Research Honors Communication Poster and Digital Portfolio
April 17, 2025 2025-11-23 0:18Research Honors Communication Poster and Digital Portfolio
by: Zayden Orenstein
Today, April 18th, Research Honors students submit not one, but two important projects.
Throughout the semester, students in this 11th grade class have investigated a topic of interest,
topics that ranged from the Olympics’ impact on mental health to the impacts of cyberbullying to
introducing videogames to new players. Now, as the end of the semester nears, their investigations
culminate in two products: a poster that synthesizes their data into an easy-to-read format, and a
digital portfolio website that shows off both their project and their process.
The communications poster is intended as an equivalent to a research paper. For those unaware,
research papers usually consist of a research question (the main idea of the research) followed by
an “abstract” introduction that summarizes main methods and findings of the research. This is
followed by their background section, which shows prior research and what gap the research
question fills. Then, the methods section shows the processes used in their research, and the
results section shows the project’s findings. The conclusion is next, followed itself by a “next steps”
section that outlines potential directions for future research. Citations and acknowledgements
finish such papers off, avoiding inadvertent plagiarism by crediting sources and inspirations.
Research papers aim for objectivity and a third-person perspective. The digital portfolio, on the
other hand, is slightly more personal. The website requires a main page, photos of the process, a
product/results page, and 2–3-minute video on the process and results. “The purpose of your digital
portfolio,” the assignment says, “is to showcase your Pinnacle Project work in a way that
individualizes your process and product and can be shared easily on college or job applications.”
While the digital portfolio may be intended for applications, the poster is intended for the
Innovation Academy Showcase. While current Research students are not technically required to
present at the May 2nd event, they are heavily recommended to show off their impressive work to
students, staff, and community members. Though the communications poster is digital, it is in
trifold format like the ones used for Showcase. This allows it to be printed and shown off more
easily when the time comes.
Of course, with a little more than a month still left in the school year, Research class is not done
just yet. Students can look forward to a Socratic Seminar discussion about ethics, Showcase
preparations, Pinnacle Project reflections, and more. But, with the completion of the poster and the
portfolio, Research students can be satisfied with the conclusion of a semester of hard work and
dedication.
