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NYC Home Improvement Project

Research Paper Final Draft Notes

Click to edit Master subtitle style

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+ Final Draft Notes

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we will go over the Performance Indicators on the rubric, and look at some suggestions and examples from a paper will go over citations and proper documentation of evidence we will go over some general formatting tips and suggestions for the final draft of your research paper
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n Finally,

+ Performance Indicator #1 Viewpoint

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Compelling thesis or question Coherent, complex, sophisticated arguments support organizing idea/thesis

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+ Performance Indicator #1 Viewpoint

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Look at each sentence in your paper and ask yourself: Does it connect to the inquiry question? Does the sentence belong in the paragraph that it is in? Is it written simply and is it easy to understand?

Look at your word choices. Are you using academic words? Are you defining them for your reader?

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+ Performance Indicator #2 Effective Use of Evidence

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Specific, relevant, and highly persuasive evidence from both primary and secondary sources Uses quotations and paraphrasing appropriately

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+ Performance Indicator #2 Effective Use of Evidence

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Be specific in your writing. Look at the two examples below. The first sentence is too general and does not paraphrase appropriately. The second is specific and appropriately paraphrases from an attributed source.

Bad

Good
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+ Performance Indicator #3 Effective Organization

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Clear introduction presents thesis in a highly engaging, compelling manner Consistent, effective transitions Distinct conclusion that supports idea/general thesis

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+ Performance Indicator #3 Effective Organization

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Look at your introductory paragraph and ask yourself: Does it convey the problem that you are trying to show? Does it contain a fact as a hook for your reader? Does it display the actual inquiry question? Does it preview what the paper will be exploring?

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+ Performance Indicator #3 Effective Organization

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Use your topic sentences as transitions. Do not use headings to transition between ideas. Look at the two examples below.

Bad

Good
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+ Performance Indicator #3 Effective Organization

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Look at your concluding paragraph and ask yourself:

Does it reflect on the solutions that you have proposed to the inquiry question? Does it show a plan for future or additional research? Does it connect to the introductory paragraph?

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+ Performance Indicator #4 Understanding of Context

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Ideas and voice reflect a highly informed awareness of the larger historical, political, or cultural context surrounding questions addressed in the paper.

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+ Performance Indicator #4 Understanding of Context

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Look back at the facts and details that you have included in the research paper and ask yourself: Do you use facts and details from different sources? Did you incorporate the question(s) that the reviewers asked in the first and second drafts?

Are your sources relevant (from the last 5 years) and applicable to the context (New York City, New York, U.S.A.)?

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+ Performance Indicator #5 Strong, Engaged Student Voice

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Confident, highly fluid writing style Well developed original ideas that are engaging and articulate

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+ Performance Indicator #5 Strong, Engaged Student Voice

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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Make each sentenceand each wordspecific and meaningful. Look at the two examples below.

Bad

Good
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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

To get a mark of Outstanding, you need:
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Grammar and punctuation nearly flawless Appropriate documentation of sources

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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As best as possible, make sure that your sentences are grammatically accurate. Keep them simple! Look at the two examples below for some ideas.

Bad

Good

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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To use appropriate documentation, we will need to talk about this in three steps: 1) When to use a citation in your research paper 2) How to cite the source in the sentence

3) How to attribute the source in the WORKS CITED page

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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1) When to use a citation in your research paper

Look at this selection:

This sentence needs to be cited because it contains a fact that needs be substantiated. Also, it is the first time that this fact is mentioned in the research paper. Lets rewrite and cite this sentence
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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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1) When to use a citation in your research paper

Here is a better way to phrase and cite that fact:

Notice that the sentence now contains an objective fact and includes a citation (KIDS COUNT Data Center, 2012) that shows where and when that fact was recorded.

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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2) How to cite the source in the sentence

Look at this sentence:

Notice that the the citation is in parentheses ( ) and it corresponds to what is found on the WORKS CITED page. It also includes the year of publication. Finally, notice that the period comes after the citation (KIDS COUNT Data Center, 2012).
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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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3) How to cite the source in the WORKS CITED page

We will use an adapted MLA format to cite in the research paper and the WORKS CITED page. I am more interested in you knowing when and what to cite rather than how and in what format you cite.

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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3) How to cite the source in the WORKS CITED page

Here is an example of a two sources in a WORKS CITED page:

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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3) How to cite the source in the WORKS CITED page

Here are several websites that will help you generate your sources: http://www.easybib.com/ http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/1/ http://library.albany.edu/usered/cite/citing.html

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+ Performance Indicator #6 Conventions

Some suggestions to improve your writing:
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3) How to cite the source in the WORKS CITED page

The WORKS CITED page should be a separate page all to itself and should be the last page of your document.

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+ Cover Page
The cover page for your paper:
Should be the first page of your document It should contain ONLY the title of the paper and the heading It should NOT have a page number

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+ Cover Page
The title for your paper:
Should be at the top of the cover page; centered It should be in all capital letters It should be in the form of a statement, but still connected to your inquiry question

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Example:

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+ Cover Page
The heading for your paper:
Should be at the bottom of the cover page; centered It should capitalize proper nouns It should include the school name, subject, teachers name, unit title, and student names

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Example:

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+ Formatting
Your research paper:
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Should be in Times New Roman font, size 12 It should keep standard Word document margins (1 on top and bottom, 1.25 on sides) It should not use headings to introduce paragraphs It should be double-spaced It should include page numbers (except in the title page) at the bottom-center of the pages

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+ Submitting the Final Draft

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The final draft of your research paper is due Friday, May 4* You should save it as a Word document Save it as, Title-Student Names Send it to my email at jtroge@inths.org You will need to get a copy of the paper and the assessed rubric to include in your portfolio

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* If you are presenting your portfolio on this day, you will need to get your final draft in earlier in the week to get assessed
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