It is important you understand that there must be a connection between your written paper, your project, and your presentation.
Research is a scholarly inquiry.
Your senior project is action learning. Action learning requires you to be fully engaged in your project. This project will require you to plan, analyze, research, do field work, write and make presentations. The best projects are the results of careful planning and work over a period to time. Therefore you are urged to start as soon as possible so that the project will represent your best effort.