Research Source Log for Online Source

“Specific Page Title or Article Title”  Ex: “Twilight: A negative influence on teens or just harmless fun?”	"Looking Good: The Psychology and Biology of Beauty"
Primary Contributor to the Website (if given) (author, editor, producer, etc) Ex: POV	Charles Feng
Title of the Entire Website (not www. )  Ex: CBC News	Journal of Young Investigators
Publisher or Sponsoring Organization of the website (if given) Ex: CBC	Journal of Young Investigators supported by The National Science Foundation and many other organizations
Date Page was Last Revised Ex: 10 September 2010	December 2002
Date You Read It Ex: 21 January 2012	27 January 2012
<URL address> (ALL of it) Ex: <http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/2010/09/twilight-is-a-negative-influence-on-teens-or-just-harmless-fun.html>	http://www.jyi.org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/feng.html

FIVE FACTS FROM THE SOURCE (Embedded): EX: The article cites Maria Nikolajeva, a professor of at Cambridge, as saying that Bella does not "in any way promote independent thinking or personal development" in women, instead portraying a woman "meek and willing to do anything for her vampire boyfriend" (POV).

Scientifically, symmetry proves "inherently attractive to the human eye" indicating that attraction derives from similarities between the opposing sides of the face (Charles Feng).

In Western cultures, males generally prefer women who have facial features that "resemble an infant's" while females prefer men "who look more mature" depicting the differences between preferences among both genders (Charles Feng).

Males prefer women who have "low waist-to-hip ratios" because generally women who have "high WHRs" are more susceptible to disease and infertility (Charles Feng).

Both genders find individuals more attractive if they behave in a "friendly manner" than others who are "cold and distant" (Charles Feng).

Women's perceptions of beauty fluctuate "during menstruation" along with their hormones throughout the month (Charles Feng).

Summary of Source (Three-Four Sentences of the Who, What, Where, Why, and How in your own words. NO OPINION): 

 Feng illustrates the scientific side of beauty by emphasizing the psychological and biological aspects of human perception. He explains the roles that symmetry, proportions, etc. play on the visual aspect of beauty and connects them to the biological reasons why we find certain components of the face more attractive than others. Moreover, he brings in the importance of certain elements, excluding visual features, such as personality and character.



Bias: Do you detect a bias (a favoring of either side) in the author's writing? 

I do not sense any bias within this article.

No, the author does not cite references in the writing, but he provides a section of suggested readings that directly relate to the perception of beauty.

Use of Source: How will you use this source in your project? 

I plan to use the source to provide solid scientific information so that my project is not solely based on opinion.References: Does the author cite references in the writing? If so, do these add or take away from the credibility? Attachment: Does the author or site have anything to gain from writing this, or is it simply informative? For example, is it a cigarette business posting an article about the benefit of cigarettes, or is it a scientific community unaffiliated with the cigarette business? 

The author is simply presenting the psychological and biological connections of our perception of beauty.Credibility of Source: 
Author or Site: Who is the author? What training have they had? If there is no author, examine the site. What is the purpose of the site? Who funds the site? 

Charles Feng, the author of "Looking Good: The Psychology and Biology of Beauty", majored in biology at Stanford University. The site itself is an undergraduate, peer-reviewed science journal that is supported by numerous credible organizations. The purpose of the site is to provide information in the form of articles on a wide variety of science topics.

Senior Project Proposal

Proposed Topic in the form of an Essential Question:

How do cultural standards and the media's portrayal of beauty influence our perception of our understanding of what is beautiful?

Rationale for Choice
What about this topic appeals to you? Why did you choose it?

I think the forces within our society, as well as within our culture, play a crucial role in altering our definition of beauty. Especially in today's world, with technology and fast-spreading media, these stimuli reach far beyond an individual country. Moreover, these images of what is deemed beautiful destroy people's original perspective of what is beautiful in their eyes. I chose this topic because it's interesting to see how cultural standards and media portrayal have changed the world's perception of beauty over time and how it is changing today.

What do you already know about this subject?

I know that the world's perspective of beauty has altered in many different ways over hundreds of years due to the portrayal of beauty through advertisements, and social standards. In different cultures, some aspects of the human body are considered more beautiful and meaningful than others therefore creating a cultural standard for those groups of people.

What are you hoping to learn about the subject?

I hope to learn how these different forces within our world have altered our perception of beauty over time. I want to learn if there's a significant connection between what we see and deem beautiful from our own taste, and what the media feeds its audience, particularly teenagers and young adults.

What are you most interested in regarding the topic?

I'm most interested in what different individuals think or interpret from looking at the same person or object. I'm interested in seeing the difference between females' and males' perception of beauty.

What potential risks or challenges do you foresee for your project?

What if there are no reliable sources on this topic? This topic is very broad and open to interpretation; there is no one answer. Will I be able to find a place where I can complete community service/ field work that is directly related to this topic?