Process Paper When I began my NHD project, I was faced with the daunting task of selecting a topic on which
to research. I started this decision in my AP history textbook, in the 1500s Era. I read about the Scientific Revolution, and about Galileo and his discoveries. I found this very interesting, being a science student myself, and I thought about the effects the Scientific Revolution on the technologies we have today. I instantly knew that this would be my research topic, because I found it very exciting. Although history is not my best subject, I will conduct my research as an eager science student wishing to learn more about the undertaking of modern sciences and technologies. After choosing my topic, I began to investigate more about my topic in my AP history textbook, but I quickly found that the resources available were missing key concepts that I needed for my final project. In school during my history period, we started using our school database site, Riverhead OPALS at the VRC. I found one database that was very useful in providing not only articles but also primary documents such as pictures. When I exhausted the possibilities of this ABC-CLIO World History/Ancient & Medieval Eras, I proceeded to use my New York Public Library card on the NYPL site to use their databases. What I found was a wide variety of articles I could use for my project. The rest of my research material came from this site. Next, I contemplated the format that my project would be in. I ruled out documentary, exhibit, and performance, because I was not inclined to use numerous items that I needed to buy. Rather, I decided on one of the more simple, conscience designs that caused less clutter and could be presented much more easily. I eliminated the paper as well, as it had little potential to win any competition, and I decided on the website. To make this website, I used the google Sites app and presented my information in an organized manner and also included the pictures, documents, etc. I worked on this assignment at home as well as at school, which I was able to do because the google apps allow you to access your work as you edit it. My project relates to the theme of this years NHD competition, turning points, in that the scientific revolution was a time of discovery and innovation that put forth technologies that forever changed the world. These inventions were originals that were and still are improved upon today. The Scientific Revolution even has the word revolution in its name. This era of history was the changing of untested (and widely accepted) inferences, to hypotheses experimented upon by the scientific method, proved, and introduced as a theory or law to the majority. That principle was used not only to introduce laws of science, but to test and improve tools and mechanisms and to introduce new ones. The Scientific Revolution was undoubtedly a historical turning point.