You will prepare a short research paper (1-3 pages) on the Titanic.  Because we are short on time, the necessary sources (articles, books, web sites, etc.) and an outline that indicates what you should include will be given to you.  As you prepare your final paper, be aware that it should meet the following criteria: 

1.   Your research paper is based on a thesis.  A thesis is a statement that indicates what you have set out to prove through your research and in your paper. You will be assigned one of two different thesis statements related to the Titanic.

 2.   You must use at least 4 of the sources (books, web sites, encyclopedia articles and/or database articles, etc.) that you have been given related to your thesis. 

 3.   Your paper will consist of 6 paragraphs.  You should have a brief introductory paragraph, 4 body paragraphs with facts from your sources that support your thesis, and a brief conclusion paragraph. Your outline shows you how this should be structured.   

 4.   Before typing, you will take notes on the given outline. Skim the sources that have been given to you to find the necessary information. Make sure facts and ideas from sources are put into your own words and that you understand what you are writing.  Also be sure to keep track of where you find the information. You must include one direct quotation so be sure you put it within quotation marks and use the source’s exact words.

 5.   In your paper, you must give credit to your sources within your paragraphs in the form of parenthetical references.  These are short notations inside parenthesis that tell the reader where you found the facts you chose to use in your paper.  Use the first word from the Works Cited page for that source (author’s last name or title if there is no author).  Also be sure to include page numbers if your source is a book. 

 6.   The final page of your paper will be a Works Cited page.  This is an alphabetical list of all sources referenced within your paper.  Each source entry must include the required information and be properly formatted as illustrated on pages 3 –13 in your MLA Guide.  Make any changes noted on the initial draft of your Works Cited page and delete any sources you chose not to use.  Attach this as the last page of your draft and number it accordingly.

 7.   Your entire paper must be prepared according to MLA style.  This means all text must be Times New Roman 12 pt and double-spaced.  You must also include the required 4-line header on the first page as well as a running header consisting of your last name and page number on top of every page.  Refer to the sample paper in your MLA Guide or the one distributed in class to see what this all looks like if necessary.

 8.   Do your best to write grammatically correct sentences, use proper spelling and punctuation and consider how sentences and paragraphs flow from one to the next.  Use spell check and proofread your paper before turning it in.  These things are always important, but since this project is about your understanding of the research process and MLA style, these will not be a large part of your grade for this paper.