2018 HUMAN RIGHTS FINAL EXAM RESEARCH PAPER

What is it?You will be writing a research paper on a topic relating to human rights in the field of humanities. A research paper should provide its writer and its reader with new understandings of a topic leading to solutions to a related problem.

To write an effective research paper, one that makes an argument about human rights (thesis argument), you must review relevant resources and use powers of sourcing and analysis to develop a paper that reveals understanding and original thinking on the topic (this is your educated opinion!)

You want to think of your research topic as a question or problem — not a topic area — that your paper is going to address and/or resolve. In other words, this is not a report on a topic!

Why are we doing this?• To persuade your reader to see your

perspective on the human rights topic/question you present

• To develop and exercise your research abilities such as analysis, synthesis and other critical thinking skills

• To learn something valuable about human rights issues and possible solutions

Choosing a TopicYou want to pick a topic that is so interesting to you that you can keep your interest and grab your audience.

This paper is a research paper, not a partisan opinion piece, although you can include the opinions of others as you research all sides of an issue, and

your conclusions/recommendations are likely to include your own analysis and therefore opinions.

Schedule, Due Dates, and Grades

STEP SCHEDULE RUBRIC

Topic Monday 4/15 – Instructions in History; Due at the end of class ACC – 30 points

Research Question

Tuesday 4/16 – Instructions in History; Due at the end of class ACC – 30 points

Thesis and Annotated

Bibliography

Block 4/17 and 4/18 – Research Tips and Annotated Bibliography instructions in History; Research and gather Sources

Vernal Holiday Weekend 4/19-4/22 – finish gathering your sources, start reading through them

Tuesday 4/23 – Instructions on Thesis in English; Time to work on Annotated Bibliography

Block 4/24-4/25 – Work on Annotated Bibliography

Friday 4/26 – Finish Annotated Bibliography; Due by 4pm to Ms. Rael/Ms. Moore

ACC – 30 points

ANY – 30 points

TEC – 30 points

Outline

Monday 4/29 – Instructions in History; Time to work

Tuesday 4/30 – Time to work on Outline; Due by 4pm to Ms. Rael/Ms. Moore

ACC – 30 points

STR – 30 points

Rough Draft Block 5/1 and 5/2-Monday 5/6 – Tips and Advice on writing the draft in History; Work on your Rough Draft

Tuesday 5/7 – Rough Draft Due in BOTH History and English for Peer Feedback

ACC – 30 points

ANY – 30 points

STR – 30 points

Final Draft

(THIS IS YOUR FINAL EXAM!)

Block 5/8-5/9 – Tips and Advice on finalizing the paper in History; Time to Edit and Revise

Friday 5/10 – The Final Draft of your paper is due by 4pm to Ms. Rael/Ms. Moore

100 points averaged on Essay Rubric

PresentationMonday 5/13 – Instructions on Presentation in History

Tuesday 5/14 – Presentation is due by 4pm; Turn in Digitally on Ms. Piechota’s Edmodo page

ACC – 50 points

ANY – 50 points

STR – 50 points

STY – 50 points

TEC – 50 points

Symposium Tuesday 5/14 – Find out if you have been chosen for the Symposium

Thursday 5/16 – 4:30pm-6:30pm Humanities Symposium

HUMANITIES FINAL EXAM RESEARCH PAPER RUBRIC Accuracy:

____ Thesis – central and referred to throughout piece.

____ Thesis Clarity (claim plus your reasons) - precise terminology to clearly and specifically address the prompt or question.

____ Evidence – 5-6 used, appropriate to the thesis, reliable enough, and a balanced variety of quotes and paraphrases from each source.

____ Avoid generalizations (Americans, most, all, people) and used key concepts in the body of text.

____ Content, context and background information prepare reader for argument and analysis.

Analysis/Synthesis(Depth):

____ Sourcing (audience, purpose, point of view, context, reliability) and impact of bias evident.

____ Corroboration evident and compares info in multiple sources.

____ Interpretation – use source(s) to determine possible meanings and evaluate the validity of each in order to propose the true intention/meaning of the source(s).

____ Inquiry – sources are used to propose viable solutions and/or answers to the prompt/problem

Technical:____ Quotes are properly introduced using author’s last name and page or paragraph number, and are cited in text.

____ Tone - details and purpose demonstrates awareness of audience (no first or second person)

____ Requirements met- 10 pages (including title page and works cited), 1 inch margins, and double spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font, spelling, grammar, punctuation, word count, MLA format, capitalization, professionalism.

Structure: ____ Introduction- provides background info, defines key terms, states thesis, and gives overview of topic to be discussed.

____ Body- has topic sentence, cited evidence from # sources, analysis, and synthesis and has concluding sentence in each paragraph related to the thesis.

____ Conclusion- evaluative of topic, thesis, and sources and gives reader a reason why analysis read matters (so what?).

____ Ideas flow and connect- uses transitions and linking phrases, and varied syntax. Style

Takes creative risks to engage audience.____ Unique (varied diction, figurative language, etc.)

____ Style reveals writer’s unique personality (voice).

____/5 = ___.___ =___/10 (Persuasive Action) = TOTAL: __________/100 Points