History Research Paper
Mr. O’Kane – March 31, 2014
DUE DATE: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Objective: In a group of 3-4 you will collaboratively write a 3-4 (Full Page) page research paper with a clear and
concise thesis. You will support the thesis with credible and historically relevant evidence. You will also present the
material in your paper in the form of a PowerPoint presentation to the class.
Timeline: By March 28th, you will be put into you groups and begin researching possible topics. By the conclusion
April 4th, your group will have a meeting with me in which we will:
1. Give me your topic
2. Discuss and confirm what the responsibilities of each group member will be during the process
3. Share your document with me in Google Docs. I will periodically monitor the revision history of Google
Docs as needed. We will do this in the Library.
Grade Break Down and early due dates1. Building Research Focus Work Sheet (15 points): Each member of the group will have to complete the
Building a Research Focus worksheet independently (Due April 10th).
2. Building Your Thesis Map (15 points): After researching for three days your group will be responsible
for filling out the Building You’re thesis Map (Due April 16th).
3. Rough Draft (15 points): You will have rough draft where close to 75% of the paper is complete and
submit your paper to a focus group (Due April 30th).
4. Research Paper -(100 points): Complete paper, including the works cited will be due on Tuesday, May 6,
2014. Your grade will be dropped 10 points for each day it is late. No papers are accepted after
Friday, May 9th. Absence is not an excuse.
5. Formal Peer Review: You will be asked to hand in a Formal Peer Review sheet along with your Final
draft of your paper.
6. Presentation (30 points): You will be asked to present your paper to the class and defend your thesis.
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Due Dates:
1. Final Paper: In class – May 6th – Entire paper, if Works Cited is not attached it cannot be
added at a later time. Paper handed in after the class period is over it is considered one day late
(Minus 10 points)
a. The paper will be due in hard copy as well as electronically through turnitin.com
2. Presentation:
a. Your presentations will be finished at this time and should be printed and handed to me along with
the paper. NO REVISIONS are allowed pass May 6th.
b. All members of the group will present me with an independent analysis of how the group dynamic
worked and whether or not they believe there was an equitable distribution of work. (Formal Peer
Review)
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Research Paper – Possible Topics
Below is sampling of possible topics. You may propose an alternate topic that must be in the time frame of
the US 1 curriculum. However, it must be similar to these topics in scope and challenge (one question to
ask yourself about any possible topic is: “Can I develop a strong thesis about this issue?”). In addition, it
should be something that you REALLY want to know more about – because you are going to be pushed
to really go into depth about this subject. – You must clear other topics with me first! (NOTE: No more
than one group can research the same topic)
1. Bergen County in the Revolutionary War: Loyalist or Patriot?
2. The Boston Massacre: Legitimate British defense or wanton murder?
3. The role of propaganda during the Revolutionary War: Important factor or unimportant information?
4. Benedict Arnold: Traitor or victim of politics?
5. Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan: Responsible statesmanship or scheme for political interests?
6. Jim Crow Laws: Legalized racism or states’ rights
7. The Conspiracy Trial of Aaron Burr: Reasonable evidence of guilt or political frame-up?
8. The Alien and Sedition Acts: National security or government suppression?
9. The War of 1812: National defense or American imperialism?
10. The Monroe Doctrine: Justified or Unjustified?
11. The Era of Good Feeling: (1817-1825) A nation pulling together or the rise of sectionalism?
12. President Andrew Jackson: Politician or Statesman?
13. US Policy toward the Native Americans: Tried to preserve the culture of the Native Americans or
intentional destruction of the Native American cultures.
14. Jackson’s War on the Bank of the United States: Economic sense or a political vendetta?
15. President Grant (1869-1877) Political victim or corrupt President?
16. The Abolition Movement: Effective political force or “lunatic fringe”?
17. General William T. Sherman: Military hero or war criminal?
18. Captain Wirz of Andersonville: War criminal or scapegoat?
19. John D. Rockefeller: Representative of the best or worst aspects of American capitalism?
20. Andrew Carnegie: Representative of the best or worst aspects of American capitalism?
21. J.P. Morgan: Representative of the best or worst aspects of American capitalism?
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22. Cornelius Vanderbilt: Representative of the best or worst aspects of American capitalism?
23. President Andrew Johnson: Victim or villain?
24. Abraham Lincoln: Savior or destroyer of the Constitution?
25. Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator or military realist?
26. The Dred Scott Decision: Good law or sectional politics?
27. Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Du Bois: Who represented the best path for the black to follow after the
Civil War?
28. The Mexican War: “The most unjust war the U.S. has ever fought? (True or False)
29. Plessy v. Ferguson: Decision contributed to racism in the US or prevented hate crimes in the South after
Reconstruction.
30. Policies of Reconstruction: Failure in ending race problems or successful in ending race problems.
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Writing the Research Paper
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The research paper represents an unbiased account of a topic documented with pertinent and valid
information in support of whatever statements you make.
When you state your research you will write a statement of controlling purpose. This is a sentence or
pair of sentences that tells what you want to accomplish in your paper. It is called a statement of controlling
purpose because it controls, or guides, your research. Two examples of statement of controlling
purpose:
a. The purpose of this paper will be to analyze the impact of political demonstrations of U.S. policy
during the Vietnam War.
b. The purpose of this paper will be to contrast the leadership styles of President Harry S. Truman and
Premier Joseph Stalin during the period 1945-1952.
In order to write a statement of controlling purpose, you will probably have to do a considerable amount of
preliminary research. That is because before you can write a statement, you need to know enough about
your topic to have a general idea of what you want to say in your paper.
The research paper should contain the:
a. Introduction
i. Having selected the topic you should then determine the main idea of your Paper. In other
words, decide on the THESIS of your paper. By writing down your THESIS, you state
what you are trying to prove or disprove. After you have done some research, you will
replace your statement of controlling purpose with your THESIS.
1. A thesis is not an indisputable fact nor is it based upon a personal prejudice.
2. The thesis presents an argument. This argument can be defended with facts
gathered in research.
b. Examples:
i. Indisputable fact (nothing to prove): The Panama Canal was built by the U.S. after France failed
to complete the project.
ii. Personal Prejudice (The only evidence would be your own opinion!): The Panama Canal could not be
completed by the French because they are too emotional.
iii. Presents an argument (Can be proved or disproved with facts): The Panama Canal was acquired by the
U.S. as a result of a conspiracy involving Theodore Roosevelt and certain business interests.
c. Explain your thesis by providing the setting (i.e. time, place, names of key Characters), and the
circumstances that gave rise to the thesis that you are investigating.
Body
a. The body of your paper should include the evidence necessary to support your thesis.
b. Evidence should be drawn from primary sources when possible and from reliable secondary sources
that investigate your topic in depth. You are also to use (but not exclusively) the Internet. Be
careful when using this source.
c. You must go to reputable sites, know your source.
d. What are PRIMARY SOURCES? - Letters, diaries, eyewitness accounts, speeches, official records,
government documents, etc.
e. What are SECONDARY SOURCES? - A secondary source is a review by someone not at the
scene of an event, has no direct contact with the people and/or events written about or discussed.
(journal articles, scholarly works, etc)
Summary (Conclusion)
a. The summary of your paper (including statements) should rest on the evidence presented in the
body of the paper. It should include a restatement of the thesis and summary of the major
arguments supporting the thesis. This is where you show that you proved your thesis. There should
be no new evidence presented at this time.
Citations: Again, you must have a minimum of 6 citations on your works cited page.
a. No encyclopedias or textbooks can be cited as a source!
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b. Wikipedia MAY NOT be cited as a source!
c. Remember: If you use a direct quote, and if it is over FOUR LINES, you must indent. – refer to
the MLA handbook for more information on citing sources.
d. Works cited sheet should be attached to the paper at the time the paper is handed in, not later in the
day or the next day.
WARNINGS
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is not giving credit to the author of your research. This means either the historian who
wrote the research you are quoting, or the classmate from whom you may have “borrowed” the information.
Plagiarism is academically dishonest and will be treated as prescribed in the student handbook.
Because plagiarism is so serious, it is important to know exactly what it is and what you can do to avoid it.
Here is a simple test to determine whether something is plagiarized - Ask yourself: “Is this information, idea, or
statement common knowledge?” If the answer is no, then ask yourself: “Did this information, idea, or statement
come from a source outside me, or did it come from my own experience or as a result of my own creative activity?”
If the information, idea, or statement is not common knowledge, and if it came from an outside source, then you
must credit that source. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism.
***ANY PAPER SUBMITTED WITH ZERO CITATIONS WILL HAVE A LOSS OF 20 POINTS.
Works Cited page must be submitted with the paper, in class on due date – not after school or later in the
day. No Works Cited loss of 20 points.
ALL PAPERS WILL BE SUBITTED TO TURNITIN.COM
Collaboration: Each delegation will work in pairs of 3 to 4. Once the groups have been finalized you must create
google document and name Mr. O’Kane as the OWNER. Your contribution will be monitored through periodic
partner evaluation forms and the history of google documents. If a partner is found to not be pulling their weight
they will be asked to write a paper on their own on a different topic.
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Paper Set Up Procedures:
Paper Format:
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Heading: MLA
Font: Times New Roman
Size: 12
Spacing: Double
Margins: One inch
Citations: MLA
Presentation:
1. One power point presentation will be created per group. It will consist of:
a. One title Slide-Containing the thesis
b. One slide for each paragraph with in the paper.
i. Must contain a summary of point made in paragraph.
ii. The source/s you used for that paragraph to defend your point.
c. One conclusion slide.
Citations :
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You need at least a total of 5 sources. One source must be a book
Must have a primary source as one of your 5 sources.
No general encyclopedias online or otherwise.
No Wikipedia.
Check thoroughly any internet site for its reliability
Citation Resources
a.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/
Bibliography Set Up
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Log on to http://www.noodletools.com/
Create a bibliography with the following title: Period #: Last Name/Last Name/Last Name-Topic
Share other group members with bibliography.
Click Paper-link to your g-mail account.
Title Paper: Period #: Last Name/Last Name/Last Name-Topic
Creating a Google Document:
1. One member of the group will create a google document and share it with their partner.
2. Once you have created the document and shared with your partner please then share it with Mr. O’Kane at:
3. You will then make Mr. O’Kane the owner of the document by selecting the blue share button at the top right of the
screen.
4. Then scroll to the right of his name where it says “can edit/comment/view/owner.”
5. You will then give ownership of the document over to Mr. O’Kane.
Turn It In Set Up
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Please go to http://www.turnitin.com/
If you do not have an account please set up an account.
Then enter the class ID:
Then enter the Password:
5. You will have to submit your paper before the beginning of class.
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