Rubric+and+directions+for+research+paper

Nonfiction hw﻿ Independent Research Paper—Eng. 121   Important: Please remember that this paper will only end up being three to five typed, double-spaced pages. Therefore, your topic must be narrow and focused. You may use both print and internet sources, but they MUST be cited properly. I expect that this, and all essays, follow MLA format (this will be explained to you in the Media Center on your first day of research). You will be given two class periods to research and write, but the rest is up to you. The font may only be Times New Roman or Arial and no larger than 12 points.
 * ** Expectations ** ||  ** 4 pts. ** ||  ** 3 pts. **  ||  ** 2 pts. **  ||  ** 1 pt. **  ||  ** 0 pts. **  ||
 * ** Conventions of English (spelling, grammar, punctuation) ** ||  For full points, there cannot be any spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. ||  You have missed some errors in spelling, grammar and/or punctuation (fewer than 5)  ||  You have have missed 5-10 errors in spelling, grammar and/or punctuation.  ||  You have missed 10-15 errors in spelling, grammar and/or punctuation.  ||  You have submitted a rough draft with more than 16 errors in the conventions of English.  ||
 * ** Thesis Statement/Topic of paper ** ||  Your thesis statement is clear, provable and appropriate to your topic. ||  Your thesis is broad and thus you can't prove it in the 3-5 pages assigned. You mostly stick to the topic, but occasionally stray.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your thesis cannot be proven with research; it is broad and you frequently stray from the topic.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> You do not have a thesis, but you do have a topic. You attempt to stay focused on this topic.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> You do not have a clear thesis or topic. Your paper is mostly opinion and strays from your original point frequently.  ||
 * <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;">** Facts ** || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your thesis is supported by researchable and cited facts from reliable sources. || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your thesis is mostly supported by researchable and cited facts, but you occasionally revert to pure opinion.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your paper contains some facts, but they don't always support your thesis. They are cited.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your paper contains facts, but they are not cited properly. These facts do not always support your thesis and may or may not be off topic.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your paper is a persuasive essay at best. You do not have any facts or they are not cited.  ||
 * <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;">** Fluency ** || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your writing is fluent, clear and sequential. || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Your writing is mostly fluent, clear and sequential.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> Grammar and punctuation problems affect clarity. Some of your paragraphs may be out of sequence.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> You lack fluency and clarity.  || <span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-element-anchor-horizontal: margin; mso-element-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-element-frame-hspace: 9.0pt; mso-element-top: 12.8pt; mso-element-wrap: around; mso-element: frame; mso-height-rule: exactly;"> You have submitted a rough draft which prevents clarity and fluency. You bounce around from topic to topic.  ||