CAPSTONE PROJECT RESEARCH PAPER
To focus your research, refer to your letter of intent/proposal and your essay to remind
yourself of the topic you will be researching. In the media center, find one book, one magazine
or journal, one reference book source, up to five websites (must be .org, .net, .gov, .edu), one
expert (you must provide the expert’s credentials to speak on your topic.
Requirements: Length: 1600-2000 words, typed and double spaced, 8 different sources, varied
types
Due Date: January 27, 2016 Late papers will NOT be accepted!
How to submit: Title page, outline with thesis statement, paper pages 1-8, works cited page
(sources you actually cited), and bibliography (all sources you consulted, use easybib.com or
citefast.com. Both sites will guide the process, but you must input the correct information.)
Use these sites first: www.loc.gov www.si.edu www.archives.gov
www.nationalgeographic.com https://scholar.google.com/ (Try this rather than plain google.
This will eliminate some of the commercial sites and ads).
There are many government sites that provide current information on jobs and training
programs. Don’t get stuck on local sites or just our community; try state and national
information as well. When you find a good site, copy down the important site details onto a
Research Notes sheet so you may access it again, if needed. Take notes on the facts you get
from your reading. Make a notation that tells you if you quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
This is very important to avoid plagiarism.
Once you get enough information to write the paper, begin organizing the details into
categories. Then decide the best order for the categories within the paper. Write the first
draft using an outline. I will instruct on that. If you need more information, return to your
sources for more details. Edit, revise, conference with me (during office hours) or someone
else before writing the final draft. Do this before the deadline to give yourself thinking time.
Hand in the final copy, in the correct order by the deadline. Make sure you do not wait until
the last day to print your work. Emergency excuses such as running out of ink, crashing the
computer, the media center was closed, etc. will not be acceptable. You will also submit your
final draft on www.turnitin.com. This means that if you are “sick” on the due date, you will
still be able to submit your final draft. The rest of your submission is due on the day of your
return.
CAPSTONE PROJECT RESEARCH PAPER
With our Capstone Proposal and Essay, we have considered our current strengths, interests,
hopes, and expectations. Now it is time to turn those hopes and expectations into a plan for
success.
Every successful adult knows that hard work and planning get results. The more you know
about the future you want, the more likely it is to happen. Thus, your last major assignment for
English IV is to write a life proposal based on solid, cited research. Here are the questions you
will consider:
LEARNER
- What college or training program is BEST for me?
- How do I get into that program?
- What classes will I need to take to fulfill my program?
- How much will it cost me, and how will I finance it?
- What scholarships from Belleview might I apply for?
- Option:
WORKER
- What will your profession be?
- What skills/activities will my work include?
- Where will I work?
- How will I get hired?
- What qualities will a potential boss look for in a candidate?
- How much will I make per year?
- Option:
INDIVIDUAL STRENGTH
- How will I stay active with this?
- How can I use this to make my life richer?
- Option:
CAPSTONE PROJECT RESEARCH PAPER
Capstone Research Paper Outline and Sources
1. As a prelude to the outline
a. List your 8 sources
b. Write a brief summary or list of new information from each source
c. Categorize each source. For example, “salary”,” history”, “future outlook” are all
possible categories for your information
d. Organize these into some order –least important to the most, order of time,
before and after, cause –effect, etc.
Remember that each item on the outline will become a paragraph or section of your paper.
How to Write an Outline
Follow this format:
l. (Main Category of Topic)
Ex. l. Overview of Education History
A. (Sub topic of the above category)
ex. A. Pre-20th Century
B. (Second Sub topic of the above category) ex. B. Post-20th Century
ll. (Second Main Category of your Topic)
ll. Influence of Business Model on Education
A. (Sub topic)
A. Gates
B. (Sub topic of II)
B.ALEC
C. (third Sub topic of II)
C. Legislation
lll. (Third Main Category of your Topic)
lll. Current Models of Instruction
IV. (Fourth Main Category of your Topic)
lV. Technology’s Impact
A. (subtopic of above)
A. Positive Effects
B. (subtopic of above
B. Negative Effects
1. (Subdivision of the above topic)
1. Pressure from Parents
2. (Subdivision of the above topic)
2. Pressure on Students
a. (subdivision of 2.)
a. Creates Stress
b. (sub-division of 2.)
b. Creates Unnecessary Fear
The items on the outline and their order depend on your topic, your information, and your technique of
development or structure. If you like chronological order, then the items should be in the order of time. If
you are developing a comparison and contrast pattern, then the parts of the outline will consider first one
item –pro and con—and then the other. Or you could compare both items together. Show where they are
alike in features and then show where they vary. These decisions are yours to make, but the order must show
some kind of logic to it.
Ask if you have questions or are not sure if your outline is organized.
CAPSTONE PROJECT RESEARCH PAPER
Capstone Research Paper Timeline
The following assignments will be grades leading up to completion of your research project. As I have
said since the beginning of the year and emphasized since the beginning of this project, if you are not
keeping up with deadlines, your grade will reflect that. Please remember that following all directions
and meeting all deadlines will be critical to your success with the research paper. Late assignments will
result in a 50% point reduction. Final drafts will not be accepted late!
Deadline
January 7th & 8th
Assignment
Complete and turn in two Research Notes including correct APA
citation, justification of the source reliability, and a total of 20
research points from the two sources
January 11th
Complete and turn in two additional Research Notes including correct
APA citation, justification of the source reliability, and a total of 20
research points from the two sources
January 13th
Complete and turn in two additional Research Notes including correct
APA citation, justification of the source reliability, and a total of 20
research points from the two sources
January 14th & 15th
Complete and turn in two additional Research Notes including correct
APA citation, justification of the source reliability, and a total of 20
research points from the two sources
January 14th & 15th
Preliminary Outline due
January 19th
January 20th
Outline peer review in class
Complete Annotated Working Bibliography due with 8 sources
January 27th
Final Draft due