Mrs. Filosa, Mrs. Garcia, and Mrs. Medina

SENIOR

ENGLISH

PAPER

PACKET

PLAINEDGEHIGH SCHOOL

2014-2015

Name ______

English 12R

Mrs. Filosa, Mrs. Garcia, and Mrs. Medina

Table of Contents

OverviewPages 3-4

Topic ListPage 5

Research ProposalPage 6

Thesis StatementPage 7

How to Write a Research QuestionPage 8

Initial Research WorksheetPage 9-10

Evaluation Tool #1Pages11-12

Evaluation Tool #2Pages 13-14

Evaluation Tool #3Pages 15-16

OutlinePage 17

How to Write an IntroductionPage 18

Research Paper FormatPage 19

DatabasesPages 20-21

ParaphrasingPage 22

Parenthetical Citation Cheat SheetPage 23

Sample MLA Works Cited PagePage24

MLA Works CitedPages 25-27

What is the Senior English Paper and Presentation?

The Senior English Paper and Presentation can be viewed as a “coming together” of the skills that you have been developing throughout the course of your middle and high school educational experience (reading, writing, research, critical thinking, presenting, and independent learning). The paper will be the final requirement that you will complete for English class. The end result will be a research paper and a final presentation. The paper will be completed in several steps which will be outlined in your quarter syllabi. PLEASE NOTE: This is not a report!

The Senior English Paper (Due upon presentation)

The first draft of your research paper will count as two test grades for the second quarter. You must include a cover page with your thesis statement on it. Your paper will be written on a topic of your choice that has been approved by your teacher. Keep in mind that this paper will be written in several steps so you should never feel overwhelmed. The process of writing this paper will consist of small tasks assigned throughout. No one should be writing this paper the night before it’s due. Your final research paper will count as two test grades for the fourth quarter.

A high quality paper:

Is well-written, well-organized, and is completely free of grammatical/mechanical errors.
Uses language that is engaging and sophisticated.
Incorporates research (via citations) that is relevant and varied.
Sheds “new light” on the subject. It must go above and beyond a simple report.
Provides critical analysis based on the research.
Is written in MLA format and contains a properly formatted “Works Cited” page (see attached).

As far as sources are concerned, it is definitely in your best interest to consult a number of sources since this will provide you with an expanded perspective on your subject. REMINDER: Encyclopedias are not acceptable sources. The following is a list of potential sources that can be used for this project:

Research journals and books
Accredited Internet sites (no personal web pages)
Additional non-fiction print sources where relevant.

A Word on Plagiarism (see rules and policies)

It goes without saying that plagiarism will not be tolerated. If it is determined that a student is guilty of plagiarism, that student will receive an automatic zero for the paper which could possibly jeopardize graduation. There will be no chance to re-do a plagiarized paper for a passing grade. If you are unsure of how to cite sources, please see your English teacher. In addition, an MLA style works cited guide can be found at the back of this packet so that you may refer to it as you are writing your paper.

The Presentation

Each of you will be given one class period to present your project to the class. Presentations will take place in the fourth quarter and will count as two test grades. Your presentation should:

be creative and should keep the audience engaged throughout.
run 30 minutes. You should defend your thesis for 20 minutes, but you may include a brief Do Now, less than five minutes of relevant video, and relevant class discussion at the end of your presentation to reach the 30 minute mark.
teach the class about your topic and defend your thesis through facts.
be compatible to PHS – see Ms. Nycz or Ms. Vidal.

Please do not worry about presenting. When the time comes, you will have so much information and will be so well-versed on your subject that you will easily fill the time. Also, each of you will meet with your English teacher to discuss your presentation and to come up with a game plan.

Grading Procedures

Several assignments will be given throughout the year to help keep you on track with the overall project. Also, the Senior Paper and Presentation will account for all of your fourth quarter average, so simple math will tell you how it will impact your final grade for the year. Remember that the paper and presentation count as two test grades each.

Reminders

______If you lose your original rough draft with the corrections and suggestions, you will not be allowed to submit a final paper and will receive two zeros for the fourth quarter.

______If you are not in school the day you are scheduled to present, you will receive two zeros for the presentation.

______If you fail the paper or the presentation in the fourth quarter, you will not be allowed to make up the grade.

Topic List

1) The impact of large corporations on the country

2) The impact of the government on the country

3) The impact of the economic downturn on the country

4) The impact of lobbyists on the country

5) The impact of the FDA on the country

6) The funding of the military

7) The treatment of veterans

8) The impact of the change of television and movies on society

9) The effects of online shopping on society

10) Is a college education worth the money?

11) The impact of sports on the economy

12) The overscheduling of children

13) The changing family unit

14) Food in the United States

15) Overmedication in the United States

16) Hemp production in the United States

17) Caffeine

18) The urbanization of the United States

19) Alternative fuel sources

20) The changing face of religion

21) The impact of money on the justice system

22) Credit in America

23) The rising prevalence of allergies

24) The changing face of education

25) Employment shifts in the United States

26) Political correctness in America

27) The increase of camera use in America

28) Gender roles in America

29) Medical research

30) Physical activity in America

Research Proposal

In order to begin researching a topic, you must first propose or advise us of your intentions for the project. You will let us know the following: what the general topic is that you have chosen; you will give us the argument for it (pro-side of topic) and then the counter-argument (the opposite side of the argument); you will tell us what you want to learn about your topic; you will tell us what you want to prove; and finally, you will give us a list of, at least, four sources that you may use to research your topic. This will count as a quiz grade for the first quarter.

Topic Selection: ______

Argument:

______

Counter-Argument:

______

What do you want to learn?

______

What do you want to prove?

______

List of Sources (Author and Article title)

Thesis Statement

When faced with a controversial question or dilemma—in school or at work—you can do research to find out more about the problem. In time, you will discover enough information to form your own opinion, or argument, on the question. The thesis statement is your entire argument summarized into one sentence.

A thesis statement is NOT

a question
a fact
a topic

Criteria for a thesis statement

It must be an opinion that needs to be proven

Check Yourself: Would anyone bother to argue against you?

It must be an opinion that can be proven

Check Yourself: Could you find facts to back this up?

It should be focused, answering a specific question

Check Yourself: Is this something you could argue at length?

It should be one sentence and crystal clear

Check Yourself: Could anyone find this slightly confusing?

Examples of thesis statements

The death penalty should be abolished.
Near death experiences signify that an afterlife exists.
Female students learn better in all-women colleges.
Televised news stories about suicide trigger a significant rise in teen suicides.
There is a significant correlation between teen smoking and academic achievement.

These are basic thesis statements. For your paper, you will be required to create a double sided thesis statement where you show both the counter claim and the claim. A mini lesson on how to do this will be done in class.

How to Develop a Research Question

A research question is a…

clear
focused
concise
complex
arguable

…question around which you center your research. The specificity of a well-developed research question helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper and work toward supporting a specific, arguable thesis.

Steps to developing a research question:

1.Start asking questions. Start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your topic. Stay away from “who”, “what”, “where”, and “when” questions as these do not delve deep enough into the topic.

2.Evaluate your questions. After you’ve got a couple of question down on paper, evaluate these questions to realize if they would be effective research questions or if they need more revising.

Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research.
Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available.
Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer.

3.Hypothesize. After you’ve come up with a question, think about what the path you think the answer will take. Where do you think your research will take you? What kind of argument are you hoping to make/support? What will it mean if your research disputes your planned argument? At this step, you are well on your way to having a focus for your research, constructing a thesis, and then writing out your argument in a paper.

Sample Research Questions

Unclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?
Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on such social networking sites as MySpace and Facebook?
The clearer version specifies sites (MySpace and Facebook), the type of harm (privacy issues), and whom the issue is harming (users). A strong research question should never leave room for ambiguity or interpretation.
Unfocused: What is the effect on the environment from global warming?
Focused: How is glacial melting affecting penguins in the Arctic Circle?

The focused version narrows down to a specific cause (glacial melting), a specific place (the Arctic Circle), and a specific group that is affected (penguins). When in doubt, make a research question as narrow and focused as possible.

Initial Research

Name ______

Teacher ______

Period ______

Directions:Complete the worksheet below using as much detail as possible. In addition, you must type your initial research information and submit it to Turnitin.com or it will not be accepted. Staple this worksheet to the back of your typed proposal. This will count as a test grade for the first quarter.

Topic

______

Initial Thesis Statement

______

Research Questions and research (You must have 5 questions which cannot be answered with a simple yes or no and which will be able to provide you with approximately 1 page of type-written information each. In addition, you must have citations and research that answer the research questions.)

______

______5)

______

Evaluation Tool #1

Name ______

Date ______

Research Topic ______

Name of Site ______

Article Title ______

Article Author(s) ______

Book Title ______

Book Author(s) ______

Directions:For each question under credibility and accuracy, place an x in the appropriate box. All answers should be in the YES column for this to be a viable resource. If a NO is checked, a conference must be held with the teacher and a strong case made as to why this source should be allowed in the research paper. Next, you will summarize the article in box 1, use at least two examples of textual evidence (parenthetical documentation) to show the topic of the article in box 2, and in box 3 you will explain the claim (argument) portrayed in the article and the counterclaim (counterargument) that goes along with it. You will use these evaluation sheets to create your own thesis statement down the road.

Credibility: / YES / NO
1) Is there a reputable author, organization, or agency that takes credit for the information?
2) Is the tone of the source free of humor, sarcasm, and informal language?
3) Is the source free of careless errors/editing (documents without dates, misspelled words, bad grammar, etc.)?
4) Is the source age-appropriate for a high school research paper?
Accuracy: / YES / NO
1) Is the information objective (not obviously biased)?
2) Is the information factually based (supportable with facts, not pure opinion)?
3) Is the information up-to-date?
Summary:
Textual Evidence:
Argument:
Counterargument:

Evaluation Tool #2

Name ______

Date ______

Research Topic ______

Name of Site ______

Article Title ______

Article Author(s) ______

Book Title ______

Book Author(s) ______

Evaluation Tool #3

Name ______

Date ______

Research Topic ______

Name of Site ______

Article Title ______

Article Author(s) ______

Book Title ______

Book Author(s) ______

Outline

Start with your thesis on top of the page

Make sure your research questions are in the order of your thesis

Turn your research question into a statement

Bullet the information that you are going to put in each paragraph

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thesis:Although Wal-Mart has benefitted society, its economically and morally corrupt policies have had a hand in ruining the economy.

Wal-Mart does benefit the American people in a few ways.

Wal-Mart helps to get more locally grown produce into supermarkets.
Wal-Mart is taking an interest in the small farm and finding ways to encourage them to grow and produce food.
Wal-Mart has benefitted society by creating jobs.

The feeble state of the economy is due in part to the corrupt business practices of Wal-Mart.

There has been an attempt to get rid of sickly workers who might become a liability by using health insurance claims.
Wal-Mart has too much political involvement and the personal interests of the bosses will overcome the best interest s of the company.

Wal-Mart limits the flow of money within the economy.

Wal-Mart attempts to keep its work force healthy through a survival of the fittest mentality.
This is an attempt by the company to limit the progress of the workers within the company and causes them to struggle to make ends meet.

REMEMBER: THIS IS PART OF AN OUTLINE.

YOUR OUTLINE WILL BE LONGER THAN THIS.

How to Write an Introduction

A clear, concise, well-organized, and engaging introduction will help to efficiently set-up your paper. The introduction must captivate your audience’s attention and interest. Otherwise, the audience may not be convinced to continue reading. Your introduction serves as a preview for the remainder of your paper, conveying necessary background information to your readers, identifying your topic and its significance, and unveiling how you will organize your essay. An effective introduction also establishes your voice as a writer and your point of view towards your topic.