Writing a research paper or doing a project about Pakistan for your class is an excellent way to not only broaden your own knowledge about some aspect of the country, but also familiarizing your professor with the topic as well.

One college student took this initiative by writing the final essay for her International Journalism class about the development of journalism in Pakistan. Not only did she get an A+ in the course and an excellent grade on the paper, but her professor kept a copy of the paper for himself because no student had ever covered this topic before. The paper became a way for him to learn about Pakistani journalism as well.

This idea can be a way to take a much dreaded assignment into a learning experience.

In some classes, teachers are very particular about what topics students are allowed to write about for an assignment. But in most cases, there is at least some degree of flexibility, and believe it or not, teachers, especially at the college level, appreciate novelty and creativity in writing assignments.

It's important to remember though that your job is not only to present the information about Pakistan in the method that the teacher expects it to be in. You have to go one step further. You need to choose a topic which highlights the positive of what you're talking about, even if the topic is negative.

For example, you can talk about the poor quality of public school education in Pakistan. You can point out the problems, the causes for these problems, and the need for them to be addressed. That's fine, but if you want to take it beyond this, and learn something new while teaching your professor the same, you should make the focus of your paper the efforts of one specific group in Pakistan which is working to change this. Not only is this a more interesting and dynamic paper, but it also sheds light on the concrete efforts going on to change the negative in Pakistan by the local population.

Similarly, you can write papers about various project in Pakistan that are related to the subject matter you are studying. For instance, for a class in international development, you can highlight the work of the late Dr. Akhtar Hameed and his Comilla and Orangi Pilot projects which have not only benefitted Pakistanis, but are being copied in other parts of the world too.

For a geography class, you can do a project or paper about K2, the second highest mountain in the world which is located in Pakistan. For economics, you can talk about micro-credit programs which have been launched in Pakistan to help its poor. In a world history class, you can discuss the establishment of Pakistan. The possibilities are seemingly endless.

Once you've chosen your topic though, it will be a good idea to clear it with your professor, especially since probably no other student has chosen such a topic before. Some teachers may already expect students to submit an outline or a first draft of a paper before they start doing serious work for the project.

Make sure to plan well in advance. Don't be surprised if you don't find very much material. Most libraries have little on Pakistan, and if you're focusing on a topic which has not received much attention, you may need more time than for other papers to gather your materials, get references, etc.

After you've completed your first draft, try to get someone to read the paper to get a second opinion (ideally, you are not writing the paper last minute, so there is still time to get feedback). Incorporate what you feel can be useful from their suggestions, and polish off your final draft.

If your paper is really good and you do get a very good mark, try to get it published in a journal, the campus newspaper, or your local Pakistani-American association's magazine or newsletter. This way, you can share your knowledge with even more people.

Some ideas for papers

1. For an English class,
a. rhythm and rhyme in Muhammad Iqbal's poetry
b. the role of the English language in securing Pakistan's independence
c. the growth of the English language in Pakistan today

2. For a political science class:
a. the effect of religious political parties on humanitarian work in Pakistan
b. post-colonial political mobilization of a minority: the example of Muslims and the Pakistan movement
c. a comparison of the leadership styles of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Jawaharlal Nehru

4. Science topics
a. What one group of Pakistanis in Karachi are doing to fight pollution in Pakistan
b. Global warming in Pakistan: its effects on the population and activism for this cause
c. Deforestation in Pakistan: how treeplanting efforts are gaining ground to stop deforestation

5. Economics
a. the effect of micro-credit programs on poverty in Pakistan
b. the effort to eliminate the use of interest from the Pakistani economy

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/17/2002 3:49:13 PM

© 2004, Human Development Foundation. All rights reserved.
1350 Remington Road, Suite W, Schaumburg, Il. 60173
Toll Free: (800) 705-1310 | Email: info@yespakistan.com | Privacy Policy