Grade 8 Research Assignment Overview

The Purpose
The function of this assignment is to encourage a thorough exploration of a topic that interests
you. Based on your research you will take a stance on an issue within your topic, and you will
use quality resources to defend your position. You will write a paper and do a presentation where
your goal will be to inform others about your topic and persuade them to take your position.
Through this assignment, you will improve your research and writing skills as well as speaking
and presentation skills.

The Overview
The assignment has three main parts. These are the proposal, paper, and presentation. For each
part, specific details will be provided about the expectations and marking. The following is a
brief outline.

The proposal is a short but specific description of your topic; the outline provides a description
of the overarching idea of your essay as well as the content you will use in each body paragraph
to prove your thesis. An annotated bibliography is a brief description of the significant sources
you intend to use. You are encouraged to use 3-4 suitable resources for your research
assignment.

The paper is 3-5 pages of double-spaced text. This is short for a research paper, so maintaining
focus is a priority. Before submitting the final paper, a draft copy will be submitted and marked.
The paper will be written in MLA format. We will review MLA formatting in class, and you can
also use
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/ml
a_general_format.html as a resource to ensure you are formatting your paper and reference
properly.

The presentation is evaluated on the verbal and non-verbal skills of oration as well as the
quality of supporting visual elements. Please note that any video media used in the presentation
should be kept to a quarter of the presentation length. Your total presentation time is to be 4-6
minutes.

The Timeline and Evaluation (*These dates may be subject to change)

Due Date Weight
Proposal January 20 n/a
Outline & February 5 10
Annotated
Bibliograph
y
Draft Paper February 24 10
Final Paper March 10 30
Presentation March 23 50
The Challenge
The quality of sources is an important consideration. Certainly reliable and truthful sources are
preferred. Consider using peer-reviewed sources. A peer-reviewed source is one in which the
author has sought the input of experts. These experts determine whether the source is fit for
publication. Therefore, a peer-reviewed source can be trusted. If you are planning on using
internet sources for your research, you are encouraged to reference Google Scholar or other
similar academic search engines for peer-reviewed papers.