Research Project
Skills we will address:
How to find valid, reputable sources and recognize an author’s hidden purpose
Reading nonfiction – reading for a purpose to find “important” information
Taking notes/Actively engaging with texts
Paraphrasing/Creating an annotated bibliography
Organizing information – using outlines and organizers
Using MLA format, parenthetical citations, and blending quotes
Creating a Works Cited page
Part I: How to Research.
Step 1 – Choose a topic. (Remember: if you don’t care about the topic, it will be difficult
to make your reader care about the topic.)
Step 2 – Find valid information.
Step 3 – Freewrite to develop a question or hypothesis. Now that you have seen what information and ideas are out there, freewrite to develop a question of study or a
hypothesis that you want to research.
Step 4 – Write a formal proposal. Include: why you chose the topic, what question you want to answer, how you will conduct your research.
Step 5 – Find more information. Now that you have a specific topic, go back and look
for more information that directly relates to your question of study.
Step 6 – Take notes or mark the text for “important” information.
Step 7 – Summarize and paraphrase. Now that you have marked up the text,
synthesize the main points in your own words and create an annotated bibliography for each article that has relevant information. Remember to think
about the author’s hidden message – what do they want you to think? Do they
present multiple sides of the issue?
** The researching process has no definite end. You will find that you have to keep researching to find more information throughout this process.
Part II: How to Write a Research Paper.
Step 1 – Organize information into an outline. (I will give you a basic format to use.)
Step 2 – Develop a thesis – this is the answer to your question or the
confirmation/adaptation of your hypothesis.
Step 3 – Drafting and Blending. Remember to develop your ideas around the research
you have found, blend research with your own words, and blend information
from multiple sources. Don’t forget to use in-text citations!!
Step 4 – Focus. Use topic sentences and clinchers to help focus your paper. You may
also use headings, if applicable, to guide the reader.
Step 5 – Revise for language use, voice, development. It’s always smart to have someone
else look at your work and give feedback.
Step 6 – Edit, edit, and edit some more!!! When you think you’re done, have someone
else take a look. After they’ve looked at it, look at it again!
Step 7 – Create Works Cited page.
Part III: The Presentations!!!
Campaign to change the world!!! There will be an oral and a visual component. More details will follow, but this is your chance to be creative, have fun, and change some minds!!!
Rubric
Name______________________________________________ Score______________________________
| Research Rubric |
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| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Proposal | The proposal is thorough and thoughtful, well organized, focused with attention to language and grammar. | The proposal is complete, organized, and mostly focused with some attention paid to language and grammar. | The proposal is somewhat disorganized and unfocused, and shows little evidence of attention to language or grammar. | The proposal is incomplete, disorganized, or unfocused with little or not attention to language or grammar. | The proposal is not turned in. |
| Sources | By the given deadline, the student has 4+ articles from reputable sources that directly relate to the question of study. | By the given deadline, the student has 3-4 articles from reputable sources. The articles are related to the question of study. | By the given deadline, the student has less than 3 articles, sources are somewhat questionable, and/or sources are somewhat related to the question of study. | The student has two or fewer articles, the articles have questionable sources, or are loosely related to the question of study. | The student’s articles are wholly unrelated to their question of study, the student fails to meet the research deadline, or the validity of the sources is questionable. |
| Marking the Text | The text is thoroughly marked and shows active engagement with the text. | The text is marked appropriately and shows that student engaged with the text. | The text is marked in places and but does not show much engagement with the text. | The text has few marks and/or shows a lack of engagement with the text. | The student does not mark the text. |
| Paraphrasing and Summarizing | The student gave a thorough synopsis of the main points of the article in the student’s own words. | The synopsis of the article was complete and in the student’s own words. | The synopsis of the article is incomplete and misses main points or the article. | The synopsis does not reflect the main points of the article. | The student does not complete the assignment and/or plagiarizes. |