American History Research Papers
Mr. Houston Harwich High School
Topics Listed at the Botton of the Page
All students in
Topic/Thesis: The purpose of the
project is to answer a key question in American history, literature, art or
music about a person, event, movement, or other historical phenomenon. Topics
and theses must be analytical and must be approved by both the English and
history teacher. A list of topics for each school year will be handed out at
the start of the project. Topics may be subdivided at the teachers’
discretion; topics are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Scope: Advanced Placement students will have a final paper
with a minimum length of 12 pages, and Honors students should produce a paper
with 10 pages of text (12 font, Times New Roman, double spaced). A
bibliography, outline, and citations page should also be included although
those pages do not could towards the page totals. College Prep students' work
should be 8 pages in length. The length of paper or time allowed to finish
it may be further modified for students with an IEP. Students will be graded on
what is turned in on the due date; modifications/clarifications will not be
accepted after the grade is released.
Sources: A variety of sources must be used to fulfill the
goals associated with the project. Papers should include at least one of all
the following types of sources unless prior permission is acquired: periodical
(historical magazine/journal), newspaper, book, and internet source. One major
source on the topic should be read early in the process to provide a foundation
in the topic, but it should not ultimately become more than one third of the
citations in the final paper. This is not a book report. A minimum of 8 sources
is required. Multiple website pages under the same domain do not count as
separate sources. If a website that is restricted or that requires a fee is
used, then the student should print out the page in question so that the
teacher can check the source. At least one catalogued source from the Brooks
Free Library or CLAMS system must be used. Note the CLAMS call number on
the citations page. All Students must acquire a CLAMS card with a password
for remote use as part of this project; a separate quiz grade will be attached
to the card checkup.
Citations (noting author and page) may be made in
parentheses in the text of the paper. The bibliography/works cited page should
include title, author, publisher, date, and web address if applicable; see
English teacher for style sheet (MLA). Available at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01
. Encyclopedias are good sources for general information on the topics, but
they should not be counted/used towards the required
number of citations. Each paragraph of the paper that includes new
information or interpretations other than the student's own ideas must include
a citation. Paraphrasing should be done with care; changing a few words in a
sentence is not sufficient to avoid plagiarism. Be very precise when filling
out note cards in order to simplify documentation in the writing process.
Improper documentation or plagiarism will result in a failing grade. Outlines
should follow standard format with Roman numerals for main headings (e.g. I,
II, III, etc.), capital letters for subheadings (e.g. A, B, C, etc.) and Arabic
numbers for sub-subheadings (e. g. 1, 2, 3, etc.). Avoid use of extended
sentences and paragraphs in the outline. See the following website for info: http://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/research/outlining.html
. Students’ outlines will be judged on the basis of the format required
by the English teacher.
Due Date: All papers must be turned on the date set by the English teacher.
However, the ultimate deadline is one week before the closing date for the
quarter (second or third) in which the paper is assigned. Ten points will
be deducted for each late day. Extenuating circumstances must be brought to the
attention of the teacher ahead of time in order to qualify for an extension. Be
sure to consult this sheet before printing final draft. All papers should be
given to the teacher on a disk or as an e-mail attachment in Microsoft Word as
well as in printed form. Please merge all files into a single document before
sending to the teacher.
Standards: Although the history grade will be more focused
on content than the English grade; structure, grammar, spelling and other
writing standards are considered in the grading process. See the grading rubric
listed below.
Grading Rubric:
Analytical Thesis: 5% Does the research analyze as well as describe the
topic? What is the question addressed? Example: Do not
simply list the events in a person's life, but also explain the person's impact
in changing society. Why was he the greatest president?
Length of Paper: 10% Points will be deducted for
each page short of the stated requirement.
Eight Sources and limit on major source (no more than a third of
citations): 5% See teachers early in the project
to address difficulty in finding materials.
CLAMS Source: 5% Does at least one source come
from the CLAMS net? Is it labeled in the bibliography?
Quality of Sources: 5% Is the internet source
from an unreliable personal website or from the National Archives? Is the
book from the children's section of the library or from a collection of primary
documents?
Four Types of Sources: 5% Points will be
deducted for each type of source that is not utilized.
Works Cited Page/Bibliography: 5% Is the proper
format used?
Quality of Outline: 5% Is the outline an
accurate guide to the organization of the paper. Is the proper format
used?
Digital and Paper Copy: 5% Points will be
deducted if both versions are not submitted on the due date. Points will not be issued if the digital
version in not “readable” on school computers.
Grammar, Usage, Style, MLA Format: 10% Be sure
to make improvements after English teacher reviews rough draft. Complex sentence structure used?
Historical Information, Analysis, and Overall Quality: 40%
How accurate is t he information? How extensive and insightful is
the analysis? What is the overall impact of the student's project?
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN FORM TO MR.
HOUSTON; Acquiring the signatures will count as a ten
point quiz.
I/We understand the requirements of this English and
History Project:
Parent:______________________________ Student:___________________________
Paper Topics for 2006-2007
Paper Topics for 2005-2006
Paper Topics for 2004-2005
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