Essay Writing - The Historical Research Term Paper: This, That, & the Other

🥸 What in the world is an argumentative research paper?! 

An argumentative research paper is harder than researching a topic and presenting findings, which is typical of lower-level research essays. In this class, students learn to research an event and then develop an argument about the significance of that event, based on the facts. They learn to follow the facts and present their findings in an argumentative research essay. Students begin by learning the steps of research: how to get organized, ask research questions, search smart to find resources online, read informational texts, and take notes so that they avoid plagiarism. Then they learn to synthesize it all together into a research essay with an annotated bibliography page. This class includes workshop time, which we have found increases student success in writing the paper. 

This is a multi-week, intensive writing class. Students will learn to write coherent, organized, and effective argumentative essays, which is a difficult--but critical--skill. 

📝 CLASS SYLLABUS: 
Day 1: AN INTRO TO HISTORICAL RESEARCH–Students will learn how to get organized for historical research. Students will learn the difference between primary/secondary/tertiary sources. Teachers give students a list of topics, and they can choose what they want to study. They can come up with their own ideas as well, but their teacher must approve their topic, so they will have success and be able to finish their essay without weeks of research. This is an introduction to historical research so that they learn the process. We start with an informational text to build some background knowledge. After reading their first article, they start to ask research questions that guide their efforts.

Day 2: HISTORICAL RESEARCH & NOTE TAKING–Students learn how to choose a reliable source and how to explore their topic further, answering basic questions about their topic. This includes how to search smart and how to evaluate sources for bias and reliability. During class time, students will find two more sources. Then, they will learn reading strategies and tips on how to read their sources while taking notes. Avoiding plagiarism, they will take effective notes, cite sources, and paraphrase their information. They will work to decipher what information is important. We devoted some class time to independent reading and note-taking, so the instructor can guide students to make sure they are on track, reading well, and taking quality notes. Students also learn how to write an annotated bibliography and how to do this as they progress with their research.

Day 3: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 4: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 5: HISTORICAL CONTEXT–Students will research the important people involved with the topic, create maps, and construct a timeline. Students understand what historical context is and begin studying the historical context of their topic using accurate and appropriate references to the time period by specifying the political, economic, social, and cultural influences—events, ideas, people, places, and objects. They gain a historical perspective and begin to think about the causes and consequences of an event or the relationship of a local topic to a larger trend or event. They write a body paragraph about the historical context.

Day 6: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 7: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION–This is when students begin asking and answering “why?” and “how?” questions on their topic to think deeper and discover more. Students will explore the historical impact on a deeper level and write the rest of the essay. They will research and communicate answers to these questions: How did your event impact history over time? Why is this event important in history? Third, they will begin to develop their historical thesis statement. Students will write multiple body paragraphs that support their thesis.

Day 8: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 9: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 10: DEEP RESEARCH— The instructor teaches the importance of doing balanced research, where they look at all sides of an issue to understand other opinions, points of view, and controversies. For example, they will ask questions such as: who suffered? Who benefited? What about women? Children? Men? People from other racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups? What about people in other geographical areas, those with different values and motivations? They will choose the strongest point of view and then write a paper countering those arguments. They will begin to answer their research questions. Students write a paragraph about what they discovered in their balanced research.

Day 11: Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 12 Workshop Day so students have their instructor to guide them along in the hard work of research.

Day 13: Students learn how to write the introduction & conclusion, and they do it in class with teacher guidance and support.

Day 14: Last, they learn to create a separate annotated bibliography page and how to revise and edit their entire essay. For homework, they fine-tune their essay and turn them in for final teacher feedback.

🐎 PRE-REQUISITES: 
Students should know how to write a 5-paragraph essay and understand how to elaborate on the main ideas. Three classes for building these skills are: 
𝗔. 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: https://outschool.com/classes/foundations-of-essay-writing-build-the-skills-necessary-for-high-school-writing-UoXwOiP9?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
OR 
𝗕. 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀: https://outschool.com/classes/essay-essentials-flex-build-the-skills-necessary-for-high-school-writing-SumsZ8ml?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
OR
𝗖. 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟵𝟭𝟭 (𝟭𝘅 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻):https://outschool.com/classes/essay-writing-911-ongoing-essay-writing-practice-with-feedback-and-support-PRZGSHHn?sectionUid=329fedbf-d23d-4da8-b83c-0b759a32415e&usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link


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𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨-𝘼𝙞𝙙 𝙒𝙖𝙮:

This class is part of a series that prepares students to do dual enrollment college classes or are entering college. The series gets progressively more difficult and are scheduled in order. You can still jump in whenever you'd like! Completing all of these classes, which takes about 6-7 months will cover all necessary high school writing! They make up a complete high school writing plan.
1️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝟱 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀/𝟭𝟬 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀)
𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦: https://outschool.com/classes/foundations-of-essay-writing-build-the-skills-necessary-for-high-school-writing-UoXwOiP9?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥: https://outschool.com/classes/essay-essentials-flex-build-the-skills-necessary-for-high-school-writing-SumsZ8ml?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
2️⃣ 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟵𝟭𝟭 (𝟭𝘅 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)
This is an inexpensive way for students to practice the skills they learned in the last class and get consistent teacher feedback
Live: https://outschool.com/classes/essay-writing-911-ongoing-essay-writing-practice-with-feedback-and-support-PRZGSHHn?sectionUid=329fedbf-d23d-4da8-b83c-0b759a32415e&usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
3️⃣ 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 (𝟯 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀/𝟲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀)
Live: https://outschool.com/classes/pen-to-paper-essential-high-school-writing-the-literary-analysis-essay-Rx0cRQE5?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
4️⃣ 𝗔𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝟱 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀/𝟭𝟬 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀)
Live: https://outschool.com/classes/assert-reason-and-counter-essential-high-school-writing-the-argumentative-essay-xTL0qcUm?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
5️⃣ 𝗔𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 / 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 (𝟳 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀/𝟭𝟰 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀)
Live: https://outschool.com/classes/this-that-and-the-other-essential-high-school-writing-the-historical-research-essay-8ShTiXMG?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
6️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘆 (𝟰 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀)
Live: https://outschool.com/classes/college-application-essays-a-writing-workshop-to-complete-your-college-essay-swgVVYSv?usid=0BAnv5zn&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
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