English 10 Research Paper Assignment

English 10 “I-Search” Research Process & Paper Project

Please e-mail me at cwoodliff@ycsd.york.va.us, if you have any questions during this process.

In order to be successful and efficient with this process, you MUST have
· a USB flash drive
· a 3 prong folder with pockets
· at least 50 lined 3x5 index cards
· pencils, blue or black pens, red pen

Grades for this paper (1-6 are further outlined on the back)

1. What I Already Know (Part A), What I Want to Find Out (Part B). Quiz Grade
2. Annotated Bibliography (This includes a source check, webpage evaluations, and information/questions supplied in handout) Major Grade
3. Note Cards: Quiz Grade
4. Outline: Daily Grade
5. The Search, Parts A&B: Rough Drafts Major Grade. Part C: Final Draft: Major Grade (75 points out of 100)
6. Presentation (25 points of major grade, added to 75 for final draft = 100 points total)
7. Participation, on-task behavior: Major Grade (25 points out of 100)
8. Various research process activities: Daily Grades
   
   I. Overview and Topic Options
   An “I-Search” paper is a research paper that focuses on the process of doing research as much as on the subject being researched. The purpose of completing an I-Search project is twofold:
   1. To help you learn more about a topic that interests you, and
   2. To help you understand and gain experience with the research process.
   
   For this paper, you have a number of subjects from which you can choose your topic. Choose a topic that interests you and that you will enjoy learning more about. Subjects to choose from include:
   · A philosophy (Humanism, Existentialism, Postmodernism, Surrealism, etc.)
   · A religion (Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, etc.)
   · A current social justice issue (women’s/gender rights, education, discrimination.
   · A career (this does not include jobs like “rock star,” “celebrity,” “professional athlete.” Examples: newscaster, teacher, cosmetologist, accountant, carpenter, etc.)
   · A medical issue or condition (pharmaceutical company greed, the vaccination debate, heart disease in women, diabetes in young children, etc.)
   Your topic must be approved before you begin work on your project.
   
   II. Research Process
   Only one class day will be devoted to finding your sources. We will be in the computer lab that day, and you are expected to work diligently. Any sources not found in the lab will be your responsibility to find and print outside of class time. You are required to find and use 3 sources from the finditva.com database and 3 credible sources from the Internet. You are not allowed to use any encyclopedia as a source; this includes Wikipedia. After finding your sources, you will number them. You will use these numbers when creating your note cards and when citing information in your rough draft.
   
   III. Format All typed assignment must be in MLA format. This includes:
   · 1” margins all around
   · 12 point Times New Roman, black font
   · Double-spacing (no more; no less)
   · MLA heading
   · MLA header
   · Correct title, centered, after the heading
   
   Any written assignment must be written legibly in blue or black ink. Your heading must include all information required in an MLA heading and must be in proper order. Sloppy work will not be accepted.
   
   In Summer 2008, MLA made update to its format. Handouts for bibliography entry format handed out last semester should be discarded. This new, updated format will be used for this paper.
   
   IV. The Research Process
   Your I-Search paper will consist of the following 6 parts:
   (1)What I Already Know (A) & What I Want to Find Out (B). A handout will be given for these assignment
   (A) For this section, you will write 2-3 paragraphs discussing what you already know about your topic. This includes any learning, experience, or background knowledge you have, before doing any research on the topic. You may use the first-person point of view “I” in this section.
   (B) For this section, you will create a list of 15 questions you have about your topic. These questions will guide your research; when finding sources, you will find sources that help answer these questions. After each question, you must explain why you want to know the answers to these questions. You may use the first-person point of view “I” in this section.

(2) Annotated Bibliography.
You will examine 6 sources, 3 from the Internet and 3 from finditva.com. You create a bibliography entry for each, evaluate web pages using an evaluation checklist, summarize and reflect on these sources. As any bibliography, this will be in alphabetical order. This will be typed in MLA format. A handout and example will be provided.
(3) Note Cards. Specific instructions will be given later.

(4) Outline. Specific instructions will be given later.

(5) The Search: Rough Draft (A) Revised & Edited Rough Draft (B) Final Draft (C)
This is essentially the “research paper” The paper will be between 500 and 700 words and will be 5-7 paragraphs. You will include paraphrases and direct quotations from the sources you use. You will use the note cards you made in step 3 to write this paper. You must use third-person point of view in this section. You will give this section a title that reflects your thesis.
(A) First, you will write a rough draft of your paper and Works Cited page. Your paper must include parenthetical citations. You will put the number of the source you are citing in parentheses. Each source you cite in parentheses must be included on the Works Cited page. You will print this draft.
(B) Second, you will revise and edit this rough draft and Works Cited. Revision and editing must be done in pen or pencil on a printed rough draft. (Best practice is to revise, make changes, and print again. Next, edit, make changes, and print again. This gives you a total of 3 rough drafts. 1 initial draft, 1 revised draft, and 1 edited draft.) You will replace the source number with proper citation information (author’s last name or article/page title if there is no author). You will make corrections to this draft and print it. You will turn in all drafts with the newest on top.
(C) Last, after Mrs. Woodliff reads your revised and edited rough draft, she will make comments that you will address. You will make final corrections to this draft. This will be your final draft.

(6) Presentation:
In addition to turning in the final I-Search paper, you will create a visual presentation of what you learned to share with the class. The presentation can be a poster, PowerPoint, or a series of handouts or brochures and will be from 1-2 minutes long. Further instructions will be given at a later date.

V. Specific Paper Requirements:
500-700 words (not including Works Cited)
5-7 paragraphs
3 short quotes (less than 3 lines). 1 per paragraph (no more than 5 quotes)
No long quotes (more 3 lines or more)
Body paragraphs must be made up of information from multiple sources
Thesis statement must be an opinion.
Introduction and conclusion must be all your own ideas or common knowledge. There should be no material that needs documentation in your introduction or conclusion.