The Historical
Investigation
Part A-- Plan of Investigation
Part B-- Summary of Evidence
Part C-- Source Evaluation
Part D-- Analysis
Part E-- Conclusion
Part F-- Works Cited
Forming your Question

I am interested in learning about the
__________________ in order to better
understand _____________________.

Ex: I am interested in learning about the
Iranian Revolution in order to better
understand the role students played in
challenging the state.
Forming your Question

I am interested in learning about
________________ in order to better understand
________________ so that I can determine
_______________________.

EX: I am interested in learning about the Iranian
Revolution in order to better understand the role
that students played in challenging the state so
that I can determine whether student protests are
an effective method of changing the government.
Forming your Question

Change your statement into a question to
guide your research.
What was the significance of student
protests during the Iranian Revolution in
leading an effective challenge to the state
of Iran?
The Plan of Investigation

Purpose

Now that you have your HI question finalized, you need to map
out the path you will take in your research. This is what the
Plan of Investigation (POI) is all about.
Structure
You will need to include:




Significance of your topic (why did you choose your topic?)
HI question (must be stated in the POI)
Methods of Research (how will you go about researching your
topic?)
Aim for 100-125 words
Significance of your Topic

Why did you choose this topic?



Personal connection?
Link to understanding today?
Myth buster?


Whatever your reason is, you need to work this in
to your Plan of Investigation. This should start
your paper.
Avoid using first person
Example: Rationale.

The recent 2009 presidential elections in
Iran were met with protest from all sectors
of society, including many young people.
That same year marked the 30th
anniversary of the Iranian Revolution
(1978-79).
Incorporate your Question


The next step is to provide a transition to
your HI question.
The transition will help your reader shift to
the overall importance of your general topic
to your specific question.

accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this
reason, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, so
then, one wonders, subsequently, therefore,
thus,
Example: Transition to Question

One wonders, how important are young
people to challenging the state? This
historical investigation will address the
question, “What was the significance of
student protests during the Iranian
Revolution in leading an effective challenge
to the state of Iran?”
Method

How will you go about collecting the research
needed to answer your question?



What background will you need?
What type of resources will get you that background?
What different perspectives should be heard?
Example-- Method
In order to answer this question, an understanding
of the causes of the Iranian Revolution will need
to be included. It will then be important to
investigate the specific role that students played
in the Revolution. Finally, in order to examine the
significance of their contribution, attention to
multiple perspectives will be included.
The recent 2009 presidential elections in Iran were met
with protest from all sectors of society, including
many young people. That same year marked the
anniversary of the thirty year anniversary of the
Iranian Revolution (1978-79). One wonders, how
important are young people to challenging the state?
This historical investigation will address the question,
“What was the significance of student protests
during the Iranian Revolution in leading an effective
challenge to the state of Iran?” In order to answer this
question, an understanding of the causes of the Iranian
Revolution will need to be included. It will then be important to
investigate the specific role that students played in the
Revolution. Finally, in order to examine the significance of
their contribution, attention to multiple perspectives will be
included.
Summary of Evidence

What is it?


What should be included in it?



It is, simply put-- a summary of all the evidence you’ve
collected. You’re now writing the research part of your paper.
The relevant research that you’ve worked to uncover
throughout the past month.
Just the facts-- you will not be using first person in this section
of your paper.
How long should it be?

Aim for 500-600 words
Summary of Evidence

How should it be organized?


Organizing your research is KEY to a successful
SOE.
Moving from notes to the outline of a paper is
one of the harder, but VERY IMPORTANT steps
in the writing process
STEP ONE:
What did your POI Say?


Look back to your Plan of Investigation. If you
were successful in the POI, you should already
have a loose outline developed.
Use the parameters you set for your reader for
your own writing.
STEP ONE, Part 2

As you read through your POI, consider…


Have you found the information about each section?
Will it work to present this information in the order that you
laid out in the POI?


If you answered yes to these questions, you are ready for
Step Two.
If you answered no to these questions… consider:
 Better research? (remember, work smarter-not harder)
 Are there resources that are available to me
that I’m not using?
STEP TWO

Setting up your outline.


Look to the methods of research you laid out in
your POI.
These will most likely be the headings for the
sections of the SOE
Step Two-- Sample Outline
I will be giving you a sample outline to fill out to help you in
organizing your Summary of Evidence (SOE)
Your outline will be a formative grade. I will give you
feedback on your outline to use in creating a draft of
your SOE
Your outline is DUE..
B DAY- Thursday, March 04
A DAY- Friday, March 05
Source Evaluation-- Part C

What is it?

This is the section of your paper where you will
EVALUATE ONE of the sources you read for this
Historical Investigation.

V-- Value
L-- Limitation
O-- Origin
P-- Purpose



VLOPping…

What should it look like?

Part C of your paper should be written in
paragraph form-- no exceptions! DO NOT



Chart it
Bullet it
Leave out any one of the four tools for evaluating
your source
 Remember! To earn full marks you need to “make
explicit reference to the value, limitation, origin and
purpose of selected source.”
VLOPping…

How long should it be?


This section of your paper should be between
100-125 words
YOU WILL NEED TO COME TO A
CONCLUSION THROUGH THE VLOP METHOD
ABOUT THE OVERALL USEFULLNESS OF
THIS SOURCE FOR YOUR RESEARCH.
The Analysis

What is it?




Think of this paper as a “case”
In order to crack the case, you have to look at
the facts (which you laid out in the SOE)
After you read the facts, you can begin to
uncover the answers (to your HI question)
THE ANALYSIS IS THE SECTION OF YOUR
PAPER WHERE YOU CRACK THE CASE.
The Analysis

What does it need to include?




An analysis that breaks down complex issues to
bring out essential points
A critical examination of factual material
presented in part B (Summary of Evidence)
An awareness of sources used
Consideration of different interpretations of
evidence

CONTINUE TO CITE ALL SOURCES!
The Analysis

How to get started…





Go back to your Summary of Evidence
Read it
As you read it, underline key parts
Consider the sources you read to construct your
Summary of Evidence
Think about what your evidence could be
interpreted to mean
The Analysis

Practice!






Switch papers with a seat partner
Read each other’s Summary of Evidence
Follow the guidelines given on previous slide
Discuss how you would set up an outline for the
Analysis if you were writing it (required)
Compare your results and see where your
opinions differ
Discuss and revise
Conclusion



What is it?
This is where you get to answer your
question
Work to include:



A thoughtful answer to your question
Consideration of where your evidence could be
incomplete
Other questions that may arise as a result of your
question (or) as a result of a lack of evidence.
Works Cited Page

What is it?


Bibliography of all sources cited in the Historical
Investigation
What should it look like?



Alphabetical order
MLA formatting
Single spaced