2014-15 Senior Research Paper

GOALS:

  • To conduct research in order to evaluate multiple perspectives on an issue;
  • To integrate researched information into a balanced analysis of the issue;
  • To draw and support research-based conclusions about the issue.
  • You must earn a passing grade on this paper in order to graduate from CHS.

FORMAT:

  • MLA Formatted Research Analysis.
  • Formal Academic Voice.
  • A minimum of six (6) cited sources are required to pass, and eight (8) sources are required for an A; Must represent a balance offree, subscription, and print sources.

AUDIENCE:

  • Your audience is adult community members including individuals who have little or no knowledge/background about your topic and issue.

SCOPE:

  • Word counts do not include the heading or the Works Cited.
  • Minimum word count to pass is 1500 (approximately 6-7 pages); papers that do not meet the 1500 word threshold will not be graded.
  • Minimum word count for an A is 2000 (approximately 8-9 pages).
  • Because maintaining focus is important, papers that exceed 2800 words will not be graded.

TECHNOLOGY:

  • You will be gathering your research and building an outline using EasyBib.
  • You will share your drafts in Google Drive to avoid loss of work; if you choose to compose in Microsoft Word, that is fine, but recognize that it does not auto-save, track changes, or automatically share your work.
  • You will submit your paper to Turnitin.com and include the plagiarism matching report (Originality Report) as part of your final SRP Portfolio.

DEADLINES:

  • You will be assigned a Writing Conference Appointment between March 3rd and 20th. You must bring a finished, polished,printed-out paper to your Writing Conference.
  • After your Writing Conference, you will be conducting peer review beginning March 25th. You must have a completed paper in Google Drive in order to do peer review, and this paper must reflect revisions made after your Writing Conference.
  • The final draft of your Senior Research Paper is due to turnitin.com by 11:59pm on April 1st.
  • If your Final Draft fails to meet minimum standards, you will have the opportunity resubmit to earn a passing grade (D maximum) at my discretion. Papers that earn a passing grade cannot be resubmitted for a higher grade. The highest grade a resubmitted paper can earn is a D.

Technology Information You Need:

EasyBib.com

  • You might have used the basic version of EasyBib before, but for this class you will need to create an account with a log-in. You might already have an account… a real email account is required for this.
  • Create a “New Project” called LASTNAME Senior Paper
  • Share your project with . Check ALL THREE boxes (view, edit, and comment).
  • In class, you will be given more instructions about how to use EasyBib. We will be using EasyBib to organize research, build your Works Cited, and build your essay’s outline.

Turnitin.com

  • You probably already have a turnitin.com login from previous years or other classes; if not, you will need to create a free turnitin.com account. A real email account is required for this.
  • Do not wait until the last minute to try to enroll.
  • To enroll in my class, you will need this information:
  • Class ID:9392108(period1); 9392123 (period 2); 9392137 (period 3)
  • Enrollment Password: lacklandCHS (case sensitive)
  • In class, you will be given more instructions about how to use Turnitin.com.

Google Drive

  • You must create the file when logged in on your camas.wednet.edu Google account.
  • Create a document following this naming protocol:
  • LASTNAME, Firstname Senior Research Paper
  • If you do not follow this naming protocol, the paper will not be read.
  • Share it with me at ; give me “Can Edit” privileges.

A few words about plagiarism:

Plagiarism is when a writer or speaker presents other people’s ideas and information as his or her own. Plagiarism includes the following:

  • Failure to properly cite the sources of ideas, facts, images, or concrete details.
  • Failure to appropriately paraphrase information from a source, even if that source is cited.
  • Presenting a paper or any part of a paper written by someone else; submitting someone else’s paper as your own.
  • Asking another person to write your paper for you.

In your paper, you are expected to use both paraphrasing and direct quotations as you review the multiple perspectives on your issue. You are used to using direct quotes, but paraphrasing can be a little trickier, so we will be practicing this in class.

  • Paraphrasing IS NOT simply “re-wording” a passage of text by mixing a few things up or using synonyms for words.
  • A paraphrase CANNOT have the same sentence structure as the original.
  • A paraphrase SHOULDsummarize and reorganize the original ideas in order to present useful points…and still must be properly cited.

SENIOR RESEARCH PAPER CALENDAR and DEADLINES

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Weekend
1.26 – No School
How many Senior Project Hours did you put in? / 1.27
In-class essays: reflection on Hamlet unit and close reading of 12 line passage. / 1.28
Regular Classroom:
Unit Overview; Topic Selection. / 1.29
Regular Classroom:
Topic review; Differing paper types and purposes / 1.30
Regular Classroom:
Exploring Example Essays / 1.31-2.1
HW: SRP Homework #1; SRP Hours
2.2
Regular Classroom:
EasyBib setup and “Note Card” Requirements; Review Skill Drills
Issue Workshop;
Citation Baseline / 2.3
LAB 200
Skill Drill: Quote Integration;
Research / 2.4
LAB 200
Skill Drill: Quote Integration;
Research / 2.5
LAB 200
Skill Drill: Quote Integration;
Research / 2.6
LAB 200
Skill Drill: Quote Integration;
Research
Works Cited, All Research
DUE @TEOC / 2.7-8
HW: SRP Hours
2.9
Regular Classroom:
Effective Introductions:
Skill Drill: Revising a Thesis / 2.10
Regular Classroom:
Skill Drill: Revising a Thesis;
Draft, Peer Review Intro and Thesis / 2.11 – Late Start (1, 3)
Skill Drill: Revising a Thesis;
Regular Classroom:
Building an Outline / 2.12 – Late Start (2)
Skill Drill: Revising a Thesis;
Regular Classroom:
Building an Outline / 2.13
Skill Drill: Revising a Thesis;
LAB 200
Building an Outline in EasyBib / 2.14-15
HW: SRPHours; Outline in EasyBib
2.16 – No School
President’s Day
HW: SRPHours; Outline in EasyBib / 2.17
LAB 200 - Skill Drill: Detail Selection;
Building an Outline
SRP 10-Hour Checkpoint / 2.18
LAB 200
Skill Drill: Detail Selection;
Building an Outline in EasyBib / 2.19
Regular Classroom: Outlines to Body Paragraphs; How to Paraphrase Well;
Skill Drill: Paraphrase / 2.20
Regular Classroom:
Skill Drill: Paraphrase; Cohesiveness
Outlines shared in EasyBib by 11:59pm / 2.21-22
HW: SRP Hours; Write your paper!
2.23
Regular Classroom:
Paraphrasing Quiz and Debrief; Skill Drill: Cohesiveness / 2.24
LAB 200
SkillDrill:Paraphrase;
Paper Work Time / 2.25
LAB 200
SkillDrill:Paraphrase;
Paper Work Time
Writing Conf. Sign-ups / 2.26
Regular Classroom:
SkillDrill:Cohesiveness;
Building Your Conclusion / 2.27 –
LAB 200
Last Day of In- Class Paper Work Time / 2.28-3.1
HW: Complete your entire paper before your Writing Conf.
3.2
Booktalk and Unit Preview: new literary unit / 3.3
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Fluency
Writing Conferences / 3.4
Literary Seminar
Skill Drill: Fluency / 3.5
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Fluency;
Writing Conferences / 3.6
Reading Quiz;
Skill Drill Quiz / 3.7-8
HW: Make revisions after your Wri. Conf.
3.9
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Fluency;
Writing Conferences / 3.10
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Fluency;
Writing Conferences / 3.11 – Late Start (5)
Seminar;
Skill Drill: Fluency / 3.12 – Late Start (6)
Seminar; Skill Drill: Fluency / 3.13
Quiz;
Skill Drill Quiz / 3.14-15
HW: Make revisions after your Wri. Conf.
3.16
Seminar;
Skill Drill: Cumulative / 3.17
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Cumulative;
Writing Conferences / 3.18
Seminar;
Skill Drill: Cumulative / 3.19
SSR Time;
Skill Drill: Cumulative;
Writing Conferences / 3.20
Skill Drill Test;
Literature Unit Paper Prep / 3.21-22
HW: Make revisions after your Wri. Conf.
3.23
Literature Unit Essay Test / 3.24
Literature Unit Essay Test / 3.25
LAB 200
Revised Research Paper FINISHED @TSOC
Peer Review / 3.26
LAB 200
Research Paper Peer Review / 3.27
LAB 200
Research Paper Peer Review / 3.28-29
HW: Make revisions based on peer review feedback.
3.30
LAB 200
Revising Research Paper / 3.31
LAB 200
Revising Research Paper / 4.1
LAB 200
Revising Research Paper; Final Edits
FINAL DRAFT DUE to Turnitin.com by 11:59pm. / 4.2
Regular Classroom:
SRP 15-Hour Checkpoint
Debrief Unit Essay Test / 4.3
LAB 200
SRP Portfolio Checklist and Planning / 4.4-5
Spring Break!
Work on Senior Project Hours and Portfolio as Needed.
Complete all hours by April 30th.

Writing Conferences:

On February 25th, you will sign up for a writing conference with me. These conferences are 20-30 minute one-on-one conferences where I work with you on your Senior Paper to give you individualized feedback about how to improve your work for your final draft.

  • You will be considered “prepared” for your appointment if you arrive with a complete research paper and Works Cited printed out. Only one copy is needed.
  • You will sign up for an appointment, available certain days during class, before school, and during A lunch as needed.
  • If you are absent from school on the day of your scheduled appointment, you must reschedule immediately upon your return (or see last bullet below).
  • If you are present at school on the day of your appointment, but you are not prepared OR you do not arrive on time to your appointment, you forfeit your opportunity to receive feedback.
  • If you are ready before your scheduled appointment, you may opt to trade appointments with an absent or unprepared student. (If they are unprepared and you take their spot, they take your original appointment and owe you big time).

Skill Drills:

Quote Integration: Seamlessly integrate direct quotations into your own writing.

Revising a Thesis: Revise a thesis statement to represent analysis rather than summary.

Detail Selection: Select relevant, illustrative details to support a claim.

Paraphrasing: Effectively paraphrase a direct quote, avoiding plagiarism.

Cohesiveness: Avoid transition words in favor of idea cohesiveness.

Fluency: Revise sentence structure by combining or decomposing sentences for clarity and flow.

Skill Drill Routine:

Within the first 10 minutes of class:

  • Directions are on the screen.
  • Students create a proper heading for the skill drill in their composition book.
  • Students follow the directions on the screen to accomplish the skill drill.
  • Teacher debriefs the skill drill; students take notes on rules, guidelines, hints, etc.

Skill Drill Quizzes:

For “Skill Drill” quizzes, students will be given passages or scenarios similar to the daily Skill Drill activity. Students are allowed to reference their own composition book notes during the quiz, if needed.

Skill Drill Test:

For the “Skill Drill” test (March 20th), students will be given passages or scenarios similar to the daily Skill Drill activity. Students are not allowed to reference composition book notes during the test. No retakes.