For Quarter 4, we will be working on a major research paper for the majority of our time. This will require extensive research, many drafts and edits, and keeping track of sources, citations, etc. I have chosen an overarching topic of "Careers," with a variety of questions that are listed below. You must choose one of the provided questions. I hope there are options of interest for everyone.
For the first two weeks, we will largely be doing research. Once you pick a topic, our schedule will go as follows:
Thursday, March 19th: Let Ms. Leeke know which one via the Google question on Google Classroom. Begin journaling general thoughts and first impression feelings on your topic via Google Doc.
Friday, March 20th: Turn in the First Impressions doc via Google Classroom. Be sure to make a copy so you can continue any note taking on the original document.
Over the next week, begin to research your topic. You will need to have read at least six independent sources on your topic by Friday, March 27th. For each source you read, you will need to create a citation. In a separate Google doc, keep a list of these citations. Eventually, you will need more than six. You do not have to use every single source in your paper, but you need to keep a running list of every source you did read just in case.
Thursday, March 26th: SHARE your citations document with me. This will be a homework grade. Do not turn it in via Google Classroom, as you will need to continue working on this.
Below are the available topic questions. If you have any questions or want clarity on one of the topics, please let me know.
1-Does your college diploma matter?
2-Is the name on your college diploma more important than the diploma itself?
3-Do finances or your chosen major play a bigger role in a student’s college choice?
4-How is entrepreneurship affecting a student’s decisions about college?
5-Tradeschools
6-Are gap years key to college success (look overseas and in America)?
7-Military funding college
8-What impact does your college major have on your career choice or the job you end up with?
9-How does high school prepare you (or not) for “adult” problems like taxes, mortgages, etc.
10-Does curating your hobbies in high school give you a better chance at your chosen field?
11-What majors are most commonly chosen by college athletes?
12-What careers or majors are seen as more successful in American or another country? Why?
13-How do colleges “play the field” with amenities, scholarships, and opportunities to get you to attend? Is this deceptive?
14-How does college debt impact career opportunities after college?
15-How does where you live regionally affect your college or career choice?
16-Attending school overseas or pursuing a career overseas
17-How many people are still doing what they went to school for?
18-What is the value of having a humanities degrees in a non-humanities career?
19-Psychological Impact of waiting to go to college (being an older student).
20-Why are trades seen as less than those with a college diploma, even when they are making more money?
21-What do first generation college students (first in their family to attend college) lives look like long term?
22-Culinary school
23-When colleges are competitive, do they have better students?
24-What new kinds of jobs does the future hold (astronauts weren’t always a thing)?
Your research paper in final form should be a minimum of 6 pages (this does NOT include your cover page or bibliography). If you're operating with a 3pt system, this give you almost a page and half for each point, with half a page for intro and conclusion. DO NOT go over 12 pages. I know that seems crazy, but some of you would.
If you quote or use information from ANY SOURCE put an in-text citation. YOU WILL BE DOCKED POINTS IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO.
Font should always be 12 pt Times New Roman throughout the whole paper. Double check your bibliography to make sure it has the same font as well. Do not change the margins on your document.
Pages should be numbered, and your last name should be in the top header on every page.
Start your bibliography on its own page. You should have 12 sources minimum. If you have done an interview, include it after the bibliography on a fresh page with the title "Appendix." All sources should be in the MLA format for a bibliography page. Purdue has a fantastic resource on it here.
Title Page should have the following centered to the middle of the page:
Title of Paper
by Your Name
Date
English 11
Ms. Leeke
Version of your paper (2nd Draft)
Your final draft will be due Friday, May 15th at 11:59 pm.
It must include your Title Page, a MINIMUM 6 full pages, a Works Cited and Bibliography Page, and any Appendixes (should you decide to do so). If you do not have a Title Page or Works Cited/Bibliography page, it will be counted against you.
Your Works Cited page should have your sources in Alphabetical order.
Your last name and the page number should appear in the header of every page.
For the final draft: On the cover page, paste the following in RED:
I certify that the research paper I am submitting is my own work. I have properly cited sources that I paraphrased, summarized, or directly quoted. I did not present others’ ideas or work as my own.
_________________________________________________________________
By doing so you are agreeing that you have not plagiarized. If it is found to be plagiarized, this will count as lying and you will receive a zero. Further actions may be taken on your total grade or with administration.
For the final draft, the following grading rubric will be used.
Formatting: The required formatting was followed, including the additional pages, cover page, font size, spacing, bibliography, and page numbers.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total will be multiplied by 2 for a potential of 10 total points.
Thesis: The chosen thesis was explained, researched and supported or refuted using evidence from outside research. The thesis was clear and maintained throughout the paper.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total will be multiplied by 2 for a potential of 10 total points.
Content and Organization: The outline was followed and the paper had a logical flow throughout. Content supported the thesis and was on topic and relevant. Writing should be solid and concise, no fluff, and be a minimum of six full pages.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total will be multiplied by 5 for a potential of 25 total points.
Coherence: Writing demonstrates smooth sentence structure that is cohesive and coherent. There should be strong transitions between paragraphs and points should flow naturally. No odd or jarring topic changes.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total will be multiplied by 4 for a potential of 20 total points.
Introduction and Conclusion: The introduction is interesting and catches the readers attention. It includes the thesis statement. The Conclusion brings everything together and does not merely restate the points. It demonstrates understanding of the topic.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total potential of 5 points.
Citations and Sources: Writing includes in-text citations that are properly formatted and credits sources used in the main text of the writing. The Works Cited and Bibliography pages are corrected formatted in MLA and are a total of 12 sources. Writing does not use sources without crediting them and avoids all plagiarism. Sources are in alphabetical order and contain no errors.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total will be multiplied by 4 for a potential of 20 points.
Grammar: Writing should be checked (and tripled checked) against grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and incorrect spelling. Papers should be clear of those.
Excellent: 5 pts. Good: 4pts. Adequate: 3pts. Ineffective: 2pts. Lacking: 1 pt. Missing: 0 pts.
---Total potential of 5 points.
One-on-One Session and Plagiarism Check: Student came to the one-on-one sessions with Ms. Leeke and adapted her editing and suggestions to their paper. They also submitted to the first plagiarism check to safeguard their own writing and the writings of others.
Yes: 5pts. No: 0 pts. One or the Other: 2.5 pts.
---Total potential of 5 pts.