8th grade research project name: -...

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8TH

GRADE RESEARCH PROJECT

Name: _______________________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

**―Parent Letter‖………….…………………………………………………………………….………………i

―Project Timeline‖……………………………………………………………………………….……………...ii

**―Graded Activities‖…………………… …………………………………………………….……………iii-iv

**―Time Log‖………………………………………………………………………………….………….……2

―Grading Rubric‖……………………………………………………………………………….………………3

**―Topics to Consider‖……………………………………………………………………….…..…………….4

―Pro/ Con Questions with Issues‖…………………………………………………………….………………5-6

―Research Planning‖…………………………………………………………………..……….………….…….7

―Deciding Your Issue Graphic Organizer‖…………………………………...………………….….…………..8

―Resources and Works Cited Information‖…………………………………………………….…….…………9

―Top of Notebook Page‖……………………………………………………………………….……………….10

―Note Taking‖…………………………………...………………………………………………………………11

―Keep from Plagiarizing‖…………………….………………………………………………………………....12

―Guidelines for Parenthetical Documentation‖…………………………………………..…………………13-14

―Evaluating Websites‖…………………………………………………………………………………………..15

―The Thesis Statement‖…………………………………………………………………………………………16

―How to Write An Outline‖……………………………………………………………………………………..17

―Sample Notebook Page‖……………………………………………………………………………………….18

―Sample Works Cited Page‖…………………………………………………………………………………….19

―Research Paper Reflection‖…………………………………………………………………………………….20

** Parent signature is required

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TIME LOG 8

th Grade Research Project

Name: _____________________________

Date: Sources Used:

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Time Allocated Parent Signature

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RESEARCH PAPER GRADING RUBRIC

Name: __________________________________ Block: ______________ Date: ______________

**Keep this and put in your folder when you turn in your paper.

Grade 1: FORMAT /100 pts.

Length of paper- 3 to 5 typed pages /30 pts.

Sources- 3 books, 2 magazine/news sources, 2 print/online, 3 websites /20 pts.

Works Cited Page /20 pts.

Font- 12 pt. Times New Roman, Double-Spaced, Margins Correct /10 pts.

In-Text Citations- at least 10 used correctly /10 pts.

Title page, pages numbered, name on top right corner /10 pts.

Grade 2: CONTENT /100 pts.

Introduction grabs the reader and includes thesis statement /10 pts.

Paper is organized logically and includes smooth transitions /10 pts.

All information included supports thesis statement /10 pts.

Paper clearly presents research from both sides of the argument /40 pts.

Writer clearly states his/her position on the issue in paragraph 4 /20 pts.

Conclusion effectively ties up loose ends and paraphrases thesis /5 pts.

The paper is completely objective (except for paragraph 4) /5 pts.

Grade 3: GRAMMAR, SPELLING, AND MECHANICS /100 pts.

Paragraph Structure- 7-12 sentences /20 pts.

In-Text Citations are in parentheses (1 per source) /20 pts.

Sentence Structure and Variety (no fragments or run-ons!) /10 pts.

Word Usage (i.e. their/there/they’re, subject-verb agreement, etc.) /10 pts.

Punctuation Used Correctly /10 pts.

Spelling/ Other Grammar Mistakes /10 pts.

Direct Quotes used correctly with page numbers /10 pts.

Parents- Please review your child’s paper and check to be sure that the above guidelines have been

followed.

Parent Edit (signature) _____________________________________________________ /10 pts.

4

TOPICS TO CONSIDER

Parent Signature: __________________________________________

1. ALCOHOL—TOBACCO – DRUGS

Legal age for drinking

Smoking in public places

Legalization of marijuana

2. ANIMAL RIGHTS

Medical experimentation

3. CIVIL LIBERTIES

**Affirmative action

Racial profiling

**DNA testing of suspects

**Patriot Act: the right of the individual vs.

suspicions of terrorism

School issues: locker searches, uniforms,

dress code, pledging the flag, school prayer,

bullying

4. CRIME & CRIMINALS

Gun control

Death penalty/Capital punishment

Juvenile offenders

5. IMMIGRATION

**Impact on U.S. economy

English as official language of U.S.

6. SCIENCE – TECHNOLOGY

**Cloning

Genetically engineered food

**Stem cell research

Space exploration

Artificial intelligence

7. MEDICAL

**Mandatory vaccinations

Cosmetic surgery for teens

Teen dieting

**Organ transplants

**Euthanasia

**Alternative medicine

8. CENSORSHIP OF THE MEDIA

**Book banning

Violence in television and movies

Music lyrics & Music videos (i.e. MTV)

Internet

9. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Global warming


**Alternative energy sources (Nuclear,

Solar, Wind, etc.)

11. SPORTS

Steroid use/Random drug testing of athletes

Violence

Salary cap

Gender equity

12. SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITIES

**Government or private responsibility

towards the homeless problem in America

**U.S. responsibility to protect human

rights throughout the world

13. MISCELLANEOUS

**Evolution vs. creationism

Use of the atomic bomb

Nuclear weapo

5

PRO/CON QUESTIONS WITH ISSUES TO EXPLORE

1. ALCOHOL—TOBACCO—DRUGS

Should the legal age for drinking be 18 or 21

years old?

Parent/Guardian involvement

Drunk driving

Abuse of alcohol at colleges

Should smoking be banned in public places?

Health effects of second-hand smoke

Rights of the smoker

Economic effects

Should marijuana be legalized in the US?

Medical uses of marijuana

Impact on crime

Privacy rights

2. ANIMAL RIGHTS

Should animals be used for medical

experimentation?

Rights of animals

Health benefits to humans

Alternatives to animal testing

3. CIVIL LIBERTIES

**Should affirmative action continue to exist in

the United States?

College admissions

Hiring in the workplace

Discrimination

Should law enforcement agencies be allowed to

practice racial profiling?

Constitutional rights

Discrimination

Public safety

**Should DNA testing of criminal suspects be

allowed?

Accuracy of testing

Public safety

Privacy rights of the suspect

Should prayer be allowed in public schools? (see

other school issues)

Constitutional issues

Individual rights

Diversity

Should public schools be able to impose a dress

code on students? (see other school issues)

Economic effect on families

Impact on student behavior and academic

performance

Freedom of expression

**Does the threat of terrorism give the

government the authority to restrict Constitutional

rights of the individual?

Constitutional rights/Patriot Act

Public safety

Discrimination/Profiling

4. CRIME & CRIMINALS

Is gun control unconstitutional?

Individual right to bear arms

Impact on crime rate and school shootings

Types of weapons

Should the death penalty be allowed in the US?

Impact on crime rate

Prisoner rehabilitation

Racism

Should juvenile offenders be tried as adults?

Death penalty

Rehabilitation as an alternative

Effect of imprisonment with adults

5. IMMIGRATION

**Does illegal immigration impact the United

States economy?

Impact on employment

Healthcare and public education of immigrant

children

Cost of border protection

Should English be the official language of the

United States?

Advantages of bilingual education

Diversity

Communication

6. SCIENCE—TECHNOLOGY

**Should cloning be allowed in the US?

Medical uses

Animal cloning

Ethics

Should genetically engineered food be allowed in

the United States?

Health risks

Environmental impact

World hunger

**Should stem cell research be allowed in the

United States?

Medical applications

Ethics

Alternatives

Should the federal government spend money on

space exploration?

More pressing needs

Advances in science, medicine, and

technology

Space shuttle accidents

Will advances in artificial intelligence benefit

society?

Impact on employment

Uses for artificial intelligence (i.e. medical,

entertainment, etc.)

Human vs. machine intelligence

6

7. MEDICAL

**Should public schools be allowed to require

vaccinations as a condition for admission to

school?

Safety of vaccines

Right of the parent/guardian to decide

Cultural/Religious considerations

Should teens be allowed to have cosmetic surgery

for reasons not related to injury or illness?

Self-esteem

Role of the parent/guardian

Psychological counseling

Is teen dieting healthy?

Body image/Media influence

Eating disorders

Nutrition

**Should an individual be allowed to sell his/her

organs for transplantation?

Limited supply vs. High demand

Ethical/Health concerns

Ability to pay for organs

**Should euthanasia be legal in the US?

Rights of the patient

Religious/Cultural issues

Who decides?

**Is alternative medicine as effective as

traditional medicine?

Safety regulations/Licensing

Uses throughout history

Health effects

8. CENSORSHIP OF THE MEDIA

**Do public libraries and public schools have the

right to ban books?

Freedom of speech

Age appropriateness

Importance of discussing ―controversial‖

ideas

Does violence in television and movies cause

violent behavior in society?

Parental supervision

Age guidelines

Freedom of speech

Do music lyrics and music videos have a negative

impact on young adults?

Stereotyping

Warning labels

Violence

Do the benefits of the Internet outweigh the

problems?

Safety/Security

Regulation

Communication


Does global warming threaten life on Earth?

Climate/Weather

Pollution

Health of humans and animals


**Should alternative energy sources be

developed to meet future needs?

Cost effectiveness

Environmental effects

Supply & Demand

11. SPORTS

Should athletes be subject to regular drug testing

for steroids and other banned substances?

Abuse of steroids

Individual privacy rights

Role models

Should there be a criminal penalty for violence in

professional sports?

Role models

Fans

Role of the media

Does money corrupt sports?

Salary cap

College athletes: paid or not paid?

Gambling

Should males and females have equal

opportunities in sports?

Salary

Discrimination

Anatomical differences

12. SOCIETAL RESPONSBILITIES

**Should the homeless problem in America be

eliminated?

Responsibility: government vs. private

Reasons why?

Children and families

**Does the US government have the

responsibility to protect human rights around

the world?

Military intervention

History

United Nations

13. MISCELLANEOUS

**Should public schools teach evolution and/or

creationism?

Scientific evidence

Religious beliefs

Separation of church and state

Was the use of the atomic bomb by the United

States justified in World War II?

Death toll

Military strategy

Consequences

Should the worldwide production and use of

nuclear weapons be banned?

Alternatives

Unstable governments currently in control

Environmental impac

7

RESEARCH PLANNING

EXAMPLE TOPIC

(write the definition)

SEARCH TERMS (use the index)

1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?

(write three questions)

1.)

2.)

3.)

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

(write one question)

TOPIC #1



1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)



1.)

2.)

3.)

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?


TOPIC #2



1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)



1.)

2.)

3.)

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?


8

DECIDING YOUR ISSUE Graphic Organizer

Issue: __________________________________

Issue: _________________________________

PRO

PRO

CON

CON

9

RESOURCES & WORKS CITED INFORMATION

BOOKS

300s Social Issues

600s Health & Technology

Public Library

_________________________________________________________________

PRINT REFERENCE/ENCYCLOPEDIAS

World Book

Encyclopedia Americana

Various subject encyclopedias (health, science, crime, environmental, etc.)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PRINT MAGAZINES/ NEWSPAPERS

Charlotte Observer

Newsweek, Discover, Popular Science,

Sports Illustrated, National Geographic

Folders in media center with various articles.

____________________________________________________________________________________

WEBSITES

Multnomah County Library: Social Issues

http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.html

ProCon.org http://www.procon.org/

Santa Ana College: Controversial Topics

http://www.sac.edu/students/library/nealley/websites/controversial.htm

Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/

Factmonster http://www.factmonster.com/

Clusty http://clusty.com/

__________________________________________________________________

ONLINE REFERENCE/ ENCYCLOPEDIAS

NC WISEOWL: http://www.ncwiseowl.org/zones/middle/index.htm

Click on “Grolier Online” and type in search term

Click on “Student Research” and choose “Books & Encyclopedias”

Click on “Junior Reference” and click on “Reference” under Basic Search

___________________________________________________________________

ONLINE MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS

NCWISEOWL: http://www.ncwiseowl.org/zones/middle/index.htm

Click on “Newspapers” and enter search term

Click on “Student Research,” choose “Magazines” & “Newspapers,” and enter search term

Click on “InfoTrac Junior” and type in search terms

INTERNET PUBLIC LIBRARY: Click on “Newspapers & Magazines” http://www.ipl.org/div/news/

http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.html

http://www.procon.org/

http://www.sac.edu/students/library/nealley/websites/controversial.htm

http://www.ipl.org/

http://www.factmonster.com/

http://clusty.com/

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/zones/middle/index.htm

http://www.ncwiseowl.org/zones/middle/index.htm

http://www.ipl.org/div/news/

10

TOP OF NOTEBOOK PAGE

Directions: You will be taking notes in your notebook. Use a clean page for each new source that you use to take notes. Here is the

Works Cited information that you need to write at the top of the page.

If you are taking notes from a book, you will

need to write down:

Author(s):

Title:

City of publication:

State of publication:

Publisher:

Year of publication:

Print Encyclopedia

Author(s) of article or editor:

Title of article:

Name of encyclopedia:


Print Newspaper

Author(s) of article:

Title of article:

Name of newspaper:

Date of publication (day/month/year):

Page number(s):

Print Magazine

Author(s) of article:

Title of article:

Name of magazine:

Date of publication (day/month/year):

Page number(s):

Online Encyclopedia


Title of article:

Name of online encyclopedia:


Publisher:

Date you accessed online encyclopedia:

(day/month/year)

URL: (http://www...)

Online Newspaper


Title of article:

Name of online newspaper:

Date of publication: (day/month/year)

Date you accessed website:


Online Magazine


Title of article:

Name of online magazine:

Date of publication: (day/month/year)

Date you accessed website:


Website

Author(s):

Title of webpage with information:

Title of homepage:

Date of webpage posting: (day/month/year)

Organization:

Date you accessed website: (day/month/year)


WORKS CITED (MLA): http://citationmachine.net/index.php?reqstyleid=1

http://www/

http://www/

http://www/

http://www/

http://citationmachine.net/index.php?reqstyleid=1

11

NOTE TAKING

Effective Note Taking:

Do not record material unrelated to your topic.

Make sure that summaries and paraphrases

accurately express the ideas in your sources.

Be accurate. Make sure to copy direct quotations

word for word, with capitalization, spelling and

punctuation precisely as in the original. Make sure

that every direct quotation begins and ends with

quotation marks.

Double check statistics and facts for accuracy.

Distinguish between fact and opinion by labeling

opinions as such:

o Dr. Graves thinks that…

o According to Grace Jackson…

Quote only the important parts of a passage.

Indicate words left out by using points of ellipsis

(…)- a series of three spaced dots enclosed in

brackets.

Use only the three dots when cutting material within

a sentence.

Use a period before the dots when cutting a full

sentence, a paragraph, or more than a paragraph.

Use a period after the dots when you cut material

from the end of a sentence.

Use brackets ([ ]) to enclose any explanatory

information that you add within a quotation.

When to Quote, Paraphrase, and Summarize:

Direct quotation:

Use a direct quotation when an idea is especially well-stated in a source-that is, when a passage is very clear,

beautiful, funny, or powerful.

Use direct quotation when the wording is historically or legally significant or when reproducing a definition.

Paraphrase:

Use paraphrase as your basic note form.

Paraphrase unless you have a good reason to quote or summarize your source.

Summarize:

Summarize when a passage is too long to be quoted or paraphrased.

Quotation plus summary or paraphrase:

Use this kind of note when you want to quote a source but need to give more explanation to make the quote.

EXAMPLES OF PARAPHRASING

Original Text (From a definition of color blindness)

visual defect resulting in the inability to distinguish colors. About 8% of men and 0.5% of women experience some difficulty in color

perception. Color blindness is usually an inherited sex-linked characteristic, transmitted through, but recessive in, females. Acquired

color blindness results from certain degenerative diseases of the eyes. Most of those with defective color vision are only partially

color-blind to red and green, i.e., they have a limited ability to distinguish reddish and greenish shades. Those who are completely

color-blind to red and green see both colors as a shade of yellow. Completely color-blind individuals can recognize only black, white,

and shades of gray. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.)

Paraphrase : Color blindness, affecting approximately 8% of men and .5% of women, is a condition characterized by difficulty in

telling one color from another, most often hereditary but in some cases caused by disease. The majority of color-blind people cannot

distinguish some shades of red and green, but those who cannot perceive those colors at all see red and green objects as yellow. There

are people who cannot see color at all and perceive all objects in a range of black through gray to white. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th

ed.)

Summary : Color blindness, usually a sex-linked hereditary condition found more often in men than women and sometimes the result

of eye disease, involves limited ability to tell red from green, and sometimes complete inability to see red and green. In a much rarer

form of color blindness, the individual sees no colors at all.

Quotation, Integrated : Color blindness is a "visual defect resulting in the inability to distinguish colors" (Columbia Encyclopedia,

6th ed.). Most often it is a hereditary condition that involves only some shades of red and green, but people with complete red-green

color blindness see yellow instead, and some people have no color perception at all. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.).

http://www.bartleby.com/65



12

KEEP FROM PLAGIARIZING

Action during the writing

process: Appearance on the finished product:

When researching, note-taking, and interviewing.

Mark everything that is someone else’s words with big quotation marks.

Indicate in your notes which ideas are taken from sources (S) and which are your own insights (ME).

Record all of the relevant documentation information in your notes.

Proofread and check your notes to make sure that anything taken from your notes is acknowledged in some combination of the ways listed below:

In-text citation

Bibliography

Quotation marks

Indirect quotations

When paraphrasing and summarizing.

First, write your paraphrase and summary without looking at the original text, so you rely on your memory.

Next, check your version with the original for content, accuracy, and mistakenly borrowed phrases.

Begin your summary with a statement giving credit to the source. According to Jonathon Kozol,…

Put any unique phrases or words that you cannot change, or do not want to change, in quotation marks: …found that “savage inequalities” exist throughout our educational system (Kozol).

When quoting directly. Keep the person’s name near the quote in your notes and in your paper.

Select those direct quotes that make the most impact in your paper-too many direct quotes may lessen your credibility and interfere with your style.

Mention the person’s name either at the beginning of the quote, in the middle, or at the end.

Put quotation marks around the text that you are quoting.

Indicate added phrases in brackets ([ ]) and omitted text with ellipses (…).

When quoting indirectly. Keep the person’s name near the text in your notes and in your paper.

Rewrite the key ideas using different words and sentence structures than the original text.

Mention the person’s name either at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the information.

Double check to make sure that your words and sentence structures are different than the original text.

13

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION

What are parenthetical citations?

Parenthetical citations are short references included in the text of your paper or project to show your reader where

you found each piece of information that you have paraphrased, summarized, or quoted.

Why do I need to include parenthetical citations?

Parenthetical citations direct your reader to the source in your alphabetical list of works cited. This allows your

reader to locate the exact source for further study. You need to give credit to the original source of information;

otherwise, you will be plagiarizing or stealing another person’s work.

When do I need to use parenthetical citation?

Whenever you paraphrase, summarize, or quote information from a source and include it in your work.

How do I create proper citations?

Usually the author’s last name and a page reference are enough to identify the source and the specific location

from which you borrowed material. However, if your source has no author, generally you will use the first word

in the title from your works cited list. Se specific examples below.

Where do I place parenthetical citations?

Citations are placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence following the borrowed material.

Remember:

For each entry in your list of Works Cited, you must have at least one corresponding parenthetical citation within

the body of your paper. The purpose of a parenthetical citation is to point your reader to referenced work in the

list of Works Cited.

Parenthetical Predicament Example

Author in Reference

When you do not mention the author’s name in your sentence,

the author’s name and page number are placed in parentheses

at the end of your sentence followed by a period.

The sinking of the Titanic has been called one of the

greatest disasters of all time (Benton 28).

Author in Text

When you mention the author’s name in your sentence, the

page # is placed in parentheses at the end of the sentence

followed by a period.

Benton asserts that the Titanic has been called one of the

greatest disasters of all time (28).

Two or More Works by the Same Author

When you cite more than one work by the same author , you

need to include a word from the title to distinguish between

resources. Place a comma between the author’s name and the

title.

Baseball players and wrestlers have traditionally been

heavy users of chewing smokeless tobacco (Nardo,

Drugs 68).

―Pro wrestling’s transformation from a sport into a form

of entertainment caused major newspapers and serious

sports journalists to lose interest‖ (Nardo, Wrestling 75).

Two or Three Authors

When the work has two or three authors, give the last name of

each person listed.

Others like Lord and Padfield (310), stated that the

Titanic really was not unsinkable as first believed.

Others stated that the Titanic really was not unsinkable

as first believed to be true (Lord and Padfield 310).

More than Three Authors

When the work has more than three authors use the Latin term

―et al.‖ which means ―and others‖ after the first author’s last

name.

(Smith et al.23)

Work Listed by Title

When the work has no author, begin the word by which the

resource is alphabetized in your works cited list. If the work

is mentioned in your text, simply give the page reference.

International espionage was as prevalent as ever in the

1990s (―Decade‖ 26).

As discussed in ―Decade of the Spy,‖ international

espionage was as prevalent as ever in the 1990s (26).

Anonymous Books whose Titles Begin with the Same

Word

When you have two or more books or articles with no author

The mid-1960s saw a great revival of interest in the folk

blues, leading to the rediscovery of many talented

performers (History of Blues 52).

14

and the same first word in the title, you need to include as

many words as possible to distinguish between them.

―The last years of the Babylonian Empire witnessed far-

reaching changes‖ (History of the Jewish 164).

Indirect Source

When you quote or paraphrase a quotation from a book or an

article that appeared somewhere else.

As Alexander Solzhenitsyn once said ―One word of truth

outweighs the world‖ (qtd. In Roy 381).

Direct Quote

To indicate short quotations enclose

the direct quote within double

quotation marks, and provide the

author and specific page citation.

If you incorporate the author’s name

in your text, simply provide the page

reference.

Punctuation marks such as periods,

commas, and semicolons should

appear after the parenthetical citation

Question marks and exclamation

points should appear within the

quotation marks if they are part of the

quoted passage but after the

parenthetical citation if they are part

of your text.

It may be true the ―Poe’s ghost stories are among the most

famous in the world‖ (Sheldon 9).

It may be true, as Sheldon maintains, that ―Poe’s ghost stories

are among the most famous in the world‖ (9).

According to some, dreams express ―profound aspects of

personality‖ (Foulkes 184), though others disagree.

Is it possible that dreams may express ―profound aspects of

personality‖ (Foulkes 184)?

Long Quote

When you cite a long quotation (four lines or

more) that is a set off from the text, omit the

quotation marks. Generally, a colon

introduces a long quotation. Your

parenthetical citation should come after the

closing punctuation mark.

Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him

throughout her narration:

They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even

in their room and I had no more sense, so I put it on the landing

of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance,

or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw’s

door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were

made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in

recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent

our of the house. (Bronte 78)

Shortened Quote

Whenever you omit a word, phrase, sentence

or more from a passage, use ellipsis points to

indicate the missing portion of the original

quotation. Use three periods with a space

before each and a space after the last.

In surveying various responses to plagues in the middle ages,

Barbara W. Tuchman writes, ―Medical thinking…stressed air as the

communicator of disease, ignoring sanitation or visible carriers‖ (101-

02).

In surveying various responses to plagues in the middle ages,

Barbara W. Tuchman writes, ―Medical thinking Trapped

in the theory of astral influences, stressed air as the

communicator of disease… ‖ (101-02).

Web Site

When you cite information form a web

document. Page numbers of a printout should

not be cited.

The history of roller coasters can be traced back to

the times of Catherine the Great of Russia (‖Century‖).

―A Century of Screams: The History of the Roller Coaster.‖

The American Experience Coney Island Ed. David Lindsay.

2000. PBS. 27 Feb.

2004http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/coney/sfeature/history/html.

Personal Interview

When you include information from a

personal interview cite the last name of the

person interviewed.

―Private duty nursing affords me the opportunity to

tailor my work schedule around my family’s needs: (Jones).

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/coney/sfeature/history/html

15

EVALUATING WEBSITES Accuracy: _______________________________________________________________________________

Validity: _________________________________________________________________________________

Authority: _______________________________________________________________________________

Currency: ________________________________________________________________________________

Coverage: ________________________________________________________________________________

Website

Strengths Weaknesses Rank (1 is best)

Site #1

Site #2

Site #3

Site #4

Site #5

WEBSITE DOMAINS AND TYPES OF ADDRESSES

.aero: an organization in the air-transport industry

.biz: a business

.coop: a cooperative association

.com: generally a commercial organization, business, or company

.edu: a US higher-educational institution

.gov: a US government organization

.info: an informational site for an individual or business

.int: an international organization

.mil: a US military organization

.net: suggested for a network, but used for a variety of sites

.org: suggested for a noncommercial community, but used for a variety of

sites

.pro: a professional; such as lawyer, accountant, or physicia

16

THE THESIS STATEMENT

Some defining features of a thesis:

For most student work, it’s a one- or two- sentence statement that explicitly outlines the purpose or point of your paper. A thesis statement is to a paper what a topic sentence is to a paragraph.

It should point toward the development or course of argument the reader can expect your argument to take.

Because the rest of the paper will support or back up your thesis, a thesis is normally placed at or near the end of the introductory paragraph.

It is an assertion that a reasonable person could disagree with if you only gave a thesis and no other evidence. It is not a fact or casual observation; it must beg to be proved. And someone should be able to theoretically argue against it (how successfully will depend, of course, on how persuasive you are.)

It takes a side on a topic rather than simply announcing that the paper is about a topic (the title should have already told your reader your topic.) Don’t tell your reader about something; tell them what about something. Answer the question “how?” or “why?”

It is sufficiently narrow and specific.

It argues one main point and doesn’t squeeze three different theses for three different papers into one sentence.

Most importantly, it passes the “So What? Test” – What does it matter? Why should I read your paper?

Your turn: Choose the best working thesis for the proposed research papers. Research Paper 1: Thesis A: Business practices in former Soviet Union countries. Thesis B: Business practices in the countries of the former Soviet Union have changed drastically since the break-up. Thesis C: Since the break-up of the former Soviet Union, business practices in those countries have changed most in the fields of marketing and customer service, reflecting the changes in government and political philosophy. Research Paper 2: Thesis A: Shakespeare intended the audience to question the existence of Hamlet’s father’s ghost. Thesis B: The appearance of Hamlet’s father’s ghost raises an important psychological as well as dramatic dilemma in the play. Thesis C: Critics through the ages have debated the significance of Hamlet’s father’s ghost.

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HOW TO WRITE AN OUTLINE

An outline breaks down the parts of your thesis in a clear, hierarchical manner. Most students find that writing

an outline before writing the paper is most helpful in organizing one’s thoughts. If your outline is good, your

paper should be easy to write. The basic format for an outline uses an alternating series of numbers and letters,

indented accordingly, to indicate levels of importance. Here is an example of an outline.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. HOOK/ ANECDOTE/ QUESTION/ QUOTE / STATEMENT

B. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

C. ARGUMENTS FOR/ARGUMENTS AGAINST

D. THESIS STATEMENT (INCLUDES BOTH ARGUMENTS)

II. PRO (FOR/GOOD REASONS/POSITIVE)

A.

1.

2.

B.

1.

2.

C.

1.

2.

III. CON (AGAINST/BAD REASONS/NEGATIVE)

A.

1.

2.

B.

1.

2.

C.

1.

2.

IV. YOUR POSITION

A.

1.

2.

B.

1.

2.

V. CONCLUSION

VI. WORKS CITED

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SAMPLE NOTEBOOK PAGE

Website___________________

_________

Author or Organization: MADD

Title of Web Page with information: “Alcohol and the Teen Brain”

Title of the Homepage: Get the Truth about the 21 Law

Date of webpage posting: 2007

Organization: MADD

Date you accessed website: 02/02/2009

UTL: http://why21.org/teen/

brain development ends at age of early 20s

dynamic change, frontal lobe development, and refinement of

pathways and connections continue into mid-20’s

damage possibly irreversible

adolescents more vulnerable than adults to effects of alcohol on

learning and memory

alcohol affects sleep cycle impairing learning, memory, growth,

maturation

all parts of brain affected: coordination, emotional control, thinking,

decision-making, hand-eye movement, speech, memory.

causes poor school performance, social problems, depression, suicidal

thoughts, violence

greater risk for developing alcoholism

Developing Brain:

Level I Abstract Thinking: 10-20 yrs. old

develop ability to relate functions (combining honesty or dishonesty with

kindness to explain "social lie")

Level II Abstract Thinking: 14-15 yrs. old

develop ability to understand contrasts, ability to combine complex

thinking with social interactions and emotions (combining kindness

and tact at the same time to offer constructive criticism)

Level III Abstract Thinking: 18-20 yrs. old

develop ability to hold several issues, events, circumstances, etc.

in mind at same time-compare/interrelate them

alcohol may change course of mental, emotional, cognitive, social

development—altering opportunities for success

alcohol selects receptors in brain at random

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Sample Works Cited Page Holzer 7

WORKS CITED

Asimov, Isaac. The Birth of the United States, 1763-1816. Boston: Houghton, 1974.

―The Battle of Washington D.C.‖ War of 1812-1814. 7 Apr. 2000

<http://members.tripod.com/~war1812/batwash.html>.

Bartlett, John. Familiar Quotations. 9th

ed. Boston: Little, 1901. 10 Apr. 2000

<http://www.bartleby.com/99/281.html>.

Carter, Alden R. The War of 1812: Second Fight for Independence. New York: Watts, 1992.

―Causes of the War.‖ The War of 1812. 6 Apr. 2000 <http://www2andrews.edu/~downm/causes.html>.

Elting, John R. Amateurs to Arms!: A Military History of the War of 1812. Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 1991.

Gallagher, James. ―Impressment of American Seamen: The Main Reason for the War of 1812.‖ Old Dominion

University

Historical Review 1.1 (1994). 7 Apr. 2000 <http:// www.odu.edu/~hanley/history1/Gallagr2.htm>.

Marrin, Albert. 1812, the War Nobody Won. New York: Atheneum,1985.

Morris, Richard B. The War of 1812. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1985.

Nardo, Don. The War of 1812. San Diego: Lucent, 1991.

―Treaty of Ghent.‖ War of 1812. Galafilm. 10 Apr. 2000

http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/events/ghent.html

http://members.tripod.com/~war1812/batwash.html

http://www.bartleby.com/99/281.html

http://www2andrews.edu/~downm/causes.html

http://www.odu.edu/~hanley/history1/Gallagr2.htm

http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/events/ghent.html

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RESEARCH PAPER REFLECTION

Now you are going to have the opportunity to share what you have learned with some of your classmates. Before you get into your groups, take a few moments to think about how you will explain your topic to your peers by answering the following questions.

1. What is your topic?

2. What was the most surprising fact or statistic that you found in your research?

3. Did you have a strong opinion on the issue before you began your research? Briefly explain.

4. What facts or opinions helped you to begin to see the other side of the issue?

5. Did you change your viewpoint in any way throughout this process?

6. In bullet format, share the pros and cons of your issue (your classmates may learn something from this).

Pros Cons

7. What was the most difficult part of this paper in your opinion?

8. Was there any part of this research process you find at least semi-enjoyable?

9. Share something you are proud of accomplishing with this paper. Be specific.

8th grade research project name: -...

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