The - Rancocas Valley Regional High School



The

Senior

Research

Project

2010-11

[pic]

Revised, June 2010

Table of Contents

|Section |Page |

|The Research Project is |3 |

|Project Due Dates |5 |

|Choosing a Topic |6 |

|The Search for Information |8 |

|Taking Notes: Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing |10 |

|Parenthetical Citation |14 |

|MLA Documentation |17 |

|Evaluating Sources |20 |

|Topic Source Paper |23 |

|Topic Paper Rubric |24 |

|Sample Topic Paper Rubric |25-29 |

|Solutions Source Paper |30 |

|Source Paper Rubric |31 |

|Sample Source Paper |32-37 |

|Guidelines for Interviews |38 |

|Interview Candidates |39 |

|Thesis Statement |40 |

|Revising Thesis Statements |41 |

|Outlines |42 |

|Final Paper |43 |

|Title Page Format |45 |

|Final Paper Rubric |46 |

| |47 |

|Presentation: Visual (PowerPoint) & Product |48-50 |

The Senior Research Project is…

• A personal interest academic project

• A demonstration of the student’s ability to read, write, speak, apply knowledge and skills, and problem solve

• A venue for students to connect learning, life and work

Requirements:

The Senior Project is divided into three parts: a research essay, a physical product, and a presentation.

RESEARCH ESSAY must be completed on time and in acceptable MLA format. Students choose their own topics concerning a social issue, a problem which needs a solution. Seniors are encouraged to select topics in which they are very interested. The paper will allow for an integration of personal connections with the research and may be written in a first-person voice.

Research for a topic begins in the Media Center and culminates in a Topic Source Paper. A form for students to list the topics they choose and the due dates for the different areas of the project will be signed by the student and the parent.

PRODUCT requires the student to produce an original project that demonstrates the knowledge gained and analysis of that information during the research phase. It involves stretching out of a comfort zone. Some products will be tangible. One student might design a poster campaign aimed at educating high school students about STDs. Some products are less tangible; for example, a plan for a lesson for teachers to eliminate gender bias in the classroom is a good example.

PRESENTATION takes place during the last weeks of the semester. All students, once the paper and product are complete, must stand before evaluators and present a five to seven minute speech about their Senior Research Project experience and answer any question asked.

REQUIRED SOURCES:

[pic] Book (1-2)

[pic] Online Journal (3-4 databases)

SIRS, EBSCOhost

[pic] Web Site (1-2)

[pic] Personal Interview (1)

[pic] Non-Text Source (1)

Senior Project Late Policy

The senior project is a student-driven, inquiry based research project. We want our seniors to find and analyze credible research, write about a problem and solution that interests them, and present their findings in a variety of ways with precision, intelligence, and integrity. In addition, we would like our seniors to learn the secondary lessons of responsibility, accountability, and timeliness.

Please read carefully and clarify the details with your teacher PRIOR to the deadlines.

[pic] When a student has an unauthorized absence, a 10% per day lateness penalty will be deducted. Staying home from school to finish a paper is a practice we are trying to discourage via this penalty. When the student returns, he/she must hand it in to the teacher at the beginning of class.

[pic] When a student has an authorized absence (see school policy), the 10% deduction is not taken. The student must hand in the paper to the teacher at the beginning of class on the day he/she returns to school.

[pic] For students who are in school, teachers still expect the paper at the beginning of the blockStudents may also email the paper to the teacher—again, by 2:27 pm. That time is firm. Talk to your individual teacher as to her preference. Note: If students do not trust email, then they should not use it. Handing in papers to the teacher in class is still the best way to ensure receiving full credit.

• Students who are on school-sponsored trips obviously know both the paper due dates AND the dates of the trips ahead of time. These students are must hand in the paper before leaving on their trip.

[pic] All staff members have been notified of this policy AND have been told to NOT allow students to miss class OR be late to class so students may type, print, or access their papers. English IV teachers are conduction class on these days; they cannot allow you to print, either. Students should come to school with their paper complete and should not expect teachers or staff members to make up for work that is not done.

[pic] Lastly, and very importantly- RV’s new attendance policy does not award credit to students for work that is done/due on any days of unauthorized absences past the sixth occurrence. While this should be an uncommon event, this means that if a student has his/her seventh unauthorized absence on the day any part of the senior project is due, the student will earn a zero for that part.

Student Name____________________________________________________________

Topic___________________________________________________________________

Possible interviewee_______________________________________________________

Student Name____________________________________________________________

Topic___________________________________________________________________

Possible interviewee_______________________________________________________

|Section of the SRP |Percentage of the Marking Quarter |Class |

| | |Due Date |

|Topic Source Paper |15% of 1st and 3rd MQ |February 28, 2011 |

|Solution Source Paper |15% of 1st and 3rd MQ |March 28, 2011 |

|Final Paper |15% of 2nd and 4th MQ |May 2, 2011 |

|Presentation- Oral |10% of 2nd and 4th MQ |TBA |

|Presentation- Product |5% of 2nd and 4th MQ |TBA |

|Presentation- Visual |5% of 2nd and 4th MQ |TBA |

DUE DATES

Please note that all due dates will remain firm. All parts of the Senior Project are due to the teacher at the beginning of the block. Also, the Final Paper should be submitted not only to the teacher, but on the date listed above.

A penalty of 10% per day will be assessed for work that is not handed in on time.

________________________________ _________________________________

Student Signature Parent/Guardian Signature

Choosing a Topic

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when choosing your topic:

1. Are you sufficiently interested in the topic to spend a long time with it?

This isn’t a project that you will complete in just a few weeks. This project will last the entire semester. Don’t choose a topic in which you have only a fleeting interest. Choose something that is of concern to you or your family. Perhaps something that has affected you or someone you know.

2. How much information is available?

A subject that is too recent or too technical may not have enough materials. On the other hand, a topic that is recent may not have all the sides of an issue covered either. For example, after the Oklahoma City Bombing (1995), the media and government directed their attention to foreign terrorists as the culprit. As you are probably aware, after investigating further it was discovered that two Americans were responsible.

3. Is the topic too simple?

If you can learn everything you need to know in one article, the topic does not need research.

4. Is the topic too broad?

Some topics, such as the causes of pollution or the effects of drug usage, are just too big to handle in a short paper. Yes, 6-8 pages on that subject would be considered short.

Once you have a topic in mind there are a few things you need to think about:

First, you have to have a claim or what could be called an argument, that’s worth defending. Answers the question: What?

Second, you have to have a solid foundation of DATA or EVIDENCE. Answers the question: What makes you say so?

The key for the data is that readers will agree with it.

It has to be unarguable or at least difficult to argue or it becomes a claim.

Example: I should be able to date Tom, Dad. Tom is the perfect boyfriend.

Claims are often followed by “sub-claims,” but if those claims are actually presented as if they are evidence, that is a problem.

Problem example: Tom is a kind person.

Good Example: Tom is a kind person; he volunteers in a nursing home and baby-sits his brothers.

Third, you have to connect the data to the claim; build a bridge. This is called a WARRANT. Answers the question: So what?

Example: Mom and Dad, you said anyone who gives of himself without expecting anything in return is a good, kind person.

Fourth, you have to anticipate and respond to possible objections.

Example: I know that Tom drives a Harley, but he said that his parents will loan him their car whenever we go somewhere.

The Search for Information

Before you make a run for the Internet and start typing your topic in to your favorite search engine, consider a resource with several options- the school library. Not only does the library have computers, but it also has books and librarians, you know the people who are in the library to help you with your search. This does not mean that you can hand over your search to them, but they are there to help you locate items you are looking for and perhaps help you think of ideas and directions you had not considered before.

The Internet

When you use the Internet, you need to consider the sources of information you are getting. Simply typing your topic into a search engine and clicking on each hit will generate a lot of information that you either will not need or is not factual. Different ways of entering your search topic into the search engine will reveal different hits for you. For example, if you want information on Bill Gates (the Microsoft big wig), you’d simply type in his name, right? Wrong! You will end up with millions of hits that are about Bill Gates and many that may also involve Bill Smith that builds gates. However, if you use quotation marks around the topic, that tells the search engine to search for items on the web with those two words together. So using “Bill Gates” will give you a results list with references to Bill Gates.

Online Journals

Other sources that are available to you because the school pays for them are databases called EBSCO Host and SIRS or (Social Issue Research Series); remember you are researching a social issue, so this would be a good source to use. Plus, using one of them is required!) You can get the passwords for the databases in the library and access the sites from home. If you log on in school, you should not need the passwords.

EBSCO Host is a database that categorizes magazine articles. This will allow you to conduct a search in a variety of ways, including subject and keyword. This database is very convenient and organized. It also gives full bibliographical information and, in most cases, full-text articles.

SEARCH HINT: When defining the parameters of your search (AKA typing in your subjects and/or keywords,) do not type in your topic and wait to see what surfaces. The best way to get what you need is to narrow and refine your search. Use “and” to cross-reference two or three topics. For example, when researching Macbeth, you might choose to search: “Macbeth and fate and power struggles.” In doing so, you would have narrowed your search and eliminated any articles on costumes and castles. If, on the other hand, your beginning searches turn up few or no matches, broaden the scope of your search by using fewer and/or more general terms about your topic.

Another valuable resource that the school pays for is . It features a section called “Issues and Controversies” that might help you decide on a topic. Another resource you may need is the library’s ability to use Interlibrary Loan. If you know of a book that you need and our library does not carry it, the librarians may be able to check the book out from another library for you. You would pick the book up in our library and return it to our library. This can be especially helpful in fulfilling the required book source for your paper.

When collecting materials, you will usually find that the problem is not too little, but too much. If you do not find enough, you should reconsider your topic. At this stage in the game, too much is okay.

You have been to the library, checked out some books, used GOOGLE to find several Internet sites and even found a few articles at EBSCO Host and SIRS. Now comes the more difficult part: making yourself sit down and read the information you have collected. Do NOT throw anything out in these preliminary stages and do not gather a ton of information without reading it. YOUR JOB IS TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT YOUR TOPIC SO YOU CAN HAVE A CLAIM OR ARGUMENT WORTH DEFENDING. This cannot happen if you do not read the information that you find. Do not get so caught up in your reading (remember, you chose the topic so you should find it interesting especially this early in the process) that you forget to take notes.

|Online Journal |Username |Password |

|EBSCOhost | | |

|SIRS | | |

| | | |

|(Issues and Controversies) | | |

Taking Notes-Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing

So, you have your sources. There is a stack of print outs from web sites and online journals and even a book or two you got at the library. To make the best use of your sources you need to use them correctly. Taking the most effective notes will help you utilize your sources well.

There are three major styles of note taking:

Original Text

Direct Quotation General Summary

Paraphrase

What are the differences?

Quotations:

• Match the source word for word;

• Are usually a brief segment of the text;

• Appear between quotation marks;

• Must be attributed to the original source.

Paraphrasing:

• Does not match the source word for word;

• Involves putting a passage from a source into your own words;

• Changes the words or phrasing of a passage, but retains and fully communicates the original meaning;

• Must be attributed to the original source.

Summarizing:

• Does not match the source word for word;

• Involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, but including only the main point(s);

• Presents a broad overview, so is usually much shorter than the original text;

• Must be attributed to the original source.

What is a Quotation?

A quotation is an exact reproduction of spoken or written words. Direct quotes can provide strong evidence, act as an authoritative voice, or support a writer’s statements. Direct quotes are simply words taken verbatim from a source. The quote need not appear as a direct quote in the source; however, once a sentence is presented as word-for-word in your paper, it is a direct quote.

How to do it:

Make sure that you have a good reason to use a direct quotation. Quoting should be done sparingly and should support your own work, not replace it. For example, make a point in your own words, then support it with an authoritative quote.

• Every direct quotation under 3 lines should appear between quotation marks (“ ”) and exactly reproduce text, including punctuation and capital letters.

• A short quotation often works well integrated into a sentence.

• Longer quotations (more than 3 lines of text) should start on a new line. Drop the quotation marks and instead indent the entire quote one inch from the margin. The indentation will act as indication of direct quotation. Maintain double spacing. In this case only punctuation goes before the citation.

• Direct quotations may not simply be “dropped” into your text. As a writer you must introduce the relevance of the quoted information by providing related transitions, explanations in your own words.

Example: (INCORRECT) Secondhand smoking is bad for your health. “Cigarettes contain a variety of carcinogens and toxins” (Bruger 36).

The quote is just dropped in, it is not explained why it is used or how it is relevant; the two sentences are not necessarily connected or provide any reasonable support for one another.

Example: (CORRECT) There are many negative effects of secondhand smoke documented by medical research, such as “Secondhand smoke has been shown to be a leading cause of lung cancer and other diseases” (Wilson 49).

Both parts of this statement are related to each other, and the quote uses direct support from a source to provide evidence of what the student is saying in the first part of the statement. The first part of the sentence prefaces the quote properly and prepares the reader ahead of time, making its placement relevant and essential.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is a way of presenting a text, keeping the same meaning, but using different words. Paraphrasing is used with short sections of text, such as phrases and sentences.

A paraphrase may result in a longer, rather than shorter, version of the original text. It offers an alternative to using direct quotations and helps students to integrate evidence/ source material into assignments.

Paraphrasing is also a useful skill for making notes from readings, note-taking in lectures, and explaining information in tables, charts and diagrams.

How to do it:

• Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points as you read.

• Rewrite each main point, sentence by sentence, using synonyms (words or expression which have a similar meaning) where possible.

• Change the sentence structure:

• Break up a long sentence into two smaller ones

• Combine two short sentences and simplify their structure

• Change the voice (active/passive).

• Change the order in which ideas are presented (as long as they still make sense in a different order).

If you use any unique or specialist phrases, use quotation marks (“ ”).

What is a Summary?

A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but details, examples and formalities are left out. Used with longer texts, the main aim of summarizing is to reduce or condense a text to it is most important ideas.

Summarizing is a useful skill for making notes from readings and in lectures, writing an abstract/synopsis and incorporating material in assignments.

How to do it:

The amount of detail you include in a summary will vary according to the length of the original text, how much information you need and how selective you are:

Start by reading a short text and highlighting the main points as you read.

Reread the text and make notes of the main points, leaving out examples, evidence, etc.

Without the text, rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main idea at the beginning plus all major points.

For more information see:

Purdue University Writing Lab

Parenthetical Citations

In MLA style, in-text citations, called parenthetical citations, are used to document any external sources used within a paper (unless the material cited is considered general knowledge). The parenthetical citations direct readers to the full bibliographic citations listed in the Works Cited, located at the end of the document. In most cases, the parenthetical citations include the author's last name and the specific page number for the information cited.

The majority of the information in this section comes from the following web site which would be a valuable resource for you to use in your research essay:



Content of Parenthetical Citations

When you cite a source- whether in the form of direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary- include within the text of your research essay enough information to identify the source, but no more than is necessary. Documentation should be entered in a way that makes the identity of the source entirely clear while avoiding duplication and unnecessary clutter. As you write, keep in mind the need for parenthetical documentation; occasionally, you may want to revise a sentence to accommodate or reduce parenthetical material.

An example of parenthetical citation:

In the novel The Great Gatsby the futility of pursuing the American Dream can be summed up with the line, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Fitzgerald 189).

Most parenthetical citations include the name of the author and the page number, without an intervening comma. When the author’s name appears in the introduction to the material, you need not repeat the name within the parentheses, as the following examples indicate.

For example:

Dr. Joe Schmo, of the Woodland Clinic on animal research states in his book, All About Cats and Dogs, that some types of cats would be perfect as hunting companions (47).

Because Dr. Schmo’s name is included in the sentence, it is unnecessary in the parenthetical documentation, which should have just the page number (47).

The following bullets give you examples of situations you may run across. The parentheses list what you should list in your parenthetical documentation.

• Author named in your paper: (1)

• Author not named in your paper: (Graff 1)

• Reference to entire book: Cite an entire work by the name of the author alone

• Work with four authors: (Belenky et al) or (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, and Tarule)

• Multivolume work: (Newman, vol. 2)

• Multiple Citations: (Errors 79; “Diving In” 68; Brooks and Warren 5)

Please note that the period is listed after the parentheses!

If the work you are making reference to has no author, use an abbreviated version of the work’s title.

For example, an article titled “America’s Women: The Role They’ve Played in History” is one that is used in a paper and does not have an author listed. Instead of writing out the entire title, the parenthetical documentation would be (“America’s Women”). Please note, a book title should be italicized while article titles belong in quotation marks.

For non-print sources, such as films, TV series, pictures, or electronic sources, include the name that begins the entry in the Works Cited page.

For example:

An anonymous Wordsworth critic once argued that his poems were too emotional (“Wordsworth is a Loser”).

Sometimes you may have to use an indirect quotation. An indirect quotation is a quotation that you found in another source that was quoting from the original. For such indirect quotations, use “qtd. in ____” to indicate the source.

For example:

Ravich argues that high schools are pressured to act as “social service centers, and they don’t do that well” (qtd. in Weisman 259).

Sometimes more information is necessary to identify the source from which a quotation is taken. For instance, if two or more authors have the same last name, provide both the author’s first initials (or even her or his full name if different authors share initials) in your citation. If you cite more than one work by a particular author, include a shortened title for the particular work from which you are quoting to distinguish it from the other works by the same person.

Short quotations

Short quotations are fewer than four typed lines in your text. When using a short quotation in your paper enclose the quotation within double quotations marks. Punctuation marks should come after the parenthetical citation.

For example:

According to some doctors there may be “severe withdrawal symptoms that a person cannot handle on their own” (Johnson 89), though some recovering addicts may disagree.

Long quotations

Quotations over four typed lines need to be in an indented paragraph without quotation marks. The quote starts on its own line, indented one inch from the left margin and will remain double spaced like the rest of the paper. The punctuation in this case comes before the parenthetical citation.

For example:

In a study of aggressive behavior in two schools, it was seen that

These children showed significantly decreased aggression (as rated by peers)

and decreased verbal aggression on the playground (as rated by blinded, trained

observer). They also showed decreases- although not statistically significant

ones- in observed physical aggression, in aggressive behaviors as rated by

parents, and in feelings that the world was mean and scary. (Dershewitz)

Adding or Omitting Words in Quotations

If you need to add words to a quotation, you should put brackets around the words to indicate that they are not part of the original quote.

For example:

Jan Harold Brunvand, in an essay on urban legends, states: “some individuals [who retell urban legends] make a point of learning every rumor or tale” (78).

Omitting word(s) from a quotation also needs to be represented. Using ellipsis marks surrounded by brackets gives the reader that information.

For example:

In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes “some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale […] and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs” (78).

REMINDERS:

• Make parenthetical citations brief and accurate.

• To avoid long parenthetical citations, place reference information, such as the author’s name, in your sentence. For example: “According to Dr. Joe Smith of the Michigan Cancer Research Center you are ten times more likely to develop cancer if…”

• Place a citation as close to the relevant material as possible without disrupting the sentence.

• Use one citation at the end of a long section of material that comes from one source and the same page(s)—do not cite at the end of each sentence in this case.

• Parenthetical citations always go outside of a quotation and always before a punctuation mark, such as a period.

• Place the parenthetical citations in your work as you write. Do not wait until the paper is finished.

MLA Documentation

Modern Language Association (MLA) documentation is a style of citing your sources, in other words, giving credit for where you got your information. As mentioned earlier, you will want to give credit for your information so that it is not considered plagiarism. It also provides a way for writers to cross-reference their sources from the citations within the paper to the Works Cited at the end of the paper. Not only will this allow others to see where you got your information, but using documentation also adds credibility to your paper. If you simply listed a bunch of facts without telling your readers where that information came from, your facts do not seem reliable.

Works Cited

As you probably know by senior year, the Works Cited page is the page at the end of your paper where you give credit to your sources of information. Only the works which are cited in your paper should be included in your Works Cited page. For the research essay, you will use the Works Cited page in MLA format.

The MLA format is always evolving and not something necessary for memorization. For that reason, the easiest resource for you to use for your Works Cited page is a web site called NoodleTools. It allows you to enter the information from your source and the site generates the Works Cited information.

Use the Media Center link from to access Noodletools

Below are some samples for several different types of resources- good luck and don’t hesitate to ask for assistance! DO NOT LIST THEM SEPARATE LIKE THIS IN YOUR ACTUAL WORKS CITED!

INTERVIEW:

Jones, John A. Personal interview. 1 Nov. 2004.

PRINT REFERENCE:

Laryea, Doris Lucas. “Paul Laurence Dunbar.” Concise Dictionary of American Literary

Biography. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1988. 154-171

WEB SITE:

Tobacco Information and Prevention Source. 10. Nov. 2004. Center for Disease Control.

11 Nov. 2004

LIBRARY RESEARCH DATABASE( MAGILLONLITERATURE PLUS):

Wells, Earl. “Big Red” Masterplots II. Salem Press,1997. MagillONLiterature Plus.

EBSCO. RVRHS Library. 11 Nov. 2004

LIBRARY RESEARCH DATABASE(SIRS):

Woods, Daniel B. “California’s Chilly Welcome for Wal-Mart.” Christian Science

Monitor 8 Apr.2004 SIRS Researcher. ProQuest Information and Learning. RVRHS Library. 11 Nov.2004

In addition to using MLA format you are going to move a step up the academic ladder to include parenthetical citations.

Facts, Inferences & Evaluating Sources to Make Judgments

When attempting to advocate a position just giving your opinion is not enough. Your audience needs to know why: why what we said is true and why we believe what we do.

In other words, we must provide evidence for the ideas about which we write.

What is evidence?

Facts- observations, descriptions, reports and statistics that are accepted as true- and their interpretation and explanation.

Establishing Facts as Factual:

Facts must be verifiable. Observations and reports are needed from more than one person, from different competing points of view, and over a period of time.

Inferences are the conclusions we make based on facts. The basis for judgments occurs when the writer applies her values to the facts and inferences. Judgments present information in the context of an author’s conclusion.

Characteristics of Evidence:

• Representative- usable evidence should be typical and not unusual or specific to a unique situation.

• Relevant- evidence should truly support the point that is being made.

• Sufficient- there should be multiple strong pieces of evidence, not just one.

• Specific- evidence should “name names” and cite numbers whenever possible. Evidence needs to be concrete in order to be convincing.

• Reliable- facts and information should be accurate, recent, and complete; reasoning should be logical. Authorities should have valid credentials in the appropriate field.

Understanding Opinion, Partisanship, and Bias:

Opinion is the point of view maintained by the author.

Partisanship occurs when writer or publication is associated with or represents a point of view. This is often times a political or religious leaning that may influence the content but can also be an outright affiliation with a special interest.

Bias refers to the presence of predetermined opinions that no evidence of any kind will modify. Biased writers ignore information or misrepresent opposing view points in order to persuade their reader. A “softer” form of bias can be found in a source’s emphasis on human interest. As readers, we are meant to feel sympathy for, or identify with an individual’s true story or experience. When a topic is looked at largely or exclusively through the lens of human interest stories, a bias often exists.

Signs of bias include failure to discuss opposing views; extremely negative

treatment of the opposition; omission of evidence; failure to screen out

logical untruths; heavy-handed use of human interest.

Subtle Forms of Influence or Slanting. Mainstream publications known for objective reporting and neutral analysis are still subject to subtle influencing:

• Use of unnamed sources, usually governmental, or spokespersons from organizations providing “official” interpretation of events.

• Use of quotes or commentary from academic “expert” who are allied with partisan foundations and organizations.

• New footage supplies by government agencies or corporations

How to Evaluate…

…Periodicals and Books:

- Skim the entirety of the contents

- Examine the table of contents, the staff box in a magazine or periodical, and publication information. Are they published by a special interest?

- Look for statements of affiliation or purpose.

- Examine the titles of articles to see whether they show a tendency toward a point of view, such as criticism or advocacy

… Writers:

- Google the author

- Recognize names of well-known authorities representative of particular view points.

- What are this author’s credentials? Training? Affiliations, if any?

… Web Sites:

- Find out what organization is responsible for producing the site by tracing links to find the homepage of the site.

- If in doubt about the objectivity of a web site, use the email address, if supplied, to question the source about its affiliation.

- Use internal evidence like the layout and graphic design. Does it look professional? Are their advertisements on the site?

- Determine the purpose of the site. Is it informative? Does it support a line of thought or action?

- Look for references to writers, public officials, institutions or organizations that you recognize. What are their reputations?

- Examine the text for reading level? Is it linguistically competent or are their spelling and grammatical errors?

Always examine the texts for signs of responsible scholarship. Just as you are required to cite your sources (internally and/or formally), so too must a published text document its sources.

Topics To Address In Your Source Paper Reflection:

• Firstly, identify the format and the type.

- Format: online journal; periodical; book; web site; interview; non text, etc.

- Type: Academic/Scholarly (ex: professional or academic journal; Popular (ex: Time or Newsweek); Serious (ex: book on your topic or a qualified expert in the field); Lightweight/Exploitive (ex: People)

• Has the source been particularly useful to you? Why or why not?

• Is the source biased? Specifically how, based on the above criterion, did you determine this to be true?

• What are the author’s qualifications?

• What is the reputation of the author? Periodical? Data base? Publisher? Etc.

• What is the publication date? Why is that relevant?

• Does the source have a bibliography or internal citation? What does that suggest?

• Are you seeing the same facts repeated in different sources? What does this suggest?

• What is the difference in coverage between this and other source you have come across thus far?

Topic Paper

This paper is worth 15% of the 1st or 3rd marking period grade.

Your Senior Project is designed around the concept of Inquiry and Argument. Your research, obviously, is the inquiry portion of the project; your final paper and presentation is the argument during which you assert your opinion based on the facts you have learned.

So what are “Inquiry and Argument?” In the academic world, and for our purposes, inquiry implies certain things: a problem, dilemma, or controversial issue, first of all, and a community that has a stake in resolving that problem. Your proposal paper will lay out the problem and the community’s stake. Ultimately, you will argue what should be done about it.

Your Topic Source Paper will consist of two main parts. The first part will discuss the issue you have chosen. Be specific about the problem.

The second portion of the paper will reflect upon the actual sources themselves rather than their content. Are they valid, reliable sources? How did you determine this?

Length and format:

3-4 pages + Works Cited Page

Double-spaced, 12 font, Times New Roman

Standard margins

Must include:

Topic-

-In depth discussion of the background of the problem

-Minimum of 3 sources with proper documentation on a separate Works Cited page

-Inclusion of appropriate paraphrasing and at least one quotation

-Parenthetical Documentation

Formal Reflection

o Introduce each new source you used, discussing their reliability separately.

o Discuss the format of the sources.

o Are the sources valid? If yes, offer your reader evidence and then warrant, or explain how that evidence supports your claim of validity

Name: _________________________________ Block: ________

Date: _________

Topic Paper Rubric

(15% of 1st or 3rd MP grade)

|Format/Heading | | |

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Name

Teacher’s Name

English IV

Date

The Death Penalty

The death penalty is designed to serve as a crime deterrent and also ensure that there is no chance a criminal convicted of a capital crime will be released back into society. The idea presented is that someone who knows he or she will be put to death for committing a certain crime will not commit that crime. The death penalty is administered so infrequently that most criminals can rest assured knowing that there is almost no chance of them being sentenced to death. There is overwhelming evidence that shows the death penalty is wholly ineffective at deterring crime and therefore has little positive effect on society.

The best way to show that the death penalty does not deter crime is to compare death penalty practices between states. “Since the death penalty was reinstated, over 80% of all executions have occurred in the South, the region with the highest murder rate” (“Facts”). The region with the lowest murder rate, the Northeast, has accounted for only one percent of all executions since the death penalty was reinstated. This means that the most executions are where the most murders are. An even more startling statistic from a New York Times survey shows that states without the death penalty have lower murder rates than states with the death penalty (“Facts”). In 1999 the average murder rate per 100,000 population was 5.5 in states with the death penalty, whereas states without the death penalty had a murder rate of only 3.6 (“Facts”). It is a fact that more murders are committed in states with capital punishment that states without it.

There are no uniform standards for how the death penalty is administered; therefore, there is a lot of leeway for states to make their own decisions on death penalty procedure. This creates a problem with how frequently death sentences are administered. Some states, like New Jersey have processes that test the proportionality of death sentences to ensure that no one is unjustly sentenced to death based on the sentences of other criminals convicted of the same crime. The universe of cases to which such a process applies makes it so that there is no real consistency in who is administered a death sentence and who is not (Johnson). “Deterrence is a function not only of a punishment’s severity, but also of its certainty and frequency” (“The Case Against”). There is no question that the death penalty is a sever sentence; however, the frequency with which it is administered covers only a small amount of all the criminals that should receive it. Only three percent of all criminal convicted of homicide are actually sentenced to death (“The Case Against”). Death is the most severe punishment there is, but the death penalty is merely a paper tiger if it is administered so infrequently that criminals can count on not receiving it (Johnson).

To understand why the death penalty does not deter crime you also need to understand how the majority of capital crimes are committed. Most capital crimes are committed “in the heat of the moment” or by persons under intense emotional stress or the influence of drugs or alcohol (“The Case Against”). In these cases logical thinking is abandoned for impulsive outbursts. When not thinking logically because of the above conditions, a person is going to inflict violence “heedless of the consequences to themselves or to others” (“The Case Against”). Most crimes that are not committed in “the heat of the moment” are committed after being planned. When someone plans the commission of the crime, in most cases, he or she also plans how to avoid being caught. Anyone who has planned on not getting caught will not be deterred by the threat of severe punishment (Johnson).

There are many factors that contribute to the death penalty’s lack of deterrent ability. Our country has not found a way to deter one hundred percent of our citizens from committing any crimes. To think that such a goal in possible in our society is foolish. The most severe punishment there is should be the one that deters the most crime. If the death penalty is to remain the most severe punishment in our country’ criminal justice system, steps must be taken to ensure that it becomes an effective deterrent.

“The Case Against the Death Penalty” was published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and “Facts of the Death Penalty and Deterrence” was published by the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC). Since these websites were both published by major organizations, they have very easy to use set-ups and professional layouts. It was not hard to find information within the sites because the both have links that went directly to each specific topic. There is no doubt in my mind that all the information contained in these two sites is factual since they are both from respected institutions. Both of these sites do have a political agenda but it does not appear to interfere with their ability to effectively present a viewpoint on the death penalty. Neither of these sites are persuasive at all. They simply offer straight, cited fact.

The major difference between the two sources lies in the way they support the idea that the death penalty does not deter crime. The DPIC mainly compares statistics between states and regions of the country, while the ACLU describes individuals who commit capital crimes and the circumstances under which the crimes are committed. The other major difference lies in the information they use to support their claims. The DPIC tends to use statistics from government bureaus such as the FBI and cites many government published reports, while the ACLU relies on information provided by private organizations and the news media. One might think that this would lead me to question the validity of the information contained in the ACLU site; however, the information was properly cited and there were no inconsistencies or any evidence which would lead me to believe the information was falsified.

I interview Sue Johnson, a lawyer working exclusively in New Jersey capital cases. In addition to her law degree, Johnson has a Masters in Public Policy. She is knowledgeable on the subject from the legal and social perspective. Johnson was particularly helpful in explaining some of the more academic arguments surrounding the deterrence issue.

Sue Johnson has a clear bias. She works with Human Rights Watch, a group who has been actively campaigning for a moratorium on the death penalty for some time now. Because of the nature of an interview, there were no citations establishing the source of her information; however, the facts and theories she discussed were representative of what I had read about in the online articles I used, suggesting she is using established facts to back up her opinions. I intend to use much of the information I gleaned from Ms. Johnson in my final paper.

Works Cited

“The Case Against the Death Penalty.” The American Civil Liberties Union. 18 Sept

2003

,>.

“Facts of the Death Penalty and Deterrence.” Death Penalty Information Center. 17 Sept

2003.

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