American Literature and Composition
The Research Process
American Literature and Composition
The Research Process
Knowing how to research effectively is a
skill that high school students need to
learn. Most students turn to Google or
other search engines when it is time to
find information, but there is more to
research than just copying and pasting
some information from Wikipedia. In this
unit, students will not only learn a more
effective way to research, but they will
work on a research assignment that will
take them through the writing process.
Essential Questions
What is the research process?
How do I correctly cite my sources?
How will learning about societal issues
during a certain time period help me to
understand the literature written during
that time period?
Module Minute
Research is a process that begins with knowing how to find credible and reliable
sources. Databases, periodicals, journals, and other print materials such as these will
provide you with better information than you can find just performing a general Internet
search. It is important to read through the information provided in the source to see
whether or not the source will enhance your research argument.
Once you find your sources, follow the steps of the writing process: prewriting, writing
the first draft, revising and editing, writing the final draft, and proofreading. Each step is an important part in
writing the best research paper possible, so please don’t skip one. The writing process can be used on any
writing assignment and will help you to become a better writer overall.
Assignments
Your assignments for this module will be explained within your actual lessons. Please pay
attention to the assignment icons to ensure that you have submitted each dropbox component.
American Literature students are required to write a 3-5 page
research paper. The research process can be a lengthy one, so
it is imperative that you do not procrastinate on this
assignment. Follow the steps provided in order to be as
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
1 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
successful as possible on this major essay. These steps are
located in the sidebar.
You will have several topics to choose from for your research
paper. In addition to choosing a topic, you need to think about a
decade in the 20th century that will be the focus of your
research. For example, if I am interested in researching fashion,
I need to focus on a decade of fashion, so I might research
fashion from the 1970s.
You may choose from the following decades in American
history:
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
You can find the research topics linked in the sidebar. Along with the topics are questions that will help you get
started with your research. Good luck! To see how you will be assessed on the actual final draft, please view the
rubric.
The use of someone else’s words,
theories, anecdotes, or other specific
ideas without giving credit for this
information, constitutes plagiarism.
When exact words or a writer’s ideas
are taken from a source, this
borrowing of information must be
acknowledged. Only when the ideas
are common knowledge because they
can be found in several sources can
this information be used without
crediting a source.
If you have questions about
documenting a source, ask yourself
this question, “Would a mature reader
be likely to know this information?”
The general rule is “When in doubt, give credit.” A paper of this kind will have many citations. Most of the
information will be cited.
Keep in mind that even if you are not directly quoting from a source, you still have to cite the information. For
example, if I am reading a book on fashion in the 1970s, and I end up paraphrasing some of the information
from the book in my paper, I have to cite that information not only on a Works Cited page but within my paper as
well.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
2 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Please review the lessons and resources on parenthetical citations for additional help.
Don’t forget that you will need a Works Cited page formatted in MLA. This will be the last page of your research
paper. There are numerous resources in this course to help you with this process.
Selecting credible sources for any research
assignment can be a long and arduous
process. The easiest thing to do is Google a
key word or phrase and search through the
websites provided. However, this is not the
best way to find reliable sources for your
research, so avoid just relying on Google. If
you do end up using this method for one or two
sources, use sites that end in .org, .edu, and
.gov. Government and educational websites
are going to have more credible information
that they have probably researched as well.
There are also a couple of websites located in
the sidebar to help you get started, but keep in
mind that you have to have a minimum of 5
sources.
In addition, you can always utilize the GAVS
media center. You will find many resources
here that can potentially help you with your
research paper.
Please view the following video which will provide you with an overview of what is available in the media center,
by clicking here.
A bibliography is a list of sources that have been used to research a topic. An annotation is a summary
and/or evaluation of the sources used to research a topic. An annotation will be written in paragraph form and
will include the following:
Summarizing: Some annotations simply tell the main arguments, the purpose of the article or book, or
the topics covered. The length of your annotation will depend on how detailed you are in your summary.
Assessing: After summarizing the source you may evaluate it by asking how is it a useful source? How
does it compare to other sources? Is the information reliable?
Reflecting: You need to ask how this fits into your research. Was the source helpful? How does it
shape your argument? How can you use the source? Has it changed your thoughts on the topic?
The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to learn about your topic. It is one of the best ways to get
information for a research paper. You can collect information about your sources while keeping track of what
they are about. In addition, an annotated bibliography will help you to formulate a thesis statement. You will
better understand what is being said about your topic allowing you to create a thoughtful and informed thesis.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
3 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Annotated Bibliography Assignment
You will be submitting an Annotated Bibliography to the dropbox.
Here are some rules you will want to follow when creating your annotated
bibliographies:
Follow MLA formatting when citing the source.
Annotate in paragraph form.
Include a summary, assessment, and reflection:
*Explain the main purpose of the work
*Briefly describe the contents
*Comment on things you find interesting about the source
*Reflect on its usefulness as it relates to your research
You may use quotes from the article, but your entire annotation cannot just be quotes.
Put annotations in alphabetical order by author’s last name.
To view a sample annotated bibliography, check out the example in the sidebar. Since you are required to have
at least five sources, you will have five annotated bibliographies. When you have completed all five annotated
bibliographies, please submit them to the dropbox.
The Outline
Once you find all of the sources you
want to use in your paper, you can
start working on the writing process.
The first step is to create an outline. If you create a
detailed outline, it will be much easier to actually
write the paper.
The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is a
great resource to utilize. If you need further help
with your outline, check out their website in the
sidebar.
The main thing you want to remember when creating
an outline is to be as specific and detailed as
possible. Start off creating your thesis statement.
What is the main idea of your entire paper? Then,
you need to consider the main ideas of your body
paragraphs. These main ideas will be the Roman
numerals of your outline. The points you list under
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
4 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
each Roman numeral should be the specific research you have found that will support not only your ideas, but
your topic as well.
Once you have a completed outline, submit it to the dropbox.
The Rough Draft
Now that your thoughts are organized in an outline, you can take that outline and use it to write
the first draft of your research paper. You still want to include the major parts of an essay in a research paper:
introduction, body, and conclusion.
However, the majority of your body paragraphs will consist of
paraphrased information you have researched. It is
appropriate to include your own ideas as well though. You
want to share your opinions about the research in your paper.
Just remember to write in third person only. It is not
appropriate to use first person on this kind of research
assignment. You can state your opinions as facts to
eliminate first person. For example, if I have researched
fashion in the 1970s, I might say: Fashion styles in the
1970s were too revealing because of the short skirts and low cut tops. This statement is my opinion but is still
written in third person.
Your rough draft should be 3-5 pages in length, and you want to ensure that you have cited everything properly
before submitting it to the dropbox.
Revising and Editing
Your teacher or another peer will provide you with feedback on your rough draft. Either way, you need to make
sure your rough draft includes all of the required elements of the essay. The revising/editing stage is one that
many students overlook or skip altogether, and it is probably the most important step. When you receive the
feedback from either your teacher or another peer, you want to go back and apply the feedback to your essay. It
is also a good idea to read your paper aloud; this will help you eliminate awkwardly worded sentences and will
help you catch other grammatical mistakes you may have overlooked. There is an editing guide in the sidebar
to assist you with this step.
Final Draft
After you have proofread your essay several times, you can now write the final draft. Go back
through the research paper requirements, and make sure you have included everything you were
supposed to. Check one more time that all of your research is cited correctly. You should have
at least one parenthetical citation per paragraph.
If you feel like you have a strong research paper, go ahead and submit it to the dropbox.
Discussion – Research Process
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
5 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Please share with your classmates something that you learned about the research process. In
addition, share something interesting you learned about your research topic.
Click on the Discussions tab at the top of your toolbar to compose a response. Remember you
must make a substantial initial post, and respond to at least two of your classmates.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
6 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
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Research Paper
American Literature
Research Topics:
I. Politics
x The presidents
x Political milestones- were any big laws made?
x Supreme Court cases of importance
x Political Movements
x Predominant political parties
x Biggest political issues
x Scandals
II. Wars or Conflicts
x What war was fought?
x Who was involved?
x Why were people fighting?
x What was the warfare like?
x What types of weapons were used?
x How did this change American values?
x Were people against or for the war?
x Where did the fighting take place?
III. Religion
x Cover the beliefs of each group
x Where did it start?
x Who was a leader of the belief system?
x What was the goal of the group?
x How did this affect American culture and values?
x Why is this important to the history of America?
IV. Social Movements
x What was the movement trying to achieve?
x Who was involved?
x How did this affect society?
x How did this affect the beliefs held at the time?
x Did this change American beliefs today?
x Where did the movement occur?
x Why were people moved to join the cause?
V. Science and Technology
x What was technology like at the beginning of the decade versus the end?
x What were some of the inventions?
x How did these inventions affect society?
x Were there any medical advancements?
x Was there a search for ancient artifacts?
x What was going on with astronomy and stars?
x Who were some of the major contributors to the advancements that were made?
VI. Art and Literature
x What were the modes of expression being used in art?
x What genre of literature was written?
x Were the fine arts being affected by what was happening in the world?
x Who were some of the major writers or authors of the time?
x How did these people contribute to their art form?
x Was there a particular location that fueled this artistic movement?
x Why is this important to American art forms now?
VII. Entertainment
x What kind of entertainment was important to Americans during this time?
x Who liked this form of entertainment?
x May focus on Movies, Plays, Musicals, TV, Radio, Music of all varieties, Sports. You
need to make sure you focus on what was important to the decade you choose!
x Who were the important people involved with this form of entertainment?
x What was the entertainment focused on? (example: TV is now more about reality
TV than sitcoms)
VIII. Fashion
x What were the major trends during this time?
x Who were the designers that made this decade?
x Where was the main center for design and trend setting?
x How did these trends become so wide spread?
x What kind of advertisements were there for these clothes?
x Who followed the trends? Were they different for different ages?
American Literature and Composition
The Research Process
Knowing how to research effectively is a
skill that high school students need to
learn. Most students turn to Google or
other search engines when it is time to
find information, but there is more to
research than just copying and pasting
some information from Wikipedia. In this
unit, students will not only learn a more
effective way to research, but they will
work on a research assignment that will
take them through the writing process.
Essential Questions
What is the research process?
How do I correctly cite my sources?
How will learning about societal issues
during a certain time period help me to
understand the literature written during
that time period?
Module Minute
Research is a process that begins with knowing how to find credible and reliable
sources. Databases, periodicals, journals, and other print materials such as these will
provide you with better information than you can find just performing a general Internet
search. It is important to read through the information provided in the source to see
whether or not the source will enhance your research argument.
Once you find your sources, follow the steps of the writing process: prewriting, writing
the first draft, revising and editing, writing the final draft, and proofreading. Each step is an important part in
writing the best research paper possible, so please don’t skip one. The writing process can be used on any
writing assignment and will help you to become a better writer overall.
Assignments
Your assignments for this module will be explained within your actual lessons. Please pay
attention to the assignment icons to ensure that you have submitted each dropbox component.
American Literature students are required to write a 3-5 page
research paper. The research process can be a lengthy one, so
it is imperative that you do not procrastinate on this
assignment. Follow the steps provided in order to be as
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
1 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
successful as possible on this major essay. These steps are
located in the sidebar.
You will have several topics to choose from for your research
paper. In addition to choosing a topic, you need to think about a
decade in the 20th century that will be the focus of your
research. For example, if I am interested in researching fashion,
I need to focus on a decade of fashion, so I might research
fashion from the 1970s.
You may choose from the following decades in American
history:
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
You can find the research topics linked in the sidebar. Along with the topics are questions that will help you get
started with your research. Good luck! To see how you will be assessed on the actual final draft, please view the
rubric.
The use of someone else’s words,
theories, anecdotes, or other specific
ideas without giving credit for this
information, constitutes plagiarism.
When exact words or a writer’s ideas
are taken from a source, this
borrowing of information must be
acknowledged. Only when the ideas
are common knowledge because they
can be found in several sources can
this information be used without
crediting a source.
If you have questions about
documenting a source, ask yourself
this question, “Would a mature reader
be likely to know this information?”
The general rule is “When in doubt, give credit.” A paper of this kind will have many citations. Most of the
information will be cited.
Keep in mind that even if you are not directly quoting from a source, you still have to cite the information. For
example, if I am reading a book on fashion in the 1970s, and I end up paraphrasing some of the information
from the book in my paper, I have to cite that information not only on a Works Cited page but within my paper as
well.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
2 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Please review the lessons and resources on parenthetical citations for additional help.
Don’t forget that you will need a Works Cited page formatted in MLA. This will be the last page of your research
paper. There are numerous resources in this course to help you with this process.
Selecting credible sources for any research
assignment can be a long and arduous
process. The easiest thing to do is Google a
key word or phrase and search through the
websites provided. However, this is not the
best way to find reliable sources for your
research, so avoid just relying on Google. If
you do end up using this method for one or two
sources, use sites that end in .org, .edu, and
.gov. Government and educational websites
are going to have more credible information
that they have probably researched as well.
There are also a couple of websites located in
the sidebar to help you get started, but keep in
mind that you have to have a minimum of 5
sources.
In addition, you can always utilize the GAVS
media center. You will find many resources
here that can potentially help you with your
research paper.
Please view the following video which will provide you with an overview of what is available in the media center,
by clicking here.
A bibliography is a list of sources that have been used to research a topic. An annotation is a summary
and/or evaluation of the sources used to research a topic. An annotation will be written in paragraph form and
will include the following:
Summarizing: Some annotations simply tell the main arguments, the purpose of the article or book, or
the topics covered. The length of your annotation will depend on how detailed you are in your summary.
Assessing: After summarizing the source you may evaluate it by asking how is it a useful source? How
does it compare to other sources? Is the information reliable?
Reflecting: You need to ask how this fits into your research. Was the source helpful? How does it
shape your argument? How can you use the source? Has it changed your thoughts on the topic?
The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to learn about your topic. It is one of the best ways to get
information for a research paper. You can collect information about your sources while keeping track of what
they are about. In addition, an annotated bibliography will help you to formulate a thesis statement. You will
better understand what is being said about your topic allowing you to create a thoughtful and informed thesis.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
3 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Annotated Bibliography Assignment
You will be submitting an Annotated Bibliography to the dropbox.
Here are some rules you will want to follow when creating your annotated
bibliographies:
Follow MLA formatting when citing the source.
Annotate in paragraph form.
Include a summary, assessment, and reflection:
*Explain the main purpose of the work
*Briefly describe the contents
*Comment on things you find interesting about the source
*Reflect on its usefulness as it relates to your research
You may use quotes from the article, but your entire annotation cannot just be quotes.
Put annotations in alphabetical order by author’s last name.
To view a sample annotated bibliography, check out the example in the sidebar. Since you are required to have
at least five sources, you will have five annotated bibliographies. When you have completed all five annotated
bibliographies, please submit them to the dropbox.
The Outline
Once you find all of the sources you
want to use in your paper, you can
start working on the writing process.
The first step is to create an outline. If you create a
detailed outline, it will be much easier to actually
write the paper.
The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is a
great resource to utilize. If you need further help
with your outline, check out their website in the
sidebar.
The main thing you want to remember when creating
an outline is to be as specific and detailed as
possible. Start off creating your thesis statement.
What is the main idea of your entire paper? Then,
you need to consider the main ideas of your body
paragraphs. These main ideas will be the Roman
numerals of your outline. The points you list under
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
4 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
each Roman numeral should be the specific research you have found that will support not only your ideas, but
your topic as well.
Once you have a completed outline, submit it to the dropbox.
The Rough Draft
Now that your thoughts are organized in an outline, you can take that outline and use it to write
the first draft of your research paper. You still want to include the major parts of an essay in a research paper:
introduction, body, and conclusion.
However, the majority of your body paragraphs will consist of
paraphrased information you have researched. It is
appropriate to include your own ideas as well though. You
want to share your opinions about the research in your paper.
Just remember to write in third person only. It is not
appropriate to use first person on this kind of research
assignment. You can state your opinions as facts to
eliminate first person. For example, if I have researched
fashion in the 1970s, I might say: Fashion styles in the
1970s were too revealing because of the short skirts and low cut tops. This statement is my opinion but is still
written in third person.
Your rough draft should be 3-5 pages in length, and you want to ensure that you have cited everything properly
before submitting it to the dropbox.
Revising and Editing
Your teacher or another peer will provide you with feedback on your rough draft. Either way, you need to make
sure your rough draft includes all of the required elements of the essay. The revising/editing stage is one that
many students overlook or skip altogether, and it is probably the most important step. When you receive the
feedback from either your teacher or another peer, you want to go back and apply the feedback to your essay. It
is also a good idea to read your paper aloud; this will help you eliminate awkwardly worded sentences and will
help you catch other grammatical mistakes you may have overlooked. There is an editing guide in the sidebar
to assist you with this step.
Final Draft
After you have proofread your essay several times, you can now write the final draft. Go back
through the research paper requirements, and make sure you have included everything you were
supposed to. Check one more time that all of your research is cited correctly. You should have
at least one parenthetical citation per paragraph.
If you feel like you have a strong research paper, go ahead and submit it to the dropbox.
Discussion – Research Process
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
5 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
Please share with your classmates something that you learned about the research process. In
addition, share something interesting you learned about your research topic.
Click on the Discussions tab at the top of your toolbar to compose a response. Remember you
must make a substantial initial post, and respond to at least two of your classmates.
American Literature and Composition http://cms.gavirtualschool.org/DEV13/LanguageArts/AmericanLit_EO…
6 of 6 3/15/2017 10:25 PM
