NAME:
Bullying Research Paper: English 9
In conjunction with our coming-of-age unit, you will be writing a research paper on a
controversial topic which many teens face: bullying. Writing a research paper has many steps
and requires careful consideration of details, and it is also a VERY important skill to have.
TOPIC: There are three main types of bullying: physical, verbal, and cyber. Your assignment
is to research various articles about bullying and write a research paper about the effects of
bullying on teens. You will use articles about bullying, mainly from SIRS (the online database)
to research this topic. You will be graded mainly on your ability to prove your thesis statement
with relevant support from outside sources.
Step 1: Research and note-taking (gathering quotes) using note/source card format
Step 2: Thesis Statement
Step 3: Outline
Step 4: First draft with works cited page
Step 5: Peer-editing
Step 6: Revise and proofread for final draft
All aspects of this assignment will be counted as a grade. You are REQUIRED to turn in
note/source cards to prove where you got ALL quotes.
REQUIREMENTS:
 At least TWO quotes per body paragraph
 Paper must be at least TWO pages in length, not including the Works Cited page
 Must be done in MLA format (typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, in-text
citations, works cited page, etc.)
 Must use AT LEAST two outside sources (including at least ONE article and ONE book)
 NO WIKIPEDIA or GOOGLE allowed! Sources must be from library databases or a
book
Step 1: Research and Note-Taking
Using the library databases, begin to research articles about bullying and its effects.
Use the following format for the note/source cards:
Sample Topic: Queen Elizabeth’s Influence on Shakespeare
SAMPLE SOURCE CARD
A
Mack, Jr., Maynard. “Queen Elizabeth and Theatre.” The
Elizabethan Period. Ed. Harold Bloom. New
York: Chelsea House, 1987. 59-89.
SAMPLE NOTE CARD
(slug) Queen Elizabeth and Shakespeare
A-1
“Queen Elizabeth’s interest in drama was such that
several books have been written that hypothesized that
she wrote some of Shakespeare's plays, but this of
course is only dreamy speculation.”
Pg. 62
Use the following library database to begin gathering your notes. Use the username and
password provided. There are more databases listed; however, SIRS is recommended for the
specific topic to which you were assigned.
To begin, go to the library website, scroll down, and click on “NPHS Online Databases”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to North Plainfield High School’s website
Click on “Library”
Click on “NPHS Online Databases”
Scroll down to SIRS RESEARCHER http://sks.sirs.com
USERNAME: nphs34
PASSWORD: canucks
5. Once logged in, click on SIRS KNOWLEDGE SOURCE
5. Search for “bullying” or “bullying and its effects” either as a subject OR keyword
6. Complete note cards by writing quotes down which may be relevant to your paper
7. Complete an appropriate source card for notes taken from that source (citations are listed
at the bottom of the article)
*You will eventually make your Works Cited page using all of your source cards. If you do the
source cards correctly, you essentially already have the Works Cited page done; you just have
to put the sources in alphabetical order by first word and type it and BOOM, DONE!  Doing
research and documenting sources properly is the way to avoid plagiarism!
Research Paper Checklist
Keep this paper in your research paper folder, and as you get each requirement done, you
will get the teacher’s signature in order to get credit. To get full credit, the assignments must be
done by the due date. All points earned are based on completion and are counted as separate
participation grades. An additional rubric will be used to grade final draft of research paper.
_____ 1. At least 2 source cards (at least one article, and one book) (20 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 2. At least 6 note cards (since you need two quotes per paragraph) (30 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 3. Thesis Statement (topic + debatable phrase + significance format) (10 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 4. Outline typed (50 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 5. Works Cited page with at least 2 sources listed (25 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 6. First Draft that is at least two pages in length (100 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 7. Peer Editing Checklist (50 points)
Due Date: _______________________
_____ 8. Final Draft that is at least two pages in length (100 points)
Due Date: _______________________