Research Project (3rd quarter)

Parameters

Task:

 

You will create a two to three page research paper based upon events during the Great Depression. You will be provided with all the necessary research materials, consisting of three sources. You will listen to a passage concerning the Great Depression, the stock market crash of 1929, and the Dust Bowl. It will be read aloud twice and you may take notes at any point. In addition, you will be provided with a timeline as well as a first-hand account of a young boy’s struggle during this time period. These three items will serve as your only sources of research.

 

  • You may not use Wikipedia or any other electronic source to assist you in the research paper.
  • Parenthetical citations (similar to the Romeo and Juliet essay) are required.
  • A work cited page is required.
  • Use of any other source than the three provided to you will be considered plagiarism.

 

Situation:

 

Your English class will read and analyze John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men. You will create a two to three page research paper designed as an introduction to the historic time period which serves as the setting of the novel.

 

Guidelines:

 

  • You will utilize only the research materials provided to you. You must reference each source within your paper.
  • The paper will require a cover and work cited page. It must be typed in Times New Roman, regular, size 12 font and double-spaced. Follow the previously existing guidelines.
  • Your paper must consist of two to three pages of written material for a total of four to five pages: cover (1), work cited (1), and original material (2-3).
  • You must use parenthetical citation and you must not commit plagiarism.
  • If your paper does not follow guidelines or is otherwise incomplete, it will be considered late. A 10-point penalty will be incurred for each day late, including non-school days. Electronically sent copies are not acceptable. I will not read a paper that is submitted via email.
  • Follow the norms and conventions of standard written English.
  • This is a formal paper. Do not use contractions or I, we, etc. except when quoted.
  • All research papers will be due: _______________________

 

Grading Policy

To receive an A+ on your research paper, you have to do the following things:

  • Have proper parenthetical citations. Example: (Minehan 24); (Goldberg and Itkowitz 3). It is not appropriate to put all the page numbers in the citation; rather, you are supposed to find out which specific page the information came from and list that page only. If you aren’t sure, you should have asked.
  • Use all three sources. You need to have a minimum of two citations from each source.
  • Have a proper work cited page with appropriate MLA citations.
  • Write a paper of two to three pages in length. Not anything less than two.

Possible deductions:

  • No work cited page = whole letter grade deduction.
  • Incorrect or incomplete page = half letter grade.
  • Used less than three sources = whole letter grade.
  • Less than two pages = whole letter grade for each quarter page less than two.
  • No citations = whole letter grade.
  • Incorrect citations = half letter grade.
  • You may also have deductions for GUM (grammar, usage and mechanics), depending on how terrible it is.

Hypothetical:

You turn in a paper that is one and a half pages long. Your citations do not include the specific page from where you got your information. Your work cited page is perfect. You only use two sources. Your GUM is terrible. Your grade is therefore:

Start: A+ (Hooray! You’re a fantastic writer with wonderful skills who will surely be successful in life!)

Minus

  • Two letter grades for length
  • One half for citations
  • One for sources
  • One half for grammar.

You have earned anF.