Independent Research Paper History 8 - 2020 - Jesse Klausz

The independent research paper asks you to devise a research topic and write a ​thesis​ paper
based on your chosen topic. Your​ topic choice​ is bounded by the following restrictions:

1. The topic should be within one of the following civilizations:

a. Ancient Greece
b. Ancient or medieval Japan
c. Ancient Mali (Songhay)
d. Ancient India (Indus River Valley)
e. Ancient Mesopotamian Civilizations (Assyria, Babylonia, Israel, etc.)
f. Ancient Ethiopia/Axum
g. Ancient Ghana
h. Ancient Nubia/Kush

2. The topic should ​not​ be a comparison between civilizations.

3. The topic must be one that allows for you to write a thesis paper. As such, you cannot write a
paper that is simply a biography of an individual, an overview of an event (like a war), the “story”
of the civilization, or any other purely informational topic. Pick instead a much narrower topic
like the cause of a particular conflict, the development of an important invention, the
contributions of a person, etc.
4. You must select a ​research question​ based on your chosen topic. Your thesis will be the
answer to your research question.

Pick a topic that you think you could have fun with. You will spend a lot of time on this paper, so
make sure your topic interests you.

Paper Requirements:
1. Your paper should be 4-6 pages.
2. You must acknowledge any and all help you receive on this paper. This will be taken very
seriously. If your parent, tutor, friend, or a friendly neighborhood dog helps you, indicate at the
end of the paper ​who​ helped and ​how​ they helped.
3. Your paper must have a bibliography ​and​ internal citations using Chicago format. Failure to
properly cite your sources, whether incidental or on purpose, constitutes a violation of the
academic honesty policy of the school. Please see the note below on academic honesty for
more information.
4. Your paper should have a clear thesis derived from your research topic, and it should make a
strong, unambiguous argument. If you have questions about how to do this, I’m happy to help.
5. You must use at least three book sources and two Tate library database sources. Book
sources that you access online are not counted as book sources.
6. Basic googled website sources are not allowed for this paper. This goes for both wikipedia
and sources like history.com, Jeff’s Awesome History Webpage, and anything else you find
through google.

Notes:
You may take your notes either in note-card format or on sheets of paper (or google docs).
There is a separate sheet that gives more information about the note format. You may use
“noodle tools,” google docs, note cards, or pieces of paper to take your notes as long as you
follow the appropriate format.

Academic Honesty:
Academic honesty is always important, but it is especially critical that you take special steps to
be conscientious on a research paper assignment. The basic rules for academic honesty:

1. All information that you obtain from outside sources must be cited internally (using
parenthetical or footnote format). This is true of the following:
a. Direct Quotations,
b. The ideas of other authors,
c. Statistics and other discrete information you didn’t already know, and
d. Paraphrases
2. Paraphrases deserve special attention:
a. A paraphrase is when you take an idea of another author and put it entirely in
your own words, THEN cite the paraphrase internally.
b. You must NEVER paraphrase by copying whole sentences or paragraphs and
then changing around a few words. That is a form of plagiarism called
patch-writing. If your “paraphrase” follows the structure of the original, you have
not put it in your own words.
c. The only successful way to paraphrase it to write down an idea in note format
(i.e. not in complete sentences) and then to incorporate those ideas into your
own unique sentences.

Assessment:
You will be graded on the thoroughness and quality of the finished product you turn in as a final
draft. In addition, you will be graded on the quality of your research and of your research
question/thesis.

What do I look for on the final draft (in order)?

1. I look for proper citations/bibliography/acknowledgments.

2. I look for a clear thesis and a paper that is entirely devoted to supporting that thesis.
3. I look for clear topic sentences in each paragraph, and information within the paragraph that
supports the topic sentences.
4. I look to see if you are using your research effectively to support ​your​ ideas, not simply
dropping in huge quotes and restating the quotes.
5. I look to see if you present your ideas in a clear style using proper grammar, spelling, etc.
6. I look to see that each of your sources is actually ​utilized​.

However, you will also be assessed based on your ability to meet the internal deadlines of the
paper (listed below). If you consistently miss deadlines or do a substandard job along the way,
that will affect your final grade on the paper.

In general, you can expect to be graded on the following criteria:

Exceptional Good Satisfactory Poor

Question/Thesis Form a clear A clear The argument is There is no

and descriptive argument that is not clear or the thesis or
argument that is less descriptive scope is far too question
limited in scope; or too broad broad

Research/ At least five All five sources There is a There is no

citation sophisticated are used, but problem with citation or well
sources are some are less citation or not all below five
utilized correctly sophisticated; five sources are sources are
and the paper the paper used; some used; the paper
features features good body features many
significant and evidence in paragraphs unsubstantiated
appropriate each body feature claims
evidence in paragraph unsubstantiated
each body claims
paragraph

Writing/ Body Body Body Body

organization paragraphs paragraphs are paragraphs do paragraphs lack
have clear topic clear and have not have clear coherence
sentences and solid topic topics and/or and/or evidence;
evidence is sentences, evidence is not spelling/
incorporated evidence is incorporated grammar is a
effectively; generally well; there may major issue; in
spelling and incorporated be many many cases the
grammar are well; there may spelling/ essay does not
excellent; the be some minor grammar work to support
entire essay spelling/ problems; the the thesis
works to support grammar issues; essay at times
the thesis most of the gets lost in
essay works to tangents
support the
thesis
Dates:
Topic choice - Wednesday, January 8 (A, B); Thursday, January 9 (C, E, G)
Research question - Monday, January 13 (A, B, C, E); Tuesday, January 14 (G)
Source List Due (including at least three book sources) - Thursday, January 16 (A); Friday,
January 17 (B, C, E, G)
Four to five pages of notes due (digital format is fine) - Thursday, January 23 (A); Friday,
January 24 (B, C, E, G)
Outline due - Monday, January 27 (A, B, C, E); Tuesday, January 28 (G)
Introduction and 1st body paragraph due - Wednesday, January 29 (A, B); Thursday, January
30 (C, E, G)
First draft due - Wednesday, February 6 (A, B); Thursday, February 7 (C, E, G)
Final draft due - Monday, February 10 (A, B, C, E); Tuesday, February 11 (G)

- Please be aware that lateness on the final draft will lower your grade by one grade per day.
This includes running from the printer late to class. If this concerns you, finish early! Lateness
on other components of the paper will also affect your grade, but not so seriously.