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You can read the contents of this handout on the Junior Research page.
Pick a short story to read that relates to the question you are researching. After reading it, write an analysis of it in your research journal. I will check for the following:
Select a poem that relates to your research question. Place a copy of the poem in your journal along with a complete citation. After reading through the poem SEVERAL times, write an analysis of it, using the questions from the Describing a Poem handout.
Just as with the short story analysis, you should discuss thoroughly how you think the poem relates to your research question.
Find a Hollywood movie that deals with your issue. Consult the list of movie titles for your topic. If you know of another movie that you think would be appropriate, just check with me. Also check the Internet Movie Database online at www.imdb.com to find out about the movie's rating so that you can make an informed choice. Do not choose a movie that you or your parents would consider inappropriate. Rent the movie and watch it, thinking about your research questions while you do. Write an analysis of the movie in your research journal. Your analysis should include the following:
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These databases are provided through our school library and require a user name and password. You may obtain them from the school library or consult the list I have in the room. You may access these databases from home as long as you have the correct user names and passwords.
Roth's family of literature databases. Find 100,000 full-text poems, thousands of full-text short stories, and full-text essays based on books published in the 20th century.
A collection of databases useful for researching topics for any class. The collection also contains databases for younger students (K-5).
Just type in the word you want to look up in the box at the top right of each page (It is labeled Find Word).
Digital Knowledge Center Each database requires separate username & password
EBSCO
Britannica
NewsBank
contains multiple science and history databases, as well as The World Atlas which is filled with the most up-to-date information available. It also contains Ferguson 's Career Guidance Center that profiles more than 2,000 jobs in over 90 industries. Personal and Business Forms is a database organized by type of form. Over 14,500 current forms, including links to many online college application forms.
divided into four basic categories:
SIRS Researcher emphasizes social issues, health, science and business.
SIRS Government Reporter features historic and government documents, directories, and almanacs.
SIRS Renaissance features current perspectives on the arts and humanities.
SIRS WebSelect features selected web sites for general reference.
TexShare Databases You must have a public library card to use these databases.
(must obtain username and password from librarian)
This extensive collection of databases is a program of the Texas State Library and offers full-text, authoritative articles from verifiable, subscription-only sources. Library cards are available free from the Brownwood Public Library, or see our librarians; they can also get you a card.
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I. What I Knew and Why I Chose This Issue
Look back at your journal and your 50 relevant, researchable questions. Write at least one page about what you knew and thought about your issue before you actually started reading and researching. Include why you are interested in this issue and the “history of your interest.” Explain why knowledge of this topic will be valuable and important to you, and what experiences you have had which connect you to this topic.
II. The Search
Reflect on the steps you took to find your information. Write at least two pages on the process and what you learned about research. What successes and frustrations did you have? What are your thoughts about using the online library databases? The online card catalog (OPAC)? Finding books on the shelves? Reading journal articles and taking notes? What was your interview like? What have you learned about yourself as a researcher? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What skills do you still need help with?
III. What I Learned
This section will be at least six pages long and is the most formal. It is about your issue, not about you. What have you learned from your library reading? From the literature (poem, story, movie) about your issue? Include information from the interview you conducted.
• Prewriting: Before you begin this part, organize your thoughts around main points that you will discuss. You must have either an outline or a web that demonstrates your prewriting.
• Parenthetical Citations: When you include information from your reading, you must credit the source in parentheses after the statement. (Smith 18) See the Style Sheet handout for examples. You must have at least 6 parenthetical citations .
• Quoted Material: You must “sandwich” your quoted material by leading up to it in your own words and reflecting on the information and/or tying it in with what will come next after your quote. I will count off points for “stacking” quoted material together.
• Multiple Points of View: Because all issues can be viewed from multiple points of view, make sure that you include several, possibly conflicting, viewpoints. Discuss areas of disagreement where experts have conflicting views on this issue. Remember that you are not expected to agree with these views, just discuss them. This section will also reflect your own opinions as you draw conclusions from your information. Do not, however, use empty phrases such as “I think that.”
Part 3 is NOT a report or summary of what you read. It is an argument that is supported by research. Take time to think over what you have read and formulate your position on this issue. Then read back over your notes to locate what information you will use to support your argument. Do you have sufficient information to strongly support your beliefs? Or do you need to do additional research at this point? There is still time to find a few more articles.
Remember as you plan part 3 of your paper that your purpose is to propose an argument you have formulated on your issue as you have researched. Your job is to use information from your reading to support your argument or thesis.
What will your argument or thesis be?
In your discussion, you must also take into account the complexity of the issue and clarify for your reader what other attitudes or opinions you discovered (with support from your reading). You bring up these differing opinions because doing so actually strengthens your own position by showing that you have considered different perspectives before forming your own opinion.
What conflicting opinions will you discuss?
You must present a differing opinion in a respectful manner, but once you do, you should work to show the reader why you disagree with the opinion (using information from your reading to support your points).
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http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html#Works-Cited
The works cited list should appear at the end of your essay. It provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and be able to read any sources you cite in the essay. Each source you cite in the essay must appear in your works-cited list; likewise, each entry in the works-cited list must be cited in your text. Preparing your works cited list using MLA style is covered in chapter six of the MLA Style Manual , and chapter four of the Handbook for Writing Research Papers. Here are some guidelines for preparing your works cited list.
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WORKS CITED
Last Name, First Name. Title of a Book With One Author, Title Underlined or Italicized, With Significant Words Capitalized . Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
Title of a Book Without an Author, Title Underlined or Italicized . Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
Author(s). “Title of Poem or Short Story in Quotation Marks.” Title of an Edited Anthology, Underlined or Italicized . Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page numbers of the specific story or essay you're using.
Author(s). “Title of Article in Quotation Marks.” Title of an Edited Anthology, Underlined or Italicized . Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page numbers of the specific story or essay you're using.
“Title of Newspaper or Magazine Article With No Author Listed, Title in Quotation Marks.” Title of Magazine or Newspaper, Underlined or Italicized Day Month Year: page numbers.
Author(s). “Title of Newspaper or Magazine Article in Quotation Marks.” Title of Magazine or Newspaper, Underlined or Italicized Day Month Year: page numbers.
Author(s). “Title of Journal Article in Quotation Marks.” Title of Professional Journal With Continuous Pagination Vol (Year): page numbers.
Author(s) if Given. "Title of Specific Web Article." Title of Web Magazine or Publication the Page is a Part Of . Date of Posting/Revision. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (if any). Date You Accessed the Site <electronic address or URL>.
Author's Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Underlined or Italicized Date of publication, volume number and issue number if scholarly: page numbers. Name of database (such as SIRS Researcher or Student Resource Center ) underlined . Subscription service name (SIRS Knowledge Source or EBSCOhost or LitFINDER). Subscribing library and location. Day Month Year of access <Online Provider URL address in angle brackets>
Title of Your Movie underlined . Dir. (Director's Name). Writ. (Screenwriter's Name(s)). Studio Name, Date Released. Name of Home Video Company, Year Released on Video.
Name of Person You Interviewed, last name first. Personal Interview. Day Month Year you did the interview.
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Working in a group of three to four people, you will complete a multi-media project that demonstrates what you have learned this semester about your Junior Research Question. You can choose to create a web site, a news magazine video, or a slide show presentation.
Once you have decided on your group and what project you will complete, you must turn the information for my approval. I reserve the right to add people to your group or change group makeup as I see fit.
I have a separate packet of handouts for each of the three projects. When I approve your group, I will give you the appropriate packet.
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