National History Day Theme:

Carmichaels Area School District

Rebecca Reed

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Topic Selection: Students may choose a topic that coincides with theme of the fair from any point in history. They are encouraged to choose a topic that they are interested in and would like to learn more

about. Topic selection must be approved by the instructor

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9th grade American History

History Fair ProjectTopic selection:

This year’s theme: ___________________________________________

Go through your book (or use your brain) Choose 3 topics that you would like to learn more about Fill out the attached forms placing the topics you pick in order (the first being the one you would like

to do the most) Your topic should:

o Be from the time frame of 1020 (Leif Erikson) to 1808 (Thomas Jefferson) if you are using your book this would be ANYTHING from chapters 1-11.

o If you are choosing a topic from another time frame please indicate the era in the appropriate place and give a detailed account of WHY you wish to research this topic

o Link in some way to the theme of the fairo Be one of the following

A person, (ex. George Washington)

Group of people (ex. The Aztec) Place, (ex. Fort necessity)

Thing, (ex. the bill of rights) Event, (example, the battle of

long island)

o Be a topic that no one else in the class is choosing (this is why we are picking 3)o Be school appropriateo Something you find interesting

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Name:_________________________________________ Period:__________ Date:_______

Topic #1: ___________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) of this topic:______________________

Why did you pick this topic and what reason do you have for researching it? (at least 1 paragraph)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Topic #2: ___________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) of this topic:______________________

Why did you pick this topic and what reason do you have for researching it? (at least 1 paragraph)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Topic #3: ___________________________________________________________________________

Date(s) of this topic:______________________

Why did you pick this topic and what reason do you have for researching it? (at least 1 paragraph)

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_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Research Information Each member of the group will research one aspect of the chosen topic and will be responsible for

submitting a report about that aspect. They will use the information they find to provide background for their groups exhibit. Each aspect of the project is to contain at least two primary and secondary sources.

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Analyzing a Document:A. Identifying the document:

1. Author or

Source:_____________________________________________________________

2.

Title:_______________________________________________________________________

3.

Date:________________________________________________________________________

4. Type of

document:_____________________________________________________________

5. Proper bibliographic entry for the

document:_______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

B. Putting it in context:

1. Describe the intended purpose of the document and its original audience (why was it written?):

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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2. Select at least one direct quote from the document that will help you establish the thesis:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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C. Using the document:

1. List the most important pieces of information covered by this document.

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_____________________________________________________________________________________

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2. What questions does the document suggest or imply?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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D. evaluation of the document:

1. Is the document reliable as a primary or secondary source, why?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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2. Write a statement about the particular utility of the document for your interests or projects thesis.

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ANALYZING A SECONDARY SOURCE:1. Identify the source and author.

A. Who is the author and what are his/her credentials? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________B. Who is the audience? ______________________________________________________________________________

C. Give the full citation or bibliographic information: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2. Check it out!A. Check out the table of contents. Are there chapters that might relate to your topic?B. Check out the index: Who are the key people? What are the key events? What are the key subjects?C. Check out the citations: Are they based on primary sources or mostly other secondary sources? Name one primary source collection the historian uses: Name one primary source and one secondary source used that might help your

research:3. Figure out the argument.

A. Read the introduction and conclusion. Find the sentence(s) in which the author states her/his thesis and note page number—then restate in your own words.

B. How does the writer build her/his argument?C. If the author discusses others’ interpretations of the topic, who are the key scholars included?D. How does the author place her/his book in the “big picture”—what is the big historical question

the work is addressing?4. Use it!How might this book/article help your own research?

State three specific ideas:

Ask three questions from the source:

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Outline and Summary of Presentation The group will develop a single thesis statement and a single outline.

The topic and individuals information is to be labeled on the outline.

How to Write a Thesis Statement15

What is a Thesis Statement? A one or few sentence summary that explains what the project is trying to prove or

analyze.How do I write a Thesis Statement?

1. Start with a Research Question. What do you want to find out about? Some examples are below. Notice how each question would take some research to

answer.o Why was Thomas Jefferson opposed to slavery?o What happened to the Juvenile Court system to bring it to the crisis point?

2. Research enough to be able to take a stand. Add your opinion about the topic. What is the issue or concern? Make sure it’s arguable. Even though Thomas Jefferson had slaves, he showed that he valued every human

being in his words and actions. The Juvenile Court system was established to remove children from the adult criminal

justice system and help youth reform, but over the years it became a source of punishment and imprisonment.

Evaluate your thesis statement by asking:1. Is it clear what the project will be about?2. Is it arguable? Is there something that has to be proven?3. Will research be necessary to prove the thesis?4. Is there only one main idea?5. Is it about something in the past that is important?

How to Write an Outline

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How Hot Is Your Thesis?_ Does it take a stand? Is it debatable?_ Does it present a narrow and specific topic?_ Can the assertion be backed up by evidence?_ Does it express one main idea?_ Does it tell the viewer why the subject is historically significant? _ Does it answer the “So what?” question or show change over time?_ Is it presented as a statement, not a topic or question?_ Is it historical?_ (Optional) Does it address the Fair’s theme?

Avoid These Thesis Pitfalls!Thesis is…_ Just a statement of historical facts_ Written as a question_ Written as a topic_ Too vague_ Hard to prove with evidence

 What is it?An outline is a general plan of the material that is to be presented in a speech or a paper. The outline shows the order of the various topics, the relative importance of each, and the relationship between the various parts. Order in an OutlineThere are many ways to arrange the different parts of a subject. Sometimes, a chronological arrangement works well. At other times, a spatial arrangement is best suited to the material. The most common order in outlines is to go from the general to the specific. This means you begin with a general idea and then support it with specific examples. Thesis Statement of Summarizing Sentence All outlines should begin with a thesis statement or summarizing sentence. This thesis sentence presents the central idea of the paper. It must always be a complete, grammatical sentence, specific and brief, which expresses the point of view you are taking towards the subject. Types of OutlinesThe two main types of outlines are the topic outline and the sentence outline. In the topic outline, the headings are given in single words or brief phrases. In the sentence outline, all the headings are expressed in complete sentences.

***(You are only required to turn in a topic outline which includes a thesis)*** Rules for Outlining1. Subdivide topics by a system of numbers and letters, followed by a period.Example:I.    A.    B.        1.        2.            a.            b.II.    A.    B.2. Each heading and subheading must have at least two parts.3. Headings for parts of the paper of speech such as, Introduction and Conclusion, should not be used.4. Be consistent. Do not mix up the two types of outlines. Use either whole sentences or brief phrases, but not both.

NOTE: Please indicate the name of the student researching each aspect listed on the outline

Written Report17

Each student is to submit their OWN written report which encompasses only the aspects they researched.

The thesis statement for each report may be the same or tweaked to provide more evidence for that aspect of research.

NOTE:

Just like historians do, you will need to submit an Annotated Bibliography with your project

- A bibliography that includes a brief description of each article or book used. The description helps the reader evaluate the content and usefulness of each item to his research.

Written Report Requirements!!!18

Your report must be: At least 500 words (2.5 pages typed) Times New Roman Font 12 point size Double spaced Cited (This means, if it is a direct quote it must be in “quotes”

and you must have a work cited page It can be neatly hand written in pencil, blue or black ink only

It must also include: A cover page that has your name, your topic, and your class

period on it A work cited page that is in MLA format

Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero and parental contact!!!

Plagiarism is the act of copying or borrowing the work or ideas of another author without acknowledgement. Students who are writing essays, reports, dissertations or theses must list their sources, such as books and journal articles, in a list of references appended to their work.

This paragraph was plagiarized from: www.swan.ac.uk/lis/helpandtraining/resource_guides/GlossaryM-Z/

Due Date:_______________

MLA format:19

In-text citations:

Basic In-Text Citation Rules

In MLA style, referring to the works of others in your text is done by using what's known as parenthetical citation. Immediately following a quotation from a source or a paraphrase of a source's ideas, you place the author's name followed by a space and the relevant page number(s).

Human beings have been described as "symbol-using animals" (Burke 3).

When a source has no known author, use a shortened title of the work instead of an author name. Place the title in quotation marks if it's a short work, or italicize or underline it if it's a longer work.Your in-text citation will correspond with an entry in your Works Cited page, which, for the Burke citation above, will look something like this:

Burke, Kenneth. Language as Symbolic Action: Essays on Life, Literature, and Method.

Berkeley: U of California P, 1966.

It's important to know that parenthetical citations and Works Cited pages allow readers to know which sources you consulted in writing your essay, so that they can either verify your interpretation of the sources or use them in their own scholarly work.

When Citation is not Needed

Common sense and ethics should determine your need for documenting sources. You do not need to give sources for familiar proverbs, well-known quotations or common knowledge. Remember, this is a rhetorical choice, based on audience. If you're writing for an expert audience of a scholarly journal, they'll have different expectations of what constitutes common knowledge.

Work Cited Page:

Basic Rules

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Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.

Label the page Works Cited (do not underline the words Works Cited or put them in quotation marks) and center the words Works Cited at the top of the page.

Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries. List page numbers of sources efficiently, when needed. If you refer to a journal article that

appeared on pages 225 through 250, list the page numbers on your Works Cited page as 225-50. If you're citing an article or a publication that was originally issued in print form but that you

retrieved from an online database, you should provide enough information so that the reader can locate the article either in its original print form or retrieve it from the online database (if they have access).

Capitalization and Punctuation

Capitalize each word in the titles of articles, books, etc, but do not capitalize articles, short prepositions, or conjunctions unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle: Gone with the Wind, The Art of War, There Is Nothing Left to Lose

Use italics or underlining for titles of larger works (books, magazines) and quotation marks for titles of shorter works (poems, articles)

Listing Author Names

Entries are listed by author name (or, for entire edited collections, editor names). Author names are written last name first; middle names or middle initials follow the first name:

Burke, Kenneth

Levy, David M.

Wallace, David Foster

Do not list titles (Dr., Sir, Saint, etc.) or degrees (PhD, MA, DDS, etc.) with names. A book listing an author named "John Bigbrain, PhD" appears simply as "Bigbrain, John"; do, however, include suffixes like "Jr." or "II." Putting it all together, a work by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be cited as "King, Martin Luther, Jr.," with the suffix following the first or middle name and a comma.

More than One Work by an Author

If you have cited more than one work by a particular author, order the entries alphabetically by title, and use three hyphens in place of the author's name for every entry after the first:

Burke, Kenneth. A Grammar of Motives.

---. A Rhetoric of Motives.

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When an author or collection editor appears both as the sole author of a text and as the first author of a group, list solo-author entries first:

Heller, Steven, ed. The Education of an E-Designer.

Heller, Steven and Karen Pomeroy. Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design.

Work with No Known Author

Alphabetize works with no known author by their title; use a shortened version of the title in the parenthetical citations in your paper. In this case, Boring Postcards USA has no known author:

Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulations.

Boring Postcards USA.

Burke, Kenneth. A Rhetoric of Motives.

For help with you parenthitical documentation and work cited page please visit the following web sites:

YOUR RESEARCH PAPER'S FORMAT:

HTTP://WEBSTER.COMMNET.EDU/MLA/FORMAT.SHTML

C I T A T I O N M A C H I N E :

H T T P : / / C I T A T I O N M A C H I N E . N E T /

Exhibits: The group will develop one exhibit collectively

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The exhibit must meet the attached qualification

The exhibit must also include the groups thesis statement and a brief overview of their research

findings.

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Carmichaels Area History Fair Exhibit Rules

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A History Fair exhibit is like a room in a museum—not a report on a display board with pictures. It relies on clear, succinct text (labels) and a substantial amount of visual evidence to communicate the student’s research and analysis.

RULE 1: Individuals or groups of no more than five students may do an exhibit.

RULE 2: Size limitations: 6 feet high X 40 inches wide X 30 inches deep from the front of

the table to the back of the exhibit. (See diagram below.) So long as the exhibit fits within

the required dimensions, it may be constructed in any shape.

RULE 3: Exhibits must be free standing.

RULE 4: Two copies of the Summary Statement Form with an attached annotated

bibliography must accompany exhibit. The annotated bibliography should be divided

between primary and second sources.

RULE 5: Project topics must be connected to the fairs theme

RULE 7: Plagiarism is not accepted, and constitutes grounds for disqualification.

Exhibit Guidelines

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MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS FORHISTORY FAIR EXHIBITS72 INCHES TALL40 INCHES WIDE30 INCHES DEPTH

Exhibits should use evidence such as pictures, photographs, maps, political cartoons

and when appropriate, add visual aids such as graphs.

The “labels approach” treats the project like a museum exhibit. The labels function to

support the argument which the primary and secondary sources illustrate. They are 50-

75 words (book-ended by larger introductions and conclusions). Captions are brief and

identify particular sources. Some students take a "captions approach", and write an

explanatory caption for each source. Either method is acceptable-the result of a fully

developed and logical narrative is the most important factor.

Exhibits should have a logical flow: people reading the display should know where to

begin and end, and in what order they should read the text and view the evidence.

Use of clearly defined headings and subheadings to guide the reader is highly

encouraged.

Timelines help sequence events but have limited effectiveness for conveying knowledge

and analysis. While they are helpful to students during the research phase, timelines are

not required as a component of the exhibit

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You can also include:

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