Research Paper US II Honors 2015 Objective: In a group of people you will collaboratively write a 4-5 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: In the next week or so, you will need to pick a topic. We will be in a computer lab on 4/7. Once you give me your topic 1. Discuss and confirm what the responsibilities of each group member will be during the process 2. Share your document with me in Google Docs. I will periodically monitor the revision history of Google Docs as needed. DUE DATE-- May 22, 2015- 1. The paper will be due in hard copy as well as electronically through turnitin.com 2. Your presentations will be finished at this time and should be printed and handed to me along with the paper. No revisions are allowed passed May 22th. You will begin the presentations in late May. 3. All members of the group are responsible for bringing to my attention if they believe someone in the group is not doing their share of the responsibilities. Topics: Every group may pick a decade from which they will choose a topic. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000-2010 Topics Cont’d The topic must be controversial and persuasive. You must CONVINCE the reader the point you are proving is correct Acceptable topics The prosecution and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg was as a result of a wrongful conviction based on insufficient evidence. The Second World War began as a result of the ineffectiveness of the Treaty of Versailles to adequately deal with the reconstruction of Germany. Not acceptable - The Battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest battle in Pacific War for the American military - Roosevelt was the greatest president in American history - Herbert Hoover disgraced the presidency - The bombing of Dresden was not good for Germany. Stay away from obvious topics. Stay away from topics you CANNOT prove WRITING THE THESIS PAPER In order to write a thesis statement, you will 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: 1.Introduction a. 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. b. A thesis is not an indisputable fact nor is it based upon a personal prejudice. c. The thesis presents an argument. This argument can be defended with facts gathered in research. Examples: Indisputable fact (nothing to prove): The Panama Canal was built by the U.S. after France failed to complete the project 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. 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. 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. 2. Body The body of your paper should include the evidence necessary to support your thesis. a. Evidence should be drawn from primary sources when possible and from reliable secondary sources that investigate your topic in depth. You are also allowed to use the Internet. Be careful when using this source. You must go to reputable sites, know your source. b. What are primary sources? - Letters, diaries, eyewitness accounts, speeches, official records, government documents, etc. The Library website has several places where you can access thousands of these. c. What are secondary sources? - A secondary source is a review by someone not at the scene of a event, has no direct contact with the people and/or events written about or discussed. (journal articles, scholarly works, etc) d. Each paragraph should present evidence that helps prove your thesis and be followed up by analysis that explains to the reader how this information helped prove your point 3. Summary (Conclusion) 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. Font: Times New Roman Size: 12 Spacing: Double Citations: Chicago Style Footnotes (link now posted on Schoolwires) Sources: 4 total (minimum of one primary source) • No general encyclopedias online or otherwise • Check thoroughly any internet site for its reliability Basic rubric for the paper: 15%- Spelling and Grammar: All aspects of this should be PERFECT 15%- Required Elements and structure: Paragraph structure is excellent, it meets the requirements for length and all other required aspects. This includes the format of the works cited page and your footnotes. 20%- Thesis: This must be done properly or content will suffer. Clearly stated and not obvious. No “Mexico lost the Mexican war”. (Avoid words such as “greatest”, “best”, “worst”) It must be a statement that is debatable. You will prove that it is correct throughout your paper. I want the thesis statement at the end of the 1st paragraph 50%- Content: It must be focused on the thesis throughout the paper. Content must be relevant and accurate. FAILURE TO CITE PROPERLY WILL CAUSE YOU TO RECEIVE A FAILING GRADE REGARDLESS OF THE QUALITY OF THE CONTENT. BE CAREFUL. FAILURE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY CAN CAUSE A REDUCTION IN ONE OR MORE OF THE STUDENTS GRADES. Presentation: Your groups will present the content of their paper to the class in a powerpoint. Each slide should be dedicated to a corresponding paragraph in your paper (include your Thesis in one of the slides) It should NOT rewrite the paragraph, but it should summarize the evidence used and the point behind the paragraph. All students in the group must be equal participants in the presentation effort. All students must be prepared to answer questions about their content from the teacher and students. Example Slide: Point: What am I trying to prove Evidence: What evidence I used to prove it Source: Where did I get the evidence Overall Grade Breakdown: 80% Research Paper 20% Presentation Good luck and please use me as a resource if needed.