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WritingtheFormalResearchPaper

LearningExperienceFinalDraft 

LearningContext :TheoverallpurposeofthisLearningExperienceistointroduce,andsuccessfullycomplete,theformalresearchpaper.Thisresearchpaperwillbebaseduponatopicchosenbythestudent,withpeerguidanceandoncollaborativeideasaswellasguidance

fromtheinstructor.ThegoalsofthisLEinclude:havingstudentseffectivelypickarelevantandarguabletopictoresearch,introducing

studentstocorrectMLAcitationandtotheimportanceofgivingcreditwherecreditisdue.Studentswillbecomecomfortablewithconductingresearch,writingforaformalaudience,andproducinganexpositorypieceofwriting‐inwhichtheyargueapointusing

outsideinformationthroughsynthesisofideasandsources.Thestudentswillneedpriorknowledgeofdevelopingandorganizinga

simpleessay,butwewillalsocheckforunderstandingbyincludinglessonsonwaystoeffectivelyorganizearesearch‐basedessayaswellaswhataneffectiveandvalidsourcelookslike,howtowriteinaformal/expositoryvoice,etc.

Standards:p.45CommonCoreStateStandards

2.Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineandconveycomplexideas,concepts,andinformationclearlyandaccuratelythrough

theeffectiveselection,organization,andanalysisofcontent.

a.Introduceatopic;organizecomplexideas,concepts,andinformationtomakeimportantconnectionsanddistinctions;includeformatting(e.g.,headings),graphics(e.g.,figures,tables),andmultimediawhenusefultoaidingcomprehension.b.Developthetopicwithwell‐chosen,relevant,andsufficientfacts,extendeddefinitions,concretedetails,quotations,orother

informationandexamplesappropriatetotheaudience’sknowledgeofthetopic.e.Establishandmaintainaformalstyleandobjectivetonewhileattendingtothenormsandconventionsofthedisciplineinwhichthey

arewriting.

9.Drawevidencefromliteraryorinformationaltextstosupportanalysis,reflection,andresearch.

p.46CommonCoreStateStandards:ResearchtoBuildandPresentKnowledge

8.Gatherrelevantinformationfrommultipleauthoritativeprintanddigitalsources,usingadvancedsearcheseffectively;assesstheusefulnessofeachsourceinansweringtheresearchquestion;integrateinformationintothetextselectivelytomaintaintheflowofideas,avoidingplagiarismandfollowingastandardformatforcitation.

AssessmentPlan:TheassessmentswillbetieddirectlytothePerformanceIndicatorsbecausetherewillbeformativeassessments

throughoutthisLEthatwillgaugestudents’abilitiestoeffectivelydrawevidencefromsourcesandsynthesizethisevidencethroughthe

useofformalvoiceinwriting.Manyroughdraftswillbeproduced,andstudentswillalsobeformativelyassessedbasedonthe

introductorytasksoffindingvalidsourcesandcitingthosesourcescorrectlyinMLAformat.Essentially,eachstepoftheresearchpaper

processwillbeformativelyassessedinordertomeasurestudentgrowththroughouttheLE.Iwilldothisbyusingachecklistand

collectingstudentworktobrieflyreviewforanychallengesorconfusionsthatstudentsmightface.Iwillalsousesmallrubricstoassess

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eachstepofthelearningexperience,sothatstudentsareclearonexpectations,goals,andobjectives.Eachassessmentwillbeindividual,

butstudentswillengageinbrainstormingandsmallgroupactivitiesinordertogainsupportandideasfromtheirpeers.Studentprogresswillbesupportedandmonitoredthroughtheteacherreachingouttoeachstudentduringin‐classworktimetogaugeunderstandingand

progress.TheteacherwillkeeptrackofcertaincheckpointsintheLEandnotewhenastudentisstrugglingorhasnotmetacheckpoint.Inthiscase,theteacherwillprovidesomeadditionalinstructionandguidancetothatstudent,asneeded.Thesummativeassessmentwill

bethefinaldraftoftheresearchpaper,submittedintheformofaportfolio,includingtheformativestepsinthewritingprocess(See

rubric,whichhighlightsthewritingprocessaspectoftheresearchpaperinthefinalportfolio).Allrubricsandinstructionsforeachstepoftheprocesswillbeprovidedtostudentsinpaperformandonlineforconstantreference.Inthisway,studentscantracktheirown

progresswhilereferringtotheexpectations.

Criteria MasterResearcher DevelopingResearcher LackinginComprehension BacktotheDrawingBoa

TopicChoice Topicisarguableandobjective.Thestudentremainsontopicforthe

entiretyoftheresearch

paper.

Topicisarguableandobjective,butthestudentmakesminimalreferenceto

thetopicthroughoutthe

researchpaperand/or

straysoff‐topicattimes.

Topicisminimallyarguable,butlacksenoughsubstancetoprovidethe

opportunityforanalysis

andreflection.Thestudent

straysoff‐topicforatleasthalfofthepaper.

Topicisvagueandsubjective.Itdoesnotsupportanalysisorinquir

andisnotarguable.

ResearchProcess Thestudenthasincludedhisorherannotated

bibliography,whichhasbeenapprovedbythe

teacherandusedinthe

finaldraft.Theworkscitedpagereflectsthesources

usedinthefinaldraft.

Thestudenthasincludedhisorherannotated

bibliography.1‐2sourcescitedin‐textarenot

reflectedontheWorks

Citedpage,or1‐2sourcesontheWorksCitedpage

arenotreflectedinthe

paper.

Theannotatedbibliographyisincomplete.3‐4sources

citedin‐textarenotreflectedontheWorks

Citedpage,or3‐4sources

ontheWorksCitedpagearenotreflectedinthe

paper.

Thestudenthasneglecte includehisorherannotat

bibliography.5ormoresourcescitedin‐textaren

reflectedontheWorksCi

page,or5ormoresource ontheWorksCitedpage

notreflectedinthepaper.

ArgumentDevelopment

(BodyParagraphs)

Thestudenthasdevelopedthetopicwithwell‐chosen,

relevant,andsufficient

facts,extendeddefinitions,

concretedetails,andquotationsappropriateto

theaudience’sknowledge

ofthetopic.

Thetopicispartiallylackinginrelevantand

sufficientfacts,concrete

details,extended

definitions,andrelevantquotations,whichare

mostlyappropriatetotheaudience’sknowledgeof

thetopic.

Thetopicisunderdevelopedwith

minimallyrelevantfacts

andvaguedetails&

definitions.Thequotationsareinappropriatetothe

audience’sknowledgeof

thetopic.

Thetopicisundevelopedwithirrelevantfacts,

definitions,andfewtono

concretedetails.Thestud

hasprovidedfewtonoquotations,andthe

argumentisnotsuitedfor

formalaudience.

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WritingStyle Thestudentestablishesandmaintainsaformalstyle

andobjectivetonewhileattendingtothenormsand

conventionsoftheresearch

paper.

Thestudentusuallymaintainsaformalstyle

andobjectivetonewhilemostlyattendingtothe

normsandconventionsof

theresearchpaper.

Thestudentrarelymaintainsaformalstyle

andobjectivetonewhileusuallyignoringthenorms

andconventionsofthe

researchpaper.

Thestudentmaintainsaninformalstyleanda

subjectivetone,whileignoringthenormsand

conventionsoftheresear

paper.

TextualEvidence Thestudentdrawsevidencefrominformationaltextsto

supportanalysis,reflection,

andresearch.

Thestudentdrawssomeevidencefrominformationaltextsto

somewhatsupportanalysis,

reflection,andresearch.

Thestudentmakesminimalevidence‐basedanalysesof

thetext.

Thepaperlacksresearch‐basedevidence.

TextualEvaluation Thestudentevaluatestheinformationaltextstosupportanalysis,reflection,

andresearch.

Thestudentsomewhatevaluatedtheinformational

texts.

Thestudentonlyminimallyevaluatesthevalidityandrelevanceofthetexts,

doingsoinamannerirrelevanttotheresearch‐

basedtaskathand.

Thestudentdoesnotasse thevalidityorrelevanceo

thetexts.

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ResearchEffectiveness Thestudentgathersrelevantinformationfrom

multipleauthoritativeprintanddigitalsources,using

advancedsearches

effectively;assessesthe

usefulnessofeachsourceinansweringtheresearchquestion;integrates

informationintothetext

selectivelytomaintaintheflowofideas,avoiding

plagiarismandfollowsMLAformatforcitationwith

zeromistakes.

Thestudentgathersmostlyrelevantinformationfrom

multipleauthoritativeprintanddigitalsources,

sometimesusingadvanced

searcheseffectively;

sometimesassessestheusefulnessofeachsourceinansweringtheresearch

question;sometimes

integratesinformationintothetextselectively,avoids

plagiarismandfollowsMLAformatforcitationwith1‐3

mistakes.

Thestudentgatherslittlerelevantinformationfrom

fewauthoritativeprintanddigitalsources,rarelyusing

advancedsearches

effectively;seldomassesses

theusefulnessofeachsourceinansweringtheresearchquestion;seldom

integratesinformationinto

thetextselectively,barelyavoidsplagiarismand

minimallyfollowsMLAformatforcitationwith4‐6

mistakes.

Thestudentgathersnorelevantinformationfro

fewauthoritativeprinta digitalsources,neverusi

advancedsearches

effectively;barelyassess

theusefulnessofeachsourceinansweringth researchquestion;does

integrateinformationin

thetextselectively,bare avoidsplagiarismand

minimallyfollowsMLAformatforcitationgreat

than6mistakes.

Procedure:

DayOne–Theinstructorbeginsbyintroducingonlineandtextualsources,givingabriefspokenintroductiontotheLEandexplaining

thatthestudentswillbeconductingresearch.Theinstructorwillalsopointoutcharacteristicsofaneffectiveresearchtext,aswellas

characteristicsofavalidsource.Thiswillbemerelyanintroduction,tobeexpandeduponattheendofthislesson.Theinstructorwill

drawuponpriorexperiencesofthestudentsinordertobaseinstructiononstudentopinionsandunderstandingsofresearch.The

studentswillthenworktogetheringroupstoanalyzethesetextualandonlineexamples(asidentifiedintheResourcesection)anddeterminewhetherornottheyarevalid.Theclasswillthencometogether,and,guidedbytheinstructor,willfurtherdiscusswhatmakes

avalidsource,wrappingupwithwaystolookforthesesources.DayTwo–Thenextlessonwillbeginwiththeinstructorreviewingthecontentfromthepreviouslesson,andintroducinghowtoproperly

citeresearchmaterials,bothontheworkscitedpageandin‐text.Studentswillagainpracticethisinsmallgroups,whiletheteacher

checksforunderstandingbywalkingaroundandspeakingtogroups.Attheendoftheclass,theteacherwillhandoutmanyarticlesand

haveeachstudentciteoneofthemtohandinasanexitslip.Inthisway,theteacherwillbeabletogaugethestudents’understandingsof

thecomplexitiesofproperlycitingsources.Thiswillnotbethelasttimethatfindingvalidsourcesorcitingwillbeaddressed!

DayThree–Inthethirdlesson,studentswillreviewexamplesofexpositoryresearchpapers.Theteacherwillprojectsometextontothe

boardtoreadandreviewasaclass,andtheteacherwillalsoprovidespeechesthatproveapoint(asidentifiedintheResourcesection).

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Inthisway,thelessoncanbebrokenupandcanalsoappealtoauditoryaswellasvisuallearners.Followingtheclass’analysisand

discussionoftheexamplepapers,theteacherwillintroducepossibletopicchoices.Studentwillthendoathink‐pair‐shareactivitytobrainstormsometopicideas.Thelessonwillwrap‐upwithstudentsworkingalonetonarrowdowntopics.Followingthisgeneralpattern

ofteacherintroduction/classdiscussion,smallgroupsharing,andindividualbrainstorming,theLEwillcontinueontothepointwherethestudentsareresearching,citing,analyzingsources,drafting,anddraftingagain.Followingthislesson,studentswouldrefinetheir

researchtopicforhomeworkandwriteathesisandanintroductiontobeworkedonandpolishedinthenextclass.

DayFour‐Lessonfourwillconsistofawritingworkshopwherestudentscancontinuetohoneinontheirresearchtopicandsearchfor

sourcestosupporttheirthesis.Thefocusofthisworkshopwillbethethesisanddevelopingtheintroduction.Studentscanpeer

conferenceorconferencewiththeinstructor.Theteacherwillprovidesomeguidingsuggestionstostudentsintheformofhandouts.Thesehandoutswillincludeachecklistfordevelopingastrongthesis.

DayFive–Studentswillhavetheopportunitytoconveychallengesandquestionstotheclassandtotheinstructor.Theinstructorwill

fieldquestionsandconcerns.Thestudentswillthenbeprovidedwithmoretimetoworkontheirresearch.Nowthattheyhaveathesis

andthebeginningsofanintroduction,studentscaneffectivelyresearchandfindargumentsforandagainsttheirthesis.Theteacherwill

facilitatetimeinthelibraryandcomputerlab.Studentswillreceiveasimilarchecklisttotheoneprovidedforconstructingathesis.This

checklistwilloutlinetheimportantstepstoconductingeffectiveresearchandobtainingallproperresourcesforcitingandarguingsources.

DaySix–OnthelastdayoftheLearningExperience,studentswillpeerreviewtheirfirstdrafts–completewiththesis,citedsources,aWorksCitedpage,developedanalysisforeachsource,andastrongdevelopedargument.Studentswillagainbeabletoconveychallenges,

concernsandquestionstotheclassandtotheteacher.WhilethisLearningExperiencewillcontinueonasstudentsre‐writeandre‐draft

toworktowardtheirfinalpiece,theclasswillcovernewmaterialwhilereviewingandrevisitingtheresearchpaperinordertosupport

studentsinthisongoingassignment.Thefirstdraftwillbedueontheclassafterthesixthday,theseconddraftwillbeduethefollowing

week,andthethirdandfinaldraftwillbeduethefollowingweek.

Resources:

ThePurdueOWLFamilyofSites.TheWritingLabandOWLatPurdueandPurdueU,2008.Web.5December2010.

Thiscomprehensivefamilyofsitesprovidesvaluableexamples,tips,andformatsforcitingsourcesforresearchpaperswritteninMLA

style.Theinformationcaneitherbeprintedoutandgiventostudents,orstudentsmayusetheentiresitetoreferencethroughoutthe

researchandwritingprocess.

PersuasiveSpeech.VoiceMasters,2006.Web.5December2010.

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Thiswebsiteprovidesexamplesofpersuasivespeechesaswellastechniquestoachieveapersuasivespeech.Studentscanlistentothese

speechestoevaluatewhatcreatesapersuasiveargument.Whilethesitefocusesonspeech,studentswilllearndifferentdimensionsofcommunicatinganargumenteffectively.Thehomepagestates,“Onemustalwaysbeawarethatwhatmayseemimportanttoyou,maybe

irrelevanttoyouraudience”(PersuasiveSpeech).Studentscanseehowlearninghowtoconveyaneffectiveargumentcorrelatestomanyreal–lifecareers,suchasacting,presentingtoagroup,andmanyotheroptions.Throughengaginginthissite,studentswillmake

connectionsbetweentheirownresearchquestionandthesisandreal–worldargumentsthathavebeenprovenordisproven.

Prusa,AndreaRomana. “Expressingcellsinhumanamnioticfluid:anewsourceforstemcellresearch?”OxfordJournals:Human

Reproduction(2003):n.pag.Web.5December2010.

Thisarticlecomesfromanonlinejournal,andthereisanabstractprovided.Thissiteservesasareliablesource,andstudentscanperuseotherarticlesfromthisonlinejournal.Theteacherwillshowthisasanexampleofascholarlysource,andwillpointouttheelementsof

thesitethatproveitassuch.

“StemCellResearchProsandCons.”CapitalistShrugged:Whatwouldhappenifproducersshruggedtheworldfromtheirshoulders? (2010):

n.pag.Web.5December2010.

Thisarticlecomesfromapersonalblog.Thereisalotofpersonalbiasandopinionwrittenintotheblogarticle,andtheteacherwilluse

thisasanexampleofanunreliablesourceforresearchwriting.Whiletheblogbringsupsomeusefulquestionstoconsideraboutstemcell

research(apopularresearchtopic),theinformationisfragmentedandinconsistent.Studentswillexaminesourceslikethisoneand

analyzewhyablogmightnotbeconsideredascholarlysource.

Wewillneedtousetheschoollibrary’sdatabasesinordertoconductresearch.Instructorwillintroducethepowerofexpository

languageinordertoconveyapointoreffectivelyengageinanargument.ThestudentswillutilizecomputersandtheInternetaswellasprintedresources,andtheywillneedtohaveamplein‐classworkshoptimeinordertoproducefocused,guidedworkthatispeer

reviewedandteacherguidedthroughorganizedpeerreviewactivitieswherestudentscanworkineffectivecollaborativeenvironments.I

wouldalsoprovidethesedigitalresourcesintheclassroominordertoprovideequalopportunitiesforstudentswhomaynothaveaccesstocomputersandtheInternetoutsideofschool.

Instructional/EnvironmentalModifications:Tofacilitateinclusionoflearnerswithspecialneeds,Iwillpaycloseattentiontothe

checkpointsandformativeassessmentsandusethoseasindicatorsofstudentswhomaybestrugglingwiththepaceorcontentoftheLE.

Iwillalsouseregressionstrategiestomakesurethatbeforewecontinueontoanewconcept,wefirstreviewtheolderconceptsand

createascaffoldingexperiencewherestudentscanbuildtheirknowledgefrompriorknowledge.Iwilltakecarefulattentiontosupport

eachstudentthroughouttheprocess,withafter‐schoolworkshophoursaswellasworkshoptimeintheclassroom.Forstudentswithpotentialphysicaldisabilities,Iwouldmakearrangementsforlaptopstobebroughtintotheclassroom,thestudentstobeabletouse

othermethodsofrecordingratherthantypingorwriting.Blindstudentswouldneedassistancedictatingandrecordingtheirfindingsand

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