Elizabethan Era
Queen Elizabeth: 1558-1603; Shakespeare: 1564-1616
Research Paper
Objectives:
1. Augment students’/classmates’ understanding of background information useful in the
study of Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
2. Development of writing skills in the creation of a formal research paper.
3. Develop technology/research/presentation skills through the creation and presentation
of a Keynote.
4. Practice reading, understanding and executing written directions.
Directions:
a. Students will create a research paper over one of the provided research topics that
includes a minimum of four (4) cited sources of information with a minimum of
one non-electronic source and one library database. The research paper will include
the following elements:
i.
Your thesis is the main point you are going to discuss in your paper. Your thesis
for this paper must be a closed thesis that contains the subject of your paper, your
opinion about the subject, and three points you want to prove/discuss (3 points
means 3 body paragraphs). This is a MINIMUM for the research.
ii.
The first paragraph is your introductory paragraph and it should introduce your
chosen topic and must contain your thesis statement. This statement must be the
last sentence in your introductory paragraph because it will establish the
remainder of the paper’s argument. Introductory paragraphs are generally a
minimum of 3-4 sentences in length and the beginning should grab your reader’s
attention in some way.
iii.
The second paragraph will explain the first point mentioned in your thesis
statement.
iv.
The third paragraph will explain the second point mentioned in your thesis
statement.
v.
The fourth paragraph will explain you last point mentioned in your thesis
statement. (Hope you are getting the point by now.)
vi.
The fifth paragraph is your conclusion. This paragraph will summarize the paper
and restate your argument without using the exact same language. This paragraph
is generally a minimum of 3-4 sentences and does not bring any new information
into the paper.
vii.
You will cite sources and create notecards for the sources using Noodletools.
viii. All sources will be documented on a Works Cited Page at the end of the paper
b. Students will then create a 8-10 slide Keynote presentation covering the chosen
topic to illustrate the information found. The following is needed to complete the
research Keynote:
i. A visual example of something you have researched (picture, drawing, chart,
etc.)
ii. Brief textual support for the slide
iii. Text may not be longer than a sentence or two on any slide
iv. The text must be paraphrased, IN YOUR OWN WORDS! NO CUT AND PASTE!
v.
You may use two direct quotes in the presentation; these may not be more
than a sentence or two.
vi. You must have at least one non-internet source (book, encyclopedia,
magazine or Journal article)
vii. Your final slide must be a “Works Cited” page (bibliography) on which you
provide your
viii. You must have at least 4 sources
The following topics are available in order to create a research paper and project over the
information pertaining to the Elizabethan Era prior to reading Shakespeare’s The Tragedy
of Romeo and Juliet.
1. Architecture – Tudor style homes- “priest holes,” castles and palaces
2. The break in the church of England (Anglican) and the Roman Catholic Church
3. Diseases and medical treatment, dentistry
4. Fashion and Clothing
5. Henry VIII
6. Elizabethan Theatre (The Globe Theatre)
7. Elizabethan Crime and Punishment
8. Historical Highlights of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign
9. Social Class system of Elizabethan England
10. The Bubonic Plague (The black death)
11. Religious beliefs in England
12. Marriage customs
13. Education/schooling
14. Beliefs around death and burial
Since this is a formal writing assignment, the use of “I” is not acceptable. There are
stronger ways to express your own critical and analytical thinking in third person. For
example, instead of writing “I think portraying the economically disadvantaged as having
great potential is necessary” present your thesis as a strong truth.
- “Portraying the economically disadvantaged as having a great potential is necessary.”
Or use the third person pronoun “one”. –“One understands that portraying the economically
disadvantaged as having great potential is necessary.”
You will receive structural guidelines for this research paper. Keep all of your guidelines in
a folder on your desktop entitled “RESEARCH” so that you can more easily access the
information. You will not only be graded on your first draft and final draft, but also on your
productivity in the library and classroom, note taking skills, and your editing skills. Please type
all drafts and the final copy of your paper. Remember to save your work and save it numerically
(e.g. Draft 1 versus Draft 2)!!!!! It will save valuable time during the rewrites!
Important dates/checkpoints:
Grade Distribution:
1. Research – daily grades
2. Main point evidence pages – quiz grade
3. First Draft – test grade
4. Second Draft – quiz grade
5. Peer Editing – daily grade
6. Final draft – project grade
1. Architecture – Tudor style homes- “priest holes,” castles and palaces
a.
_______________________________________________________________
b.
_______________________________________________________________
2. The break in the church of England (Anglican) and the Roman Catholic Church
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
3. Diseases and medical treatment, dentistry
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
4. Fashion and Clothing
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
5. Henry VIII
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
6. Elizabethan Theatre (The Globe Theatre)
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
7. Elizabethan Crime and Punishment
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
8. Historical Highlights of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
9. Social Class system of Elizabethan England
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
10. The Bubonic Plague (The black death)
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
11. Religious beliefs in England
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
12. Marriage customs
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
13. Education/schooling
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________
14. Beliefs around death and burial
a. _______________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________