The English 3 AP/Dual Credit Research Paper

The English 3 AP/Dual Credit Research Paper

The Rationale: Many college courses require you to submit a major research project, a term paper. Therefore, the knowledge of the research process and paper development can be an invaluable tool for success after high school. Furthermore, research and citation processes may be addressed on the AP exam. In other words, even though you may be grumbling now, you will thank me for this one day!

The Assignment: You will demonstrate your understanding of the research process by submitting a 5-7 page research paper written in MLA format on a topic of your choice. A research paper is an argument, not simply a report of information. You will adhere to the MLA style with proper citations and a "Works Cited" page. You will use at least 6 sources: 2 print, 2 internet, and 2 of your choice (additional print or web, videos, personal interviews, etc.

The Method: We will approach the research process in stages and you will be required to submit, subject to assessment and grading, evidence of the successful completion of certain stages. Some steps will count as daily grades (DG) and others as major grades (MG). The steps and due dates are as follows:

Research Topic (DG): Monday, Jan 9
Research Materials (MG): Tuesday, Jan 17
Outline (DG): Monday, Jan 23
Rough Draft (DG): Wednesday, Feb 1
Final Draft (MG): Monday, Feb 6
Research Presentations (DG): Monday, Feb 6 – Wednesday, Feb 8

Research Topic (Daily Grade): Choose a topic. You may want to consider:

If you are interested in the topic
If learning about the topic will help you in a course
If learning about the topic will help you in a potential major
If learning about the topic will help you in a potential career
If your topic will meet my approval.

Below you will find a list of sample topics. You may choose one of these or create a topic of your own. On Monday, Jan 9, come to class with your topic. In class, we will create a formal topic proposal and turn your topic into a research question.

The War on Terror:

Airport security

Risks of different types of terrorist attacks

Continuing to build skyscrapers

Guantanamo Bay

Coerced interrogation methods

Homeland security and civil rights

Effectiveness of our national intelligence organizations

Conflicts between civil liberties and laws designated to stop terrorism

Racial profiling of Middle Eastern ethnic groups

Limits on Muslim and/or Arab immigration

National prayer cervices

Radio censorship of “inappropriate songs” (free speech vs. “sensitivity”)
Pulling movies with violent themes from distribution

Responsibilities of talk radio and talk show hosts to present accurate information

Mainstream media bias

Journalistic responsibilities (fact checking, crisis reporting, inaccurate statements/corrections)

Education:

School uniforms in public schools

Year-round schooling

College costs

Methods of school crime prevention

Student vs. teacher’s rights

Block scheduling in high schools

Censorship of books in schools

School violence and securing

National/Standardized testing

Teaching certification standards

Teaching about global warming

Prayer in school

Religious proselytizing (trying to convert) on campus

Sex education courses in public schools

Bilingual education

Charter schools

Home schooling and public schools

Privileges of athletes

Cutting funding for fine arts (theater, art, music, etc)

Career preparation courses vs. college preparation courses

Internet and Media:

Filters on the web (at businesses, school, parental controls)

Internet privacy

Regulation of questionable or incorrect information on the internet

Online news coverage vs. traditional broadcast and print (positive/negative effects)

Media coverage of celebrities

Electronic storage of information and intellectual property rights

Music and film downloading

Music and film file sharing; record company lawsuits

Storing information electronically instead of in hard copy

Coarsening of culture (insensitivity due to over-exposure)

Effects of violence in television and film

Environment:

Hunting and animal rights

Endangered species laws

Government’s role in environmental policy

Global warming

Effects of ozone depletion on earth

Endangered species

Alternative energy sources

Oil industry

U.S. energy policy

Overfishing

Effects of fertilizers and pesticides on drinking water

Science:

Stem cell research

DNA testing for death penalty

Fetal tissue research

Fertility and ethics

Life on other planets

Organic horticulture

Bioengineering plants

Biology related to criminal activity

Animal captivity

Genetic engineering in humans

Animal research

Genetically engineered foods

Politics and Government:

Presidential primaries/election

World Trade Organization; free trade

Regulation of entertainment industry

Nuclear arms

Roosevelt and Pearl Harbor

Military spending

Government allocation of funds

Current laws in congress

U.S. intervention in Iraq, Iran, Aphganistan

Social Security

Campaign finance reform

Influence of religion on government and politics

Revising the tax system: flat tax, sales tax, etc

Lack of freedom of religion in Iran

Government funding for faith-based initiatives

Health and Medical Issues:

Patients’ Bill of Rights

National Health care, insurance

Universal health care

Medical privacy protection

Prescription drug prices

Impact of malpractice insurance rates

Behavior modification drugs

Fad diets

Eating disorders

Vegetarians vs. meat-eaters

Government funding of research into alternative medicine

Performance enhancing drugs

Attention Deficit Disorder and use of Ritalin

Pharmaceutical industry and AIDS/HIV

Fertility treatments/fertility issues

Dietary supplements

Cell phones while driving

Athletes and steroids

Managed care for the mentally ill

Treatments for depression

Effectiveness of antibacterial products

Law:

Smoking in public areas

Juvenile criminals tried as adults

Fetal tissue research

Gun Laws

Missing persons laws and police procedures

Patient’s rights legislation

Use of personal information by web-based business

Flag burning amendment

Issues with any current law

Business and Economics:

Bail outs

Occupy protests

Dangers of corporate monopolies

Cigarette Taxes

Value of the dollar

Stock market crashes

Tobacco industry

Oil prices

Minimum wages

Tax cuts

Debt consolidation

Economic stimulus

Unemployment

Culture and Society:

Children and media violence

Effects of media images on body image/self-esteems

Video game violence vs. video game benefits

Over population

Music lyrics and teens

MTV/reality tv’simact on teen culture

Violence in entertainment

Representation of women in the media

Racially based affirmative action in college admissions

Censorship of art, music, books

Teenage drivers and car accidents

Teenage auto insurance rates

Aggressive behavior in children

Learning disorders

Eating disorders

Effects of beauty pageants on children

Sports:

Drafting high school athletes into professional teams

Professional athletes’ salaries

Gambling in sports

Violence in sports, professional athletes

Steroid use

Privileges of athletes

Should athletes be legally accountable for undesirable actions on field?

Miscellaneous:

Tire and automotive safety

SUV’s safety, fuel efficiency

Adoption laws and regulations

Animal cruelty/welfare

Animal rescue groups (should the government support no-kill shelters?)

Women in combat

Police brutality

Racial profiling

Pit bulls as dangerous pets

Unacceptable Topics:

Abortion

Illegal Immigration

Drinking Age

Same Sex Marriage

Research Materials (Major Grade): You will submit your researched materials for a major grade. You will use at least 6 sources: 2 print, 2 internet, and 2 of your choice (additional print or web, videos, personal interviews, etc.) You will record your research on source pages (see example on pg 5). For each source, you will: write the citation in MLA format, write an annotation evaluating the source, record at least 5 quotes, noting the page number and the section of the essay in which you will use the quote. This method will organize your research so that you can refer to it easily when you prepare to write your essay. It will also provide you with the documentation you will need for in-text citations and your works cited page. You may either type or handwrite your research. See sample on pg. 5. See MLA citations guide on pg. 6.

Complete Sentence Outline (Daily Grade): Your essay will be organized according to Classical Model of Argument. Major sections will include:

Introduction
Narration
Confirmation
Refutation (may be placed before confirmation if appropriate)
Conclusion

You will submit a typed outline in which all headings and subheadings will be in sentence form. As in any outline, a division or subdivision cannot be divided into one part; therefore, if there is an “A” there must be a “B,” and if there is a “1” there must be a “2.” Careful and complete outlining saves times and energy. You have already conquered the task of organizing the paper; therefore, you will be able to concentrate on writing and developing paragraphs. A good sentence outline can help overcome problems you may encounter when starting to write your paper (i.e. writer’s block). See sample on pg. 7.

Rough Draft (Daily Grade): You will bring a typed rough draft to class on Monday, Jan 30. We will spend the next two-three class periods revising and peer editing in class. You will receive no credit for the rough draft if you do not have it with you that Monday.

Final Draft (Major Grade): The final, revised draft of your research paper is due Monday, Feb 6. Essays turned in after this date will receive the standard 10 point late penalty. All essays must be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman size 12 font with 1 inch margins. All essays must include an MLA heading and proper MLA citations (in-text citations and a works cited page). All essays must be 5 to 7 pages in length. If an essay does not reach the end of the 5th page, it is not complete and will be returned to the student to finish. Essays with a distracting number of grammatical errors will not receive an ‘A.’

Research Presentation (Daily Grade): You will present the main ideas of your research paper to the class in the form of a power point presentation. You should include at least one slide per major section (i.e. 5 slides). Presentations should be about 5 minutes long and should cover all of the major points of your essay. Include visuals and engage your audience! Everyone should be ready to present on Monday, Feb 6.

Source 1

Citation / Annotation
Quote / (Author pg) / Section of essay

Formatting Quotations:

Short Quotations (less than 4 lines):

Ex: According to some, dreams express "profound aspects of personality" (Foulkes 184), though others disagree.

Ex: According to Foulkes's study, dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (184).

Ex: Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (Foulkes 184)?

Long Quotations (4 lines or more; maintain double spacing)

Ex: Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration:

They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)

Adding or Omitting Words

If you add a word or words in a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original text.

Ex: Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: "some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale" (78).

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the deleted word or words by using ellipsis marks, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space.

Ex: In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that "some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale . . . and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs" (78).

Please note that brackets are not needed around ellipses unless adding brackets would clarify your use of ellipses.

How to Format Your Works Cited Page (start a new page at the end of your essay).

Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.
Indent the second and subsequent lines of citations five spaces so that you create a hanging indent.
Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc, but do not capitalize articles (the, an), prepositions, or conjunctions unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle: Gone with the Wind, The Art of War, There Is Nothing Left to Lose.
Use italics (instead of underlining) for titles of larger works (books, magazines) and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles)
If you have cited more than one work by a particular author, order the entries alphabetically by title, and use three hyphens in place of the author's name for every entry after the first:
Alphabetize works with no known author by their title; use a shortened version of the title in the parenthetical citations in your paper.

Works Cited

Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients."Washington Post 24 May 2007: LZ01. Print.

Duvall, John N. "The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo'sWhite Noise." Arizona Quarterly 50.3 (1994): 127-53. Print.

---. “Violence in Video Games: From WOW to now.”Arizona Quarterly 51.2 (1995): 110-116. Print.

“The Future of Cloning.”Time 132.3 (2011): 86-92. Print.

How to Cite Sources in MLA format:

Basic Format

Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

Book with One Author

Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House. Denver: MacMurray, 1999. Print.

Book with More Than One Author

Gillespie, Paula, and Neal Lerner.The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring. Boston: Allyn, 2000. Print.

Book with No Author

Encyclopedia of Indiana. New York: Somerset, 1993. Print.

A Work Prepared by an Editor

Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Margaret Smith. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection

Harris, Muriel. "Talk to Me: Engaging Reluctant Writers." A Tutor's Guide: Helping Writers One to One. Ed. Ben Rafoth. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. 24-34. Print.

Article in a Reference Book (e.g. Encyclopedias, Dictionaries)

"Ideology."The American Heritage Dictionary.3rd ed. 1997. Print.

Article in a Magazine

Author(s)."Title of Article."Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. Medium of publication.

Poniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time20 Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.

Article in a Newspaper

Brubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's Uninsured Patients."Washington Post 24 May 2007: LZ01. Print.

An Article in a Scholarly Journal

Duvall, John N. "The (Super)Marketplace of Images: Television as Unmediated Mediation in DeLillo's White Noise." Arizona Quarterly 50.3 (1994): 127-53. Print.

An Article in a Web Magazine

Bernstein, Mark. "10 Tips on Writing the Living Web." A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites. A List Apart Mag., 16 Aug. 2002. Web. 4 May 2009.

An Article from an Online Database (or Other Electronic Subscription Service)

Junge, Wolfgang, and Nathan Nelson.“Nature's Rotary Electromotors.”Science 29 Apr. 2005: 642-44. Science Online.Web. 5 Mar. 2009.

Complete Sentence Outline Sample

Thesis: Research shows that sing-sex classes are better for girls and, therefore, should be encouraged.

I. During the first 200 years in America, women were not allowed in schools.

A. Initially, education was only for men.

B. Throughout the nineteenth century, the number of coed schools increased.

C. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX, a law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational institutions.

II. One significant advantage of single-sex classes is the elimination of gender bias that often occurs in coed classes.

A. Teachers pay more attention to boys.

1. Girls are not called on as often as boys in coed classes.

2. Many times teachers tolerate disruptive behavior in boys but discourage the same behavior in girls.

B. Favoritism is also an issue in coed classes.

1. Teachers “get a thrill from involving a boy who’s going to be disruptive.”

2. Teachers have higher expectations for boys than for girls.

III. Girls benefit from being free from the gender bias of coed classes.

A. They perform better academically.

1. Textbooks “show an inherent and often inadvertent bias against females in textbooks.”

2. This bias also shows itself in teaching techniques.

B. Techniques that are disadvantageous to girls are more apparent in certain subject areas.

1. Girls show more interest in math when taught in single-sex classes.

2. This is also the case in science courses.

IV. However, there is a possibility that single-sex schools will place girls at a disadvantage when they graduate.

A. Girls may not be prepared to work with the opposite sex in college or in future careers.

1. Girls may feel uncomfortable working with boys as peers.

2. Girls may not be able to communicate well with boys.

B. These risks, however, do not outweigh the benefits of single-sex schools.

IV. Single-sex classes not only offer academic advantages, but also personal benefits.

A. Distractions are eliminated when the sexes are separated.

B. All-girl schools offer a nurturing environment in which girls are not afraid to try.

1. The single-sex environment makes girls feel more comfortable in class.

2. In all-girl schools, one is respected for doing well in class, instead of being mocked by other students.

C. Girls have lower self-esteem than adolescent boys.

1. Single-sex education compensates for this disparity.

2. All positions of power are held by girls.