RESEARCH
PAPER
Heroes and
Villains
By definition, a
hero is a man or woman admired for his/her achievements and noble qualities
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary). A villain, on the other hand, is a deliberate
scoundrel or criminal (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Important historical
figures are often placed into one of these categories, however, which
category they get placed in is largely determined by perspective. Historical
accounts describe persons in several ways, however, they often times
contradict each other. Stalin, for example, is seen as a villain by many
(for killing so many people), but is also seen as a hero (for modernizing
Russia). Your task is to select a historical figure from 1920-1960 and
determine whether he/she is a hero or a villain. You will need to research
this individual using both primary and secondary sources in order to make
your decision. Your decision should be based on an event or series of events
rather then the person’s entire life. This is not a biography!
You will need a thesis statement, as well as evidence to back it up. Below I
have listed several possibilities, however, if you have someone else you
would like to research, you may but you must check with me
first.
This paper should be
at least 3 pages in length, double spaced with one inch margins, and a 12
point font in Times New Roman. You should have at least 3 sources in your
paper, with at least one of them being a primary source. Only 2 of your 3
sources can be on the internet, one source has to be a book. Please note
that you will have a limited amount of class time to complete research
and/or writing, therefore you need to begin on this paper as soon as
possible. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! This paper is worth a total of 150 points!
There are several
requirements for this paper:
A.
Note Cards (15
points): The students are
to find research sources and put its content into their own words on note
cards. An example of how the note cards should be done is included in the
packet. These notes should be placed on index cards and will help students
when constructing their outline and paper.
B.
Outline (10 points):
After the students have done a sufficient amount of research, a preliminary
outline will be constructed with a thesis statement at the top of the page.
Use your note cards to help you construct the outline.
C.
Rough Draft (25
points): A rough draft of
the paper is to be prepared and brought to class for peer editing. The
edited copy of the rough draft is to be submitted with the final copy.
D.
Final Copy (100
points): The final copy of
the project is due January 5, 2007. These are the requirements for the final
copy:
- Thesis (10
points): The thesis must be
original (your own) and be backed up by evidence in your paper. Your
thesis should center on the point of the paper – whether your person is
a hero or villain.
- Evidence (40
points): The main text of
your paper should provide necessary evidence/support for your thesis.
- Parenthetical
Citations (10 Points):
These are to be made in the text of the paper. All of your sources
should be cited in the paper (author, pp. #). Note: Failure to
cite is plagiarism and will result in a 0.
- Introduction
and Concluding Paragraph (20 points):
Your opening paragraph should define a hero/villain and also include
your thesis statement. Your closing paragraph should be your final
judgment about your subject and should be tied with your thesis.
- Bibliography
Page (10 Points): Your
bibliography page should have at least 3 sources (yes you can use more),
with at least one being a book. One of the sources should be primary and
be cited within the paper.
- Mechanics (10
points) – Your paper should
use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.