Resources

Overview

Databases
Read this document. ​It's your assignment.
This research databases must be accessed from a school ​computer to access or use these logins
  • EBSCOHost 
    username:      billingssenior
    password:  broncsread22!
  • Issues and Controversies 
    username: senior
    password: student

Mr. Restad's research jams that won't screw up your brain while you write

For those of you who have cell phone privileges. 
  1. Lo-fi beats
  2. Chillhop Essentials - I feel dumber just writing the word "chillhop" but it's pretty good stuff.
  3. Bill Evans - Jazz
  4. Miles Davis - Jazz
  5. Gonzales - Piano
  6. Brahams - Classical
  7. Studio Ghibli - piano soundtracks
  8. 8 Best of Debussey - Classical Piano

Reserach and Note taking

Find 4-6 sources on your topic. As you find sources be sure to
  • Take notes on those sources with the intent of writing arguments from both perspectives of your topic
  • Use the digital note chart posted in Google Classroom
  • Collect full citation and in text citation (Use the Purdue Owl button linked below)

Database login info

Citations

Use the link above to the Purdue Online Writing Lab as well as my Youtube videos to help format your full citation and in text citations correctly.

CITATION INFORMATION IN MLA FORMAT  (skip if a category cannot be found or is not applicable) Check out Purdue OWL for more information. 
  • Author.
  • Title.
  • Container,
  • Publisher,
  • Date Published,
  • Version and Issue Number,
  • URL (web),
  • Date Accessed (web),
  • Page Numbers.

Example: Ebert, Roger. "Dark side shadows 'Sith'." rogerebert.com, 19 May 2005, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-episode-iii-revenge-of-the-sith-2005, Accessed 23 April 2021. 
 ​

Works Cited

Once you've collected your sources, taken the notes, and feel confident you have enough information to create arguments for both sides of your issue, create an annotated bibliography.
  • Write this as the last section in your paper provided in Google Classroom
    ​
FULL CITATION IN MLA FORMAT
  • See above
    ​
OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
  • Use the author’s name/title/employer if relevant to add credibility. It also is advisable to mention names of experts prominently featured. 
  • Explain what specific topics are covered.
  • Identify the main arguments.
  • Does it offer any solutions? What are they?

WHY IT'S CREDIBLE​: address AT LEAST the two most important credibility criteria below
  • Authority: The author has credentials to validate what they are writing about: they have extended education, work experience, proven research, etc. 
  • Purpose: the outlook or tendency portrayed. 
  • Currency: How recently an article was published
  • Accuracy: Represents not only whether the ideas and evidence present are factually correct, but if the article also looks at ALL relevant facts, not just the ones that help the author’s stance.
Sample Summary: (source)The 2018 Edutopia article “What’s The Right Amount of Homework?” by Youki Terada explains what the right amount of homework is for each age group and what amount is too little or too much. The article agrees that young students do not benefit from homework, middle school students do, and high school students do as long as they have less than 2 hours of homework per night by explaining that homework can turn little kids away from learning, but that it has shown improved test scores for older kids. However, they also point out that it is unreasonable to give high school students 30 minutes of homework per subject, as this can lead to sleep deprivation and other mental health problems. 


Sample Statement of Credibility: (source)The source itself, TNW (the Next Web), doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, but the author, Rachel Kaser, looks like a credible tech and gaming reporter with a clear purpose of reflecting on the World Health Organization decision about their industry. TheNextWeb is reporting on news about their industry, tech and video games. Not much persuasion here as it is mostly an informative article. My critiques of this source are about the organization, not the article. It was written in 2018, a little dated, but I didn’t find much more current info. 

Outlines

Next step is creating an outline for parts 1, 2, and 3. Use the video, sample, and template as your guide to organize info.
  • Use the OUTLINE TEMPLATE provided in Google Classroom

Also, here's another great video about outlining.
I'd suggest filling out this this graphic organizer (should only take about 10 minutes. If it takes more, you need to do more reading on your subject) before you head on to a full outline.

Introductions

Introductions for this research paper should consist of:
  • Attention getter or hook
  • What is it we’re writing about?
    • Definitions
    • Relevant background/laws
    • Why it’s important.
  • Scope and research statement
    • What is your project specifically about.

When you have the outline done for the Introduction  then actually start transforming.

​Look at my outline and compare it to the introduction 

When you're done with this step, this is what your paper should look like the "Sample Intro #1" linked to the right.

Writing Paragraphs

Ready to start actually writing your parts 2 and 3 of your paper (the sections outlining either side of your issue/topic)?


Section Introduction paragraphs should...
  • State what the argument is for that side?
  • Break down the argument into it’s different parts (the bullets of your outline)

Remember when writing body paragraphs to consider...
  • CLAIM (topic sentence/main idea)
  • EVIDENCE (context, introduction, direct quote or paraphrase, citation)
  • REASONING (why this supports the claim)

BE OBJECTIVE! The point of sections 2 and 3 are to present the sides of your issue without bias.
First 1:30 is about body paragraph writing in general. About 2 minutes on is an example of modeling how I write.

Conclusions

  • Recap of arguments – brief
  • What you learned on both sides
    • What do you agree or disagree with (be specific)
    • BUILD A THESIS: Why either side’s arguments are good or bad.
  • Causes, solutions, and effects of the problem: DO SOMETHING with all this research you’ve done.

Remember, this is a multi paragraph conclusion so...
  • Synthesize, don’t summarize: Show your reader how the points you made and the support and examples you used fit together.
  • Organized into paragraphs with transitions. 

Stuck? Try these questions out to kick start your idea 
  • How could you extend the ideas the previous sources put forth?
  • What was something new that you could add to the conversation?
  • How could you draw knowledge, perspectives and wisdom from all sides to advance the debate?