English 11
Career Research Paper
Calendar
Monday: 1/25
 Explain Assignment:
o essay exploring career of your choice
o must use at least 3 sources
o MLA format
 Career Research Packet and Folders
 Begin research in library
Tuesday: 1/26
 Research in Library
Wednesday: 1/27
 Research in Library
Thursday: 1/28
 Read and highlight information to use in research paper
Friday: 1/29
 Read and highlight information to use in research paper
Monday: 2/1
 Talk about Effective Introductions
 Write Introduction of essay
Tuesday: 2/2
 Write Body Paragraph #1
Wednesday: 2/3
 Write Body Paragraph #2
Thursday: 2/4
 Write Body Paragraph #3
Friday: 2/5
 Talk about Effective Conclusions
 Write Conclusion of essay
Monday through Wednesday: 2/8-2/10
 MLA Format (Citations, Works Cited, etc.) – be sure to put correct information in
parenthetical citations; make sure quotation marks are correct, periods are correct,
etc; work on Works Cited page
 Type Essays
Thursday: 2/11
 Peer Review
Friday: 2/12
 Take care of any final revisions
 Final Draft of Essay Due at end of class!!!!
Assignment Checks:
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1/27: Information Checklist completed and sources printed
1/29: Important information from sources highlighted for research paper
2/1: Introduction of paper
2/2: Body Paragraph #1
2/3: Body Paragraph #2
2/4: Body Paragraph #3
2/5: Concluding paragraph of paper
2/10: Works Cited and MLA Documentation check
2/12: Final Draft of Essay Due!
English 11
Career Research Paper
Career Websites
Careers Interest Database (Username: 9626 Password: future)
SHS website>Library>Library Resources>Careers Interest Database
 Click on “Career List” on the menu bar at the top, then click on “For a List of All Reports Click Here”
for the Careers List
Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
 Scroll down a little and click on “A-Z Index” in the “Ways to use the Occupational Outlook Handbook
site” box. Then, click on the letter of the career you are interested in.
Virginia Career View
http://www.vaview.vt.edu/
 Scroll down to the bottom and click on the “Career Search” Icon. Find your career in the list.
ACT Career Planning
http://www.actstudent.org/wwm/index.html
Career Explorer
http://www.careerexplorer.net/descriptions.asp
Work Scene - BC Work Futures for Youth
http://workinfonet.bc.ca/workscene/ind_af.htm
ISEEK - Minnesota's Internet System for Education and Employment
http://www.iseek.org/sv/Careers?id=11999
Careers TCIDS
http://tcids.tbr.edu/show_all.php
Job Futures
http://jobfutures.ca/noc/browse-occupations-alphabet.shtml
Alberta Occupational Profiles
http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?format=html&aspAction=GetTitleSearch&P
age=TitleSearch
College Grad.com - Career Profiles
http://www.collegegrad.com/careers/all.shtml#TOP
English 11
Career Research Paper
Information Checklist
Your Career:
______________________________________
1. Description of Occupation:
________________
Source #:___________________
2. Specific Duties of the Job:
________________
Sources #:__________________
3. Average Hours per Work Week: ________________
Source #:___________________
4. Advantages (Incentives/Rewards): _____________
Source #:___________________
5. Disadvantages: (Difficulties): ________________
Source #:___________________
6. Education/Special Training Needed: ___________
Source #:___________________
7. Places to Obtain Training (Specialty School? University? On-the-job Experience?):
_____________
Source #:______________
8. Personal Qualities Needed: ________________
Source #: ___________________
9. Opportunities to Advance in the field: ___________
Source
#:____________________
10. Methods for Advancing in the field: ___________ Source #:
______________________
11. What does the job market look like in this field: _________ Source #:______________
12. Salary:
________________
Source #:___________________
Writing Your Introductory Paragraph
The following is a guideline for writing the Introduction Paragraph of your Career Research
Paper.
1. First, start out with a general statement to grab the reader’s attention. Use one of the
following techniques:
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Explain some interesting things about the career you chose, in general.
Explain why people would want to be in this profession.
Start with an interesting quote about the profession.
Start with an anecdote (a short story) about what made you chose this profession.
Start with an interesting fact about your career.
Start with a question or challenge.
2. Next, give a general description of the occupation. This should be a couple of sentences, at
least! Remember: DO NOT assume that your reader has any prior knowledge of your career.
3. Last, map out what this paper is going to cover. In the paper, you will explore the training
required for the job, describe the duties of the occupation, discuss
advantages/disadvantages of the occupation, and explain opportunities in the field.
Career Research Paper: Introduction
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Body Paragraph One
Duties, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Career
1. Topic Sentence: Start out with a general statement about the duties, advantages, and
disadvantages of this career.
2. Describe the duties and responsibilities of this career. What specifically is required of
workers in this field? How many hours are in the average work week? Is travel involved?
Explain the reasons why this career is challenging and rewarding as “advantages.” Explain
the drawbacks of this career as the “disadvantages.”
3. Transition Sentence to next topic.
Career Research Paper: Body Paragraph One
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Body Paragraph Two
Preparation of the Worker
4. Topic Sentence: Start out with a general statement about what a person needs to do in order
to get a job in this field.
5. List the specific requirements for your chosen field. How much general education and
special training are needed? Is this training obtained by taking specific courses at a specialty
school or university, or by on the job experience and training? What personal qualities are
needed for this job?
6. Transition Sentence to next topic.
Career Research Paper: Body Paragraph Two
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Body Paragraph Three
Opportunities in the Field
1. Topic Sentence: Start out with a general statement about opportunities in this job field.
2. What are the chances of entering this field of work? How might you get started on the first
job? What are the chances for advancing? What are the methods of advancing? What
special abilities are required for advancement? What are the salary expectations?
3. Transition Sentence to next topic.
Career Research Paper: Body Paragraph Three
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Writing Your Conclusion
The following is a guideline for writing the Concluding Paragraph of your Career Research
Paper.
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Your conclusion should echo the main idea of your paper (which you stated in your
introduction) without exactly repeating it. Use these two questions to guide you as you write
your conclusion…
1. Do you think this would be a good career choice? (Think about whether there are jobs
available in this field, how long you would have to go to school, what your work hours
would be, the money you would make, etc.)
2. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Here’s an example I wrote in case you need some “inspiration”…
Choosing to pursue a career as a teacher is a serious decision. This decision is easier to
make, though, with the knowledge of the training that is necessary, the duties that are required,
and the opportunities, advantages, and disadvantages that come along with the job. It isn’t easy
to be a teacher and it takes a special kind of person to do the job and do it well. But, the rewards
from teaching appear to far outweigh the disadvantages.
Career Research Paper: Conclusion
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MLA Documentation
Everything is double-spaced!!
Heading:
Jones 1
Jacob Jones
Mrs. Smith
English 11 Careers
13 February 2010
Title of Paper Goes Here
You start your introduction here. Be sure to include a
clear thesis in this paragraph.
In-text Citation Information:
Some things to keep in mind as you are citing:
 A comma comes after your signal phrase and before your quotation.
 A period comes AFTER the parenthetical citation, not before.
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To cite a source with no author and no page numbers, either use the complete title in a
signal phrase or use a short form of the title in parentheses. Titles of articles are in quotation
marks.
Paraphrase Example:
Teachers use a variety of technological resources in order to make instruction more meaningful
and interactive. Students also use these resources for projects and papers. Teachers must be
as up-to-date as possible technologically in order to give their students the instruction they
deserve (“Teachers, Secondary School”).
Direct Quote Example:
Teachers use a variety of technological resources in order to make instruction more meaningful
and interactive. According to Virginia Career View, “Teachers may use films, slides, overhead
projectors, and the latest technology in teaching, including computers, telecommunication
systems, and video discs” (“Teachers, Secondary School”).
Source:
“Teachers, Secondary School.” Virginia Career View 28 Nov. 2006
<http://www.vaview.vt.edu/careers/printall.cfm?id=553>.
Internal Citation: (“Teachers, Secondary School”).
Works Cited Information:
Some things to keep in mind when creating your MLA Works Cited Page:
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A Works Cited Page must be in alphabetical order. Alphabetize your Works Cited by the last
names of the author(s) (or editors); if a work has no author or editor, alphabetize by the first
word of the title other than A, An, or The.
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The first line of a citation in MLA format is not indented, but each line after the first is
indented five spaces.
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A Works Cited page should be double-spaced.
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Pay precise attention to punctuation!
How to Cite a Website:
Last Name, First Name. “Title of Page.” Title of Website Date Accessed <web address>.
Examples:
“Careers as a Technical Writer.” Careers Internet Database 28 Jan. 2009
<http://www.careers-internet.org/members/careerpages/technical.htm>.
“Writer, Prose, Fiction & Non-fiction.” Virginia Career View 28 Jan. 2009
<http://www.vaview.vt.edu/careers/careerawareness/career.cfm?id=599>.
U.S. Department of Labor. “Writers and Editors.” Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational
Outlook Handbook 28 Jan. 2009 <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos089.htm>.