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Eighth Grade Research Paper
Assignment Summary:
In order to display an understanding of a specific historical event and hone
your writing skills, you will be writing a 3-5 page research paper. You will
select an event from American history ranging 1770 to the present. Once
you select a topic, you will design a thesis statement and analyze collected
research to support your thesis statement. You will then take your collected
research, and as an expert on the topic, write a paper on your topic that
supports your thesis statement.
This assignment will count as a grade in both Social Studies and Language
Arts.
Procedure:
1. Select a topic
2. Select 3 Sources
3. Creation of a Thesis Statement
4. Research and compile notes using 3 sources
5. Complete a typed outline of your paper based on your notes
6. Create a typed draft for Social Studies
7. Revise and edit your paper
8. Created a typed draft of your paper for L.A.
9. Revise and edit your paper
10. Submit your final paper
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Research Paper Due Dates

Thursday February 5
Research Paper topics due to Mr. Huntington

Friday February 6
Trip to Saxton B. Little Library (weather permitting)

Friday February 13
All 3 sources due to Mr. Huntington

Monday February 23
Notecards for 1st source due to Mr. Huntington
(with rubric)

Wednesday March 4
Notecards for 2nd source due to Mr. Huntington
(with rubric)

Friday March 13
Notecards for 3rd source due to Mr. Huntington
(with rubric)

Tuesday March 17
Research Paper outline due to Mr. Huntington

Week of March 23
Work on first draft of the Research Paper

Tuesday March 31
Research Paper draft #1 due to Mr. Huntington
(with rubric)

As each draft is completed, students will immediately begin revising and editing.
Research Paper draft #2 due to Ms. Muñoz
(with rubric)

Due dates for draft #2 will be based on the return date of draft #1 and two days for
revising and editing. Dates will be given individually to students.

Final Copy of Papers due to Mr. Huntington
Students will need to submit the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2 complete final copies
the final rubric for Social Studies
the final rubric for L.A.
the corrected rough draft for Social Studies
the corrected rough draft for L.A.
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STEPS FOR A RESEARCH PAPER
1. Topic

Choose an appropriate, interesting topic and read about it.
2. Search in Libraries for Sources
 Sources should be appropriate for your reading and comprehension level
 First check for sources at Porter’s library and Saxon B. Little
 You may need to check out a library in nearby towns
 Hebron
 Willimantic
 Mansfield
 Lebanon
 Glastonbury
3. Write a Thesis Statement
 The thesis statement should be thought provoking
 It should lend itself to further inquiry or investigation
4. Gather the Information
 Use the note card method to gather relevant information on you
topic/thesis
 Be sure to label the card as instructed
 Paraphrase, paraphrase, paraphrase!!!!
5. Revisit Your Thesis Statement
 Analyze if the thesis statement needs to be reworded based on the
information you have gathered.
 Be sure you have gathered enough information on your cards to address
the thesis statement
6. Outline Gathered Material
 Draw up a final outline or “skeleton” of the paper
 Put the information in order by topic
7. Organize Your Note Cards
 Based upon your “skeleton” outline of the paper, organize your
note cards from all sources into 1 pile
8. Rough Draft
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




Introduction
Write the body of your paper from the note cards
Conclusion
Be sure to use many paragraphs!
Be sure to write transitions between topics/paragraphs
9. Proofread Your Rough Draft!
 Check for complete sentences
 Use commas
 Unforgivable homophones
 Check for tense agreement
 Check for “illegal” use of personal pronouns
 Check spelling (run spell-check but also read the paper to check that you
have used the words correctly)
 Check paragraph structure
 Be sure you have identified people, places & things!
 Be sure you have given enough detail
 No slang usage
 In other words: follow the Ten Guidelines of Writing!!!!
1. Format of Paper
 Presentation:




1 inch margins
12 Calibri font
properly numbered pages
Double spaced
2. Finished Paper
 Cover page including
 Title – centered
 Picture related to topic
 Name, date, and section in lower right corner
 The research paper (properly numbered)
 Works cited page
 Check all punctuation
 Alphabetical order
 ONE staple on the top left hand corner
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Thesis Statement
A Thesis Statement is a statement of purpose, intent, or main idea of the paper. Do not
be surprised if your thesis statement changes as you do your research. You will
probably consider a number of focuses before you settle upon the one you will finally
use for your paper.
 Ask yourself, “What do I really want to know about this subject? What makes is
worth investigating? What interest me the most about it?”
 State your thesis in a sentence that you feel effectively expresses what you want
to explore in your essay. A thesis statement usually expresses a specific feeling
about a subject or highlights a specific feature of it. Use the following formula if
you have trouble forming a thesis:
Formula:
A specific subject (bungee jumping) +
A specific feeling/feature (stretches safety to the limit) =
An effective thesis statement (Bungee jumping is a sport that
stretches safety to the limit)
Use the space below to create a few thesis statements for your topic:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Note Taking
Why Should You Take Notes?
You will need to use information for your paper that has been researched using three
resources, this includes at least two print sources and no more than one internet
resource (although information from books and periodicals may be taken from the
internet). YOU MAY NOT USE WIKIPEDIA!!!
 http://www.iconn.org is a great place to search for periodicals/newspapers.
 A Note on gathering research from websites:
o The majority of credible resources end with “.gov” or “.edu”; however,
there are a few basic ways to verify the credibility of “.com” or “.org”
which include the following questions to ask:
o Can you verify the expertise or credibility of the author or the source?
Does the information match the information located in a book such as an
encyclopedia or a literature books?
o When evaluating a website for use it should have the following:
Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support
Source: http://www.mcduffie.k12.ga.us/ThomsonHigh.cfm?subpage=1267942
What Should You Look For?
The information you look for (research) will support your thesis.
How Do You Take Notes?
1.
Have a plan of action. Make sure that you have written down topics related to
your thesis that you are trying to support.
2.
Select resources that will offer information on your thesis.
3.
Paraphrase (put in your own words), summarize, or quote information that
relates to your topic. You do not have to use complete sentences unless you use
a quotation.
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4.
If you believe that some sentences/ideas might be more effective in your paper
as they appear in your source, write down the words exactly as they appear. Be
sure to place them in quotation marks on your index card in addition to noting
the author and page number.
5.
Be aware of the difference between summarizing and plagiarism. Derived from
the Latin word plagiarius (kidnapper), plagiarism refers to a form of cheating that
has been defined as “the false assumption of authorship: the wrongful act of
taking the product of another person’s mind and presenting it as one’s own”. To
use another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging
the source is plagiarism. Plagiarism, then, constitutes intellectual theft and often
carries severe penalties, ranging from failure in a course to expulsion from
school. An example of plagiarism is when a student who is assigned to do a
report, goes to the encyclopedia and writes down, word for word, everything on
the subject. Using the words and thoughts of others in your paper is acceptable,
if the material is quoted. You should not, however, have more quoted than
original material in your paper.
How do you set up index cards?
1. First you will need white lined index cards for each source. The index card size may be
either 3” x 5” or 4” x 6”. Whichever size you choose to use must be used throughout this
project.
2. On the first card for each source you will write the author’s last name in the top left
corner as well as the card number (start with card #1 and number as many for each
source as needed).
3. On the first card of each source, write down, in correct order, all of the information
you will need for your Works Cited page. This information will differ depending on the
source. Later on we will go over how to properly create a Works Cited page.
4. On the bottom of the first card write your name (in case you lose or drop your cards).
Sample 1st Index Card for a Source (book)
Author’s last name- Card # 1
Author (s). Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
Your Name
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5. For the remaining cards in each set, you will write the author’s last name in the top
left corner as well as the card number.
6. Use the card to paraphrase all the information related to one of the focus questions
you feel is a main idea, significant detail and/or quote.
7. At the bottom middle, write the page number where you found the fact or
information.
8. In the bottom right corner write your last name. This way if a card is misplaced and
found it will be returned to you.
Sample 2nd Index Card for a Source (book)
Author’s last name- Card #
(Every card should focus on main ideas, significant details, and quotations related to the focus of the
thesis paper)
p. 60
Your last name
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Research Paper Outline
The Research Paper Outline helps you organize your ideas and research into a logical,
fluent, and effective order. You may use as many body paragraphs as necessary; keep in
mind that you should begin a new paragraph whenever you introduce a new idea.
I.
Introduction
A. Lead
B. Thesis Statement
C. Supporting topic 1
D. Supporting topic 2
E. Supporting topic 3
II.
Supporting Topic 1 (multiple paragraphs)
A. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
B. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
C. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
III.
Supporting Topic 2 (multiple paragraphs)
A. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
B. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
C. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
IV.
V.
Supporting Topic 3 (multiple paragraphs)
A. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
B. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
C. Supporting detail paragraph(s)
Conclusion (3-5 sentences) Do not repeat introduction word for word!
A. Creative restatement of thesis
B. Supporting topic 1
C. Supporting topic 2
D. Supporting topic
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Outline Example
I.
Introduction
A. Brief, necessary background information on World War II
B. In 1945, three significant factors played influenced the outcome of
World War II (Thesis)
C. Weapons (all roman numerals except conclusion)
D. Union of Allies
E. Media
II.
Weapons Introduction of first piece of support-multiple paragraphs
A. Tanks (Supporting details)
D. Planes (Supporting details)
E. Guns (Supporting details)
III.
Union of Allies Introduction of second piece of support-multiple paragraphs
A. U.S.A. (Supporting details)
D. England (Supporting details)
E. Canada (Supporting details)
F. Russia (Supporting details)
IV.
Media Introduction of first third of support-multiple paragraphs
A. News broadcasts (Supporting details)
D. P.O.W. Interviews (Supporting details)
E. Holocaust Escapee Interviews (Support details)
V.
Conclusion
A. Germany’s loss in World War II was driven by several key factors
(Creative restatement of thesis).
B. Weapons (all roman numerals except conclusion)
C. Union of Allies
D. Media
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Guidelines of Writing
1. All writing should be in the past tense.
2. Never use the personal pronouns I, me, we, us, or you.
3. Never give the paper a heartbeat or voice. Example: “This paper is about…”
4. The first time you write the name of a person write the full name. Afterward use
the last name only. Do not use the first name of the person unless you know the
individual personally.
5. The first time you mention a person, place or thing you must identify that
person, place or thing.
6. Never ask a rhetorical question in your paper.
7. Never introduce a new topic or give an opinion in the conclusion.
8. Do not use contractions in formal writing such as don’t or won’t. Write them out.
9. No more than three quotes in your paper.
10. You are the expert, write your paper as if the reader does not know a thing
about your topic.
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FORMATTING YOUR PAPER
THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION (MLA) FORMAT
Your paper must be formatted using the MLA format. For additional information on
how to format quotations or entries on your Works Cited page you may access the MLA
website at http://www.mla.org.
FORMATTING QUOTES
 The author’s last name and the page number (s) from which the quote is taken
must appear in the text, and a complete reference needs to appear in your
Works Cited list.
 The author’s name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses
following the quote, but the page number (s) should always appear in the
parentheses, never in the text itself.
Examples:
Madison states that “a dream is a fulfillment of a wish” (154).
Some argue that “a dream is a fulfillment of a wish” (Madison 154).
 If more than one author has the same name, it is necessary to provide the
author’s initials (or even his/her full name if different authors share initials) in
your citation.
 To indicate short quotations in your text, enclose the quotation within quotation
marks and incorporate it into your text.
 Provide the author and specific page citation (in the case of verse, provide line
numbers) in the text, and include a complete reference in your Works Cited.
 Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear
AFTER the parenthetical citation. Question marks and exclamation points should
appear within the quotation marks if they are part of the quote BUT AFTER the
citation if they are part of the text.
Examples:
According to some, dreams express “profound aspects of personality”
(Foulkes 184), though others disagree.
According to Foulkes’s study, dreams may express “profound aspects of
personality” (184).
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Is it possible that dreams may express “profound aspects of personality”
(Foulkes 184)?
Cullen concludes “Of all the things that happened there/That’s all I
remember” (11-12).
 Quotations longer than four typed lines are placed in their own free-standing
block of typewritten lines and quotation marks are omitted. Start the quotation
on a new line, indented one inch from the left margin, and maintain doublespacing. Your parenthetical citation should come AFTER the closing punctuation
mark.
Examples:
Ralph and the other boys finally realized the horror of their actions: The
tears began to flow and sobs shook him. He gave himself up to them
now for the first time on the island; great shuddering spasms of grief that
seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under the black smoke
before the burning wreckage of the island; and infected by that emotion,
the other little boys began to shake and sob too. (Golding 186)
Page Numbers
 Both drafts of your research paper must have page numbers. Please use the
following instructions to properly number the pages of your research paper.
Create a header or footer that contains your last name and page number
(Smith 1).
1. On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number.
2. Click Top of Page for the numbers to appear at the top of your document.
3. Select Plain Number 3 and add your last name before the inserted page number.
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FORMATTING YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE
 Your Works Cited, a list of the sources you cite alphabetized by authors’ last
names, should appear after your paper.
 Author’s names are inverted (last name first); if a work has more than one
author, invert only the first author’s name, follow it with a comma, and then
continue listing the rest of the authors.
 If you have cited more than one work by a particular author, order them
alphabetically by title, and use three hyphens in place of the author’s name for
every entry after the first.
 If no author is given for a particular work, alphabetize by the title of the piece.
 The first line of each entry should begin at the left margin. Subsequent lines
should be indented one-half inch. (5 spaces) This is known as a “hanging indent.”
 All references should be double-spaced.
 Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc. (This rule does not apply
to “a,” “an,” “the,” or to conjunctions, unless they are the first word of a title.)
Underline titles of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and films.
Examples:
Novel
Author(s). Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
Frye, Northrup. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton:
Princeton UP, 1957.
Newspaper/Periodical:
Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Source Day Month Year: pages.
Nimmons, David. “The Brain.” Discover Mar. 1994: 26-27.
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Online Newspaper/Periodical
Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal Volume. Issue (Year):
Pages/Paragraphs. Date of Access <electronic address>.
Landsburg, Steven E. “Who Shall Inherit the Earth?” Business Weekly. 1 (1995): 9
pars. 26 Jun. 1998 <http://jbe.la.psu.edu/.>
Webpage
Author(s). Title of Page. Publication Year. Day Month Year of Access <internet
address>.
Daly, Bill. Writing Argumentative Essays. 1997. 26 Jun. 1998
<http://cougar.vut.edu.au/~dalbj/arguweb/frntpage.htm>.
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World War II
(Include an illustration relating to your subject and title)
Sarah Smith
March 19, 2014
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Rubrics





Research Paper Final Copy- Social Studies………………………19
Research Paper Final Copy- LA………………………………………..21
Research Paper Rough Draft Rubric…………………………………23
Research Paper Outline Rubric………………………………………..25
Note Card Rubrics……………………………………………………………27,29,31
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19
Name:
Research Paper Final Copy- Social Studies
Date:
Class:
Historical Information and Writing Style
Focus Area
Introduction
Criteria
Clearly states the paper’s thesis,
Offers an overview
of the paper’s position
Conclusion
Clearly restates the paper’s thesis,
Reviews the paper’s position and support,
Information in the
body of the paper
Displays strong proof and evidence
Uses key facts and relevant details,
Proves thesis question without a doubt,
Points
15
15
50
Information is well organized,
Effective transitions lead the reader from
topic to topic,
Information is believable, accurate, and
credible
Works Cited Page
Works cited is properly formatted and uses
MLA style for each citation,
10
Proper use of punctuation,
Listed alphabetically by authors’ last names
Formal language
Flawlessly follows the Guidelines of
Writing.
10
Total
Score
20
21
Student _________________________________________ Date: ________________
Research Paper Final Copy – LA
Class: ________________
Focus Area
Writing
Conventions
Writing Conventions and Grammar
Criteria
Points
No errors in:
Score
70
Spelling
Capitalization
Punctuation
Grammar
Verb tense
Subject/verb agreement
Formatting
(1 point loss for each error. 5 point
loss for each “unforgivable”
homophone error)
No errors in:
30
Typed, double spaces, 12 pt. font, 1”
margins throughout, numbered
pages, proper formatting of works
cited pages, and cover page which
includes title, author, date, and an
illustration
(3 point loss for each error)
** Please note: Mrs. Muñoz will edit your final draft #2 from Mr. Huntington and place
check marks in the margin to indicate any writing convention errors up to 10. If she
identified MORE than 10 errors in your final draft #2, she will stop editing, return the
paper to you, and this will be an automatic 10 point deduction from your language arts
research paper grade. You should have multiple people will strong editing skills proof
read your paper before submitting it as your final draft #2. You will then have the
opportunity to correct any and all errors before you are graded according to the rubric.
Mrs. Muñoz will not edit your title page or your works cited pages. She will only edit the
body of the research paper.
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23
Research Paper Rough Draft Rubric
Class :
Historical Information and Writing Style Rubric
*This rubric must be handed in with the Rough Draft as well as the Final
Copy*
Element
Title Page
Introduction
Clear Thesis Statement
Overview of position
Conclusion
Clearly restates thesis
Reviews position and support
Information in the body of the paper
Displays strong proof and evidence
Uses key facts and relevant details with sufficient
elaboration
Proves thesis question without a doubt
Sequence of information is organized
Effective transitions are used
Information is believable, accurate, and credible
Works Cited Page
Formal Language
Follows the 10 Guidelines of WritingAll writing in past tense
No personal pronouns
No heart beat or voice
Full name first time-last name thereafter
Identification first time
No rhetorical questions
No quote in the introduction or conclusion
No new topic introduced in the conclusion
No more than 3 quotes
No contractions
No Change
Needed
Few
Changes
Needed
Many Changes
Needed
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25
Name:
Research Paper Outline
Focus Area
Format
Information
Criteria
Perfectly follows
outline format.
All required
information is
present and is
presented in a
logical manner.
Date:
Class:
Points
Score
50
50
Total
26
27
Name:
Note Card Rubric
Note Cards Set:
Date:
Class:
#1
#2
#3
Title of Source:___________________________________________________________
Focus Area
Card Set Up
Card Quantity and
Quality
Paraphrasing
Information
Criteria
Points
Flawless Card Setup
1. Resource
identification (top
left)
2. Card Numbers
(top left)
3. Page number
from the source for
information
(bottom middle)
4. Last name bottom
right
Contains many
interesting and
relevant key facts
and details;
Completely
addresses thesis
All researched
information is
paraphrased (except
quotes); student
clearly demonstrates
understanding of
researched material
Score
15
60
25
Total
28
29
Name:
Note Card Rubric
Note Cards Set:
Date:
Class:
#1
#2
#3
Title of Source:___________________________________________________________
Focus Area
Card Set Up
Card Quantity and
Quality
Paraphrasing
Information
Criteria
Points
Flawless Card Setup
1. Resource
identification (top
left)
2. Card Numbers
(top left)
3. Page number
from the source for
information
(bottom middle)
4. Last name bottom
right
Contains many
interesting and
relevant key facts
and details;
Completely
addresses thesis
All researched
information is
paraphrased (except
quotes); student
clearly demonstrates
understanding of
researched material
Score
15
60
25
Total
30
31
Name:
Note Card Rubric
Note Cards Set:
Date:
Class:
#1
#2
#3
Title of Source:___________________________________________________________
Focus Area
Card Set Up
Card Quantity and
Quality
Paraphrasing
Information
Criteria
Points
Flawless Card Setup
1. Resource
identification (top
left)
2. Card Numbers
(top left)
3. Page number
from the source for
information
(bottom middle)
4. Last name bottom
right
Contains many
interesting and
relevant key facts
and details;
Completely
addresses thesis
All researched
information is
paraphrased (except
quotes); student
clearly demonstrates
understanding of
researched material
Score
15
60
25
Total