Name:
Teacher:
Period:
Date:
English I
Fall 2012
Research Paper
MLA Hero Paragraph
So far throughout the year we have been discussing the idea of heroes and what qualifies someone to be
labeled a hero. At this time you should revisit the worksheet we completed about heroes during The
Outsiders unit to help you brainstorm and organize your thoughts.
At this time you must make a final decision about who you want to prove, through research, is a qualified
hero. Remember, you must be able to research the person so choose wisely.
Procedure:
1. Choose a hero
2. Research your hero through any variety of sources, as discussed in class
3. Find at least one CREDIBLE source and obtain a paper copy of it (printout or photocopy)
4. Use the template we have been practicing all year to organize your thoughts and research into
ONE cohesive PARAGRAPH
5. Your paragraph should include everything required below in the template, which can also be
found in the examples provided
6. Type your paragraph (indented without letters and numbers) and Works Cited page in MLA
format as learned in class
Template:
II.
Topic Sentence: Your opinion, your answer to the prompt
A.
Connect topic sentence idea to the big picture attention getter:
B.
Provide evidence from source and CITE:
C.
Explanation/Context/Details/Connections:
D.
Provide NEW evidence/example from source and CITE:
E.
Explanation/Context/Details/Connections:
F.
Clincher: restatement of topic sentence + big picture impactor
Paragraph:
Topic Sentence: Your opinion, your answer to the prompt. Connect topic sentence idea to the big
picture attention getter. Provide evidence from source and CITE. Explanation/ Context/ Details/
Connections. Provide NEW evidence from source and CITE. Explanation/ Context/ Details/ Connections.
Clincher: restatement of topic sentence + big picture impactor.
Teacher Sample Template:
II. Giuliana Rancic is my hero because she possesses truly admirable character traits.
A. All heroes should strive to live so that others have someone to emulate.
B. “Giuliana is very involved in organizations that recognize her Italian heritage” (Phillips 14).
C. Interacting with regular people who share her roots shows that Rancic is down to earth and still
remembers where she came from.
D. “Facing a devastating diagnosis, Rancic chose to undergo a double mastectomy at the age of 39”
(Brooks 2).
E. Making this difficult choice regarding her health demonstrates Rancic’s courage in dealing with her
cancer.
F. Guilliana is my hero, and this title is well-deserved for her.
Teacher Sample Paragraph:
Giuliana Rancic is my hero because she possesses truly admirable character traits. All heroes should
strive to live so that others have someone to emulate. It is well known that “Giuliana is very involved in
organizations that recognize her Italian heritage” (Phillips 14). Interacting with regular people who share her
roots shows that Rancic is down to earth and still remembers where she came from. Also, many people do not
know that she was “Facing a devastating diagnosis, [and] Rancic chose to undergo a double mastectomy at the
age of 39” (Brooks 2). Making this difficult choice regarding her health demonstrates Rancic’s courage in
dealing with her cancer. Guilliana is my hero, and this title is well-deserved for her.
Teacher Sample Works Cited:
Works Cited
Brooks, Raphael. “Dealing with Cancer in the Public Eye.” 7 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2012.
Phillips, Madeline. The Rancics’ Generosity. New York: Random House Publishing, 2010. Print.