Biography Research Project

Step 1: Research Find a biography about your chosen person (must be someone who has done something GOOD for the world). Find two credible sources – Total of one print and one digital – Wikipedia is NOT a credible source. For print source check out the book or photo copy the pages – make sure to get the MLA citation information. For digital source, copy the information onto a Microsoft Word document and print – Don’t forget MLA citation information

Proper MLA Citation Format (Double spaced and Indented) Step 2: Book Source Card Proper MLA Citation Format (Double spaced and Indented) Create Source Cards for your two sources. Put them in correct MLA format Source Number 1 Ashby, Ruth. Rosa Parks. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2008.

Step 2: Online Source Card Proper MLA Citation Format (Double spaced and Indented) Create Source Cards for your two sources. Put them in correct MLA format Source Number 2 Author or creator’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of Article,” Title of Website. Day Month Year it was posted. Site sponsor. Web.

Step 2: Online Source Card Proper MLA Citation Format (Double spaced and Indented) Create Source Cards for your two sources. Put them in correct MLA format Source Number 2 Bennitt, Emily. “My Life.” Xanga. 30 Oct. 2005 xanga.com. Web.

Step 3: Note Cards On your Index cards – create your note cards – Should have a total of at least 10 note cards – at least 5 cards per source. Label the top of the card with the topic (Birth, Early Life, Education, Personal Life…) Label the source and card number in the top right corner. Label the paragraph number for the internet and page for a book at the bottom right corner. Take notes on the center of card.

Note Card Example Birth 2.1 Card # from that source Topic or Characteristic Source # Birth 2.1 Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee Alabama 3 Notes on topic or characteristic Paragraph (Internet) or Page (Book) #

Step 4: Works Cited Page Take your Source Cards and put them in alphabetical order – by first word on card. Create a “Works Cited” Page in the proper MLA citation format – Simply write the MLA citation information from the cards onto a sheet of paper. Important Notes – Make sure the entries are in alphabetical order Make sure EVERYTHING is double spaced Make sure that the first line of each entry goes to the 1 inch margin and the other lines are indented ½ inch.

Step 4: Works Cited Page Once Source cards are in alphabetical order OPEN a Microsoft Word Document Click on “Insert” tab and insert “Header & Footer” Insert a header on the far right of the page with your last name and page number Example: Bass 1 3. Double click outside of header and click “Home” tab Click the “No Spacing” style Before any of the following settings Set font as “Times New Roman” Font size as 12 pt. Double Space Paragraph Settings: Set a hanging indent at .5” Center Title as “Works Cited” Reset to far left of page and begin typing first source See Example for assistance.

Step 5: Thesis Statement and Outline Intro Who this person is (Personality 1.4) Why you chose him/her Thesis Statement last sentence Detail this person’s life. (Include Education, Family, Career) Beginning i. Born 1876 (Birth 1.1) Middle End Describe why this person is well known. Describe what this person did for the betterment of his/her surroundings. Conclusion – Describe and detail the characteristics of this person that make him/her someone to be admired. Tell how you feel about this person – Like/dislike and why. Each letter and Roman numeral should include the note card title number you will use to back up your information. Include extra information here to fill in the gaps. These are your personal thoughts backed up by facts.

In-Text Citation ANYTHING mentioned in a paper not taken directly from your head MUST be cited - even if it is NOT a direct quote. PRINT Citation In the text of your paper: (author page number) or (page number) The first gambling Web site appeared in 1995, and online gambling has since become the most lucrative Internet business (Will 92). or, George Will reported that in 2002 Internet gambling surpassed pornography to become the Internet's most lucrative business (92). '

In-Text Citation ANYTHING mentioned in a paper not taken directly from your head MUST be cited - even if it is NOT a direct quote. WEB Citation In the text of your paper: (Sponsoring Agency paragraph number) or if agency is mentioned in sentence (paragraph number) Example of a citation from a website: Abraham Lincoln's birthplace was designated as a National Historical Site in 1959 (National Park Service 5). ' Period outside of Parenthesis

In-Text Citation ANYTHING mentioned in a paper not taken directly from your head MUST be cited - even if it is NOT a direct quote. Citation of a QUOTE: The tendency to come to terms with difficult experiences is referred to as a "purification process" whereby "threatening or painful dissonances are warded off to preserve intact a clear and articulated image of oneself and one's place in the world" (Sennett 11).

Remember when you include a quotation: In-Text Citation Remember when you include a quotation: Introduce the quote Correctly cite the quote Explain the quote

Use the Outline you created, and write your rough draft from that. Step 6: Rough Draft Use the Outline you created, and write your rough draft from that. Make sure that your paper: Includes AT LEAST one in-text citation per paragraph. Includes AT LEAST two direct quotes correctly formatted. Is factual and uses evidence to back up claims. Written using formal language – no texting lingo or slang. NO YOU or YOUR! Does not call the person by his/her first name.

Step 7: Peer Editing You must have your paper edited by two of your peers. Attach the Peer Editing Rubric to the front of the RD. Editors write your name on the rubric you are using. Each edit should: Be in a different color pen or pencil. Follow the rubric and have scores for each portion of the rubric. Be helpful and not a full of negative comments. Tell the students things on which they did well as well as things on which they need to improve – good and bad comments.

Approaches Expectations Below Expectations Quality Criteria 5 4 3 2 1   Total Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaches Expectations Below Expectations Significantly Below Expectations Ideas: Content Development, Facts, Reasons, Incidents, Examples, Details Consistent focus on topic and purpose; supporting ideas fully elaborated and relevant Consistent focus on topic and purpose; supporting ideas developed and relevant Generally consistent focus on topic and purpose; most supporting ideas developed / relevant Limited focus on topic and purpose; supporting ideas vague, general, and/or undeveloped Lack of focus on assigned topic and purpose; absence of supporting ideas; lacks a sense of completeness X5 Organization: Creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience and context. Introduction engages; conclusion provides strong sense of closure; effective use of varied transitions Strong and fluid flow of ideas Introduction sets stage; conclusion ends piece without repetition; logical grouping of ideas in paragraphs; varied transitions used Introduction is clear, and conclusion provides closure; related ideas generally grouped in paragraphs; transitions link parts of the paper May lack or use ineffective introduction or conclusion; limited use of transitions No evidence of organizing strategy; unclear sequence of ideas; lacks introduction and/or conclusion; lack of transitions X3 Style Carefully crafted phrases and sentences; varied, precise, and engaging language; extensive variety of sentence length and beginnings Word choice precise and engaging; sentences vary in length and structure Word choice generally engaging; some variation in sentence length and structure Word choice is simple and ordinary; little variation in sentence structure and length Word choice is inaccurate or confusing; lack of sentence variety Conventions: Mechanics, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling Clean & Correct Correct end punctuation; infrequent errors (if any) Correct end punctuation; correct mechanics with few errors; errors generally minor and do not interfere with meaning Sentences generally correct; occasional run-ons or fragments; few errors interfere with meaning Simple sentences correct; end punctuation missing or incorrect; frequent errors interfere with meaning Frequent fragments and run-ons; end punctuation incorrect or lacking; frequent and severe errors interfere with obscure meaning Quotes and Citations At least one citation per paragraph and two direct quotations correctly formatted with 3 parts. At least one citation per paragraph and two direct quotations correctly formatted without 3 parts. At least one citation per paragraph and two direct quotations incorrectly formatted or without 3 parts. Less than one citation per paragraph or two direct quotations incorrectly formatted or without 3 parts. Less than one citation per paragraph and no direct quotation incorrectly formatted and without 3 parts. Works Cited Works Cited Page correctly done – Alphabetical order, proper margins, and format Works Cited Page almost right – just missed one element Works Cited Page almost right – just missed two elements Works Cited Page almost right – just missed three elements Works Cited Page there, but completely wrong X2 Rough Draft Edited Rough Draft Rough Draft not edited No Rough Draft X1 Teacher Comments:  ____/100