Banned Books Research Paper and Presentation-10 Honors
Task:
Choose a novel that our class has not or will not read this school year. This novel should
be on the ALA’s Top 100 Banned Books list that the class has gone over. Each student is
required to read a novel on the list, research why it is banned, and in essay form, report
his/her findings. This essay must be research-based. *The book must be in one of the
Howard County Public Schools’ libraries for it to be approved*.
Nuts/Bolts:
 5-6 pages in length
 Double-spaced
 12 point font
 Times New Roman
 Adhere to MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (latest Edition)
Research Guidelines for HONORS:
SOURCES:
At least:
 1 Book in addition to your novel
 2 Periodicals (journals, magazines, publications – can be found online)
 3 Websites (no wikipedia, no blogs)
 Include a minimum of two citations per typed page. In addition, include very
detailed, controversial quotations from the novel, in the essay.
This is an argument essay. You will make a claim. Your claim might be Censorship is
unconstitutional, and is never justified. Or perhaps, your claim may be that Censorship,
in some situations, is justified. Your research paper will present evidence supporting
your claim, as well as counterclaims that you should be prepared to disprove. Each
student must adequately present both sides of the issue. The novel you select to read will
serve as your primary example on which you should base your claim. For example:
Please do not tell me why you believe The Catcher in the Rye should or should not be
banned. You should research why/where it is banned, as well as why it is considered a
valuable piece of literature that continues to appear on school reading lists. Each student
must not show his/her own opinion in the paper. Remember, you will present
evidence in the form of facts. You are not to use personal pronouns in this paper.
Works Cited:
A detailed works cited page is required. You will be required to complete this on
easybib.com, noodletools.com, or any other reliable online site. I encourage you to take
advantage of the technology that exists. Be aware that a Works Cited page is more
than just copying down the URL.
 No footnotes
 No endnotes
 A sample works cited page will be provided for guidance
According to MLA (Modern Language Association), no title page is required
Proposal:
Each student must submit a proposal for his/her paper. The proposal must include:
 Novel title and author
 Why you have chosen the novel
 Where and why the novel is banned
 Brief overview of what the novel is about
 Preliminary research you have completed so far (websites, books, news articles,
etc.)
 **Once approved, you don’t get to switch.
Other Information:
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This is a multi-paged essay. Do not try to write this entire paper in fiveparagraphs
No 1st/2nd person pronouns will be accepted
No contractions (excluding direct quotes)
Clear thesis statement containing the claim you intend to prove and that will guide
the reader through the entire paper
Visual Presentation (to be completed after the research paper has been submitted):
In addition to the paper, each student will present his/her research in the form of a power
point. This power point must be creative and encompass only the major points of the
paper. Creativity is essential to each student’s success.
Suggestions on what to include:
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Music
Animation
Pictures
Interviews
Etc.
Point Value:
The research paper is a major assignment. Each student will be graded on both content
and mechanics. The power point will be graded on creativity, content, and mechanics. In
addition, each student will be graded on the writing process. This includes: outline, note
cards, works cited, MLA, etc.
*Due Date for completion of your selected novel: ____________________________
**Your first goal is to select a novel, and write the proposal. Once approved, you
may begin reading the novel, making notes of controversial issues.