World History Research Paper Assignment



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World History (Honors) Research Paper Assignment

Introduction: The purpose of this assignment is to improve research, writing, organization, and analytical skills in preparation for college. Because research papers are large projects, this assignment will be broken down into manageable steps as outlined below:

Requirements:

1. You will need to use at least 5 sources:

• Check Out: for awesome primary source documents!

• Check Out: for scholarly journals and articles.

2. You must include a title page and annotated bibliography, number the pages, and use parenthetical citations (Use MLA format).

3. Length - The most important requirement is to cover the subject adequately. Your paper should be about 6-8 pages (not including title page and bibliography). Your paper should be typed and double-spaced. Your top, bottom, and side margins should be about 1 inch. I will not measure this length but it is always obvious when margins are widened to make up for lack of content in a paper. If you feel that you need to adjust the margins in order to fulfill the length requirement, you have probably not covered your subject adequately. PAGES MUST BE NUMBERED.

4. There are two types of research papers: analytical and descriptive. You must write an analytical paper in order to earn a “3” or a “4” on this assignment. Analytical papers are more difficult, as they require analysis of the information found in the research. In an analytical paper, the writer takes a position on a debatable topic and proves that position. However, the student must also recognize the opposing side to their argument as well.

Example:

General Topic: The communist revolution in China

Thesis: The communist revolution in China was overall beneficial to the population.

Content: The writer explains the benefits that the Chinese population gained from the change to communism in their country. However, they also must recognize the negative impact of it as well. In order to prove the thesis the writer must argue that the benefits that communism brought to the people of China outweigh the drawbacks.

With a descriptive research paper, the writer simply finds and relates information on a given topic.

Example:

General Topic: The communist revolution in China

Thesis: In 1949, the communists took control over China.

Content: Describes the communist revolution in China

Again, an analytical paper is required.

Topic: You have a choice of basically any topic in world history. What about the history of the world would you like to know more about? I caution you to not choose topics that have happened in the last few years since it is often difficult to find a lot of books and reference materials on recent subjects. Although several people in a class may be focusing on the same general topic, only one person per class can sign up for a focused topic. For example, several people may choose to write a research paper on India but only one person per class could write on the effect of the caste system on Indian society.

Some potential ideas to consider for your research paper…

➢ How has slavery changed the rate of development in the Western World?

➢ Why did China make the decision to build the Great Wall around its borders?

➢ Why did the US become the most powerful country in the world?

➢ How did World War II change the world?

➢ Was the space race to the benefit of the human race?

➢ Which scientists made the biggest contribution to the world?

➢ How has mental illness contributed to dictatorships throughout history?

➢ How have women’s rights improved over the last century?

➢ What role did Gandhi play in improving world peace?

➢ What was the outcome of the Scientific Revolution?

➢ How did World War I directly influence the beginning of World War II?

➢ What brought about the end of apartheid in South Africa?

➢ How has racism influenced education around the world?

Be as creative as you can! Your “topic” should be a question that you analyze throughout your paper using evidence from your research.

Due Dates: Students will be required to turn in preliminary work on their research papers.

May 5 – Students must have a working thesis at class time (aka choose your topic)

May 12 – After at least 4 hours of research (4 in class PLUS research done outside of class), students must have at least 8 notes for each source (40 Notes Total).

May 19 – (LT#7) MLA Format Bibliography, and source evaluation turned in.

May 26 – Research Paper Outline due at the beginning of class. We will be sharing in groups!

June 2 – TYPED rough draft – at least 5-6 pages in length – 2 copies needed for peer editing

June 9 – (LT#8) Final Copy of Research Paper Due

Mr. Menduke will not be in the classroom on the following days: May 2, May 18, May 25, June 8. Please plan accordingly.

The final paper is due ON JUNE 9 via Google Docs.

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Learning Targets: #7 & #8

#7: I can gather information from multiple print and or digital sources and evaluate its relevancy.

#8: I can integrate information from various sources in order to evaluate and analyze a topic throughout world history.

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