An average academic journal is read entirely, beginning to end, by ten people at most.

Researchers spend extensive time completing their research in an academic journal but rarely get credited for their work which is the foundation for AP Seminar students sending emails thanking academic scholars that may have made a significant contribution to students’ research topic. 

“For the Thank a Researcher project students chose two sources that they read over the course of the year,” AP Seminar teacher Chad Doty said. “These sources could be things that were particularly insightful, useful, or helpful. And students find the contact information for the writers of the resources so they can reach out and thank them in a concise email.”

Since an academic scholar’s research is uncommonly read completely, this activity properly credits researchers for their work.

“The purpose of this activity is to help students realize that research is done by the community and not just individuals and students get to practice gratitude and expressing thanks to someone who benefited them,” Doty said.

For students interested in pursuing a career in research, this is an opportunity to connect with professionals in the fields they are interested in.

“It’s always good to make connections especially in high school so you get an understanding of how networking works at a young age because in fields such as business and medical you need to have enough experience to get into bigger and better things,” sophomore Sradha Das said.

While students aren’t required to send their email to their researcher, they are highly encouraged to due to the various benefits they may earn from this activity. 

“Knowing that I could get the chance to thank a researcher meant a lot of me because you never really realize that there’s a person behind the research you do, there’s a person out there who contributed to your field and has the same interests as you,” Das said. 

Das hopes she gets an answer from her researcher as she spent extensive time reading their research for her essay.

“I hope to get a response because it’ll make me really excited knowing that maybe I might have helped someone’s day,” Das said. “Usually I don’t think many people realize that researchers put a lot of work into this so that being said one person’s input can mean a lot of a researcher.”

Students such as junior Parinita Chilukuri felt as if this activity was a good way to end the AP Seminar course

“I was able to reflect on all my research I have done this year as well as thank [the researcher],” Chilukuri said. “I just felt overall going through the process of writing the email and saying thank you for the researcher’s contribution to the academic world made me feel better.”