Our communities face many issues each day. Some are social i.e., what kinds of programs are needed by the junior high and high school aged people of the area? Some are political, i.e., how can suburban Cook County be sure it is receiving a fair share of the country’s money and services? Some are economic i.e., what is an adequate tax base for a community?

Each issue in turn contains many questions, questions which need to be answered by research if reasoned decisions are to be made.

The research choice of VIKES, therefore, allows the student to (a) select an issue relevant to his or her community; (b) gather information on the issue through interviews and background reading; (c) reach a conclusion; (d) write up the findings in a report that could be presented to those officials involved with the issue.
 

Should facilities such as abortion clinics or halfway houses be permitted in residential areas?

What kinds of goals and programs does the Cook County Forest Preserve District have? Who set these goals and programs? How are they financed?

Does the urban/suburban distribution of power in the services provided by Cook County mean the suburbs are being "ripped off"?

Should municipalities regulate private day care centers in private residences?

What is happening to our community to raise a need for day care centers, and why do we need day care?

Should municipalities demand specific items from developers such as sidewalks, a cash amount for each house to the villages lot size, etc.  even though the cost of such items is passed on to the home buyer or purchaser of the development?

Should a development be able to "pay for itself" in the public services it will need before a village accepts the development?

Should District 211 have a separate comprehensive vocational high school?

Should students be separated by ability for their academic class work?

Should the state of Illinois assume full control and the total cost of public education in Illinois?

What types of educational opportunities must a school provide because of state mandates and laws?

Should there be sex education offered or required in the public schools?

Should nondenominational voluntary prayer be allowed in the public schools?

Should a voucher system be instituted? Explain the system.

What obligations do local municipalities have when it comes to providing low income housing?

How can a citizen in Illinois get an issue put on a ballot for a statewide referendum?

Should Illinois return to the three member minority representation state house districts or retain the single member districts?

Ecology

Should Illinois pass a "bottle bill"?

Should the state of Illinois have a collective bargaining law for public employees?

What policy should be adopted regarding strikes by public employees? Should the policy be the same for police and teachers?

Should our villages continue to use the village manager council form of government or should they use the ward alderman mayor form of government?

Should Palatine in any way regulate/control the type of programming at the local Theatres?

Should home rule powers be used by municipalities to regulate the sale of any form of merchandise within their boundaries?

Should the average citizen depend on local, regional or state governments for schools, parks, and sanitation or on his/her own private resources?

What programs in District 211 would be influenced by a state tax cut/increase for education?

Land Use and Planning

Should a village adopt and use a comprehensive land use plan or should a village "let nature take its course"?

What methods are available to a municipality to use to attract commercial and industrial development?

Should Palatine encourage business commercial development in its land use or try to limit such growth?

Should a village with a tax generator such as a shopping center within its borders have to share some of the tax revenue gained with other municipalities adjacent to the village and affected by the tax generator? i.e. roads, police.

What recreational needs has the Park District of determined are important for the village to plan for and provide? What kinds of problems has the Park District of had in trying to establish their recreational programs and facilities?

Are football and other physical action sports being stressed for the youth of the area to such a point that other recreational opportunities are not receiving adequate community support?

What are the state mandated programs for special education?

Should religious organizations be free from paying property and income taxes?

Should individuals be able to declare themselves religious organizations to avoid paying property taxes?

Should any nonprofit organization be exempt from paying property taxes?

Should a home buyer purchase a home in an unincorporated area?

The research option includes the following steps:

a. Doing some serious thinking about a community related problem that you want to find out about. This problem should have two sides to it so your research can pull out the competing points of view and can clearly show what the problem is and why there are different points of view.  This research is not easy to do, for it is not like the U.S. history term paper where you could make use of already printed materials and established interpretations. Here you have to read up on the topic, determine the experts you will want to interview, write up good and probing interview questions, be willing to interview the experts, and put all your efforts into a written report form.

b. Have the topic and the thesis statement you have selected approved by your survey/economics teacher. The idea for your research may come from the suggested topics included on this website or from your own interests in your community.

c. Develop your expertise on the topic through extensive background readings from the local and metropolitan newspapers, metropolitan magazines, books, etc.

d. Establish the questions you want to ask the experts.

e. Set up and have a MINIMUM of four (4) interviews with experts on the topic and the pros and cons related to it. An expert is NOT your friend who has an opinion on something, but a person with knowledge in depth on the topic. You have to make the contact to set up the interviews.

f. Prepare a report which identifies and explains the issue, gives the relevant information, current and/or recommended policies/actions on that issue, your OWN position on what ought to be done and tells why you take that position.

g. THE PAPER MUST BE TYPED AND DOUBLE SPACED. The correct form for a research paper MUST be followed as outlined in the Fremd Styles and Forms Guide

1. Be certain you know enough about the issue that you understand why a particular person is considered an expert on the issue.

2. Ask yourself before the interview: "What do I want to learn? How can I learn from the interviewee what it is I want to learn? What is the information going to tell me?"

3. Find out as much as you can about the individual and the position he holds before the interview.

4. If possible, set up an appointment before the interview to introduce yourself and the general nature of the interview and to become acquainted with the interviewee. Make this a SHORT get together, or you may find the interviewee telling you information which you will want recorded.

5. Find out when setting up the interview if you may use a tape recorder.

6. Try out the tape recorder beforehand. Feel comfortable using it. Be sure you know how to run it so you do get a usable recording.

7. Have specific questions in mind for the interview. Also, as the interviewee is answering one question, LISTEN attentively for he will probably say things you had not thought of or that you will want to come back to in the interview.

8. Encourage the interviewee to reveal himself as much as possible: "Could you tell me more about such and such...?" "That’s an interesting point you made about..."

Also show your own enthusiasm about the topic, for this will show the interviewee you are really interested in his or her answers.

9. Ask only ONE question at a time and be precise.

10. Be patient in waiting for an answer. Don’t be frightened by silence.

11. Set up the interview at a time when you are not in a hurry to leave. This way you will not become flustered if it runs late.

12.The ideal interview should be about 45-50 minutes.

13. Once the interviewee "warms up to the subject, let him talk, interjecting only when necessary.

14. Don’t give up on the interview too soon if it seems to be unproductive.

15. At the end of the interview, ask if you might return if there are more questions that you find you want to ask. It is not uncommon for you to find you do want to follow up on some information.

16. Leave graciously and without hurry. Thank the interviewee for his/her time.