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!
