Inequalities in America Democracy Project Inequalities in America

Purpose of the Project Each student will complete an investigation into a topic of their choice Demonstrates the application of skills and knowledge, and allows for the pursuit of personal interests Think of this as a introduction to High School

Guidance and authenticity Must be the student’s own work – from beginning (topic selection) to end (final draft)! Students encouraged to initiate discussions with the teacher to obtain advice and information Authenticity checked by discussion/written feedback on the content of the work, and scrutiny of the following… The student’s proposal The references cited The style of writing compared with work known to be that of the student The analysis of the work by a web-based plagiarism-detection service

Historical Investigation Duration: 20 hours Section 1: Identification and evaluation of topic Section 2: Investigation Section 3: Reflection

Topic selection Students have a free choice of topic for their investigation; We will brainstorm several together. You may choose one of these or choose your own Feel free to use your topic from the great debates. Topic and question for investigation must be approved before work is started—it is crucial that there are sufficient sources to support the investigation

Title of project 1. Titles should start out with the general topic: “An investigation….” 2. Titles should end with a more specific question. Example: An investigation into the modern wage gap: Have women made progress in the last one hundred years in closing the wage gap with men and what can be done next?

Choosing an appropriate title will lead to an appropriate investigation Which title is probably easier to investigate and discuss effectively? TITLE A: An investigation into voting : What is voter suppression? TITLE B: An investigation into America’s history of the democratic election process: How have people of color faced unequal struggles while trying to participate in the voting process?

So important it gets its own slide… Make sure the title is focused and narrow enough to ensure your discussion is not superficial

Due Dates Your Topic and Title are due by: BEFORE YOU LEAVE CLASS ON WEDNESDAY , March 27,2019 I will need to read your topics and provide feedback/approval before you get to work FINAL PROJECT IS DUE Monday April 22, 2019 ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR

Section 1: Identification and evaluation This section is an introduction of sorts Students should clearly state the question they have chosen to investigate (this must be stated as a question) with a brief justification as to why it is worthwhile Should not be a simple yes or no Should not be list-type answer Should (or at the very least could) be a question scholars’ debate Refers to time and place of your investigation--must include “date range”

Section 1: Identification and evaluation of sources Sources can be either primary or secondary sources. In this section students must: include a brief explanation of the nature of the two sources they have selected for detailed analysis, including an explanation of their relevance to the investigation analyze three sources in detail—reference to the origins, purpose and content, the student should analyze the value and limitations of the two sources in relation to the investigation DO NOT write about where you physically went to find your sources If there is a source that does not contribute to a more complete answer to your research question, ditch it

Section 2: Investigation This section of the project consists of the actual investigation Needs to be focused on the historical topic or theme chosen using a variety of written sources. The investigation must be clearly and effectively organized While there is no prescribed format for how this section must be structured… it must contain critical analysis that is focused clearly on the question being investigated it must also include the conclusion that the student draws from their analysis. In this section, students must use a range of evidence to support their argument

Section 2: Investigation Claim—states your position on the issue you have chosen to write about Evidence—supports your claim; you must support your claim with facts; an unsupported claim is merely an assertion. Commentary (Warrant/Analysis)—interprets the data and shows how it supports your claim; explains why and how the data proves the claim YOU BUILD THIS UP UNTIL YOU REACH A CONCLUSION = THESIS = ANSWER TO RESEARCH QUESTION

“SIMPLE” OUTLINE INTRO – Reintroduce topic and possibly question if it helps with clarity with depth and make any necessary definitions so the reader can follow development of argument – CLAIMS/EVIDENCES/ANALYSES – This is the bulk of Section 2 where you walk your reader through your research showing them the evidence you’ve collected, the analysis of the evidence, and the claims that your analyzed evidence helped you reach CONCLUSION – This is where you put your final thoughts = main arguments = make sure this answers your research question!

Section 3: Reflection Reflect on what undertaking the investigation highlighted to them about the methods used by, and the challenges facing, the historian Complete the reflection sheet included in your packet