First, begin by choosing a general topic
Then read the starter article provided for your topic
and answer the two starter questions provided for your chosen general topic.
After using the first article for answers to the first two questions, and you have received teacher approval to continue, develop more questions that you can answer from the text. You may also open and read other sources for information.
If you are given the option to choose your own topic, begin by reviewing the three topics below including the two starter questions and choose your preferred area of research.
Open the page corresponding to your topic.
Review the 'Starter Questions' for your topic
Open and read the first article searching for answers to the starter questions. Research requires reading!
The answers may not be specifically identified. You may have to combine different pieces of information to answer each question completely.
[Note: You might find additional answers to the starter questions in other articles, but you are guaranteed to find some answers in the first article]
Accessibility: If you need a Text-to-Speech app to read articles aloud, click on the Accessibility page
Step 3 -- Create and share a project in NoodleTools
Refer to the NoodleTools instruction page for all steps to:
Create and name your project
Share your project with your teacher
Add pre-formatted source citations into Works Cited -- Correct italics and add "Accessed" dates where needed
Create Notecards for questions and information you discover while researching
How to organize notecards and export information for your Works Cited
With at least two notecards created to answer the two starter questions from the first article, get teacher review and approval to continue.
Create more of your own questions based upon the information you are finding, that you are interested in, and that you think can be combined into a coherent research paper.
Remember to create and use new notecards for every source and for every question! -- keeping this information separated makes it easier to organize later!
Read or at least scan other articles for improved answers to your questions or for other things that interest you and that you can add to your research.
Check additional instructions or rubric for number of questions and notecards required but also consider that the more information you can use from the resources, the easier it will be to write a paper!
Seek approval again for your research before continuing.
Use NoodleTools to create an outline. Seek approval for completed outline.
Find the assignment for the research paper in your Google Classroom.
Remember to use the MLA format for running header, first page header and title.
Use the in-text references provided on the "Works Cited and in-text citations list" provided to identify sources of information in your paper.
Use proper formal writing for a research paper -- not text abbreviations or slang.
Remember to add spaces after punctuation, to capitalize as needed, and to write complete sentences in organized paragraphs.
Review the rubric to verify you are completing all requirements for the assignment!
A printable copy of instructions for the Birmingham Bombing topic are available here.
Written instructions updated as of 2021-12-01.