Junior Research Paper

Performance Indicators: P.S ELA-5 Writing Craft:   Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. A. Create an effective introduction. B. Use showing details v. telling details. C. Maintain a focus on the main idea throughout the body paragraphs. D. Write an effective conclusion. P.S. ELA-6 Research- based Writing: Compose research- based writing to examine a topic through the selection, organization, analysis, and synthesis of relevant content. A.  Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources B.  Assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience C.  Integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source D.  Follow a standard format for citation. E.  Select and limit an appropriate topic. F. Take notes using a minimum of three sources. G. Prepare an outline and multiple drafts H. Write a works’ cited page. I. Write a strong introduction and conclusion. J. Include precise, effective quotations that directly correspond to the main idea.

 

You are to use the event determined from your amendment selection as the subject for your junior research paper.  Earlier this week you were required to write a thesis statement that might serve as the thesis for the research paper.  The research paper is a thesis-driven composition that uses cited evidence to substantiate the point expressed in the thesis.  Rhetoric therefore is delivered through the evidence not the author’s bias. 

The criteria for the research paper follows:

1.  The paper is to be 5-7 double space pages composed according to MLA guidelines
2.  You are required to use at least five different reference sources, two of which are to be off-line (non-internet) sources.
3.  You are required to use at least fifteen cited pieces of information from your reference sources.  You will also be required to submit a note-card document from Google Docs that presents at least twenty pieces of evidence (facts, quotes, data, graphs, etc… from experts) with the MLA formatted source along with the evidence that you may use in the research paper.  The note card document is due separately the day of the research paper due date.  
4.  A bibliography is also mandatory along with a title page in the research paper; these do not count as pages in your research paper.
5.  The research paper is due on DAY 12 of the syllabus.

A Step-by-Step Plan for Your Research Paper:
1.  amendent justification/events
2.  thesis statement
3.  RESEARCH- note card document
4.  introduction
5.  first body paragraph explains the language of your selected amendment and demonstrates how your selected topic relates to the amendment.  This is a paragraph of purpose.
6.  subsequent body paragraphs that fulfill the theme represented in your thesis.
7.  conclusion that is rhetorically effective demonstrating your objectivity
8.  ensure that you have correctly cited your evidence using MLA standards.
9.  Bibliography according to MLA standards. 

The links below will be helpful if you require further support for organizing and writing your composition according to MLA standards.

Writing a Research Paper
Citation Guidelines
Online Resources
Research Paper Note’s Page Example
Sample Research Paper Displaying MLA Standards