personal Stories

First-Person Accounts or Personal Stories are told by someone who experienced the problem or was part of the action to help solve a problem.

Government Agencies

Government Agencies are Federal, State, or Local Government operations that have oversight and administration of specific functions.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) operate independently from any government but may receive funding from government resources to take actions on a very large scale internationally.

Non-Profit Organizations

Non-Profit Organizations use their income and profits to do work that supports their mission. The profits gained are to benefit the community they serve.

Professional Associations or Societies

A Professional Association or Society is a group of people who share the same profession or professional interest and work together to solve problems, often issues of public interest.

Once you have identified community resources relevant to your project, prepare to seek their input! Community resources spend a considerable amount of time thinking about solving a problem or making a situation better. But, like you, they are not the only ones impacted by the issue.

An excellent way to make the most of your community resource’s time is to demonstrate you have made the effort to understand the importance of their work. In addition, it shows you are serious about your project – you will likely be able to answer some of your preliminary questions by thoroughly reading the resources website, and that leaves more time for deeper conversation with the the resource.

Review the Community Resource's website + current work

Click on the computer above to read some tips on what to look for.

Click the icon for tips on how to create effective questions!

Devise questions based on your website review and your background research on the issue.

Click the icon for a guide to "Elevator Pitches"

Prepare your introductory "elevator pitch" that outlines what WAC is and what you are hoping to learn from the resource.

Click the icon to learn more about scheduling an interview!

Reach out to the resource to schedule a conversation and practice your questions - make sure to check out the interview request templates to help you!

Click the icon to download interview question suggestions!

Need some ideas to help you plan your interview questions? Use the ideas in the document to help you get started.

Click the document to read through some reminders on best practices for conducting an interview!

These tips will keep you on track to gather information, respect your resource's time, and make the best use of your scheduled conversation.

Click the icon to review the Cultural Competency Starter Kit!

Remember what you learned about cultural humility: approach the conversation and with curiosity and openness! Because these interviews are bringing new and important perspectives to your research, take some time after each one to reflect and incorporate what you learned into your understanding of your global issue.

Preparing for a conversation – Review a Community Resource’s website first!

 

Some pages on websites to look for:

  • About Us pages or simply “About” or “Who are we” pages provide an overview of the mission, vision, goals, objectives, staff, and recent news and media mentions.
    • Look for vision statements that communicate what the organization believes are the ideal conditions for the community and how things would look if the problems were addressed.
    • Look for mission statements that detail what the group or organization aims to do and why. Mission statements are similar to vision statements, but they are more concrete, concise, and outcome-oriented.
  • Goals, Values, or Objectives are “action-oriented” and defined as the ideal outcomes the organization hopes to achieve, the type and amount of change it wants to take, and how long it should take to make the change.
  • Staff pages will feature the individuals who work there and, sometimes, the board members or volunteers who support fundraising, operations, and outreach. Sometimes you can find contact information for specific employees on this page, so check here for individuals you may want to reach out to!

Asking Good Questions

 

The ability to ask good questions is essential for understanding and helping community

resources feel heard and acknowledged in dialogue.

● You are asking questions to promote discussion, so simple questions are usually the

most effective way to ensure clarity and focus.

● It is often tempting to ask a question and offer a menu of possible responses. For

example, “Why is this happening, is it x? Is it y? Is it z?” It is generally better to ask the

question and allow the community resource to respond. When you put out a range of

possible options, it can seem like you are offering your own opinion or looking for a

specific answer.

● In interviews, it is best to ask clarifying questions to avoid assumptions. Assumptions

cause us to think we have a complete understanding of the situation. It can be hard to

recognize your assumptions. Instead of basing your questions on what you think you

know, ask for more information and clarification. For example, “When you said ______

what did you mean?” or “Could you tell me more about ______ so I can understand

Better?”

 

Selecting Questions to Ask

The best practice is to prepare five questions for the interview. Ask your most important

question first. You may not have time to ask all five questions, but if there is extra time in the discussion, it’s better to be prepared.

 

Remember to Practice Asking Your Questions Ahead of Time!

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