10th Grade Research Requirement – “Our Changing Society”
5130 English 10 - SV Cyber
Please take note - Your paper will not be evaluated if any of the following
requirements are missing:
• Works Cited — at least 5 sources
 Total of 50 note cards
• Parenthetical Documentation — 10 minimum citations within paper
• Minimum page requirement — 4-5 pages
Sample documents will be sent to you and will also be on the research link of my
teacher website. If your paper is late due to not meeting the minimal requirements, you
have 1 day to turn it in. However, you will be penalized 10%.
Since a research paper is required in grades 9-12, I wanted to create a writing
assignment focusing on the current state of the world we live in. While I am including
some possible topics here, please feel free to “venture outside the box” and find a topic
of your own that would fit into this assignment.
Topic:
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve
the world."
--Anne Frank
While society is currently undergoing many rapid changes, people disagree about our
direction. Has the world, in fact, changed for the better or worse?
There are numerous areas that you can examine for this research paper. The following
are a few debatable issues in our society. You may feel that society is changing for the
better or that a specific change is causing the downfall of our society. The following are
some topics that you might consider:
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Use of technology/Internet
Women’s rights
Social networking
Contemporary theatre
Natural fuels
Reality TV
Online dating/relationships
School security
Stay at home moms
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America’s involvement in foreign countries
Online education
Job automation
Non-traditional families
Airport/plane safety
Medical technology
Media coverage
Urbanization/race relations
Healthcare reform
Write a multi-paragraph paper supporting either the pros or cons on this issue. This is
not strictly an opinion paper. You need to use valid evidence from outside sources,
which means you will be adding parenthetical citations throughout your paper and
including a works cited page. Be sure to include specific details and examples from
research, your own experiences (if applicable) and additional readings.
As you write, remember your research will be scored based on how well you:
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develop a multi-paragraph response to the chosen topic that clearly
communicates your thesis to the audience.
support your thesis with meaningful reasons and sufficient details.
address the readers' concerns, opposing viewpoints, or counterarguments.
organize your paper in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction,
body, and conclusion.
use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your
audience.
edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.
You can refer to the RAIDER Research Booklet for 9th and 10th grade for formatting
specifics and requirements. This can be found on my teacher website. There are a lot
of great formatting examples within that booklet! I will also be sending you directions
(as attachments) well before your assignments are due. These will pertain to writing the
thesis statement, notecards, outlines, works cited, etc. I will also send the research
calendar so that you know exactly when assignments are due.
Turning in Assignments: Please refer to the research calendar for all due dates.
Research assignments can be turned in using the “In” basket in the Intermediate cyber
lab. I will pick up the assignments by the end of the school day. If you are not on
campus, you can also turn in the assignments to the Senior High front office and it will
be put in my teacher mailbox. You can also mail your assignments to me at the SHSMrs. Lehman, SVSHS, 128 Seneca School Road, Harmony PA 16037.
I hope that this research paper helps us all to “tune in” to the current state of the world
around us while helping you continue to develop your research skills. Most importantly,
if you have any questions at all as you are researching and writing, be sure to give me a
call or send an email my way…I’m here to help!!!
~ Mrs. Lehman