One-Word Research Project
Essential Questions
1) How do we conduct research to solve complex questions?
2) How can we understand an idea from many perspectives?
Description
As we have discussed over the course of this class, some words are just too big to be
understood by a definition alone. Words like “friendship,” “love,” “class,” or “trust” take on a
complexity when we see them played out in a story. Your task over this final unit is to explore all
the ways we can understand a single word through a written essay.
Possible Choices
This project is much easier when you choose a word that has a complexity of meanings.
Here are a few good options:
- Love
- Friendship
- Courage
- Family
- Fun
- Patriotism
- Truth
- Joy
- Fear
- Hate
- Loneliness
- Beauty
- Justice
- Forgiveness
- A topic of your
- Integrity
- Power
choosing
Mini Tasks (Formative)
Each week, I will assign a mini task. These mini tasks should help you learn or practice a
writing skill. Each mini task also builds towards the final project. Here are some of the mini skills
we will practice:
- Pop-culture example paragraph
- (Choice) Literary, dictionary, personal anecdote, or interview example paragraph
- Thesis statement and outline
- Introduction and conclusion paragraph
- 1st draft and peer review
Final Task (Summative)
The final assignment is to create an essay that serves as an extended definition of your
topic. The essay should:
a) Be a thesis driven essay, meaning you should be arguing for your interpretation
of the word and not simply summarizing the dictionary
b) Be 3-5 pages in length, typed, and double spaced
c) Use MLA format for any quotes or citations you use
d) Include page numbers
e) Be well organized with clear introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs
Assessment
1
You will be assessed using the Hamline Writing Rubric. The final essay is worth 40
points and is summative.
Vor the visual Learners, here is a generic flow chart:
Choose your
word
Research Question:
What are the different
Collect and organize your
research into an outline
Draft your
Ways of doing
research
Interviews
Observing
a piece of
media (TV,
movie, song,
Turn in your
final essay
Get feedback and revise
your essay
2