Biography research project

Hi all,
As you know, we are beginning our biography research project. I am pasting the overview and timeline here. I would suggest starting interviews now! Remember to record your conversations.In addition, I'll post important document here as well at the top of the post.

Guidelines and suggestions for Interview Questions

MLA Resources

Mentor texts:
New Yorker profile of Taylor Swift
New Yorker profile of Manny Ramirez
Sports Illustrated profile of LeBron James
Guimond mentor text  


Overview

I know you have felt a certain void in your life this year and have wondered what it could be. Rest assured, the answer is at hand: a meaty research project to get you ready for the rigor of next year’s standards. I believe this project will be fun and engaging if, like Einstein, you become passionately curious in the investigation of the life you have chosen to know more about. That curiosity will be the foundation and you will use a variety of research skills to collect the data needed for the project. Your goal is to create a rich and complex narrative about your subject. There are many ways to do this and we’ll discuss strategies for success as we move through this project. This work will accomplish a few objectives taken from the Common Core Standards, which establishes skills necessary to be college and career ready:

1.  Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources; assess the strengths and limitations of each source; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

2. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome.

3. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Length:                                            12-15 typed pages, exclusive of cover and bibliography. These are minimums and maximums. The length in words is approximately 4800-7500. (use a font and line spacing which allows 400 words/page).

Subject:                                           May be living or recently deceased, may be any age, must be susceptible to a variety of kinds of research, must agree to be the subject (authorized).

Research:                                         Almost entirely primary, i.e. interviews, letters, oral histories. Some secondary research is acceptable when applicable, especially newspaper and magazine articles about the time period. Photos, clippings, etc. are encouraged. It is expected that every biography will have an extensive appendix, including transcripts (or notes) of interviews, letters, photos not included in the text, etc.

Sources:                                          Total of five sources are needed. Minimum of three people, including primary subject. At least two secondary source is recommended.

Initial Concerns:                            Family, extended family, education, town or city, religion/philosophy, career experiences, leisure activities, achievements, growth, changes, and challenges

Theme of a Life:                            Those conclusions, inductively ascertained, that give unity to the biography.

Description and Anecdote:            All should serve to reveal character. For a good guide to biographical profiles, check any recent edition of The New Yorker, which consistently presents the type of writing that I'd like you to emulate.

TIMELINE:

            DATE                                          TASK

            Monday, December 10                Selected your subject and received permission.

            Monday, December 17                Drafted a set of questions for primary source

            Friday, January 4                         Sent letters/emails of inquiry to secondary sources

            Block day, January 30/31             Conducted at least two interviews (audio recordings and transcript
            Friday, February 8                       Completed interviews (audio recordings and transcripts)

            Friday, February 22                     Researched newspapers and other sources; took notes

            Wed/Thurs March 6/7                  Formulated general “themes” of life; written at least one page of ideas

            Friday, March 15                         Researched newspapers and other sources; took notes                       

           Tuesday, April 23                          Written outline and two pages typed of draft                        

           Tuesday, April 29                          Rough draft due

           Friday, May 10                       Final draft due

!

            Note: The key to success is staying on top of the timeline, asking for help when you need it and being willing to put in the time it takes to finish with a final product of which you can be proud!