1. Prince William County School’s 11 th Grade Research Paper

2. Thesis Statements Thesis Statements are: Complete sentences A statement of topic and a comment on that topic Thesis statements are NOT: Titles Phrases Statements of fact

3. Useful Definitions Topic: the subject matter of a conversation or discussion Comment: a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief ***Three-prong Thesis Statement: A thesis statement that lists the three subtopics you will discuss in your research paper. ***If you choose not to do a 3 pronged thesis, you will still need a “Because” statement.

4. In a good thesis statement you can place a back-slash (/) between where the topic ends and the comment on the topic begins. Teachers / should earn more money because of the hours they work, their responsibilities, and their contributions to the community. Topic of the paper My comment on the topic This is an example of a Three-prong Thesis Statement Indicates an opinion is about to be shared

5. Samples from your last year’s topics Do political leaders usually act in the best interest of their countries? Political leaders usually do act in the best interest of their countries because they enforce laws that are beneficial to the masses, they communicate with other leaders to ensure peace among nations, and they create new policies that will assist their whole country. If a political leader has done something wrong, is all right to get rid of him or her by whatever means necessary? It is not okay to get rid of political leaders when they have done something “wrong” because the definition of “wrong” is subjective and people may not know the reasons and rational the was behind the action. Is the following statement true: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”? While it is true that power does corrupt some leaders, absolute power may not always absolutely corrupt because some people in power have a strong moral compass and act in the best interests of the people.

6. Samples from your last year’s topics In certain situations is it justified for a political leader to bend or break the law for the good of the country? It is never justified for a political leader to bend the laws because the laws were created for a reason, it will set a bad example for the citizens, and it will cause other countries to mock them. Should common people play an important role in politics? Common people should not play an important role in politics because they are fickle, they are ignorant, and they are selfish. Should women have more roles and responsibilities in politics? Women should have more a role in politics because they are an untapped resource in most countries

7. Step 1: Write a thesis statement for each of the topics listed below. 1.School uniforms 2.Sleep deprivation in teenagers 3.Weighted Advanced Placement courses 4.Cost of college 5.Professional athlete’s salaries

8. Step 2: Place a back slash (/) between the topic and the comment.

9. Prince William County School’s 11 th Grade Research Paper

10. What is an Outline?  An Outline organizes information and thoughts in order to prepare the writer for the first rough draft.  It is useful for quick note taking or as a preliminary outline for a research paper.

11. Guidelines to Remember! Remember the following guidelines for all types of outlines. 1.Center the title of the piece of writing at the top of the outline. 2.The thesis statement should be a complete sentence, left justified, beneath the title. 3.Arrange numbers and letters in the following order, from main point to most specific subpoint: I., A.,1.,a.,(1), (a). 4.Begin each entry in the outline with a capital letter. 5.At the end of each Concrete Detail place the parenthetical citation for the source.

12. Sample Outline No Teacher Left Behind Teachers should earn more money based on the additional hours they work, their responsibilities, and their contribution to the community. I. Hours they work A. “Teachers are often required to chaperone after school Activities” (Florer). 1. If teachers are going to be required to attend after school activities they should be compensated. 2. Educators are expected to spend time away from their families in order to care for other people’s children; all without pay. B. Upwards of 15 hours a week are spent at home, preparing lessons and grading assignments (McBain 12). 1. Unlike other jobs, teachers have to take home work. 2. Responsible educators should be paid for the numerous hours worth of work they take home with them. II. Additional responsibilities A. Teachers have to attend parent conferences on a regular basis (Hackett). 1. If schools demand teachers take time to meet with parents they should be paid over time. 2. Other professions have over time policies built into contracts, whereas teachers do not. B. Conferences can sometimes keep teachers away from home for days and require them to pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket (“Paying Teachers”). 1. If a school system wants to ensure their teachers are meeting professional standards they should pay for the time spent away from home and any associated costs. 2. These costly professional development requirements ultimately benefit the students. III. Contributions to the community A. “A teacher’s influence lasts forever” (Aristotle). 1. Only future generations will suffer if teachers are not paid what they are worth and have to leave the profession in search of raises and respect. 2. Some of the wisest most influential people in history knew that teachers were the key to future success. B. Teachers improve communities with their very presence (Edwards). 3-Prong Thesis Statement Title of Paper 1 st subtopic 2 nd subtopic 3 rd subtopic There can be no “A” without a “B”! Subtopics must appear in the same order throughout the paper as they do in the thesis statement!

13. Some things to remember Background paragraph may or may not be included on the outline. The Roman Numerals should either be a prong from your thesis or a subtopic that DIRECTLY argues your thesis. –Three Prongs I.The laws were created for a reason, II.It will set a bad example for the citizens, III.It will cause other countries to mock them. –Not three prongs- I.Women are used to multi-tasking and can make decisions quickly and efficiently II.Women often see things in a different manner from men and can create new innovative ideas. III.Women represent half the public and should have their voices heard.

14. Some things to remember A’s and B’s should be your concrete details, with a parenthetical citation. –You should play around with using lead-ins and embedding your quotations. –Make sure to provide context for you CD. 1s and 2s should be commentary that ties your concrete detail back to your main argument. Evidence should come from your sources, which should include a text we have read this year.

15. Counter Argument Counter-argument in an essay has two stages: you turn against your argument to challenge it (CA) and then you turn back to re-affirm it (CCA) These will either be incorporated into your support paragraphs, or they will be a separate section/paragraph.

16. CA/CCA Making concessions and acknowledging the other side of the argument is your counterargument (CA). Identify the other valid opinions on the subject. –Even though, granted –One cannot argue with, One can admit, while it is true that –Admittedly, critics are right, it is possible SAMPLE: It’s possible that some teenagers could misuse the net and use it to cheat. The counter-counter argument (CCA) is your rebuttal to the CA. You have acknowledged the side of the argument, but you are showing how your side is still stronger. SAMPLE: Those students are a small minority on campus, however, and schools shouldn’t penalize those who want to learn.

17. How do We Get 3-5 Pages? Each subtopic in your research paper should be between 3 and 4 paragraphs I Hours-1 paragraph A. Grading – 1 paragraph B. Sponsoring clubs – 1 paragraph C. Lesson planning – 1 paragraph II Responsibilities 1 paragraph A. Parent conferences – 1 paragraph B. Professional Development – 1 paragraph C. Tutoring – 1 paragraph III Contributions to Community 1 paragraph A. influencing youth – 1 paragraph B. preparing students for college and work – 1 paragraph C. teaching citizenship – 1 paragraph = 12 paragraphs

18. Practice with Topic Outlines The outline on the left has not been completed correctly. What needs to be changed in order for it to be a genuine Topic Outline? Birth Order and Personality Does birth order effect a child’s personality? 1.middle child a. lonely b. rebellious II. youngest child 1. spoiled i. immature 3. Oldest Child A. Mature Birth Order and Personality Birth order can affect a child’s personality. I. Oldest child A. Can be more mature B. Stricter rules II. Middle child A. Can feel lonely B. May act out or be rebellious III. Youngest child A. Rules are more loosely followed B. Spoiled C. Immature

19. Outlines There can be no “A” without a “B” “As” and “Bs” should be concrete details 2:1 ratio – for every CD there should be 2 COMMS Your thesis statement should be at the top of the page For more information, visit your Research Paper Handbook, pages 38-39

20. Your Topic Outline Must Be… Typed Double-spaced 1” margins Student # and page # in upper-right corner 12pt font / Times or Courier You must have at least 2 parenthetical citations per subtopic