GRADING •First semester English grade will be 100% class work with teachers placing value on the senior project assignments as they are incorporated into students' class work. Second semester senior English grade will be 60% class work and 40% senior project — 10% research paper, 20% project, 10% presentation. All three stages of project must be completed in order to receive credit for any single section. Project will affect only the semester grade NOT third quarter grade.

About the Paper

What is a Research Paper? — a carefully planned essay that has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed by the writer. Research papers are written to share new information or prove a point. What makes them different from other essays is the amount of information gathered and used in the writing. A research paper may include ideas from books, magazines, newspapers, computer files, the Internet, or interviews. (Any ideas borrowed from different sources are credited to the original writer or speaker.) Most research papers are at least five pages in length and include a title page, an outline, the actual essay, and a Works Cited page. … The MLA style sheet is the most popular research paper form in use today (Sebranek 163).

Prompt for Senior Project Paper Write a formal research paper (5 - 8 pages in length at 320 words per page) on a topic which you find interesting and want to investigate further. The paper should reflect the writing process and include:

• a title an outline
• an engaging opening
• a challenging thesis
• clear, seamlessly organized support
• accurate documentation
• a reasonable, confident, appropriate tone
• smooth integration of your own words with paraphrased/quoted sources
• a mature style
• effective use of formal written English conventions
• a clear, engaging summative conclusion
• a works cited page (minimum of 5 sources)\
• NO plagiarism It is possible to fail your paper. If it does not pass the "YES Test," it will not be submitted for scoring. Study the rubric. If your paper received more than two NPs (not proficient) that equals failure to pass and a rewrite is required.

If your paper was not turned in on time or there is no evidence of process†, there will not be an opportunity for a rewrite and you will have failed your senior research paper. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Rewritten papers will be given one full score lower than what it is ranked on the rubric. It will be possible for a rewritten paper to earn only 50%.

†You must turn in your Deadline Verification Sheet and self, peer and teacher evaluations with your final draft on February 15, as proof of process. In addition, all rough drafts and notes must remain filed with your English teacher in case independent verification of research or process is needed.

CHECK LIST FOR SUCCESS The Paper

√ _____ Final draft of paper 5 - 8 pages in length (approx. 320 word per pg.)

√ _____ title page — no cover of any kind

√ _____ outline

√ _____ paper — plain white manuscript paper

√ _____ works cited — minimum 5 sources

√ _____ "Yes Test" Successfully passed — [Page 33]

√ _____ Carefully follows MLA and school guidelines

√ _____ Stapled in upper left corner

√ _____ No cover of any kind; only 4 items above

√ _____ Self/Peer/Teacher Evaluation — [Pages 30, 31, 32]

√ _____ documentation of process — [Page 35]

√ _____ English teacher retains rough drafts, peer evaluations, note cards, etc.

√ _____ and an extra copy of paper (original paper will not be returned only the score)

The PROJECT

You have already begun thinking about the "product" phase of your senior project. Some may have already begun working. Be sure to keep your logs up to date and to check in frequently with your mentor to make sure everything is "working out." Your product should spring naturally from your research. For example, if you did research on homelessness, your project could be volunteering time at a homeless "soup kitchen," helping build a "Habitat for Humanity" home, drawing attention to the plight of our local homeless by attending and speaking out at local council meetings or organizing a food drive at school to help homeless families, etc.

Whatever product you ultimately produce, you must have something to "show" for your efforts. Obviously if you construct something, you will have the actual product. However, if you do something intangible, you need to also create a visual display of your accomplishments — a labeled photo album of the entire process, a board with the collection of letters that were written, bills for phone calls made, sketches, drawings, sales receipts, letters of recommendation from people you have worked with, a copy of a formal letter of thanks from you to those who helped you, etc. These items should be placed in an appendix in your portfolio.

You will all produce a "portfolio" which contains the record of your process and progress as you complete the product. The QUALITY of your product is the most important part of this stage. Proving that quality is your responsibility from how clearly and completely you prepare your portfolio to the complete and detailed logs to an insightfully and carefully prepared self-evaluation. A complete and detailed appendix will make the best impression for an "intangible" product (See Rubric)! Final proof is the series of evaluations from your mentor and English teacher. Their comments about how hard you worked, how you overcame problems, how you learned and impressed them, etc. will be important to your evaluators. ALL SIGNATURES MUST BE PRESENT BEFORE A PORTFOLIO/PROJECT IS COMPLETE .

The research paper was a measure of your ability to access and synthesize information and communicate that knowledge in writing. The product phase is a measure of your ability to apply that knowledge in a practical form. As a graduate of Valley View High School you are expected to be able to demonstrate responsible citizenship (meeting deadlines, doing your best, etc.), complex thinking (selecting a challenging topic and project, solving problems effectively, etc.), effective communicating (through your paper, project, portfolio, and presentation), and collaborative working (with peers as well as your teachers and mentor).

CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS The Project*/Portfolio (25 Hours)

√ _____ The ACTUAL Project!!!

√ _____ Cover/Sign of Commitment
√ _____ Title Page
√ _____ Table of Contents
√ _____ Letter of Intent — [Page 10]
√ _____ Copy of Research Paper (the SECOND copy from above)
√ _____ Mentor Verification Form — [Page 36]
√ _____ Learning Log Formal Checks #1, #2, #3 Pages [26, 27, 28]
√ _____ Logs (with attached "proof items") — [Copies of page 29] (place logs directly behind the Formal Check which verifies their accuracy).
√ _____ Project Verification Forms A, B, C — [Pages 23, 24, 25]
√ _____ Self Evaluation — [Pages 18, 19, 20, 21, 22]
√ _____ Appendix of supporting information as proof of both process and completion (letters, certificates, pictures of process, etc.) See Rubric!

THE PRESENTATION

You have now arrived at the final stage of your senior project. Having researched a topic of your choice and spent a minimum of 25 hours on a project, you now have the opportunity to share what you have learned about your subject and yourself with a group of interested people.

Your presentation should be in five parts:

• An introduction
• The body
• An explanation of your research
• An explanation of your project
• An explanation of how the two relate and what you learned
• A conclusion

You probably don't need to do any research for your presentation because that is already done!

At the end of your eight to ten minute presentation, you will be asked questions about what you have said to help the judges clarify their understanding of what you learned (see Rubric).

At this time you should bring with you your "Letter to the Judges" who will already have your project and your portfolio before them. Your oral presentation must be enhanced by a visual aid — a board displaying the process of your project, clearly organized and labeled photos of your efforts, a power point presentation, charts or diagrams which will clarify the information you are presenting, etc. You are looking for a way to help the judges visualize what you are talking about!

Remember, the judges, who have an interest, some knowledge, or even expertise in your field, are interested not just in what you say, but also, how well you say it. Make sure you reach your time limit and practice (polish) your presentation.

CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS The Presentation (8 - 10 minutes)

√ _____ Bring 5 copies of "Letter to the Judges" [Page 16]
√ _____ Visual Aids to enhance presentation [Page 15, 17]
√ _____ Dress Appropriately
√ _____ Be on Time
√ _____ Relax
√ _____ A small bottle of cold water