1. Biography
Research Project

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Note Card Example Birth 2.1
Card # from that source
Topic or Characteristic
Source #
Birth
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) #

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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). '

12. 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

13. 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).

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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