The I-Search Project:
a
question-provoking,
quest-inducing,
answer-seeking,
discovery-promoting
way to show what you’ve learned during your junior year.
Read on for the all the glorious details…
Essay Informational Packet
***WARNING: BECAUSE THIS IS A FINAL EXAM, PAPERS NOT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS MENTIONED IN THE PACKET WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ***
I-Search Overview
What Do I Want to Know?
“The I-Search project asks you to scratch a genuine itch until you’ve quieted it.”
Ken Macrorie (the inventor of the I-Search)
Your culminating writing project this semester will give you the opportunity to investigate a topic that means something to you in order to answer a question that you have. Your most potent weapon as you embark upon this I-Search adventure is your curiosity. Use it to ask a question that you have a vested interest in answering; pick a subject you’re hungry to know more about; seek knowledge that will benefit you in some way. We will spend third quarter searching for topics and some of our sources so that we will be ready to work through the writing process together during fourth quarter.
Your I-Search paper:
Must contain the information necessary to address the following:
Introduction: “What I Know” and “Why I’m Writing This Paper”
The Searching: a narrative account of your search for sources, how you found them, how you
refined your research question, any challenges you faced while researching, how you
overcame those challenges, and your experience(s) of success throughout the process.
The Findings: an academic account of the information you found, synthesizing that
information into a cohesive whole which addresses your research question.
The Conclusions: “What I Learned”—about your topic, about yourself, and about how this
knowledge will affect your life and/or the way that you think or act.
Must use a minimum of 7SOURCES made up of at least 4 of the following TYPES: independent reading book (required), interviews, books, articles (magazine, newspaper, journal), poems, short stories, government documents, song lyrics, works of art, court transcriptions, reliable web sites
Must contain proper documentation of sources. We’ll discuss the rules for proper citations and works cited in class. Until then, keep track of the publishing information of any source you think might be helpful to you.
Must be 7-10 pages long. Don’t let this worry you. Writing is a process and we’ll take it step-by-step. If you choose a topic that ignites your curiosity and you find compelling information from the required amount of sources, you will definitely have enough to say in 7-10 pages.
IS YOUR SEMESTER EXAM FOR THIS CLASS. Much of your 4th quarter grade will consist of you working your way through the process. If you complete all of the checkpoints along the way, you will do well 4th quarter and turn in a quality semester exam (your I-Search essay), thus securing a strong semester grade in Junior English. If you do not meet your checkpoints, you risk your 4th quarter grade as well as the exam, potentially failing Junior English and requiring you to repeat the class in order to graduate.
Some Potential Research Questions
(These are from my head and from a variety of sources which I consulted. Remember, it is essential that you pick a topic that is compelling to YOU; I just thought some of these might get you thinking)
How can I become a better guitar/piano/trumpet/flute player?
How can I deal with my high level of frustration and stress?
What do I need to do in preparation to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro?
Why is there a double standard when it comes to sex?
What Asian cultural values are the hardest to preserve in America?
What holistic medicines can benefit me/someone in my family?
What is perfect pitch, how can it benefit me as a musician, and can I learn to acquire it?
Does cramming work?
Should I become an engineer?
How can I overcome shyness and learn to make better conversation?
Can music be considered a language?
Does America have its own mythology, and, if it does, what is it?
What religion should I be, and why should I choose it?
Why am I always so tired, and what can I do about it?
How do I get into car designing?
How can I become a better sprinter?
Should I get laser eye surgery?
Should I enlist in the armed services? If so, which branch?
What is quantum computing?
Why do people have nightmares?
How did rock music evolve?
Does spontaneous human combustion actually occur?
How does cancer work? What are the methods used to treat it?
Is Donald Trump/Ted Cruz/Marco Rubio/Hillary Clinton/Bernie Sanders qualified to be President of the United States?
What is the “Puritan Work Ethic” and is it still an influence on American society?
How do criminal psychologists understand the criminal mind?
What causes kleptomania?
Do I want to become a narcotics officer?
How do I get started becoming a DJ?
What do marine biologists do?
What was life like for European Jews in Europe outside of concentration camps? What happened to my grandmother?
Who was the first ancestor of mine to come to America? Why did s/he come and what was life like when s/he arrived?
Who was Al Capone? Why is he treated like a hero in our culture?
Why do today’s teenagers smoke?
What are the current working conditions in sweatshops? Have they improved?
How did the water in Flint, Michigan become contaminated? Who/what caused this corruption?
What is bipolar disorder?
Why are girls more likely to suffer from eating disorders?
How did the invention of the toilet impact society?
Am I the way I am because of my genetics or because of my influences?
How does birth order impact personality?
The Task The Points The Due Date
ACT Test Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Research Question Due, typed in a shared google document template that will become your I-search project
5 Formative Points
Research Workshop: Mrs. Bland will present information on how and where to find credible sources as well as how to use NoodleTools. You will have time to search for sources and begin building your bibliography.
Rough Draft of Introduction due—this section explains what you already know about your topic and why you decided to investigate it.
10 Summative Points
Bibliography DUE: at least 7 sources of at least 4 different types (including your independent reading book) entered into NoodleTools and shared with teacher
15Formative Points
Note Cards DUE: at least 20 note cards containing the information you found during your search stored in NoodleTools and shared with teacher
20Summative Points
Rough Draft of Searching section DUE: narrative account of your research process 15 Summative Points
Rough Draft of Findings section DUE:an academic account of the information you found, synthesizing that information into a cohesive whole which addresses your research question.
15Summative Points
Rough Draft of the Conclusions sectionDUE: “What I Learned”—about your topic, about yourself, and about how this knowledge will affect your life and/or the way that you think or act.
15Summative Points
FINAL I-SEARCH PAPER THAT MEETS/EXCEEDS ALL OF THE CRITERIA LISTED ON ASSIGNMENT SHEET. **IF ISEARCH DOESN’T MEET CRITERIA, IT WILL BE PASSED BACK AND COUNTED AS “LATE” UNTIL IT SATISFIES THE REQUIREMENTS. **
200 POINTS= Final Exam Grade!
***NOTE: I-Search PRESENTATIONS will begin on
TheI-SearchSchedule and Point Break-Down
Upon the conclusion of this unit, you will not only be graded upon your final 7-10 page I-Search essay, but you will also receive valuable homework points when making specific deadlines. The following chart will provide an overview of all homework deadlines and points awarded. **LATE CREDIT WILL NOT BE AWARDED POINTS**
Initiating Your Research: Composing a Research Question
Collecting Quality Research: Note-taking on Note Cards
Research is a process, and note taking is the most important step in that process. As you read through your sources and take notes, you’ll create Note Cards in Noodle Tools.
Using Noodle Tools to Create Note Cards
Your 20 note cards should each look like this:
+ =
(20 note cards) x (1 point per note card) = 20 summative points*
*Yes, basic spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization count!
Sharing Your Work in NoodleTools
1. Click on dashboard.
2. Click share with a teacher’s dropbox.
3. Write your full name in the “My name” box.
4. Under class name, choose your class. The class name must be typed exactly as shown.
-2017Billimack 3
-2017Billimack 6
5. Click the “share” box.
**If you forget to share your work, I will not be able to see it – or grade it! Make sure to complete this step!
Adding Note Cards
1. Click bibliography at the top of the screen.
2. Choose the source for which you’d like to make a note card.
3. Click New under the Note Card column.
4. Create a title for this note card. The titles let you know which body paragraph this information will fit into.
– For example, if my research question is “Would engineering be a good career path for me?” then I
might have note cards with the following titles: college, salary, outsourcing, daily work, types, etc.
– Whenever I find information on the outsourcing of jobs, I would title my note cards as such:
Outsourcing 1, Outsourcing 2, Outsourcing 3, etc.
– I might also have other title categories, such as Intro, Conclusions, and Misc. Information that
might go in those paragraphs would be labeled using those terms. Info that doesn’t fit anywhere
else might be Misc.
5. Record page numbers for printed sources you have in front of you. Online sources will not have page numbers, so online citations will look like this: (Smith), not (Smith 1).
6. You also need at least 12 direct quotations or paraphrases from research. If you make strong note cards, then all 12+ of those pieces of research will come directly from your note cards, so you won’t need to go back and re-read your sources later.
7. If you want to record a direct quotation, cite the quotation in the text box that is titled “Direct Quotation.” You should only quote information that you can’t say better yourself. Use quote marks.
8. If you want to paraphrase the information you found, cite the information in the “Paraphrase” text box. Remember, a paraphrase means that you put the ideas into YOUR words. YOU MUST CITE ANY PARAPHRASED WORK THAT IS IN YOUR PAPER TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OR IT IS PLAGIARISM AND YOU WILL EARN A ZERO FOR THE ENTIRE PAPER.
9. Regardless of whether you use a quotation or a paraphrase, record your own ideas about the information in the “My Ideas” text box. This is not a place to summarize or paraphrase again. You have already done that. Think of this box as your reasoning/analysis as to why and how the evidence is important. How does this citation support your argument? How do you plan on using this citation to prove your point?
The Writing Process: I-Search Sections Broken Down
You should have section headers to divide each of the four sections. However, be sure that each paragraph has a topic sentence (a claim stating what you will prove in this paragraph) and a concluding sentence (a restatement of the claim that you’ve just proven in this paragraph only without previewing what’s coming next). The paragraphsshould flow from one to the next using sophisticated transitional words. This means that you’ll need strong transitions not only between paragraphs, but between sections as well.
“Introduction”:
This section presents an organized narrative that recreates your search, your initial interest in your topic, your independent reading choice, and what you hoped to learn from the process.
The last paragraph of your introduction should explain the creation of your research question and how or if it morphed or changed from your very first attempt to the final question at the end of the process.
You should use first person pronouns, like “I” and “me,” here to narrate your thought process.
You should not use second person pronouns, like “you,” because your reader was not part of this process.
Approximate length: 1-2 pages; 300-600+ words; 2-3 paragraphs
“The Searching”:
This section explains how your book, metaphorically, gave birth to your research topic.
You should include some background about your independent reading text, what the author of your text says about your topic, and why this topic intrigues you.
Establish the credibility of the author of your independent reading text – who is this person and why is he/she an expert on this topic?
Explain how you tackled your research, sharing challenges and successes of searching through databases and the open web and which search statements you used in the search box.
Introduce your other sources and establish their credibility.
o Give the author’s name (if there is one), the title of the work, and where it was published.
o Explain why this person or organization is credible.
o This is useful because later in your “Findings” paragraph, since you’ve already established this, you can refer to authors by last name only.
o Sample: Dr. John Smith, Ph.D., a child psychologist, published an article in Psychology Today titled “How Helicopter Parents Are Paralyzing Their Children: A Critique of Today’s Parenting Styles.” This article was extremely useful because Smith, a doctor who understands how the brain works, explained scientifically how children’s young, developing, impressionable brains can be negatively affected by well-intentioned parents. When parents do everything for them, they become reliant on that and cannot do things for themselves later in life. When I found this source, I knew I wanted to use it to talk about how I do not want to become this type of parent because I want my future children to be more self-reliant and self-sufficient.
Were you able to easily meet your goals during the research process? If not, what did you do about it?
You should use first person pronouns, like “I” and “me,” here to narrate your thought process.
You should not use second person pronouns, like “you,” because your reader was not part of this process.
Approximate length: 2-3 pages; 600-900+ words; 4-7 paragraphs
“The Findings”:
An academic account of the information you found, synthesizing that information into a cohesive whole that addresses your research question.
Each paragraph should include 1-3 different sources so that it is a true synthesis, which means you’re pulling together information from difference sources to prove a claim.
Each paragraph should have at least 2pieces ofquoted or paraphrased material from research, which means each paragraph needs at least 2 in-text citations.
Remember that you need to cite at least 7 different sources cited in your paper, and many of those will be in these paragraphs.
Remember that you need to cite at least 12 quotations and/or paraphrases in your paper, and most (if not all) of them will be in this section.
You should NOT use first person pronouns, but rather only third person ones to remain more formal.
You should NOT use second person pronouns, like “you,” because your reader was not part of this process.
Approximate length: 4-5 pages; 1200+ words; the longest and most important section of your paper
“The Conclusions”:
Based on your findings, what conclusions can you draw to answer your research question?
What did you learn throughout the research process about your topic?
What did you learn throughout the research process about yourself?
How will this knowledge affect your life and how you will think or act?
You should use first person pronouns, like “I” and “me,” here to narrate your thought process.
You should not use second person pronouns, like “you,” because your reader was not part of this process.
Approximate length: 1-2 pages; 300-600+ words; 2-4 paragraphs
Non-Negotiables
Your paper is not ready to be graded if you have not met the following requirements.
These are the most basic requirements you must meet to earn a passing grade.
If you fail the I-Search – your final exam grade – you risk failing the class and not graduating.
Q3 (40%) + Q4 (40%) + Semester Exam (20%) = Semester II Grade (100%)*
*You must pass 2 of the 3 grading periods above to pass Semester II.
Remember this paper is designed for you to showcase your reading, research, and writing skills, thus, follow the directions to avoid potential disaster.
s (you have come so far since freshman year!), so be sure to meet expectations.
• A minimum of 7-107+ pages…A full seven (if you don’t have this much, you haven’t met the requirements for each individual section)
• A minimum of 121 paragraphs
• Approximately 2,400 words (this is how many words you’ll have if you meet the bare minimum word count for each section).
• 7 (minimum) separate sources need to be cited in the paper.
• 12(minimum) direct quotations or paraphrases from research with correct MLA citations (if you count your in-text citations, you should have at least 12)
• A correct Works Cited page follows the paper and a correct Bibliography page follows the Works Cited Page. (WC= only sources used/cited in paper and Bib= all sources considered/looked at…everything in NoodleTools)
• Avoid plagiarism and correctly document all borrowed materials (ask if unsure).
Final Exam Due Date
Final Exam paper is due in class on
Thursday, May May 18th submitted to Turnitin.com at the beginning of class. (I need at least 2 weeks to read all 57 papers!!)
If you complete your paper early, you may submit it to Turnitin.com and have it graded early – that means your final exam grade will be in the grade book weeks before finals!
• No paper on the due date is like not showing up for a final exam…no credit.
There are no re-write opportunities for final exams, so take the time to be sure your final paper is your very best work before submitting it.
Junior English II Name_________________________________
I-Search Final Exam Rubric
TOTAL SCORE: ____ / 200 points*
*This is your Semester II Final Exam Grade (20% of Semester II total grade)
“Introduction”: _____/ 20
An organized narrative that recreates an overview of the student’s search by describing:
o The student’s initial interest in the research topic (in a creative, attention-grabbing way)
o The reason the student chose his/her book and how it affected the research topic
o What the student hopes to learn from the process of research
An explanation of the research question
o Is the last paragraph of your introductory section
o Explains the creation of the research question
o Describes how or if the question morphed or changed
Meets stylistic and formatting requirements
o Uses 1st person pronouns, but NOT 2nd person pronouns
o At least 300-600+ words (approximately 1-2 pages)
o At least 2-3 complete paragraphs
“The Searching”: _____/ 30
An organized narrative that specifically describes the research process:
o Explains how the student’s book, metaphorically, gave birth to the research topic OR how the topic gave birth to the book choice
o Gives detailed background info about independent reading text and how it relates to the research topic
o Establishes the credibility of the author of independent reading text
o Explains the process of researching, sharing challenges and successes
o Introduces at least 3 other main sources and establishes their credibility
Give the author’s name (if there is one), the title of the work, where it was published, and why the person/organization is credible.
o Explains how student was or wasn’t able to meet goals during the research process
Meets stylistic and formatting requirements
o Uses 1st person pronouns, but NOT 2nd person pronouns
o At least 600-900+ words (approximately 2-3 pages)
o At least 4-7 complete paragraphs
“The Findings”: _____/ 70
A formal, academic account of the information found, synthesizing that information into a cohesive whole that addresses the research question.
o The sub-claims each reveal a different finding/perspective that attempts to answer the research question
o The student supports the sub-claim with ample evidence from a variety of sources.
Each paragraph includes1-3 different sourcesfor true synthesis.
Each paragraph should have at least 2pieces ofquoted or paraphrased material from research, so each paragraph needs at least 2 in-text citations.
o The student analyzes how each piece of evidence proves the sub-claim is true.
o The student wraps up each paragraph with a concluding sentence that reiterates the sub-claim and demonstrates progress toward answering the original research question.
At least 12 quotations and/or paraphrases are present in the paper from at least 7 different sources.
Meets formal stylistic and formatting requirements
o Does NOT use 1st or 2nd person pronouns
o At least 1200+ words (approximately 4-5 pages)
“The Conclusions”: _____/ 20
An organized, self-reflective narrative that thoughtfully describes:
o The conclusions the student has drawn to answer the research question
o Lessonsthe student learned throughout the research process about the topic
o Lessons the student learned throughout the research process about himself/herself
o The ways the knowledge will affect the student’s life
Meets stylistic and formatting requirements
o Uses 1st person pronouns, but NOT 2nd person pronouns
o At least 300-600+ words (approximately 1-2 pages)
o At least 2-4 complete paragraphs
MLA Documentation: _____/ 15
*Correct IMLA in-Ttext citations: correct internal citations used for all direct quotations/paraphrases from outside sources; block formatting is used for quotations longer than 4 lines; any borrowed ideas that are not cited are plagiarized, which will result in a zero for the entire final exam.
*Citations match the Works Cited ppage (2nd to last page): all internal citations can be cross-referenced on the Works Cited page; only works cited in the paper are listed; alphabetized; all necessary information for each entry is given in the correct location; capitalization, spelling, and punctuation follow MLA formatting
*Bibliography page (last page):includes all sources you read during your research; all sources from works cited are listed in addition to other sources (if applicable); alphabetized; all necessary information for each entry is given in the correct location; capitalization, spelling, and punctuation follow MLA formatting
Quotation Integration and Source Credibility: _____/ 15
The writer smoothly integrates direct quotations into his/her voice without a pause when read aloud.
The writer establishes every source’s credibility the first time the source is introduced.
The writer has proven his/her ability to selected only the very best academic sources of the highest caliber to include, and these sources make the writer’s research more believable and persuasive.
Only the best information is quoted, so the writer does not quote huge chunks of text but rather paraphrases information in his/her own words instead.
Grammatical Conventions and Style: _____/ 30
The writer’s voice emanates from the page.
Word choice/sentence variety effectively usedStudent follows the rules of Standard English, avoiding the following common errors:
• Spelling
• Capitalization
• Incomplete sentences (fragments, run-ons, and comma-splices)
• Repetitive Sentence Beginnings
• Misused Capitalization
• Misused Words (for example: there, their, they’re)
• Commas (especially with dependent clauses)
• Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Weak Verbs (“to be”, “got”)
• Inconsistent Verb Tense
• RedundancyRedundancy
• Wordiness
• Choppiness/Clunky Fluency
• Awkwardness (uUnclear iIdeas/failure to use brackets in direct quotations)
Weak/Informal Word Choice (for example: a lot, good, bad, probably, maybe, seems, contractions, personal pronouns, sentences starting with AND, BUT or SO)O)
00
Junior Honors English II Writer:_______________________
GP2I-Search Editor:________________________
Peer Edit
Please read your peer’s paper and comment on the areas that appear weak, confusing, and/or repetitive. Remember, you do not need to ‘fix’ anything, but it is your job to point out the flaws/offer suggestions in structure, organization, and style (including grammar and mechanics).
This peer editing is your homework and should be completed by Wednesday.
Double-Check Your Writer’s Use of Evidence in “The Findings”:
_____ 127+ internal quotes/paraphrases, all cited/documented correctly from where the quotes came…cross-reference with Works Cited
(no commas between author and page number for novels)
_____ 127+ internal quotes/paraphrases all have a proper lead-in/integration
_____ 2-3 correctly cited pieces of evidence (quotations or paraphrases)in each of the 3 countrybody paragraphs
_____ 2 correctly cited quotations in the poem/song paragraph
_____ 2 correctly cited quotations in the film paragraph
_____ 2 correctly cited quotations in the interview paragraph
_____ 2 correctly cited quotations in the your choice paragraph
_____ artwork paragraph, which may have no citations
_____ 79 separate sources used within the paper
_____ The credibility of all 7 sources is established the first time the source is introduced
Double-Check Your Writer’s Use of Topic/Concluding Sentences in All Sections:
_____ Topic sentences transition out of the previous paragraph topic and into the new paragraph topic
_____ topic Concluding sentences based on literature, art, music, film, etc., include the title and the creator of the specified pieceact as a bookend to the topic sentence; reminds reader of the sub-claim that was proven and takes steps toward answering the research question.
MLA Formatting Requirements: A Quick Guide
Essay Heading:
Spacing
HeadingTitle
Your name
Dr. Billimack
Junior English, 2 (the number should be your class period)
18 May 2016 (the due date)
Creative Title
Showcase your creative voice here as your write your title. However, the words you choose should be creative, not your font choice. Your title should be in 12-point type,
in a larger font. It should also be in normal text. DO NOT use boldface, italics, underlining, quotation marks or other effects for your title. If you include a book, story, or poem title in your own title, you should then follow proper format for that title (i.e., underline if it is a full length work, use quotation marks if it is a poem or short work). The title should be one double-space below the last line of your heading.
In-Text Citations
Every quotation cited in your paper must be integrated grammatically and smoothly into your writing and followed by a : Parentheses come before the period, even if the sentence has a lead-out.. Online sources will not have page numbers unless they are paginated. In order for you to include a page number, one must be pre-printed on the source. If there is no author, whatever shows up first alphabetically on the Works Cited list goes in parentheses. This will usually be the first few words of the title in quotation marks. Use the Noodle Tools “in-text reference” button for help checking your work.
Works Cited:
List of Works Cited
All sources cited in your paper in parentheses must be on the Works Cited list. Delete any sources from this list that you do not cite anywhere in your final draft.This is the second to last page of your document. It is on its own page.
Bibliography
Bibliography: A bibliography is a complete list of all of the sources you read during your research and writing process that have: 1) made you an expert on the topic, and 2) may have influenced your thinking. A bibliography will have all of the same sources as the Works Cited page, and it may have even more sources! This is the very last page of your paper on its own page.
Formatting Sources in the Bibliography/Works Cited
NoodleTools will format your sources perfectly as you add them in and then when you “print/export” the sources into a google document, but you should know how the sources should look so that you can check the format during the editing stage.
Here are some examples for a variety of source types:
Bibliographic entry for a magazine article from a database:
Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine Date Month Year: Pages.
Database. Online Service. Library Where Accessed, Location of Library,
Date of Access.
Jones, Casey. “Water is not the Only Thing Flooding New Orleans.” Time 17 October
2005: 3-7. TopicSearch. EBSCO. Prairie Ridge Library, Crystal Lake, IL. 7
March 2006.
Bibliographic entry for a newspaper article from a database:
Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Name of Newspaper [City of Publication if
not in title] Date Month Year, ed.: Section Page. Database. Online Service.
Date of Access.
Jones, Casey. “Water is not the Only Thing Flooding New Orleans.” Chicago Sun
Times 17 October 2005: final edition: A3. TopicSearch. EBSCO. 7 March 2006.
Bibliographic entry for a free web site:
Last name, First name (if given). “Document Title.” Title of Web Site (check the home
page). Editor of web site if given. Date of electronic publication (last update).
Name of Sponsoring Institution (sometimes this is the same as the title of the web
site). Date of Access <web site address>.
Smith, Vince. “Who Built the Pyramids?” Nova Online. 1997. PBS. 6 March 2006
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/explore/builders.html.
Bibliographic entry for an edition other than the first (Gatsby):
Last name, First name. Title. Edition title. City: Publisher, date.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner Trade Paperback Edition. New
York: Scribner, 2004.
Bibliographic entry for a poem found in a book:
Last name, First name of author selection. “Title of selection.” Title of anthology.
Editor of anthology. City of publication: publisher, date published. Pages of selection.
Frost, Robert. “Mending Wall.” Literature and Language: American
Literature. Ed. Arthur N. Applebee et al. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell, Inc., 1994. 538- 539.
Bibliographic entry for a poem found in the free web:
See entry for free web site.
Bibliographic entry for song:
Last name, First name or Group Name. “Song.” CD Title. Record Label, date.
Lavigne, Avril. “Complicated.” Let Go. Arista, 2002.
Published Interview (online)
Last name, First name of person interviewed. “Title of interview.” Interview by name of
interviewer. Name of Magazine. Web. Date published. Web address.
Bieber, Justin. “Baby, Baby.” Interview by John Smith. Time 2 Mar. 2012: n. pag.
TimeLifeonline. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. <http://www.timelifeonline.com>.
Personal Interview (conducted by you)
Last name, First name. Personal interview. Date of interview.
Wagner, Kurt. Personal interview. 20 Apr. 2017.
I-Search Individual Presentation
Your work on your I-Search will ultimately culminate into a final presentation to the class about your research question and the process of arriving at the conclusions that you did. You will present your best evidence, including quotations/paraphrases from your best sources, to prove to your audience that the conclusions you drew were reasonable and logical. Ultimately, you’ll be explaining how your research will impact an element of your future and what your audience can learn from it as well. Present the best information that you believe your audience – your classmates – will find most interesting and beneficial. You may choose to do a “live speech” or create a pre-edited video to show during class. Regardless of the medium you choose, your content will be the same, and you will need to be prepared to answer questions from the audience in a professional, knowledgeable manner.
“Live” Speech Presentation Rubric
Speech Delivered by: ____________________
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE ____ /20
Explains how the independent reading choice sparked the research question
Verbally demonstrates familiarity with research, proving to be an expert on the topic
Offers insight and contributes to furthering the knowledge of classmates on the topic of research
Includes specific research findings and provides verbal credibility about the source
Insight moves beyond surface level to analyze themes or deeper meaning
Insight about self shared honestly, including strengths/weaknesses as a researcher on a long-term project
Gives advice about what to do different in college when tackling a similar project
Enough to successfully fill 3:00-4:00 minutes(-2 points for every 30 seconds under 3:00 or over 5:00).
Answers impromptu questions honestly and to his/her best ability
COMMUNICATION SKILLS ____ /15
Student used appropriate nonverbal skills to make the audience want to listen: smiled; nodded; used emotion in tone and voice inflection (not monotone!); volume and rate made speech easy to hear.
Student used appropriate eye contact with a variety of audience members and did not just read from notes.
Student’s speech was fluent, not choppy.
Student had good posture, and nothing about the student’s appearance was distracting (movements, shifting weight, pacing, fidgeting, leaning on podium, etc.).
Student was professional and appropriate (no side conversations or giggling).
Student’s notes showed preparation and helped student deliver an engaging presentation.
AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL AID ____ / 5
Large enough and loud enough to be seen by everyone in class
Reinforced important points from the text
A relevant, carefully selected, unique, and appropriate teaching tool
Total Score: ____ /40 summative points for 4th quarter
Pre-Recorded and Pre-Edited Video Presentation Rubric
Video Created and Edited by: ____________________
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE ____ /20
Explains how the independent reading choice sparked the research question
Verbally demonstrates familiarity with research, proving to be an expert on the topic
Offers insight and contributes to furthering the knowledge of classmates on the topic of research
Includes specific research findings and provides verbal credibility about the source
Insight moves beyond surface level to analyze themes or deeper meaning
Insight about self shared honestly, including strengths/weaknesses as a researcher on a long-term project
Gives advice about what to do different in college when tackling a similar project
Enough to successfully fill 3:00-4:00 minutes(-2 points for every 30 seconds under 3:00 or over 5:00).
Answers impromptu questions honestly and to his/her best ability
COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND AUDIO/VISUAL TECHNIQUES: ______ /20
I. Speech Techniques
Student used appropriate nonverbal skills to make the audience want to listen:
o Smiled/nodded (when on camera)
o Used emotion in tone and voice inflection (not monotone!)
o Enthusiastic and confident about topic
o Volume made speech easy to hear
o Rate of speech is neither too fast nor too slow
o Pace is consistent with exception of an effective pause for dramatic emphasis.
Student used appropriate eye contact and did not just read from notes (when on camera).
Student’s speech was fluent, not choppy, and vocalized pauses (“um,” “uh,” “and stuff,” etc.) do not interrupt the flow of the speaker.
All visuals on the screen (the student as well as any other visual aids) supported the message and helped the audience understand the topic without being distracting.
Presentation was professional and appropriate.
II. Editing Techniques
Smooth transitions or cuts between slides, scenes, or photos.
Main voice is easily heard over any background music or noise.
Pictures are large enough to be clearly visible and are not blurry.
Presentation is of professional quality and engages the audience.
Pictures and other visuals that are included are relevant and have been selected purposefully. (Random or unrelated visuals are avoided.)
Video cued up easily.
Total Score: ____ /40 summative points for 4th quarter