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Mr. Painter
United States History
U.S. History Term Paper Assignment
This semester you will write a six to seven page (typed, doublespaced, one inch margins on all four sides, 12 point, using New
Times Roman style font which does not include pictures, maps,
charts, title page, works sited page, etc.) term paper on a
controversial person of major significance in the history of the
United States. You will complete and turn in two items: a notes
manuscript and the final draft paper itself. Both are to be turned in
electronically using Word or a PDF file.
Notes Manuscript This will contain all of the research material
(and then some) that you will use to write your paper. To create it
you need to consult a minimum of five different sources, two of
which must be books (these books can come from the internet),
and three of which from other sources. You must draw heavily
from all your sources. You are required to use our school’s library
database for at least two of your sources. Click on the link at the
end of these directions. For each source, you will create a typed set
of notes, starting with a proper bibliographic citation and
containing every quote, paraphrase, fact, or interpretation that you
think you might use in your final draft, along with a page
reference. (An abbreviated example is viewed below.) A six-toseven page paper will require about twelve to fourteen pages of
notes. Research your topic thoroughly and prepare your notes
manuscript carefully—it is the “raw material” needed to write the
paper, and I will consult it as I read your final draft paper itself.
Use your textbook as a guide, not a source. Do not use
Wikipedia as a source but it can be used as a guide.
Due Date: 5-11 (make two copies; one for you and one for me)
The Paper Itself Here you take your research material and craft it
into an argument that answers the question you have been given.
The paper should contain parenthetical citations and a “works
cited” page (bibliography) prepared in accordance with MLA
guidelines. (go to the Cite Your Sources link at the Milken library
site. also consult citefast.com) This page is not part of the six to
seven page requirement. There is information about how to do this
on the school library website. More information is on the second
page.
Due Date: 6-2
If you need help at any point during your research or writing,
ASK! I will hold you strictly accountable to the instructions you
have been given and expect you to approach this project with a
sense of initiative and responsibility.
Notes Manuscript (Abbreviated Example)
Standage, Tom. The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of
the Telegraph and the Nineteenth-Century’s On-Line Pioneers.
New York: Walker and Co., 1998. (Notice the indentation and
double spacing)
“The fame of the telegraph took a giant leap when it was used to
announce the birth of Queen Victoria’s second son, Alfred Ernest
at Windsor on August 6, 1844.” (49) police arrested a criminal
suspect by using the telegraph to alert Baltimore forces that he
would be arriving on a train from Washington D.C. (53) both
Thomas Edison and Andrew Carnegie worked as telegraph
messenger boys (64) Crimean War first to be covered by
telegraph, Bucharest line extended under the sea, meant ship
departures/destinations could no longer be shared with newspapers,
commanders unhappy that leaders second-guessed them, horrible
conditions of the common soldiers could no longer be hidden and
were reported by the press (154-58)
The in text citation in the final draft should be seen as
(Standage 53) If there is no author to an article, the in text
citation should be seen as ( “The Telegraph” ) and it should be
listed in the works cited page as “The Telegraph Through
History” Gale Net http:www. Galenet.org.
The Assignment: Hero, Villain, or Victim?
Your assignment is to assess the person you have been given in
light of all three of the categories above. Your paper must make
clear why the person is regarded as controversial and praised by
some (hero) while abhorred by others (villain). How is your
subject a victim? In your paper’s conclusion you should offer your
own assessment; villain, victim, or hero. Choose only one and
back up your statements. Acquire a decent general understanding
of the person’s acts and era before beginning your note-taking—
your textbook (or any general U.S. history text) is a good place to
start. Remember, your text (or any textbook used at Milken) is
to be considered a guide, not a source. Also, do not use
Wikipedia as a source, only a guide. (Advise: color code in your
notes manuscript the hero-villain-victim information using
three different colors. That will make for easier reference)
Check this Milken library web site out for your research
paper.
http://library.milkenschool.org/hero
The Rubric is on the next page.
Rubric for U.S. History Second Semester Term
Paper
Triumphant
Competent
Wobbly
Introduction directly
addresses question,
establishes context;
provides succinct
summaries of each
perspective; includes
student’s own perspective
Introduction directly
addresses question; context,
summaries of perspectives,
and student’s own
perspective are partially
present and/or partially
developed
Introduction directly
addresses question, b
provides little or no c
or little or no informa
about the multiple
perspectives or the st
own perspective
Thesis is consistently
advanced by ample,
accurate, and relevant
historical evidence; all
evidence used appears in
notes manuscript
Thesis is generally
supported by accurate and
relevant evidence; all
evidence used appears in
notes manuscript
Thesis is partially sup
by relevant evidence;
may contain inaccura
evidence appears that
cannot be traced to no
manuscript
Language is consistently
used clearly and coherently;
paragraphs are wellorganized; paper contains
almost no grammatical or
typographical errors
Language is often
Language is mostly clear
incoherent or impreci
and coherent; paragraphs
paragraphs and sente
are usually well- organized; frequently lack logica
paper has few grammatical progression; paper co
or typographical errors
numerous grammatic
typographical errors
All quotes as well as ideas
taken from sources are
clearly attributed with
accurate MLA- format intext citations
All quotes as well as most
ideas taken from sources are
seemingly attributed with
accurate MLA format intext citations
Only direct quotes ar
attributed with accura
MLA format in-text
citations, or quotes an
ideas are both attribu
format is incorrect
Works Cited list is
appended in precisely
correct MLA format
Works Cited list is
appended and contains
insignificant errors (such as
incorrect month
abbreviations) only
Works Cited list cont
significant formatting
or repeated minor err
were already pointed
notes manuscript