Kash poses a very interesting question, Ms. O'Malley. However, my question goes like this: Why can't we approach this assignment without the critical nature that looms over it? Your passion is English and the writing that goes with it, and even you associate a negative connotation with "research paper." 

All of the blogs I read, every single one, associated this same negativity with the looming research. However, most of the blogs also expressed how curious the author was about new topics. Okay, then let's all look at it this way.

There is no research paper.

Just go learn about something that you're interested about, and write down a few pages about it. 

Simple enough, right?