This file includes the following documents: #1- Explanation of what a Research Paper is about: 8 page paper that is based on the answer to a question. The students are required to read through the directions, then read through 50 dynamic, interesting questions and highlight 5 that seem interesting to them. The topics range from changing the draft age, to mandatory recycling, to the transition from pagan celebrations into Christian holidays. These are not your typical Research topics! Once students highlight five, they are asked to write down their top three and turn in the sheet to the teacher who chooses the best option for them. #2- Two different Initial organization worksheets including one for students who need a modified project. Students are asked to start to figure out what they are going to write about and more importantly, HOW they are going to prove their argument. They are asked to specify four or six sub-topics that they will be researching and identify where they think they need to search for information. After this part of the worksheet, the next section asks students to start researching and placing all their information, including works cited information on in one place. This helps students begin to see how the information they find will be placed under the different sub-topics. For visual learners, this is an excellent exercise. For students with ADHD, this keeps all their information in one place in order to reduce their "I forgot where I put it" tendencies. #3- Two different worksheets, one for modified so students will begin the process of sorting through the facts, opinions, quotes, and analysis of all three into a working "outline." I use this term lightly because I have taken the concept of an outline and made more of an abstract exercise. While I believe outlines are a good resource, they do not help students see the transition from notes into a written format. For students who have weaker writing skills or who are in the low to average range for writing, this transition can seem daunting and confusing. This worksheet helps them actively transition from one to the other. #4- This worksheet helps students begin the actual writing process. They have all of the facts by now and all of the quotes they want to include so this worksheet transitions them from a working outline to a written, sentence-based format. It asks leading questions so students see how to organize each paragraph and each topic. There is a Self-Evaluation and Research Project Survey included here as well as 4 different worksheets for teachers to run Progress Checks. There is a rubric for the final draft of the research paper as well. As a High School English teacher in a small school with students who need additional help or who have learning challenges, I have tried to create a process for writing a large research paper that not only helps them, but also doesn't overwhelm them at the same time. This has been tricky, but they have been very successful using this process! **If you like this product, please check out my other writing guides for students who need alternative ways to help them organize an write an effective, formal essay. Essay On How to Write and Format an Essay Five Paragraph Essay Organizer Peer Editing for a Five Paragraph Essay
