Advanced English 9 Research Project Third Nine Weeks 2014-2015

Advanced English 9 Research Project Third Nine Weeks 2014-2015

The topics of this research project are varied, but I (Mr. McCain) must approve your arguable topic AND your parents must sign a sheet acknowledging the topic you choose. The project will include forminga research question, developing a claim and counterclaim, collecting information, submitting a detailed outline, and completing required drafts. We will have some time in class periodically to work on the project; however, you must not depend only on class time to complete your project.

Supplies required: Once we begin the research project (Wednesday, January 7th) you are required to have these items with you every day.

note cards (3x5) ORlegal sized pad/notebook paper for taking notes OR computer for taking notes

(McCain will provide note cards and legal pads)

binder, pocket folder, or some other means of holding your research materials
MLA Handbook, Seventh Edition (Bring YOUR book, not your friend’s- This is a must!)
Any applicable research materials
Any class handouts related to writing that you will need to produce a quality final product.

Guidelines for the Research Project:

Step One: Research Plan

You must have a minimum of 5 total sources and you must use 3 different types of sources that may include, but are not limited to:
encyclopedia article
book
interview with someone working in your field of interest
Internet source
periodical
non-print source (videotape, documentary, lecture, etc.)

You will likely use source cards (3x5 cards) and note cards (3x5 cards) to keep track of your sources and the information you will use in your project. Source cards are made for each source you consult. They should contain information required for your Works Cited entry (see Appendices C, N, and S). If you choose an alternate method of compiling your research, I must approve it. I will only allow 3 options that do not require conferencing with me:

Source and note cards
A legal pad or notebook paper that follows a specific format we will discuss in class
A WORD document that uses a template that Mr. McCain has created

Note cards contain information that you believe will be useful for your project. Take your notes on 3x5 ruled index cards. Write the following information on each card:

(1) Slug - title or phrase telling what type of information is on the card

(2) Source card number

(3) Notes (see Appendix S).

(4) Page number in source

You are required to have a minimum of 5 source cards and 15 note cards. If you choose an alternate option, you still must have 5 sources and a minimum of 15 slugs of research. If you do not know if you have enough research, you probably do not.

Step Two: Preparing the Paper / Thesis

Your paper should have a thesis which should inform the audience of your opinion or argument (this is an ARGUMENTATIVE PAPER) and approach to the topic. The thesis must answer not just "What is the topic?" but also "What about the topic?"

For example: “Global Warming” is not a good thesis, but “Plastic production is the main culprit in global warming” is. An even better thesis would be “Because plastic production is the main culprit in global warming, the U.S. should lead a global initiative to curtail plastic production and make existing production more environmentally safe.”

Before you begin to write, you need a map or plan. You must also create a detailed working outline after you have developed your thesis (Understand that this outline will likely change). As you gather notes, separate your note cards (or pages of research) into groups according to the slugs on your cards or your pages. Decide which slugs go with each outline heading. Put aside cards or slugs that do not relate to the topic no matter how interesting the information is. You may find that you need to return to a source for more information. Make sure that your outline organizes the information in a logical way. When you begin to write, you will be able to follow your outline and to refer to your notes for facts, information, and quotations.

REMEMBER, your paper should contain the following information:

1. Introduction - Your introduction must grab the reader’s attention and then present your claims and relevant counterclaims in your thesis statement. Your introduction must be interesting and direct.

2. Body – This will be the section of your paper that PROVES the point(s) in your thesis. The body will present

most of your support from your sources. There is not a set # of required paragraphs. You simply need to provide enough information to support YOUR argument AND to explain he relevant counterclaims.

3. Conclusion – The conclusion will summarize the main points in your paper without presenting new information that re-opens the argument. In the conclusion, you revisit the ideas from the thesis by restating your claim.

Step Three: Drafting your essay

Step Four: Evaluating and Revising:

Use the following tips to help you improve your paper. This is the self-editing/revising section of the paper. You will later have someone else to read your paper (during the peer editing section).

Present your ideas in a logical order and use transitions to connect the ideas.
Define any unfamiliar words.
Stick to the points you are trying to prove.
Acknowledge the opposition to your thesis. This will give you credibility with your reader. It signifies that you have done your research and your opinion has been carefully considered. If you show even the smallest amount of empathy with your opposition, your thesis will be more carefully considered by your reader(s).
Be sure that you support your ideas with facts, examples, and experts’ opinions.

Guidelines for the Essay:

Your essay should be typed as you would type any essay: black ink, size 12 Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri font (or another approved font) with an MLA heading and header. You should include a Works Cited page at the end of the paper;remember,the Works Cited page is a part of the paper and should be treated as such. We will go over the format for this list in class. The directions are found in chapter 5 of your MLA. Your paper must also contain at least two direct quotations.

DUE DATES and POINT VALUES

Due Date for grading/approval

Assignment

Points

Monday 1/12 /

Research question and proposal

/ 13
Wednesday 1/21 or Thursday 1/22 /

Preliminary/Working Outline

/ 32
WHEN FINAL DRAFT IS SUBMITTED / Note and Source cards/ research pages / 35
Wednesday 1/28 or Thursday 1/29 / 1st PEER EDIT – COMPLETE DRAFT DUE with Works Cited page- / 40
WHEN FINAL DRAFT IS SUBMITTED / Rough/first draft
Friday 2/6 / Final Draft [This is the final day for accepting papers!] / 110
Total Score / /230

*If you are going to be absent on the day the paper is due, you must submit your paper early. No late papers will be accepted (except in the case of serious illness, personal injury, or a death in the family)

Remember to check Appendix R for the rubric for each assignment BEFORE you turn it in!

Appendix C: Notes on a Computer (using WORD)

Appendix N: Notes on a Legal Pad or Notebook Paper

SEE THE NEXT PAGE FOR AN EXAMPLE.

Appendix S: Source Cards and Note Cards

Source cards are used to record the publication information for the sources you consult. Use your 3x5 cards for source cards. The form used to record the information is the same as the form used on the list of works consulted, so you should consult chapter 5 in your MLA as you make each source card. Notice that each card has a number in the upper right hand corner. You will use this number on all note cards. If you go to more than one library to do your research, you will want to note which library the book came from on the source card. You should also write down the call number of the book so that you can find it again easily.

EXAMPLES:

Source card number

Source & its publication information

1
Craig, Grace J. Human Development.
Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1999. Print.
Emmett O’Neal Library 150.08

Library Call number

2
Nash, J. Madeline. “The Secrets of Autism”
Time 6 May 2002: 46-56. Print.
MBJH Library

Use index cards for your NOTE CARDS. Each card should have a SLUG that tells what kind of information is on the card, the NUMBER of the source the information comes from, the notes, and the page NUMBER(s) where the information was found. To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit to your source in the body of your paper, so be sure that you include all of this information on each card! Each card should deal with one topic only. In other words, do not include information about two different categories of information on the same card even though the information came from the same source.

There are three basic types of notes:

Direct quotation- use this when the author has stated his idea so well that you want to use his exact words. Be sure to enclose the quotation in quotation marks.
Paraphrase- states all of the author’s ideas in your own words. You still must cite this in your paper.
Summary- when the passage is very long, use summary to note only the most important ideas.

EXAMPLES:

Slug Source card number letter of card (first is a, second is b, etc.)

Ethics and research 1a
“Most people agree that experiments using humans are
necessary, especially if we are to understand and control the
impact of potentially harmful environments.”
p.37

Page number in the source

Vaccines and Autism 2a
Although some parents see a link between childhood from for
vaccinations and their children’s autism, the evidence is far
conclusive. The link is being studied by a number of groups
including the National Institutes for Health and the Center
Disease control.
p. 53

Name ______APPENDIX R

OUTLINE

Description / Points Possible / Points Awarded
Superior outline / The superior outline demonstrates a thorough understanding of logical thesis development. The superior outline is formatted correctly, typed using MLA style. The superior outline is balanced; a full, comprehensive paper could easily be written with the superior outline as a guide. / 29-32
Good outline / The good outline resembles the superior outline, but may have errors in formatting or MLA style. The good outline may have errors in distribution of details; a decent paper could be written from the good outline. / 24-28
Fair outline / A fair outline possesses only the basic elements of an outline and contains a variety of errors. It would be hard to create a solid paper from a fair outline. / 21-24
Poor Outline / A poor outline reflects a poor attempt at organization with numerous errors in formatting and topic arrangement / 0-20
TOTAL / _____

SourcesNotes

4 points –
Correctly formatted
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5
Total Points / ____/20
Number of correct slugs and notes
(x 1 points) /
_____
Total points / _____/15

35 possible points for cards

Rough Draft (Which I will grade when I grade the final paper – McCain)

MLA format
(points) / Header / Heading / Double-spaced / Margins / Parenthetical documentation / Total points
(2 points each)
Organization of information / Excellent
18-20
points / Good
16-17
points / Fair
13-15 points / Poor
0-12 / 20 possible points
Works Cited / Alphabetized / Separate Page / Hanging indention / Proper format / MLA header and title
(Works Cited)
(2 points each)
Total points (40 possible)______

Name Date Score / 110

Research Paper Rubric – Final Draft

Introduction(4 points per item)

Introduction effectively introduces the reader to the topic ____

Clear thesis statement containing an assertion to be proven

in the body of the paper with a claim and counterclaim _____

Body Paragraphs and conclusion (6 possible points per item)

Specific details to support ideas _____ (balance)

Commentary to connect the details to the thesis _____ (balance)

Paper is coherently reasoned _____ and organized _____ (makes sense)

Paper is free of factual errors ______(responsible use)

1st direct quotation apt and well-integrated _____

2nd direct quotation apt and well-integrated _____

______

Topic of each paragraph clearly stated in topic sentences _____

Paragraphs clearly support the topic sentence _____

Concluding paragraph effectively ends the paper _____

Opposing point of view addressed _____

Transition sentences where needed _____

Ideas flow smoothly within and between paragraphs (flow)

_____Mechanics

Any mistakes in grammar and mechanics do not interrupt the flow of the paper (10) _____

Mistakes in grammar and mechanics distract slightly from the effectiveness of the paper (5) _____

Mistakes in grammar and mechanics are a major distraction (0) _____

_____Works Cited Page

No errors 10 pts. One error 9 pts. Two errors 8 pts. Three errors 7 pts. More than three errors! 5 pts.

_____ Overall Impression

Phenomenal – meets all of the standards with few, if any, mistakes 10 points

Very good – meets all of the standards with a few mistakes that affect balance or the flow of ideas 9 points

Meets most of the standards, but lacks the polish of a paper expected from advanced students 8 points

Does not meet the standards for this assignment 0-7 points

_____Unnecessary Deductions

Proofreading/getting paper ready to hand in: –5 for each X (These errors reflect poor planning/polish.)

Major typos _____ Pages out of order _____ MLA a mess (incorrect parenthetical documentation, etc.) _____

MLA not a mess, but not totally correct (–3) _____