Freshmen
Research Paper
Name: ____________________________ Class: __________
Research Paper
Grading Rubric
Content
_____ Did not clearly state answer
_____ Did not enough description and explanation
_____ Did not complete thorough research
_____ Did not keep focus on the topic
Mechanics and Language Use
_____ Incorrect spelling (their, there, they’re)
_____ Incorrect spelling of research topic, and other 9th grade capable words
_____ Slang in essay
_____ Use of “you,” or “I think that…”
_____ Incorrect use of capitalization
_____ Incorrect punctuation (possessive nouns)
Sentence Structure
_____ Fragments present
_____ Run-on sentences present
_____ Awkward sounding phrases used
_____ Lacks flow from sentence to sentence
Teacher Comments:
Grade: ___________/125 points
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Freshman Research Paper: Ancient Greece
The Question:
What/who/where is ________________________, and how did it/he/she impact
Ancient Greece (approx. 800 B.C. – 100 B.C.)? In addition, what else is known about
______________________?
The Assignment:
You must research your given topic in the library, and write a research paper about
it, answering the above questions. Your paper must identify your subject, discuss facts
and information about it/him/her, as well as explain what kind of an impact it/he/she had on
Ancient Greece. In other words, why does history recognize this person/place/thing/event
as important?
The Requirements:
 Multiple paragraph essay, well supported by facts that answer the assigned
question.
 5-6 pages (on the front sides please) skipping lines.
(approx. 500 words)
 Neatly handwritten (NO TYPING).
 Minimum of two sources (NO INTERNET).
 Follow The Writing Process.
What to turn in (top to bottom):
 Revision checklist (checked off)
 Final copy (5-6 full pages/front-sides)
 Bibliography
 Rough Draft
 Outline
 Notes
Mon.
Tues.
Wed. Thurs. Fri.
The Scoring:
 All requirements fulfilled.
 Content
 Organization
 Mechanics
 Language Use
My Topic: __________________________________________
Time Table: Two and a half days in the library, three days of in class writing.
Due Date: _________________________________________
*** IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK ME!!!!!!!!!
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Questions to answer during research:
If you have a…
Person:
 Who is this person?
 When did this person live and die?
 Where did this person live?
 What was this person like? (talents, positive and negative qualities, profession or
job, achievements, physical appearance.)
 What are some interesting facts about this person’s life?
 How did this person impact history? What is he/she remembered for?
Place:
 Where is this place?
 Who lives there during the Ancient Greek Times?
 What fact are there about its size population (# of people), culture, history, etc.?
 What is its importance during the times of Ancient Greece?
Event:
 When and where did this event take place, and for how long?
 Who participated in this event and/or was affected by it?
 What actions caused this event, what happened during it, and what were the
results?
 What is the impact of this event on Ancient Greece?
Thing:
 What are this thing’s characteristics?
 Where and when is it from? (was created)
 How did it start, or who created it?
 What impact has it had on Ancient Greece?
**Circle the set of questions that best fits your topic!!
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Taking Notes
On the next few pages, you will take notes from your sources that you will later organize
into an outline, and then use your outline to write your paper. Follow one step at a time
here. You can do this!!
1. Select your first source (start with an encyclopedia).
2. Fill out the bibliographical heading at the top of the first note page (name and
publishing information). This is your source #1. Put a #1 on all of the note cards
with information from that source so that you will know that that’s where the
information came from.
3. Read through the entry or information on your topic in the source. WRITE NOTHING
the first time – just read it. Re-read the questions from the previous page, and then
read the entry again, this time taking notes…see below.
4. ONE NOTE CARD PER PIECE OF INFORMATION (trust me, this will make sense later
and is NOT a waste of paper). On each note card, write down one fact or piece of
information in your own words and #1 (your source number). There are six cards on
each sheet, so you can record six pieces of information. If you run out, I have more!
5. Once you have exhausted your source (got everything you can from it), move on to a
second one – another encyclopedia, or one of the many subject books the librarians
have reserved for us. Once you find a good one, repeat steps 2 – 4, only instead of
putting #1 on each sheet and card, you put #2 or #3 or #4, etc.
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Getting down to business:
Organizing your notes…
1: Double check that the appropriate source number is on each card.
2: Record each source’s bibliographic heading in the space below, using the following
methods. BE SURE TO CATCH ALL OF THE PUNCTUATION!!!
 For an encyclopedia:
"Topic of Entry." Title of Book. City of Publication:
Publisher, Year.

For a book:
Author’s last name, first name. Title of Book. City of
Publication: Publisher,Year.
Your Turn (Alphabetize the entries):
_____ Source #1:
_____ Source #2:
_____ Source #3
_____ Source #4:
3: Make sure you alphabetize your entries. Once you have, write a bibliography final copy
just like the example on the next page.
4: Next, cut out all of the note cards and place them in a pile.
a. shuffle them around – we are no longer concerned with keeping them with the
other notes from the same source.
4: Then, start to arrange them by similar content. Which note cards have similar facts in
common? What is the most logical order to arrange them? This is the beginning of your
outline.
5: Once you have all your note cards in logical order, start working on your formal outline
– see the sample on the next page - then start your own on the page after that, transferring
information from your note cards as you go, and using those groups as heading titles.
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YOUR NAME
Bibliograph
y
Bradford, Karleen. There Will Be
Puffin
Books,
1996.
Wolves.
New
York:
“Bubonic Plague.” Encyclopedia
ThompsonChicago:
Publishers,
1998.
Britanica.
Thompson
Tips/Notes:
1. Be sure that you have
alphabetized your entries before
you write your bibliography.
Your bibliography MUST be
alphabetized.
2. DO NOT forget that you must
include very specific
punctuation.
3. If you run out of space on your
first line, continue on the next
line, BUT INDENT FIRST!! All
additional lines for each source
get indented.
4. For a new entry, skip a line and
start along the red margin line.
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The Writing Process
Prewriting






Re-read the question (all of page 1) to be sure you know your task.
Brainstorm.
Begin outlining the main ideas of each body paragraph.
Develop thesis statement (Essay Topic + Main Ideas from body paragraphs).
Gather evidence for body paragraphs.
Put information into an outline.
Drafting

Introduction
o Hook (focus of the entire essay).
o Background information, or possible statement on topic.
o State thesis statement.
o Include titles and authors of all texts you’ll use as evidence.

Body
o
o
o
o

Conclusion
o Briefly restate thesis.
o Hit key points (more than one sentence).
o Finish with a final thought (Use a personal thought without using “I think
that…”)
Multiple paragraphs
Topic sentences at the beginning of paragraph.
Examples, details and evidence from information you gathered.
One paragraph per idea.
Revision/Editing




Use your revision and edit checklists.
Check for “u” and capitalization.
Read aloud to yourself.
Have someone (besides a teacher) look over your essay for mistakes.
Final Copy



“Clean” copy; no spelling/grammar errors, etc.
NEAT handwriting in PEN.
If I cannot read it, I cannot grade it.
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Standard Outline Pre-write:
Introduction
1. Hook (focus statement of the entire essay):
2. Background information (time period, impact on society, etc.):
3. Thesis statement (Essay Topic + Main Ideas from body paragraphs):
4. Transition into first body paragraph:
Body Paragraph 1 (Pile #1):
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Detail #1:
3. Transition and Detail #2:
4. Transition and Detail #3:
5. Connection Sentence (Connect your topic sentence back around to the end.
Simply tell us what your whole point of this paragraph is.)
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Body Paragraph 2 (Pile #2):
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Detail #1:
3. Transition and Detail #2:
4. Transition and Detail #3:
5. Connection Sentence (Connect your topic sentence back around to the end.
Simply tell us what your whole point of this paragraph is.)
Body Paragraph 3 (Pile #3):
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Detail #1:
3. Transition and Detail #2:
4. Transition and Detail #3:
5. Connection Sentence (Connect your topic sentence back around to the end.
Simply tell us what your whole point of this paragraph is.)
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Body Paragraph 4 (Pile #4):
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Detail #1:
3. Transition and Detail #2:
4. Transition and Detail #3:
5. Connection Sentence (Connect your topic sentence back around to the end.
Simply tell us what your whole point of this paragraph is.)
Conclusion:
1.
2.
3.
Ideas:
a. Restate Thesis.
b. Hit key points (more than one sentence).
c. New thought: Finish with a final thought
Ideas:
1. Use a personal thought without using “I think that…”
2. Explain _______’s impact on today.
Bibliography:
Alphabetize your bibliography entries. Copy your Bibliography onto a separate piece
of paper. Title that page “Bibliography”.
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Name: _________________________________ Block:
______
Official checklist
This is to be checked off and turned in with the rest of your materials for grading.
Revision:
 I am sure that my topic choices fit in a logical organization.
 I have (and can point out) my thesis statement.
 I have (and can point out) a topic sentence for each body paragraph.
 My topic of each paragraph, and the details for each paragraph match. I do not
start a body paragraph off with a specific topic, and then never discuss it in the
details of that paragraph.
 I have separated out one main idea for each body paragraph.
 I have created a connection at the end of each body paragraph that wraps up my
point.
 I DID NOT USE THE WORD “YOU.”
 I DID NOT USE THE WORDS (or in any combination) “I THINK THAT…”; “MY POINT
IS…”
 If I have included titles of books that used to research I have underlined those titles.
Editing:
 No “u”, or other IM/Texting language or spellings. – There shouldn’t be a “you” in
your paper anyway.
 Their, They’re, There
 Its, It’s
 A
lot (notice space)
 Where, wear, were
 Your, you’re
 Check possessive nouns (Does it need an apostrophe??)
Essay Check:
 Did you answer the question?
 Is your essay at least 4-5 pages (on the front sides)?
 Skipped Lines
 Is your bibliography complete and in alphabetical order?
 You have stapled together to turn in (on top to on bottom):
 Revision checklist (checked off)
 Final copy (4-5 Full Pages – on the front sides)
 Bibliography
 Rough Draft
 Outline
 Note Cards
 Make sure you write your final copy in blue
or black ink.
TURN IN WITH
ASSIGNMENT
12
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Research Topics:
People of Mythology/
Gods/Goddesses:
Apollo
Athena
Polyphemus (Cyclops)
Helios
Poseidon
Zeus
Achilles and the Trojan War
Dionysus
Heracles
Triton
Hades
Aphrodite
Antigone
Oedipus
Events:
Peloponnesian War
Trojan War
Ancient Greek Olympics
Places:
Things:
Athens
Sparta
Ithaca
Babylon
Troy
The Mausoleum of
Halicarnassus
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Parthenon
History of Greek Democracy
Classical Architecture (of
Ancient Greece)
People:
Alexander the Great
Greek People (Citizens)
Socrates
Protagoras
Plato
Aristotle
Euclid
Aesop
Sophocles
Pythagoras
Oracle of Delphi
Phidias (and his art)
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Ancient Greek Vase Painting
Ancient Greek Pottery
Ancient Greek Jewelry
Ancient Greek Fashion
Ancient Greek Sculpture
Ancient Greek Military
Ancient Greek Weaponry
(for wars)
Trojan Horse
Greek Education
Ancient Greek
Theater/Drama
Ancient Greek Currency
Ancient Greek Food/Diet
Ancient Greek Medicine
Ancient Greek Religion