Essay+Writing+(Civil+Rights+Project)

= Essay Writing (Civil Rights Project) = You are a student at an Ivy League university and you have just been given a new assignment by your professor. You will select a topic relating to Civil Rights in American history. You will conduct in-depth research on your selected topic. This research should focus on the issue as a whole, (Revolution, Reaction, Reform) including an explanation of the denial of rights, attempts to rectify the injustice, and any progress that resulted from those attempts. You will be responsible for writing a research paper on your topic. Upon completion of the research paper, you will create a visual presentation of the topic and what you have learned. This can be created using the presentation format of your choosing. These visual presentations will be presented to your college classmates.

Goal: Your goal is to conduct an in-depth research of a Civil rights event to become an “expert” on the topic, in order to explain and present a visual exhibit.

Role: You are a student at an Ivy League university.

Audience: College professors and classmates.

Situation: You have been assigned to select a topic relating to a Civil Rights event in United States history. Your assignment is to research and write a scholarly paper on the topic and to present your findings visually.

Product Performance and Purpose: You need to write a research paper regarding your selected topic. Your paper should reflect why your topic was Revolutionary, (what change did it produce) Reactionary, (how did it affect others) and Reforming (how did the event bring lasting change).

Standards and Criteria for Success: Your research needs to include-

1. A clear thesis statement 2. Clear and logical organization. 3. Topic sentences with supporting details. 4. Proper citation and documentation of resources. 5. Multiple resources with note-taking templates 6. Works Cited Page

=Step 1: Topic and Working Thesis Statement = <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use the following Graphic organizer to choose a topic and create a working thesis statement; <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">To select a topic, enter Civil Rights in the search bar of the Library resource data base. Choose a topic that can deliver an argument of how this person, event, group or document was seen as a turning point in the fight for Civil Rights.


 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">After choosing a topic, choose a reference to analyze, place all you know about the topic into the first column of the organizer.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">When you have marked up your reference, answer the question What makes this a turning point in gaining Civil Rights, this will become your "working thesis"
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">When you finish analyzing your reference, write three question about what you would like to learn about your subject in the middle column of the organizer.(these are your essential question you will answer with your research.)

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Each Student should have the following sources
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Reference
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Primary Source
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Newspaper Article
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Magazine Article

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Step 2: Analyze Resources
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use the following sheet to Analyze Sources

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should take notes on each source; <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Note Taking for Civil Right Paper <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Points To Remember: <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Paraphrasing: <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Summarizing: <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Quoting: <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Don’t forget to cite your source <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Write complete citation on your note-card and include them in your annotated bibliography
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Students should complete a note card for each source
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">It is important to record the author, title, date, and location of your sources.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">When you find an important piece of information in one of your sources, decide if you should;
 * 3) Paraphrase
 * 4) Summarize or quote
 * 5) Quote directly from the source
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">You re-write the main idea, detail, or piece of information using your own words
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Restate the meaning in your own way
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">This method works best if you think there are several pieces of important information that you should make notes on
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Don’t change meaning
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Put the information in your own words
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">You record the overall message of the source
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">It is much shorter than the original
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Don’t change the meaning
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use it when there is inspiring or meaningful wording
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use it to record statistics that are not commonly known
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use it when something is said by an important expert you want to recognize
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Put the exact wording from the source inside quotations marks
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use…to show when you left our part of the original quote

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Step 2: Writing a Thesis Statement
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Compose a Thesis Statement <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what point you, the author, will be making. You know what the essay will be about. That was your topic. Now you must look at your outline or diagram and decide what point you will be making. What do the main ideas and supporting ideas that you listed say about your topic? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Your thesis statement will have two parts. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Or in the second part you could simply list the three main ideas you will discuss. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Once you have formulated a thesis statement that fits this pattern and with which you are comfortable, you are ready to continue. =<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Use the following Worksheet to help create a Thesis Statement = <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The first part states the topic.
 * Kenya's Culture
 * Building a Model Train Set
 * Public Transportation
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The second part states the point of the essay.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">has a rich and varied history
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">takes time and patience
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">can solve some of our city's most persistent and pressing problems
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">has a long history, blends traditions from several other cultures, and provides a rich heritage.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">requires an investment in time, patience, and materials.
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">helps with traffic congestion, resource management, and the city budget.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Introduction
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The introduction should be designed to attract the reader's attention and give her an idea of the essay's focus.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Begin with an attention grabber. The attention grabber you use is up to you, but here are some ideas:If the attention grabber was only a sentence or two, add one or two more sentences that will lead the reader from your opening to your thesis statement.
 * Startling information This information must be true and verifiable, and it doesn't need to be totally new to your readers. It could simply be a pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the point you wish to make. If you use a piece of startling information, follow it with a sentence or two of [|elaboration].
 * Anecdote An anecdote is a story that illustrates a point. Be sure your anecdote is short, to the point, and relevant to your topic. This can be a very effective opener for your essay, but use it carefully.
 * Dialogue An appropriate dialogue does not have to identify the speakers, but the reader must understand the point you are trying to convey. Use only two or three exchanges between speakers to make your point. Follow dialogue with a sentence or two of [|elaboration].
 * Summary Information A few sentences explaining your topic in general terms can lead the reader gently to your thesis. Each sentence should become gradually more specific, until you reach your thesis.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Write the Body Paragraphs
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">In the body of the essay, all the preparation up to this point comes to fruition. The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Each main idea that you wrote down in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure.

 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in sentence form. If your main idea is "reduces freeway congestion," you might say this: Public transportation reduces freeway congestion.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each point.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion. Supporting Point Commuters appreciate the cost savings of taking public transportation rather than driving. Elaboration Less driving time means less maintenance expense, such as oil changes. Of course, less driving time means savings on gasoline as well. In many cases, these savings amount to more than the cost of riding public transportation.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Conclusion
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The conclusion brings closure to the reader, summing up your points or providing a final perspective on your topic. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula. Simply review the main points (being careful not to restate them exactly) or briefly describe your feelings about the topic. Even an [|anecdote] can end your essay in a useful way.