Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Historical Research Essay, Research Process #2


(from page 3 in the assignment packet: today's goals)
o   Annotated bibliography (Due 1/21/14)
o   Research Process #2:                    /10   (Due 1/21/14)
o   Define Cultural Significance of Topic
o   Graphic Organizer of paper structure

Research Process 2:
Annotated Bibliography

For your essay, you must find at least five sources relating to your topic.  At least one of these must be a print source (book, magazine, newspaper, map, etc.).

Next you must create an annotated bibliography of your sources.  An annotated bibliography is a list of your sources (in MLA format, similar to a works cited page), but also includes a short description (2-3 sentences) of each source and its information.  In an essay where you must use multiple sources of information, the annotated bibliography is helpful in keeping track of your sources and the information they contain.

Your annotated bibliography (with at least five sources and annotations) is due
Tuesday, January 21.

                                           Annotated Bibliography Example
Colvin, Richard Lee and Martha Groves.  "Schools Learn Perils of Using a Single Test."
        Los Angeles Times  25 September 1999:  A1.

        (use literary present tense)
This article discusses the recent grading mistakes made by some of the top test-making  
companies in the United States.  The results supplied by CTB/McGraw-Hill sent over 8,600
students in New York to summer school, by mistake, due to faulty results.  This has also
occurred with other publishers and in other states.  With so much at risk, such as high school
graduation, it is imperative that results are given accurately.  It is also necessary to make sure
standardized tests are not the only factor in getting a diploma or advancing to the next grade.
Herman, Joan L. and Jamal Abedi.  "Assessing the Effects of Standardized Testing on Schools."
        Educational and Psychological Measurement  54  (Summer 1994):  471-482.
This article gives statistical data collected from upper elementary teachers in 48 different
schools.  450 questionnaires were sent to the teachers to get information on what they
thought of standardized testing.  Questions included: how much pressure is felt from the
principal or school district, how much time is spent reviewing for standardized tests, and to
what extent changes in test scores are due to a change in instruction.  The surveys were
given out to all types of schools, poor and wealthy, and approximately 341 were received back.



Research Process #2

Assignment for Tuesday, Jan. 21


1.       On a piece of your own paper, answer these questions:  What effect does your topic have on today’s culture?  Why is it significant or important to the lives of Americans today?
In other words, how has the invention of the telephone or the popularity of Oprah affected the world we live in?  (Substitute your own topic here) 

You will use this statement to write your thesis statement on Monday.  Your thesis statement for this paper is essentially your topic + your opinion or position about why this is important.  Make sure you put this paper in your writing folder.

2.       If you have already found 4-5 useful sources, skip to step 3.  If not, continue to research sources online.  You need to have at least 5 sources that you will use for this paper.  In other words, all of your information cannot come from the same source—you must include, in the text of your paper, information from each one of your sources.
Evidence of note taking is required here.  Either highlight the important information in the text of your article or include another piece of paper where you take notes on the important info.
3.       If you have all of your sources, begin to organize the research into the sections you’ll use in your papers.  You could do this in a graphic organizer like the one in your packet (page 5). If another graphic organizer format works better for you, use that instead.

                      
Intro:  ½ page (include attention getter, thesis, and preview of main points)
Multiple Causes: 1 ½ pages (about ½ page per cause, show how all lead to the central moment)
Moment: 1 page (center point of the paper, explaining the central idea and its importance)
Multiple Effects: 1 ½ pages (about ½ page per effect, show how all come out of the central moment)
Conclusion: ½ page (include a restatement of thesis, recap of main points, and a final statement about importance of moment)

See also outline example for paper format.



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