It’s data collection season for the seniors in AP Research! I asked this year’s seniors to submit the topic or title of their paper and the overall goal of their research. Also a reminder to fill out some of the many surveys flooding your emails xoxo!

Mary Archambault: Analyzing The Characteristics Of Fitspiration On TikTok

Through a content and thematic analysis, I aim to explore and analyze fitspiration content on TikTok in order to identify the theme, or the messages being conveyed in these videos.

Meriem Bazine: Motivations for Islamophobic Lawmaking in France

I’m studying the motivations for the creation of laws considered Islamophobic within France through the analysis of the opinions of prominent politicians involved in lawmaking on Islam. Their opinion is then cross analyzed with Islamic literature and colonial stereotypes to see if the motivations are due to disagreement with the faith or stereotyping.

Macey Bearden: The Influence of Music on Short Term Memory

To try to figure out and analyze the influence of music (and different genres of music) on the short-term retention of sequences.

Anna Benson: Relationship between parental differential treatment and college major

To hopefully find a correlation that shows that there is an effect of parental differential treatment on siblings

Chaye Bonner: #Eatlocal – Portraying Charleston’s Evolving Foodie Culture Through Instagram

After examining what variables make a food post successful on Instagram, I plan on using the identified variables to aid in selecting different culinary elements distinct to Charleston, as well as constructing a photo that meets the established criteria. In doing so, I strive to effectively portray unique aspects of Charleston’s culinary culture.

Regan Brown: Analyzing differences in the sexes displaying the Barnum effect from astrological readings

I’m looking at whether males or females are more likely to believe vague horoscopic readings.

Ava Brunson: How does the genre of music played in movie trailers affect box office success?

To determine if the genre of music played reflects the music popularity of the decade and discover how movie trailers can maximize box office success

Inés Carrillo: The Portrayal of Women and Femininity in Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli

It is a collective case study into six Studio Ghibli films, analyzing exactly how Miyazaki represents women of all ages to audiences of all ages and whether he has configured a successful and positive portrayal.

Hallie Cole: The Approbation of Celebrity Substance Usage: A Content Analysis of Tabloid Literature

My research question is “How do gossip magazines use language to approve or disapprove of a celebrity regarding substance abuse?” My goal with this question is to discover what role the diction and wording in today’s gossip magazines has on the portrayal of celebrity’s engagement of drugs and alcohol in the public eye.

Jonah Colestock: The Short-Term Effects of Video Game Use on Adolescent Cognitive Performance

I’m looking at what effects playing video games has on aspects of cognitive performance like reaction time, sequence memory, etc.

Brett Cox: How does Tik Tok’s algorithm affect political polarization

I am attempting to figure out whether Tik’s Tok’s algorithm and “For You Page,” could push users into only seeing political content on one side of the spectrum which could politically polarize users.

Izzy Custer: The Romanticization of Serial Killers Within the Mass Media: A Content Analysis

The goal of my research is to examine popular news outlets’ portrayal of serial killers and, through sentiment analysis, determine the extent to which these online websites glorify/romanticize these popular criminals.

Aanika Dhawan: The Usage of Color Psychology in Studio Ghibli Movies to Convey Pacifist Ideas

Studio Ghibli’s movies are renown for their dedication to certain themes like environmentalism, feminism, the importance of relationships, and most importantly, Pacifism. While most anti-war movies convey their message through harsh language, gore, or violence, the Studio’s primary audience is children, so they uniquely convey this message through their usage of contrasting colors.

William Hyatt: What aspects of daily fantasy football contribute to gambling addictions in males?

Given the nearly exponential growth rate of daily fantasy sports and the majority of players competing specifically in daily fantasy football, the goal of this paper is to address gaps in research which might draw a connection between sports gambling addictions in males and daily fantasy football.

Charlie Jajuga: Comparing the works of authors in the Early Modern Period concerning witchcraft and alchemy.

To understand how people’s opinions about witchcraft and alchemy during the Early Modern Period were shown through literature, and possible causes and effects of these opinions.

Socks Jones: Hannibal Lecter: A Case Study of the Quintessential Psychopath

I’m using a psychopathy diagnostic, the Hare PCL-R, to analyze Hannibal’s behaviors in NBC’s show Hannibal in order to come to a diagnosis. It will be structured like a case study, so it will take into account his childhood and all the time through the show as a long term perspective.

Alden Klemm: What are the Effects of Analyst Herding on Stock Prices in the Biotechnology Industry?

I am aiming to find a pattern that can help expose future price movements in the biotechnology industry after multiple analysts make similar recommendations.

Reese Laird: Teacher Burnout in Charleston County Title I Elementary Schools: Investigating Potential Predictors

The goal of my research is to find the most prevalent factors correlated with teacher burnout in Charleston County Title I elementary teachers.

Somer Lankford: The impact of multiple school transitions on military teens from graduating classes 2018-2025

Discover to what extent the military lifestyle and multiple school transitions affects military teens.

Alex Levin: Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Adolescent Males

To determine whether there is any difference in muscle growth between taking creatine monohydrate and not taking creatine monohydrate.

Rebecca Marhefka: A Stakeholder Analysis of The Magnuson-Stevens Conservation Act Effects on Southeast Asia

My goal is to apply the very successful Magnuson-Stevens Act to southeast asian fisheries in order to combat overfishing made up of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Such a solution could aid the environment, economy, and society as a whole.

Molly Marino: The Correlation Between Micro and Macroplastic Debris on the Beach of Isle of Palms, SC

Examining the correlation between micro and macroplastic densities in the beach backshore zone of the barrier island, Isle of Palms, SC, to highlight the existence of secondary microplastics at the source of their pollution. These particles have numerous negative affects on wildlife and the human health of residents not only locally, but worldwide.

Gracie Mochizuki: Finding the efficacy of virtual simulation as a means of overcoming phobias

Find a more cost-effective and accessible way of overcoming phobia.

Kaylin Morris: What are the normal ranges of WFDC2 in healthy plasma samples?

The success of bone marrow transplantation is constantly being challenged by Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). With no cure for GVHD, researchers are looking to understand the values of biomarkers present in plasma samples that could help indicate the onset of GVHD and allow doctors to begin treatment. My research will establish the range of a specific biomarker in normal samples so the range of this same biomarker in plasma samples of infected individuals can be compared.

Jack Norman: Social Media Usage and its Effect on Social Capital in High School Students

To find a correlational relationship between time spent on social media and social capital in High School Students.

Lauren Peagler: The Effects of Stereotypes of Overweight People in Comedies on the Body Image of Teenage Girls

The goal of my research study is to find a correlation between viewing stereotypes of overweight people in comedies and having poor body image.

Lilly Praete: Was it Just Attraction? A Comparative Content Analysis of the Sexualization of Women in Romantic Comedies

I will be taking the 3 highest-grossing romantic comedies from 2008-2010 (Before #MeToo) and the 3 highest from 2018-2019 (After #MeToo) to see not only the sexualization of women in movies made for them due to their “chick flick” status but, additionally see the other impacts of the #MeToo movement.

Leddy Scheurer: The Effect of Instagram on Political Polarization in Adolescents

I want to see if consuming conservative Instagram media shifts people’s political beliefs toward either side of the political spectrum. I am observing 7 political groups from very conservative to very liberal to see if the effect varies.

LaPortia Scott: An Analysis of Academic Self-Efficacy and Perception at High School X in Relation to Post-Concussion Syndrome

The goal is explain whether or not Post-Concussion Syndrome has an impact on students’ view of their academic abilities.

Ada Skradski: How does a shelter dog’s first impression for behavior impact potential adopters decisions?

To establish a relationship between behavior impressions on adopters decisions to better equip and entice potential adopters towards dogs. Establishing this relationship will allow for behavior analysts in shelters to better train dogs to get adopted faster and stay in the homes.

Leo Sparacino: The Effect of Player Customization on Player Enjoyment in High School Students in Single-Player Video Games

To see if having customization in a video game has an effect on someone’s enjoyment of that game

Catherine Tuxworth: William Butler Yeats and Irish Independence

Using sentiment analysis tool, I’m looking at instances of negative/violent words and phrases within the collected poems of William Butler Yeats- an Irish nationalist poet from the early twentieth century. I’m hoping to see an evolution of word usage/phrasing within his works published through the period where Irish forces fought for independence from Britain.

Kate Walldorf: High achieving students’ perception of methane capture

I wish to find out if high school students prefer one source of methane capture over another. with this research, colleges and universities can more accurately choose how they plan to go carbon neutral in the coming years.

Nola Webb: Anti-Government and Activism: How The Hunger Games Movies Made a Lasting Impression on America’s Youth

My research will be looking at The Hunger Games movies as tools for political socialization, using a content analysis to calculate the percentage of each movie that contains displays of youth oppression and dissent to argue that anti-government ideas portrayed in these films could have appeared frequently enough to influence the political behaviors of  American youth today.

If you don’t see your topic here and would like to, fill out the Google Form in your email to possibly be featured in a part two…