Long Beach High School
Social Studies Department
Global History & Geography 9H
Name:__________________________________________
Teacher:____________________________________ Period: _____
Grade 9 Social Studies
Research Project/Mini-Historical Investigation
This activity is designed for you to develop the skills necessary to
be successful throughout your schooling and professional career.
No matter what career you choose, in some way you will
undoubtedly have to find information, organize, summarize and
analyze it; and then present it to others.
This “historical investigation” is modeled after the assessment
that all students in our IB History of the Americas course must
also complete. The historical investigation is a problem-solving
activity. It requires you to develop and apply the research skills of the historian, to critically
analyze information and use that information to conclusively answer your research question.
Focus of the Research Project
WHO: Individuals from the Renaissance and Reformation
WHAT: Common characteristics or traits during Renaissance and Reformation
WHEN: 1350 – 1600 AD
WHERE: Eastern and Western Europe
WHY & HOW: (This is your research question.)
My Research Question:
To what extent did _____________________ exemplify the
characteristics of __________________________ ?
Grade 9 Social Studies
Research Project/Mini-Historical Investigation
This project will help you develop and demonstrate skills and knowledge in the following areas:
IB Historical Investigation
Structure of the Project
21st Century
Research Skills
A. Plan of the Investigation
* Task Definition
* Writing skills
* Organizational skills
B. Sources
* Information seeking
strategies
* Location & access of
information
* Historical skills (finding
appropriate evidence)
C. Summary of Evidence
* Use of information
* Mastery of content information
D. Evaluation of Sources
* Synthesis
* Evaluation
* Evaluative and analytical skills
* Historical skills (understanding of
evidence, bias)
E. Analysis
* Synthesis
* Evaluation
* Writing skills (presenting an
argument)
* Organizational skills
F. Conclusion
*Evaluation
* Writing skills
What is being Demonstrated
and what will be Assessed:
TENTATIVE CALENDAR and DAILY GOALS
(DAY 1)
TOPIC and RESEARCH QUESTION
(in classroom)
GOALS:
1) Understand the purpose and plan for the research project
2) Define a specific research question
3) Identify and evaluate possible sources of information
(DAY 2 & 3)
RESEARCH INFORMATION
(in library)
GOALS:
1) Locate and select appropriate sources of information
2) Find, extract, and organize information from sources
3) Begin to properly cite material in MLA format in part B “Works Cited” page
4) Begin Part C “Summary of Evidence”
DAY 4, 5 & 6 ORGANIZE, SUMMARIZE & ANALYZE INFORMATION (in library)
GOALS:
1) Complete Part B “Works Cited” Page
2) Complete Part C “Summary of Evidence”
3) Complete Part E “Analysis”
4) Complete Part F “Conclusion”
DAY 7
SUMMARIZE AND ANALYZE INFORMATION
1) Reflect and assess the final product
2) Reflect and assess your performance and the process
(in classroom)
Checklist / “cheat-sheet” for:
Part A. Plan of the Investigation
This is to help guide your research, writing and achieve success. Review your paper and check
the boxes as you complete each section and again as you review it.
Is a brief background/contextual information provided about the importance of topic or
situation?
Is the topic of investigation and specific thesis question stated clearly?
□ A template for this part of the assignment is provided for you. Is the proper information
inserted in the highlighted areas?
What the final product will look like:
A. Plan of the Investigation
This investigation seeks to identify the characteristics of (your topic), which are truly
indicative of (The Renaissance Era) (The Era of Reformation) in Europe. The body of the
investigation describes the significant events in the life of (your topic), that impacted the era.
The specific characteristics that (he/she) exhibited will be identified and examined and analyzed.
The information will be summarized, justifying the thesis statement in the conclusion.
For a more advanced paper,
you may wish to add the following component:
A comparison will be made to (at least one other significant
historical figure) from (another historical era) as analysis.
Checklist / “cheat-sheet” for:
Part B. Sources of Information/ “Works Cited
This is to help guide your research, writing and achieve success. Review your paper and check
the boxes as you complete each section and again as you review it.
□ Do I have 3 – 5 total resources from which I gathered and used information?
□ Is at least one source from a printed book?
□ Is at least one source from a database?
□ Are the sources properly cited throughout all sections of the paper?
□ Is my “Works Cited” (bibliography) on a separate page?
□ Are the sources listed in alphabetical order, using the proper MLA format?
What the final product will look like:
Part B. Sources of Information
Works Cited
Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York
Times. New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.
GlobalWarming.org. Cooler Heads Coalition, 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.
Gowdy, John. "Avoiding Self-organized Extinction: Toward a Co-evolutionary
Economics of Sustainability." International Journal of Sustainable Development
and World Ecology 14.1 (2007): 27-36. Print.
Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming: Myth Or Reality?: The Erring Ways of Climatology.
New York: Springer, 2005. Print.
Milken, Michael, Gary Becker, Myron Scholes, and Daniel Kahneman. "On Global
Warming and Financial Imbalances." New Perspectives Quarterly 23.4 (2006):
63. Print.
Shulte, Bret. "Putting a Price on Pollution." Usnews.com. US News & World Rept., 6
May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.
Checklist / “cheat-sheet” for:
Gathering Evidence
Checklist/ “cheat-sheet” for:
Part C. Summary of Evidence
This is to help guide your research, writing and achieve success. Review your paper and check
the boxes as you complete each section and again as you review it.
□ Have I used information from all of my cited sources?
□ Directly citing key sentences or phrases from secondary or primary sources is encouraged
within this section. Is my evidence cited in proper MLA format?
□ Is my research presented in descriptive or narrative form that will be used to develop my
arguments and analysis in the Part E. Analysis section.
□ Are my (the author) opinions or beliefs NOT included in this section.
□ Pictures, illustrations, charts, documents, lengthy quotes, or graphs NOT used here.
There are none used in this section.
□ The evidence utilized in this section will be analyzed in Section E and used to form the
basis of the conclusion of the paper.
□ Is this section between 200-300 words
(10-15 words per line = 15-30 lines = 2 - 4 paragraphs)
What the final product will look like:
Part C. Summary of Evidence
The English military in South Africa in 1878 was commanded by Lord Chelmsford. He
had not seen much active service, but was considered a reliable commander. He was also
well-liked by his troops (Johnson 45).
Lord Chelmsford led the British forces to several victories in South Africa in the mid
1870’s. Immediately after this he prepared his forces and plans ready to fight the Zulu.
Chelmsford had various regular British regiments, half a company of Royal Engineers and a
Royal Artillery gun battery, but he had no regular cavalry. He did not consider these
numbers were adequate so he asked for more troops to be sent. (Miller and Washington
321). Despite these forces and considerable reinforcements that arrived, Lord Chelmsford
was defeated by the defending Zulu forces.
After being severely criticized for the defeat by Zulu forces, Lord Chelmsford quickly…
Checklist/ “cheat-sheet” for:
This is to help guide your research, writing and achieve success. Review your paper and check
the boxes as you complete each section and again as you review it.
Part D. Evaluation of Sources
This assignment does not require a “Part D. Evaluation of Sources.
Continue on to Part E. Analysis.
Part E. Analysis
□ Do I (the author) directly utilize the evidence in Section C to argue my thesis?
□ Do I (the author) expand upon the evidence presented in Section C when necessary to
explain and prove its importance or relevance to the research question?
□ Is the evidence clearly analyzed, and are specific reasons and evidence provided to
support the arguments presented?
□ Do I (the author) make sure the audience (reader) understands the importance of the
investigation in its historical context?
□ Can the audience (reader) clearly distinguish between my beliefs and conclusions; and
information, statements or beliefs of the other sources used and cited by me (the author).
□ Can the audience (reader) clearly follow my (the author) thinking?
□ Is this section between 200-300 words?
(10-15 words per line = 15-30 lines = 2 - 4 paragraphs)
(300 – 500 if comparing to another historical figure = 4-6 paragraphs)
What the final product will look like:
Part D. Evaluation of Sources
This specific assignment is a modified version of the Historical Investigation and does not
require an evaluation of sources.
.
Part E. Analysis
The study of different schools of thought about the Cold War provides an interesting
perspective not only about the conflict itself but also about the ideas and developments of the United
States at the time. The “New Left” revisionist school emerged in the 1960’s clearly as a reaction to…
Checklist/ “cheat-sheet” for:
Part F. Conclusion
This is to help guide your research, writing and achieve success. Review your paper and check
the boxes as you complete each section and again as you review it.
□ Have I clearly addressed all elements of my research question, outlined in the Part A.
Plan of Investigation?
□ I (the author) have not “straddled the fence,” but have clearly taken a side and described
the degree (or the extent to which) I support with the original research question, outlined
in the Part A. Plan of Investigation?
□ I (the author) have reflected upon the degree to which I am certain of the conclusions I
have made. For this assignment reflective thought is required here in part F. The
documentation of the reflection will be written and discussed outside of this specific
paper.
□ Is this section between 75 - 150 words?
(10-15 words per line = 5 - 15 lines = 1 - 2 paragraphs)
What the final product will look like:
Part F. Conclusion
Leon Trotsky as a Marxist revolutionary, changed from the Menshevik party to the Bolshevik
party in order to take part in a second revolution and oust the weak Provisional government. As an
energetic, fearless campaigner, and Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet he complimented Lenin, who
was …