Research Project and Presentation
8th grade English
CCSS Writing Standard 8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources.
Speaking and Listening Standard 8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent
manner with relevant evidence and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation.
You will choose a historical (or current) figure who has worked to end discrimination and achieve equal rights.
On the back of this paper is a list of people who are praised for being a voice for people who could not always speak for
themselves. Some of these people are still alive; some are American, Alaskan, Guatemalan, Indian, Mexican, etc. For this
project, you will turn in an essay and give an oral presentation to the class.
Essay Format:
I.
Introduction
a. Attention catcher
b. Brief summary of this person’s life. Include their date of birth and date of death (if applicable), where
they lived, and briefly explain the cause(s) this person was involved in.
c. Thesis statement: State three personality traits that helped this person achieve his/her goals.
Example: Daisy Bates’ persistence, courage, and wisdom led to the successful integration of Central High
School.
II.
Body paragraphs (3): For each body paragraph, choose one trait that you admire about this person or that
you believe was instrumental in his/her success. Support each claim with examples from their life and
quotes from your research.
a. Topic sentence: State the ONE main idea of the paragraph
Example: Daisy Bates’ persistence enabled her to help the Little Rock Nine even when integration seemed
an unlikely fantasy.
b. Supporting details: Support your main idea with examples and quotes from your research.
c. Concluding sentence: Restate the main idea of your paragraph.
Example: Bates’ persistence was a key factor in the successful integration of Central High.
III.
Conclusion
a. Restate thesis statement
b. Leave your reader with a reflection on this person’s life. What is his/her legacy to us today?
Reminders:
_____11 size Calibri font, double-spaced.
_____Write in formal 3rd person point of view (no “I, you/your” in your essay).
_____Proofread – no spelling, grammar, or sentence structure errors in your final draft.
_____No contractions (they are, not they’re)
_____Use precise language (no “stuff”, “things”)
_____Indent every paragraph
Oral Presentation:
You will present your findings to the class in a 2-3 minute oral presentation. You will create a PowerPoint or Prezi with
the following:
 2-3 relevant pictures with captions
 The three personality traits you have chosen to focus on in your essay
You may bring note cards up to the front while presenting, but you must practice ahead of time. Appropriate eye
contact and volume are required and will count toward your grade. Your presentation should be professional,
informative, and interesting.
Choices:
1. Nelson Mandela
2. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
3. Jackie Robinson
4. Dolores Huerta
5. Malala
6. Medgar Evers
7. Thurgood Marshall
8. Chief Joseph
9. Cesar Chavez
10. Harriet Tubman
11. Mother Theresa
12. Dorothy Day
13. Fred Korematsu
14. Mohandas Gandhi
15. Antoinette Brown Blackwell
16. Humberto “Bert” Corona
17. Gordon Hirabayashi
18. Abby Kelley
19. Rigoberta Menchú
20. Elizabeth Peratrovich
21. Desmond Tutu
22. Liu Xiaobo
23. Tawakul Karman
You will have a few nights to research these names and choose three people that you are interested in researching. The
first students to come to class on __________________ will sign up for their first choice. There will only be a few
students who research the same people.
Works Cited
8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple sources; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or
paraphrase the conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
A Works Cited page tells the reader where you found your information. Only include websites/sources that you used
in your final paper.
Basic rules
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Works Cited page should be on a separate page at the end of your research paper.
Works Cited should be capitalized centered at the top of the page.
If your citation goes on to a second line, indent that line.
***Wikipedia is not an acceptable source.
Citing a Web Source
You will use easybib.com for your Works Cited page. Each entry includes the following information:
For an individual page on a Web site, list the author if known, followed by the name of the webpage, then the website
name, then the publisher, the date the site was published, medium of publication, and the date you accessed the
material. Remember to use n.p. if no publisher name is available and n.d. if no publishing date is given.
Examples:
"Daisy Bates Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.
"Welcome to the Purdue OWL." Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
Formatting Quotations/In-Text Citations
If you are using a direct quote: Reference the name of the website in your paper.
Example: According to the “Daisy Bates Biography” on the website Bio, “Bates’ home became the headquarters for the
battle to integrate Central High School and she served as a personal advocate and supporter to the students.” THEN
EXPLAIN THE QUOTE IN YOUR OWN WORDS TO SHOW YOU KNOW ITS MEANING.
If you are paraphrasing information: Reference the name of the website in your paper OR use a parenthetical citation.
Example: According to the article “Daisy Bates Biography” on the website Bio, Bates allowed her own home to serve as
ameeting place for the Little Rock Nine. She also dedicated her life to being a guide and ally for these students.
Bates allowed her own home to serve as meeting place for the Little Rock Nine. She also dedicated her life to being a
guide and ally for these students (“Daisy Bates Biography”).