Report of Historical Research Introduction A Writers Checklist Selecting a topic and developing research questions Finding and evaluating sources of information Taking notes and organizing information Writing your thesis statement Developing an outline Documenting your sources A Writers Model Your Turn: Conduct historical research Introduction Historical research offers a way to explore your interest in subjects like these. The goal of historical research is to locate pieces of historical information and to put that information together in a new and interesting way to answer your specific questions about a topic. The Civil War The collapse of the Berlin Wall The growth of highways and suburbs A Writers Checklist When you write a historical research paper, you: Select a research topic to explore and develop research questions. Find and evaluate sources of information about your topic. Take notes and organize information you find through your research. Write a thesis statement that identifies your topic. Develop an outline that shows the progression of the ideas in your essay. Document sources you consulted in your research. Selecting a topic and developing research questions To begin investigating your topic, make a list of research questions for which you hope to find answers. These will guide your investigation of the topic. What were the goals of the Endurance expedition? Why did Shackleton and his men abandon the Endurance? How did Shackleton and his men survive in the harsh Antarctic conditions? If the expedition failed, why do we remember Shackleton as an important explorer and leader today? Finding and evaluating sources of information To answer your research questions, you must first locate reliable sources of information on your topic. You can find sources of information in both your school and community libraries, as well as in your community itself. journalsgovernment records image archives newspapers & magazines documentaries & films Web sites & online libraries museum exhibits experts books Sources of Information podcasts Finding and evaluating sources of information The sources that you consult to answer your research questions can be classified as primary or secondary. Remember: The reliability of a primary source can be influenced by its creators opinions or memory. Using primary sources enables you to make accurate observations and to develop your own conclusions about historical events. Primary sources provide original, firsthand information. These sources include correspondence, autobiographical works, photographs, diary entries, and historical documents. Finding and evaluating sources of information Secondary sources offer information about or derived from primary sources. These include history books, magazine articles, and articles in scholarly journals. Remember: The reliability of a secondary source can be called into question if you believe that its creator has manipulated information to support his or her conclusions. Verify information in secondary sources, and credit unique ideas to the sources author. These sources give the researcher an overview of existing research on a topic and can point to additional sources. Finding and evaluating sources of information Both primary and secondary sources offer advantages and disadvantages. For historical research, attempt to use as many primary sources as possible. journals written by Shackleton and other members of the expedition interviews with expedition members photographs from the expedition Topic: Shackeltons Endurance voyage Primary sources Secondary sources Web sites magazine articles encyclopedia articles scholarly books about the expedition Finding and evaluating sources of information Evaluate your sources to be sure that your research is accurate and authoritative. Follow the 4R test below: RelevantMake sure that the sources information directly relates to the topic of your writing. ReliableCheck that the source is well respected and can be relied on for accuracy. RecentEnsure that you are consulting secondary sources that offer up-to-date interpretations of historical events. Remember that primary sources never become outdated. RepresentativeLocate sources that present a balance of viewpoints on your topic. Do not select a group of sources that all provide the same interpretations of historical events. Give each source a number. Write down all publishing information. Record the location and call number of the source. Finding and evaluating sources of information Record information about each source that you find. 3 School library 92 PLI Plimpton, George. Ernest Shackleton. London: DK Publishing, 2003. Taking notes and organizing information Skim through your sources to grasp their main points. Then take notes on specific pieces of information that answer your research questions. Each note will be in the form of: a direct quotation a summary a paraphrase Taking notes and organizing information Use a direct quotation when you want to capture the exact words from a source. Use quotation marks and add ellipses to indicate any missing text. 4 page 67 Stranding of ship in ice But though we have been compelled to abandon the ship... we are alive and well, and we have stores and equipment for the task that lies before us. source number page number from source header or label for main idea information from source Taking notes and organizing information A summary is a very condensed restatement of an authors main idea in your own words. A summary may only be a series of words and short phrases. 1 page 167 Rescue of crew members Despite the attention Shackletons voyage garnered, Britain could not provide a ship for rescue of other crew members due to World War I. Taking notes and organizing information A paraphrase is also a restatement of an authors ideas in his or her own words, but a paraphrase includes both the main idea and details. 2 page 161 South Georgia Island To avoid freezing nighttime temperatures at their high altitude, Shackleton and his companions slid down a tall slope to safety. They traveled about 1,500 feet in a matter of minutes. Writing your thesis statement After you have gathered all of your information, review your notes and consider how it all fits together. Write a thesis statement to identify your topic and your conclusions about it. The conclusion that you draw about your topic will be your papers controlling idea. Here is Javiers thesis statement: Ernest Shackletons expedition aboard the Endurance resulted in a major feat of exploration and survival. topic controlling idea Ernest Shackletons expedition aboard the Endurance resulted in a major feat of exploration and survival. Developing an outline Next, develop an organizational plan for your research paper. Start by sorting your note cards into groups with similar information. Then, give each group of cards a category label. Beginning of Journey Trapped in Ice Shackleton Seeks Safety Rescuing the Crew Finally, organize the cards within each group and decide which of the supporting details represented in your cards you should use. Developing an outline You may start with an early plan or working outline in which you can group ideas without adhering to the strict format of a formal outline. Introduction Thesis Beginning of journey Sailing into Weddell Sea Ice begins to amass Stranded in ice Your working outline may change numerous times as you fine-tune your information and organizational plan. Developing an outline From your working outline, you can write a formal outline. A formal outline uses numbers, letters, headings, and indentations to show the proposed content and organization. II. Stranding of Endurance A. Unloading of supplies 1. Shackleton remains upbeat 2. Three smaller boats unloaded B. Reaching Elephant Island 1. Shackleton takes largest boat 2. Shackleton and five-man crew sail for South Georgia Island Documenting your sources Documenting sources is a crucial part of the process for any research paper. Whichever style you use, you also must understand what pieces of information require documentation. The rules explaining how to document sources will vary according to the style guide you use, such as the MLA (Modern Language Association) style or the APA (American Psychological Association) style. Documenting your sources The chart below gives a brief overview of the kinds of information that do and do not require documentation. Requires documentation Doesnt require documentation Direct quotations, unless widely known Original theories or opinions that do not belong to you Data taken from research findings, surveys, interviews, etc. Rare, unusual, or debatable facts Your own original conclusions or ideas Information found in at least three independent sources or reference books (for example, the date on which the Endurance set sail) Documenting your sources You can document sources within the body of your paper by using parenthetical citations. These direct your readers to a more complete reference on your Works Cited page. Place a parenthetical citation at the end of a sentence, before the period. Among the equipment were three smaller boats the crew removed from the Endurance (Plimpton 75). Documenting your sources At the end of your paper, include a Works Cited list to identify all of the sources that you cite in your paper. Alphabetize the entries in the Works Cited list by the authors last name and begin each entry on a new line. This example uses the MLA style for a a book with one author: Alexander, Caroline. The Endurance: Shackletons Legendary Antarctic Expedition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998. A Writers Checklist Use the following checklist to evaluate and revise your historical research paper: Select a research topic to explore and develop research questions. Find and evaluate sources of information about your topic. Take notes and organize information you find through your research. Write a thesis statement that identifies your topic. Develop an outline that shows the progression of the ideas in your essay. Document sources you consulted in your research. interesting and informative title thesis statement Survival in the Antarctic: Shackleton and Endurance Ernest Shackleton was a British explorer of the Antarctic who made several voyages to the areas around the South Pole, beginning in However, his most famous journey is that which he led as captain of the ship Endurance. While the original plan for this expedition was to sail into the Weddell Sea before crossing Antarctica on foot, Shackletons journey instead resulted in a major feat of exploration and survival. background information first chronological point in-text documentation Shackleton had purchased the Endurance specifically for his expedition. Well suited to the task, the ship had been built for the purpose of carrying tourists to polar areas. According to author George Plimpton, Shackleton named the ship after his family motto: By Endurance We Conquer (55). The expedition, which was officially known as the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, set sail from England in March of source author named in text paraphrase second chronological point summary shortened form of source title The ship sailed through the Weddell Sea for about 650 miles. During this time, large formations of ice began to close in on the Endurance (Plimpton 71). After 10 months of drifting, the ship became stuck in ice. Slowly, the ship began to break apart (Plimpton 72). With the ship destroyed, it would fall to Shackletona determined and charismatic leaderto guide the expedition out of their predicament (Survivor). primary source quotation ellipsis points indicating omission With their wrecked ship stuck in ice, Shackleton and his crew were forced to unload its contents. However, he remained upbeat. He wrote, But though we have been compelled to abandon the shipwe are alive and well, and we have stores and equipment for the task that lies before us (Shackleton 67). Among the equipment were three smaller boats that the crew removed from the Endurance (Plimpton 75). By floating atop large ice floes and sailing through icy waters, the group reached safety at Elephant Island. supporting details third chronological point source author named in text Upon reaching Elephant Island, Shackleton announced that he would take the largest remaining boat, the James Caird, and seek help (Plimpton 89-90). Along with a crew of five men, he set sail across dangerous waters for South Georgia Island, about 800 miles to the north (Plimpton 90). According to author Alfred Lansing, the men faced a serious threat from strong winds, dangerous currents, and powerful waves off the islands coast (248). After a difficult struggle, they finally reached the islands shore. The Caird had been badly damaged reaching the island (Lansing 257). Instead of sailing around the island, Shackleton determined that he and two other men would cross the 29-mile island to seek help (Lansing 258). No explorer had ever completed this journey, and it was considered impossible to do so (Lansing 258). The island had never been chartered or mapped (Interview). However, after waiting for conditions to improve, Shackleton and his men set out late one night across the rugged, icy terrain (Lansing 262). fourth chronological point summary paraphrase with supporting details online source fifth chronological point As they made their way across the treacherous landscape, the men faced many obstacles. In one case, they found themselves at a dangerously high altitude with little time to travel down a steep slope before freezing conditions set in. As a result, they decided to risk sliding down the treacherous slope. In doing so, they covered about 1,500 feet in a matter of minutes and reached safety (Alexander 161). When they found a whaling station on the islands north coast, their three-day journey had concluded (Alexander 164). summary with supporting details sixth chronological point Once he had reached safety, Shackleton began to lead efforts to rescue the crew of the Endurance. Though his exploits drew a great deal of attention, Britain could not provide a rescue ship because of World War I (Alexander 167). Shackleton eventually arranged a series of journeys and rescued the men from both Elephant Island and the Weddell Sea. Amazingly, all of the crew members of the Endurance had survived the expedition. paraphrase with supporting details restatement of thesis clincher sentence and concluding thought Though Shackletons Endurance expedition did not achieve the goals it set out to accomplish, the journey nonetheless stands as a tremendous achievement in the fields of exploration and survival. Though he never again returned to Antarctica following the expedition, Shackletons ability to see his crew through the many difficulties they faced during their saga distinguishes him as an important leader whose story continues to fascinate today (Alexander 13). background info Works Cited list Works Cited Alexander, Caroline. The Endurance: Shackletons Legendary Antarctic Expedition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Lansing, Alfred. Endurance: Shackletons Incredible Voyage. New York: McGraw-Hill, book Works Cited Plimpton, George. Ernest Shackleton. New York: DK Publishing, Poniewozik, James. Survivor Goes to Antarctica. Time. 8 Apr Shackleton, Ernest. South: The Story of Shackletons Last Expedition North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing, magazine Works Cited Shackleton, Sir Ernest Henry. Encyclopedia Britannica Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. 7 Jan Tending Sir Ernests Legacy: An Interview with Alexandra Shackleton. Shackletons Voyage of Endurance.