Sophomore Research Project:
Issues in Social Justice
Mrs. Phillips/Dr. Gaumer
English IIH
Winter-Spring 2008
Objectives: Students will learn and demonstrate mastery of the research process with the review and citation of primary and secondary sources, use of a written outline and note cards, the interview of an expert, and production of a finished fivepage research paper.
Writing a research paper is a time consuming task. However, the satisfaction of a job well done is immense. For this assignment you will be choosing a topic of interest to you, relating to an issue of social justice. You will be doing research in the library and outside of class. Expect to spend a significant amount of your own time on this project. Additionally, you are required to contact one expert in your field of interest and interview that person. The request for an interview must be done in writing, and this, plus your interview notes, will become part of your research paper grade. You will be required to submit a typed outline; a minimum of 60 note cards and 8 source cards; 5 Works Cited; your written request for an interview; at least two drafts; and a separate, one page, written reflection. A writing conference is required. Due dates will be set as we move through the project.
Topic: Social Justice is the study of systemic and cultural biases that lead to individual or widespread oppression. In short, social justice advocates support for humans to reach their potentials as happy people and productive members of society.
Choose a topic relating to social justice. Any topic of interest to you is acceptable. Possible topics include third world health concerns, aids, health, human rights, apartheid, Darfour, poverty and economic inequality, racism and bigotry, hate crimes, our prison system, or literally anything that you consider to be a concern in our world. To begin, ask yourself these questions:
~ What are some problems in our culture?
~What seems to you to be the worst of those problems?
As you explore your topic of interest, you will ask additional questions:
~What causes the problem?
~What have experts suggested as solutions to the problem?
~Have the experts’ solutions been implemented?
~If the experts’ solutions have been implemented, why does the problem still exist?
~What do you think might solve the problem?
~What would you solution cost? (Think in social, political, and monetary terms.)
~How would your raise money and, or awareness for your solution?
~What might be a detailed plan for your solution?
Getting Started:
Along the way, be sure you understand each stage of the assignment. If you have questions, ask!
Your research project will be done in a series of stages, beginning with the end in mind. You should organize your time accordingly. A significant amount of class time will be dedicated to this project, either in our classroom or the library. I suggest you use this time well. The more you do in school with the guidance of me or the librarians, the easier your at-home tasks will be.
Selecting a General Topic:
Begin with a general topic which will later become more specific as you gather information and start to form your thesis. Initially, you will be reading a lot of information that may or may not make it into your final paper. You will be required to take notes as you gather information that you believe will be useful to you. These notes will be written on note cards. By keeping note cards and not writing out whole paragraphs into your note book, you are less likely to plagiarize. (Please be forewarned that plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, is taken very seriously at RHS and the penalties for committing this error in judgment are severe.)
After considering a topic, ask yourself the following questions:
Is my topic…..too broad?
too narrow?
interesting to my audience? (peers, parents, teachers, policy
administrators)
too technical?
Scholarly enough?
of interest to me personally?
The general topic that I am considering is
_____________________________________
I understand that this project will take a significant amount of my time, both in and out of class. I also understand that in order to receive full credit for this project, the following criteria must me met:
5 page final paper (MLA Format throughout, including works cited)
Minimum of 2 drafts with evidence of significant revision
Interview with an expert in this field (In person, phone and or e-mail questions are acceptable after initial written request)
Outline
Copies or print-outs of text from which information is cited.
Writing conference.
Note cards for both research and works cited (You will need two different colored note cards)
Reflection (one page)
It is highly recommended that you obtain a 1” loose-leaf binder in which to contain and organize your project. You may also use a folder with pockets.
Research Paper Thesis Proposal
General topic
Question posed by the student about the topic:
Answer to question (posed as a declarative sentence):
Ideas About Note Taking and Citing Sources
Note Taking
Taking notes should be more than just copying common knowledge, facts, or ideas from others. In addition to the note taking from sources such as books, web sites, journals and texts, you should add your own ideas and opinions about the information. Jamie McKenzie calls this “green ink” or fresh thinking (McKenzie, 2000). You should also use electronic means whenever possible to take and store notes. This makes notes easily accessible and searchable, as well as allowing for ease of revising, amending, and creating a final product or paper (McKenzie, 2000).
Note taking tips:
1 Paraphrase: Don't copy and paste huge blocks of text. If you need the information from a large amount of text, paraphrase it. Paraphrasing is appropriate for supporting information, biographical information, predictions, hypothesis, and drawing conclusions. You will put the information into your own words. This type of note taking must be cited (giving credit to its source).
2 Summarize (read a large section for overall meaning and summarize it into one or two sentences). Summarizing is typically used for beginning research, i.e., general explanatory material. It must be cited unless the information contains common facts and knowledge.
3 Copy and paste small portions of text such as specific details, facts, definitions, and statistics.
4 Direct quotes. Quotations are reserved for one or two sentence statements that prove a point or reveal an attitude. Don't use quotations to make your point, just to back it up. They are especially appropriate for primary sources such as diaries, journals, speeches, interviews, letters, memos, manuscripts, memoirs, and autobiographies. You need to use quotation marks and ALWAYS include your source citation, ex: (Stripling and Pitts, 1988).
Tip to avoid plagiarism: Add quotation marks around text that is extracted directly from the source, and add brackets or some other notation to information that you summarize or paraphrase as soon as you write, type, or paste the notes in the note taking form (see below). Do this so you won't forget whether or not it is a direct quote or paraphrased when you are using the information in a paper. You will include the quotation marks around a direct quote in your final paper. You do not need to put quotation marks around a paraphrase or summary, but you do need to cite either.
Note Cards Sophomore Research/Phillips
Source Code and
Card Number Key Word
A1 Hate crimes
“Increase in media violence has resulted in greater insensitivity to hate crimes.”
237
Information
Page Number
Note Card Rules:
One note per card
No complete sentences on note cards unless a direct quote.
Direct quotes must have quotation marks
Content (Check)
Information
Source code
Card Number
Key Word
Page number
Name on back of card
A
Pitt, William Hate Crimes in the
Twentieth Century. New York:
Oxford U.P., 2005Works Cited Card
Source Code
Set up exactly as you would on your Works Cited page (Check MLA format)
Source Code must correspond to information card source codes
Your name and my name on back of every card (VERY important to prevent permanent loss).
Earnest A.. Grade
Mrs. Phillips
English II H
20 February 2008
Title:
Introduction including thesis
I. Background/History
II. Problems associated with topic
III. Interview with expert
IV. Current solutions
V. Proposal to resolve improve issue
Conclusion
Earnest A. Grade
Mrs. Phillips
English II H
20 February 2008
Title:
Introduction:
Opening Sentence:
Thesis:
I.
A.
1.
a.
(1)
(a)
(b)
(2)
b.
2.
B.
II.
Logic requires that there be a II to complement a I, a B to complement an A, and so forth.
Conclusion: Restate thesis in original manner. Include interesting information from miscellaneous note cards and offer your final thoughts. What is it that you want to leave your audience remembering?
20 February 2007
Dr. Frank H. Smythe, Associate Director
Department of Housing and Urban Development
1234 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 45731
smythefh@hud.govPhone: 201-256-7890
FAX: 201-256-7891
Dear Dr. Smythe:
My name is Avery Goodreader, and I am a student at Ridgefield High School doing research on ……………………….. Because of your work with …………………………….. and because part of my solution to the problem of …………. is a suggestion that ..………………………………, I am writing to request an interview with you.
My questions will be few and brief, requiring only a minimal amount of your time. If you or a member of your staff would agree to an interview, I would greatly appreciate it. I will directly and accurately quote you as a source in my paper, and happily send the essay to you when it is completed. If it would be convenient for you, I would prefer to conduct the interview in e-mail to insure the accurate duplication of your answers.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Avery Goodreader
agoodreader@aol.com
NOT
hotticket296@aol.com (Beware- use appropriate e-mail address)
c/o Mrs. W. Phillips
English Department
Ridgefield High School
700 N. Salem Road
Ridgefield, CT 06877
203-438-3785, ext. 1285
Works Cited
Below you will find sample entries for your Works Cited page and source note cards. These are the most types of sources used. However, be advised that there are many more types of entries. If you are unsure, check the MLA website and/or the MLA Handbook (See me for handbook) Note: If an entry goes to two lines the second line is indented 5 Double space.
Use of NoodleTools is REQUIRED for your works cited.
Books by a single author:
Author’s last name, first name. Book Title. City of publication: Publishing company, publication date.
Sidhu, Julie. The Secrets of a High School Freshman. London: McMorran Press, 2006.
Book by more than one author:
Phillips, Wendy, Courtenay Snellings, and Emily Gray. The Secrets of A High
School Teacher. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2007.
Book with an editor, but no single author:
Jaslow, Jeffrey, ed. The Art of High School Administration. Ilium: Ridgefield
Press. 2006.
An interview:
Gaumer, Jean. “Research Methods” Telephone Interview. 2nd Mar. 2006.
An article from a monthly magazine:
Author’s last name, first name. “Article Title.” Periodical Title Date: inclusive pages.
Sweet, Lily. “How to Write an “A” Paper.” Cosmopolitan February 2006: 55-60.
An article from a newspaper:
Smart, Felicity. “The Future of College Admissions.” The New York Times 14 Feb.
2006: A1.
Information from an electronic text and/or reference database:
“Students Who Have it All.” Proquest Nov. 2005. SIRS Researcher. 2 Feb. 2006.
http://www.proquestk12.com/ Brightkid 6
Works Cited
Dixon, Phillip. The Secrets of a High School Sophomore. London: McMorran Press,
2006.
Gaumer, Jean. “Research Methods” Telephone Interview. 2nd Mar. 2006.
Happily, Penelope. Why I Love to Write. Honolulu: Beach House Press. 2000.
Jaslow, Jeffrey, ed. The Art of High School Administration. Ilium: Ridgefield
Press. 2006.
Phillips, Wendy, Courtenay Snellings, and Emily Gray. The Secrets of A High
School Teacher. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2007.
Smart, Felicity. “The Future of College Admissions.” The New York Times 14 Feb.
2006: A1.
Sweet, Lily. “How to Write an “A” Paper.” Cosmopolitan February 2006: 55-60.
“Women Who Rule the World.” Proquest Nov. 2005. SIRS Researcher. 2 Feb. 2006.
http://www.proquestk12.com/Research Paper Timeline:
MLA format is to be used for drafts, note cards, and source cards.
Due Completed Points
Library Productivity _________ ________ 10
Note card Check x 15 _________ ________ 10
2 Source Cards
Outline _________ ________ 20
Thesis _________ ________ 10
Introductory Paragraph __________ _________ 10
Interview letter __________ _________ 10
Works Consulted (to date) Page _________ _________ 10
(Works Cited format)
Note Card Check x 40
4 Source Cards __________ _________ 20
Note Card Check x 60 _________ _________ 20
8 Source Cards
First Draft for Peer Edit
Paper should
look like a finished product) _________ ________ 20
Writing Conference _________ ________ 10
Final Paper _________ ________ 100
TOTAL PROCESS POINTS: _________ ________ 250
Sources in final paper must include at least one from each category. Minimum of five sources in total:
Books
Database Scholarly Articles (through the RHS library)
New York Times articles
Personal Interviews
IIH Research Assessment Checklist
Process
___On time
___Evidence of prewriting and revision
___Conference notes are addressed (if applicable)
Mechanics/Grammar/Format
___Perfect MLA format throughout, including heading, running header, margins, Works
Cited, parentheticals
___Perfect spelling
___Perfect punctuation
___ Agreement (e.g. number, person, tense)
___ Entire paper is spaced correctly (double only); 12 point font is used.
Content
___Engaging title
___Engaging first line
___Clearly articulated, arguable thesis
___Sufficient evidence to support topic sentences
___Sufficient analysis to connect evidence back to topic of paragraph
with clear connection to thesis
___All Works Cited sources are cited parenthetically.
___All parenthetically cited sources are included on Works Cited
___ Quotations are sufficiently set up and interpreted
___ Quotations are incorporated into writer’s prose; not simply “dropped in”
Structure
___Well-developed introduction
___Well-developed paragraphs
___Focused topic sentence for every paragraph
___Effective transition to next idea or paragraph
___Well developed conclusion that leaves the reader with a sense of
the purpose of the paper and enlarges the thesis to invite further consideration
___Paragraphs are neither too short (1-2 sentences) or too long (eg. more than 75-100
words)
Style
___Sophisticated vocabulary used correctly
___Graceful, varied sentence structure
___Embedded evidence preceded by contextual set-up and followed by
clearly articulated analysis; the purpose of each piece of evidence is obvious
___3rd person; formal voice
___Absence of excessive repetition (ideas, words)
___Active construction
___ Sentences are complete
