graduation project planner … · the graduation project provides students the opportunity for an...
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PLEASANT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania 18322
Graduation Project
Class of 2014
Research Project
Student’s Name:
Project Teacher:
Homeroom:
Final Thesis Statement:
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1
Research Project Requirements .......................................................................................................... 2
Project Evaluation Process ................................................................................................................. 3
Non-Compliance Consequences ........................................................................................................ 3
Creating an Annotated Works Cited .................................................................................................. 4
MLA Style Checklist .......................................................................................................................... 5
Turnitin.com Directions ..................................................................................................................... 6
Written Presentation Evaluation Form (First Draft)........................................................................... 7
Written Presentation Evaluation Form (Final Paper) ......................................................................... 8
Visual Aid Checklist for the Oral Presentation .................................................................................. 9
PowerPoint® Presentation Guidelines ............................................................................................... 10
Storyboard for a Multimedia Presentation ......................................................................................... 11-16
Oral Presentation Evaluation Form .................................................................................................... 17
Research Project Contract .................................................................................................................. 18
Class of 2014 - 1 - Research Project
Introduction
The graduation project provides students the opportunity for an in-depth study or a creative endeavor.
Students may select a topic involving research or students may complete an approved community service
project. Each option includes a written presentation and an oral presentation.
Once a graduation research project is selected and approved by your teacher, the student will need to
develop a thesis statement, select resources, and conduct research in order to develop a successful written
presentation. The culmination of the project, which is conducted under the guidance of high school faculty
members, requires a successful oral presentation.
The project ensures that all students apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information as well as
communicate significant knowledge and understanding of a chosen project. Students will receive .50 credit
after successful completion of all requirements. The project will be graded on a PASS/FAIL basis. Students
must successfully meet all deadlines respectively in order to pass the Graduation Project. This means
that students must pass each level of the project before moving to the next level of the project. Successful
completion of the Graduation Project is a state and local requirement for graduation from high school.
The Pleasant Valley High School Graduation Project provides a positive learning experience that serves
all students as they prepare for success in adult life. Both the process and the product become integral parts of
the project. Students are encouraged to use the following resources to assist with the written and oral
presentations:
English Tutoring Lab
Graduation Project Pathfinder
Library
Library Handbook
Class of 2014 - 2 - Research Project
Research Project Requirements
Students must successfully meet all deadlines in order to pass the Graduation Project.
1. The Contract – due Friday, September 27, 2013
he contract must be signed by the student and the parent(s) or guardian(s). This document defines the
research topic, the working thesis, and the rationale for selecting the topic. The contract must be submitted
to and approved by the teacher on or before the above date.
2. The Written Presentation (First Draft) – due Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The first draft of the written presentation must meet minimum requirements and be submitted to the teacher
no later than the above date and submitted electronically to Turnitin.com to be considered successful. These
minimum requirements include a written presentation that is typed in MLA format, at least four (4) full
pages in length, with at least five (5) authoritative sources (one of which must be a primary source), an
annotated works-cited page with parenthetical citations for each source, and be void of spelling/grammatical
errors.
3. The Written Presentation (Final Paper) – due Wednesday, December 18, 2013
The final paper must meet the requirements in the Written Presentation Evaluation Form. It must also
include teacher recommended changes from the evaluation form. The final draft of the written presentation
must be submitted to the teacher and submitted electronically to Turnitin.com by the above date in order to
be scheduled for the oral presentation.
4. The Oral Presentation with Digital Media– to be scheduled
The oral presentation is the culmination of the Graduation Project. Only those students who meet all of the
requirements outlined above will be scheduled for an oral presentation. The criteria for the oral presentation
can be found in the Oral Presentation Evaluation Form. In addition, students who do not report to their
scheduled presentation dates (without a doctor’s note or Administrative approval) will be marked as failing
the Graduation Project course.
Note: Any student who registers prior to January 1st of his/her senior year must complete the first draft by
the last school day in January. Community service will not be an option for students transferring their
senior year. An acceptable substitute project, determined by the project committee, will be assigned to
transfer seniors who register after January 1st.
Class of 2014 - 3 - Research Project
Project Evaluation Process
Project evaluation consists of two major components: the written paper and the oral presentation.
Students must successfully meet all deadlines respectively in order to pass the Graduation Research
Project. This means that students must pass each level of the project before moving to the next level of the
project. It is important to note that the project teacher has the responsibility for reporting the student’s final
project evaluation to both the student and the assistant principal. The oral presentation will be evaluated by a
PVHS staff member. A building administrator will resolve any conflicts regarding the evaluation process. By
the conclusion of the senior year, each student will receive a grade of PASS or FAIL. If the student receives a
failing grade, remediation is required in order to graduate.
Note: Students may remediate their projects prior to the conclusion of their senior year. The names of
those students who receive a failing grade for the Graduation Project course will be submitted to the high
school guidance department. Plagiarism will be handled according to school policy as stated in the student
handbook. Plagiarism will result in project failure which requires remediation to make up the .5
graduation project credit. Students are required to use NoodleTools and Turnitin.com throughout the
research process to ensure that sources are properly cited and annotated.
Non-Compliance Consequences
Failure to successfully meet any requirements (outlined within this booklet) or the deadlines listed
above will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the Graduation Project course. Failure
letters will be sent to the parent(s) or guardian(s) of every student who fails the Graduation Project.
Students who fail any requirement of the project must complete one of the options listed below in
order to receive a passing grade for the Graduation Project course and be eligible to graduate from
Pleasant Valley High School:
1. Secure an approved, certified teacher to provide tutoring necessary to meet all requirements of
the Graduation Project.
2. Enroll in and successfully complete a Graduation Project Course offered by Pleasant Valley
High School.
Note: Contact the Pleasant Valley High School Guidance Department for additional information
regarding the above options.
Class of 2014 - 4 - Research Project
Creating an Annotated Works Cited
An annotated list of works cited is a list of sources used in the preparation of a research project.
Each citation is followed by a brief description and critique of the source. An annotated list of
works cited justifies the quality and value of the source to your research. Directions: Use the following questions as prompts for writing your annotation. Items marked with an asterisk * must be included in your annotation. 1. Author’s credentials—What makes the person qualified to write about the topic?
2. Scope and purpose of the work—Is it an overview or a detailed treatment of the topic? Is it persuasive,
informational, scholarly or popular? Is it an editorial?
3. Comparison of the work with others dealing with the same topic or others on your list—How much
information did you get from this source compared to your other sources? (This part may be written in first
person)
4. Intended audience—Who was it written for? Doctors? Lawyers? Teachers? Scientists? The general public?
5. * Brief summary of contents—What is it about?
6. * Evaluation of research—Is it logical? Clear? Based on solid evidence?
7. Evaluation of scope—Did the author do a good job of covering all aspects of your topic?
8. * Evaluation of author bias—Is it obvious that the author is on one side or the other?
9. * Relative value of the work to the thesis—Did you use a lot of information from this source? Or, did it just
help you to better understand what your topic was about? (This part may be written in first person)
Class of 2014 - 5 - Research Project
MLA Style Checklist
_____ 1. 1‖ margins
_____ 2. 12-point font throughout (Times New Roman)
_____ 3. Double-spaced throughout
_____ 4. ½‖ running header with student’s last name and page number (Beginning on the second page)
_____ 5. NO title page
_____ 6. First page heading with:
Student’s Full Name
Teacher’s Name
Graduation Project
Date (Day Month Year)
_____ 7. Centered Title (with NO underline, italics, or boldface)
_____ 8. No first-person language or personal pronouns (e.g. I, you, me, us, we, etc.)
_____ 9. All tables, charts, graphs, and pictures are labeled and properly cited.
_____ 10. Quotations four (4) lines or more are set-off one inch from left margin.
_____ 11. Works-Cited title is centered 1‖ from the top of the page with NO underline or boldface.
_____ 12. The list of works cited is NOT numbered. Each entry ends with a period.
_____ 13. Works-cited entries are in alphabetical order by the first word in the citation; if no author is
listed, the first word of the title is used.
_____ 14. Each works-cited entry has at least one corresponding parenthetical citation in the text of the
paper.
_____ 15. Each citation is annotated with a brief description and critique of the source.
_____ 16. All web hyperlinks are ―turned off‖ with NO underlining or change in font color.
_____ 17. All URLs are complete with NO hyphenation and break only after a slash.
Class of 2014 - 6 - Research Project
Turnitin.com Directions for Students
To Enroll in a Class:
1. Go to: www.turnitin.com
2. Click ―Login‖ in the upper right hand corner with your PV email address and password.
(If you forgot your password, you can click on the ―Retrieve Password‖ link.)
3. Enter Class ID: GET THIS ID FROM YOUR TEACHER
4. Enter Class Enrollment Password: GET THIS PASSWORD FROM YOUR TEACHER
To Create an Account (only if you have NEVER created a Turnitin.com account):
1. Go to: www.turnitin.com
2. Click ―Create a New Account‖ in the upper right hand corner
3. Enter Class ID: GET THIS ID FROM YOUR TEACHER
4. Enter Class Enrollment Password: GET THIS PASSWORD FROM YOUR TEACHER
5. Fill out the rest of the required information and use your PV network password!
(If you ever forget your password, you can click on the ―Retrieve Password‖ link.)
6. Once you have completed the information, click on ―I agree – SUBMIT‖
To Submit a Paper:
1. Log in to your Turnitin.com account.
2. Click on the appropriate course.
3. Select the assignment from the list of assignments.
4. Select ―Submit‖
5. Choose ―Single File Upload‖
6. Title your submission
7. Upload your paper by selecting the file from the appropriate location and clicking ―Upload‖
8. Be sure to examine your Originality Report to ensure that you have properly cited your information and
that your paper is not plagiarized.
Class of 2014 - 7 - Research Project
Research Project
Written Presentation Evaluation Form
First Draft
S = Successful for final paper submission NYS = Not Yet Successful → Must make corrections
Content S NYS
Defines objectives in thesis statement
Provides specific, accurate, precise information or data and maintains focus
Uses appropriate vocabulary
Reflects insightful consideration of the importance, value, or impact of the research
Organization S NYS
4-10 full, typed pages of text (MLA format; double spaced; Times New Roman 12-pt font)
Arranges information in a logical manner from the outline
Includes strong introduction and conclusion
Uses transitions between paragraphs
Research S NYS
Utilizes authoritative, timely source(s)
Conventions of Language S NYS
Uses varied and structurally correct sentences
Uses correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Sources/Citations S NYS
Includes an annotated works-cited page of at least 5 sources (at least one primary source)
Includes at least one proper MLA parenthetical citation for each source in paper text
S NYS
Grade for First Draft
Student’s Name Date Project Title: Teacher’s Name:
Teacher’s Signature:
Class of 2014 - 8 - Research Project
Research Project
Written Presentation Evaluation Form
Final Paper
The project is PASSING only if deadlines are met and all of the items are rated “Pass” for the final paper.
Content P F
Defines objectives in thesis statement
Provides specific, accurate, precise information or data and maintains focus
Uses appropriate vocabulary
Reflects insightful consideration of the importance, value, or impact of the research
Organization P F
4-10 full, typed pages of text (MLA format; double spaced; Times New Roman 12-pt font)
Arranges information in a logical manner from the outline
Includes strong introduction and conclusion
Uses transitions between paragraphs
Research P F
Utilizes authoritative, timely source(s)
Conventions of Language P F
Uses varied and structurally correct sentences
Uses correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Sources/Citations P F
Includes an annotated works-cited page of at least 5 sources (at least one primary source)
Includes at least one proper MLA parenthetical citation for each source in paper text
PASS FAIL
Grade for Final Paper
Student’s Name Date Project Title: Teacher’s Name:
Teacher’s Signature:
P = Pass = Scheduled for Oral Presentation F = Fail = Project Failure → Remediation
Class of 2014 - 9 - Research Project
Visual Aid Checklist
For the Oral Presentation
All presentations must be accompanied by a student-created electronic visual aid such as a PowerPoint™
presentation, web page, video recording, etc. Note: video clips should not exceed 2 minutes in total length.
Design
_______ Project is balanced, uncluttered, neat and clean.
Graphics/Media
_______ All graphics/media are used effectively to enhance message, support thesis, and convey meaning.
Text
______ Text is presented in a legible font utilizing appropriate style, size, and color.
Mechanics
______ Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.
Completion
______ Project is completely finished and includes an adequate number of slides (10-24).
Quality of Information
______ All information is clear, appropriate, and correct.
Organization/Presentation of Content
______ Visuals are introduced at appropriate times to enhance concepts throughout the presentation.
Originality
______ The product is original, inventive, and does not rehash other people’s ideas (the project follows the
Multimedia Guidelines).
Documentation
______ All text, charts, graphs, pictures, and other media are labeled within the presentation and properly cited
in an MLA list of works cited (last screen of the presentation)
Class of 2014 - 10 - Research Project
PowerPoint Presentation Guidelines
Presentation Layout: Layout continuity from frame to frame conveys a sense of completeness
Headings, subheadings, and images should show up in the same spot on each slide
Margins, fonts, font size, and colors should be consistent with graphics located in the same general
position on each frame
Lines, boxes, borders, and open space should be consistent throughout
Slide Layout: Limit each slide to one idea
Use bullet points to cover components of each idea
Make no more than six points per slide and use no more than six words per line
Use the same background for each slide
Use the same transitions for each slide
Limit animation – more than one can be distracting
Do not clutter the slide
Design:
Font should be clear (e.g., Arial, Tahoma, Verdana)
Font size should be readable from the back of the room
40 point is a good title size
32 point is a good subtitle or bullet point size
Content text should be no smaller that 24 point
Use small fonts for source citations within the presentation and the final works-cited screen
Do not use all CAPITAL LETTERS
Use italics for book, journal, or magazine titles
Choose a color scheme that is easy on the eyes
White backgrounds can be blinding in a dark room
Dark backgrounds with light colored text works best (reduces glare)
Keep the style of the graphic images consistent throughout the presentation
Illustrations should relate to the message and help make the point
If using video clips, presentation should contain no more than 2 minutes total of video
Presenting: Speak slowly and clearly when presenting so your audience can hear you
Prepare notes to help deliver an effective and dynamic presentation
Rehearse your presentation before delivering it to your audience
Have a classmate proofread and critique your presentation before you present it
Remember,
the media should ENHANCE the presentation,
not BE the presentation!
Class of 2014 - 11 - Research Project
Storyboard for a Multimedia Presentation
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____ Title Slide
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____ Thesis
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Class of 2014 - 12 - Research Project
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Class of 2014 - 13 - Research Project
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Class of 2014 - 14 - Research Project
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Class of 2014 - 15 - Research Project
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Class of 2014 - 16 - Research Project
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Slide Slide Image and/or Description Slide Text/Source
# _____
Note: Presentation should be between 10-24 slides. Final slide is for credits (MLA Works Cited).
Class of 2014 - 17 - Research Project
Oral Presentation Evaluation Form
Outcome: The student must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of their chosen topic. A presentation is PASSING only if all of the categories below are rated “PASS”.
P = Pass = Earned .5 Graduation Project Credit F = Fail = Project Failure Remediation
Communication P F Begins presentation with a clearly defined thesis Supports each major point with information or data Cites major sources to show how experts and studies support thesis Uses appropriate and accurate vocabulary Communicates importance, value, and impact of the project Summarizes with a concluding statement
Effective Speaking P F Speaks clearly, correctly, and efficiently Uses body language to enhance the presentation Maintains consistent eye contact with members of the audience Varies tone, volume, and speed to enhance presentation Presents oneself with poise
Organization P F Uses an engaging beginning and a thoughtful ending Clearly focuses around the thesis Arranges information in a logical manner Flows smoothly from one idea to the next Keeps length of presentation between 8-12 minutes (No more than 2 minutes of total
video)
Visual Aid P F Visual aid is introduced at an appropriate time during the presentation Demonstrates effective use of media/graphic design with attention to layout, color scheme,
and appropriate font style and size
Clearly, accurately, and precisely communicates significant information or data to enhance
presentation
All illustrations, tables, charts, and graphs are labeled within the presentation and properly
cited in an MLA list of works cited (last screen of the presentation)
Visual aid is free of errors with correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar An MLA List of Works Cited is included as the last screen of the presentation
Response to Questions P F Effectively responds to all questions from the audience
PASS FAIL
Grade for Oral Presentation
Student Name Date
Project Title: Evaluators:
Class of 2014 - 18 - Research Project
PLEASANT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Graduation Project
Research Project Contract
Student’s Name (Print)
Grade Homeroom Project Teacher (Print)
Home Address
Home Phone # Cell#
Guidance Counselor (Print)
Topic for Project: Working Thesis Statement: Rationale for Selecting the Topic:
Student Signature & Date
(I have reviewed the Graduation Project Research Booklet and understand the information and expectations.)
Parent / Guardian Signature & Date
(I have reviewed the Graduation Project Research Booklet and understand the information and expectations.)
CC: Student Project Teacher
Contract due date: Friday, September 27, 2013