Very Short Research Project
This is a short project which
stresses skills in research, writing and/or presenting.
Accomplish as many as possible
of the following research goals.
- Find resources such as internet, encyclopedias,
broad studies or textbooks, etc. as well as more narrowly focused works.
- Take a book out of the library with at least one
paragraph relevant to the subject, which uses footnotes, endnotes or
- Track a footnote or footnotes in this book.
- Find other resources independent of this book.
- Use a reference librarian to help you find
- Use a reference database from the library.
- Find articles either with a database or with a
program like JSTOR at the library.
- The same but do it “remotely” – as an
authenticated user of library resources but not at the library.
- Find primary sources.
- Find and cite assessments of the importance of
your subject—by the author of the book you checked out, or by others, or a
review of your book, or references to it which assess its value.
More precise details may be
given in class.
I am not interested in a
broad project: practicing the research goals is more important than the written
paper. Be prepared for oral discussion of both your topic and research issues.
- Write this up in 200-600 words. Use any system of
references--footnotes, inline, endnotes; MLA, History or any other
style--but use them correctly and intelligently. You must include at least
two footnotes, endnotes or inline references,
- prepare a single page resource suitable to be a
handout or to be projected on the computer screen with: a) an image (jpg); b) a title; c)
a subtitle or slogan which gives the main importance of the person,
concept or event; d) date or dates (birth and death if it is a person); 3-5
main points or “career highlights”; 2-4 key bibliographic or website
references (give full URL).
One way to do this is to make
up the resource sheet before you write up the paper, as the paper should
be organized ONLY to support the few details you put on the resource sheet. The
idea is to focus on whatever you decide is the main theme.