Research Paper I: Getting Started

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE PAGE BEFORE BEGINNING THIS ASSIGNMENT

Researching and writing a paper are important skills to have, especially if you plan to go to college. That's why this project is required for completion of the course.

This lesson is divided into THREE separate parts. Complete each section as a separate section. Do not run them all together.

Keep in mind that only 20-25% of your research paper should be cited material or contain citations. Your research should be used to support and prove your ideas, not the other way around. If your paper consists of more than 30% citations, you will face plagiarism penalties.

Part 1:

Brainstorm some ideas that you'd like to research. Pick three of those ideas. Each idea chosen are: History of Gymnastics from Ancient Greece to Modern Times, The Birth of Fashion, and The History of Motown Music. For each, give a detailed description of between 25--50 words of why you'd like to research the topic. Identify what your ideas are, why they interest you, and what you would like to learn about them. Do not say you want to write about cars; explain specifically what you plan to write about involving cars. Submit all three ideas with explanations for approval. Once this step is accepted, you may move on to Part 2.

Part 2:

Now do some research on each topic. See which one you can find the most numerable and credible sources for. You will need at least two Internet sources and one book source. Submit the topic you have chosen and your sources. Give exact titles, authors, web addresses, and so on, just as though you were submitting a Works Cited list or bibliography.

Part 3:

Now that you have your main topic and your sources, create a thesis statement. Remember, a thesis statement is only one sentence, and it is the main point of your whole paper. Your thesis should express your opinion, or something that you are trying to prove about your topic, not just state facts. Do not submit a statement like, "In this paper, I will explain the process of cleaning a sink" or "I believe that pink is the best color." Really think about your topic.