Name
March 27, 2015
Class Period
Ms. Ackerman or Mr. Gonzalez
Welcome to your Government research paper! This should directly respond with
your research you have completed and should include all the information you have
gathered on your subject on a former President, a form of government, or an important
social or political issue. This paper must include a Works Cited Page listing the sources
you have used. All papers are due on the assigned date. Papers will be accepted early, but
NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.
Use this assignment sheet as a guide when you are typing or writing the final copy
of your paper. Allow one inch for each margin (top to bottom). The entire paper should
be doubled spaced including the heading, title, and “Work Cited Page”. The title page is
the first page of your research paper. The title page should include: your title, your
name, the class period, the name of your teacher, and the due date. (See the title page
of this document as a sample.) The paper must be typed. As mentioned before, double
spacing is necessary for typed papers. Use a size 12 font New Times Roman for all typed
papers.
Indent new paragraphs ½ inches from the left margin. Do not number the first
page. Page two and all subsequent papers should be numbered in the upper right hand
corner. Your essay must be written in essay format.
Plagiarism is defined as “to steal and pass off the ideas and words of another as
ones own” (Mish, 898) Due to the severity of this problem in schools today and the fact
that it is illegal, papers without documentation and a works cited page will not be
accepted. Take care to document all sources used. You must document any original
ideas taken from another source (paraphrased or quoted), factual information that is not
common knowledge and any direct quotes. Information taken directly from a source must
be set off by quotation marks, and must be documented with a textual reference that
includes a page number. (Lester, page 458) Paraphrases must also be documented. You
will be turning in your paper to TURNITIN.com electronically. This is a website
designed to “catch plagiarism”.
The Work Cited Page will be completed on a separate page and will be the
last page of your paper. Entries should be listed in alphabetical order by author’s last
name. Remember the first line of a listing is on the margin and the rest of the lines are
indented. Please ask if your have any further questions.
Research Databases available in the library
You are ONLY allowed to use the databases from the library
in obtaining your research. You are not allowed to use any
other search engine!!
Brainfuse: http://main.clarkcounty.nv.brainfuse.com
Gale Databases: Several different databases that provide access to essays, critical
analyses, biographies, timelines, video and audio clips, pictures, reference sources,
current event topics, and social issues, magazines, and newspapers.
To accesss: http://galesites.com/menu/index.php?loc=nvk12
Password: success
EBSCO: full text articles from thousands of periodicals both past and present
To access: http://search.ebscohost.com
Username: ccsd
Password: password
Congressional Quarterly: Encyclopedia of American Government, Supreme Court
decisions.
To access: http://library.cqpress.com
Username: ccsd
Password: cqel
ABC CLIO: four Social Studies databases
To access: http://databases.abc-clio.com
clarkstudent
Username: clarkstudent Password:
Culture Grams: Information on countries and states, including culture, pictures, recipes
etc.
To access: http://online.culturegrams.com User: Nevada
Password: silver
The online databases listed above are available at school and
home for all CCSD students and staff.
Works Cited Page/ Bibliography
The following list examples on how to cite various sources for you
research. You must use proper citation in your research paper.
How to Cite a Web Site:
Author’s name, last name, first (if available). “Article or Web Page Title,” Website Title,
URL, Access Date, City: Producer.
Example:
Beasley, Marine H. “Roosevelt, Eleanor,” Women Behind the Presidents,
http://www.findithere.org, February 27, 2003, New York: Textpress.
How to Cite a CD-ROM Encyclopedia
Author’s name, last name, first (If available). “Article Title,” Encyclopedia Title,
Version, Producer, Edition or Copyright or Publication Date.
Example:
Garrison, David L. “Marine Biology,” 2001 World Book, Version 5.0. World Book, Inc.,
2001.
How to Cite a Print Encyclopedia
Author’s name, last, first (If available). “Article Title,” Encyclopedia Title, Edition, or
Publication or Copyright Date, Volume Number, Page Numbers of entire article.
Example:
McGrath, William J. “Vienna” The World Book Encyclopedia, 2001, Vol.20. pp. 362363.
How to Cite a Book
Author, last name, first. Book Title. City: Publisher, Date.
Example:
Gordon, Karen Elizabeth. The Transitive Vampire: A handbook of Grammar. New York:
Cahill, 1985.
How to Cite a Magazine Article
Author’s name, last name, first (If available). “Article Title.” Magazine Title, Publication
Volume and Issue Number (where applicable), Publication Date, including month,
day, and year (where applicable), page numbers of entire article.
Example:
Van Dyk, Jere. “The long Journey of the Pacific Salmon.” National Geographic, vol.,
178, no.1 July 1990, pp. 3-37.
How to Cite a Newspaper Article
Author’s name, last name, first (If available). “Article Title”. Newspaper Title,
Publication Date, including month, day and year (where applicable), Section AD
(where applicable), page numbers of entire article.
Example:
Andreoni, Phyllis. “Program Enrolls Elderly.” Union -News, July 4, 2002, sec.1, p.9.
How to Cite Educational and Reference Software
Program title. Version. (Identifying numbers) City: Producer.
Example:
French Now! Version 5.0(E-NOO/TC010350). Hollis, New Hampshire: Transparent
Language.
How to Cite Video Tape or Video Disc
Title, Format, Date. City: Producer.
Example:
Legacies of the Sixties, VHS, 2001. Washington, D.C.: WETA and Varied Directions,
Inc.
How to Cite a Television Program
“Title.” Program Title. Network or Station, Broadcast Date.
Example
“Enter the Jury Room, “CBS Reports. CBS, April 16, 2001.
How to Cite a Pamphlet/Business or Community Group Publication
Organization. “Title.” Pamphlet Number (where applicable), Date (where applicable).
Example:
National Dairy Council. “Your Food-Choice or Chance.” Pamphlet no. 435, 2001.
How to Cite a Government Publication
Title. Organization. Identifying Number (optional). Date.
Example:
United States Government Manual. U.S.Government Printing Office. 2001.
How to Cite a Personal Interview
Interviewee’s Name, last name, first. Interviewee’s title. “Personal Interview,” Date.
Example:
Myers, Linnet Foster. Former foreign correspondent, Chicago Tribune. Personal
Interview, April 15, 2001.
How to write your facts or pieces of information to include in
your paper on a note card
The Stages of the Writing Process geared for Social Studies
When your face a writing assignment, do you think, “How will I ever get through this?”
Here are some tips to guide you through any writing project from start to finish. Follow
each step of the writing process to communicate effectively. The following steps will
help you plan, gather, and organize your information.
Week One: Topic Selection and the Pre-write stage
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Establish the purpose of your research
Choose a topic
Determine the audience
Gather details: Before you begin this stage, ask yourself the following two
questions to help you organize your thoughts.
1. What do I already know about the topic?
2. What do I want to find out about the topic?
Week Two: Acquiring Information and writing a rough draft
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Organize information logically in an outline
Write an introduction, body, and conclusion
State the main ideas clearly
Include all relevant details to support your ideas
Examine alternative approaches to acquiring information. Locate and use appropriate
sources of information about the topic.
1. School Library: If you need help finding research, please see Ms. Nelson in the
library.
2. Public Library
3. Internet Search
4. Follow accepted format for listing sources
5. Take notes using note cards: see proper format for writing information on your
note cards
Evaluate the information you find
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Is the information relevant to the topic?
Is it up to date?
Is it accurate?
Is the writer an authority on the topic?
Is there any bias or inaccuracies in the information?
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Did I paraphrase and accurately site the information that I obtained?
Does your paper flow from one paragraph to the next?
Week Three: Revise your rough draft
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Edit for clarity of ideas and elaboration
Correct any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Answer your research questions with the information you have found. (You may
find that you need to do more research especially if your paper is not long enough.
Organize your information into the main points you want to make. Identify
supporting details.
Week Four: Communicate what you have learned in a completed
research paper
Review the purpose of your writing and choose an appropriate way to present the
information
Draft and revise your writing and then evaluate it
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My final paper is a thoughtful presentation of my essential question and
represents my ideas and conclusions
I have not represented other people’s ideas as my own
Credit is given to my sources, written in standard citation format
My work is typed neatly
My work is complete and includes a title page and sources cited page
I am proud to have anyone read this paper. It is the best that I am capable of.