Research Papers

Today is the official start of the US II Research Paper assignment. This is an important assignment for several reasons - (1) the grade counts as 2 exams plus an additional 50 points for the bibliography, so the impact on your grade for the 2nd term is significant and (2) the process is an opportunity to learn. And nothing is really more important than that. In fact, when you are done with your paper, I intend on asking you "okay, so what did you learn?" Your response might be about the topic, an ancillary topic, or about the process - or even about yourself! - but it is important that you learn from doing this paper. Do not lose sight of that.

A few points of emphasis:
* Get started. This is often the most difficult part of a research assignment. You only have two weeks and that time will go by very quickly. Do not delay, especially if you fear the possibility of possibly changing topics. The deadline for that is Friday Dec. 5.
* Gather information based upon your thesis (your paper's title & subtitle). Do not waste time gathering info about FDR's New Deal if your paper is about FDR's role in WW II. It always amazes me how much time students spend gathering information that is off topic.
* Keep in mind the focus of your paper - to identify the significance of your topic/event. We do not need all the details of what happened as much as we need a detailed analysis of the impact/outcome of it. Your analysis must be thoughtful and evidence an historian's assessment. Your event/topic is not interesting, it is significant. Please make sure you are dealing with that significance.
* Do not be reluctant to ask questions. Pick the brain of someone who knows the topic. Ask me. Ask a parent or neighbor. Email an historian or author. Go to a college and seek out a professor who has an expertise in the area. Asking such questions is a sign of strength and determination, not of weakness.
* Your paper is due December 17. Have it done at least three days before that. Put it aside for a day and then read your paper. Really read it. Then have some one else read it. Get feedback, some proofreading, and polish it up. You will be pleasantly surprised at the improvement you can & will make in your paper by doing this.

Any other problems or issues - see me, email me, but do not come to me the day the paper is due and tell me your printer would not work!