U.S. HISTORY – SEMESTER 1 RESEARCH Important Figures from the Progressive Era ONE: Choose a Topic 1. Use the list of names to choose a few people to investigate. 2. Go to www.broncolib.com and click on Databases. 3. Click on Biography in Context (password = broncos). 4. Enter each person’s name as a search term. 5. Skim through the overview at the top of the page of results (or one of the biographies) to get a sense of who this person was and why s/he is historically significant. (Click View More to see the rest of the overview.) 6. Choose the person who seems most interesting to you and write her/his name below: TOPIC:

TWO: Set a Purpose MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION:

Why does this person deserve a place in history? NOTE: You will be ARGUING why this person is historically significant. As you conduct your research, remember that you will be developing and supporting a main argument/claim and supporting reasons/claims.

Use FOCAL POINTs. A focal point:  is a sub-topic RELATED to your main research question.  helps you find RELEVANT information as you do your research. Use the FOCAL POINTS below to direct your FOCUS for the following steps in your research. A. Motivation: What motivated this person? B. Preparation: How did this person’s…  Background  Education  Work  Sacrifices and/or  Life experiences …shape his/her accomplishments and contributions to the history of the United States? C. Accomplishments and Contributions:  What did this person DO that is historically important?  What did this person contribute to the United States?  Why do this person’s accomplishments and contributions matter?

THREE: Locate and Select Resources Use the library databases to FIND, READ, and SELECT a variety of credible, relevant RESOURCES on your chosen person. a. Go to www.broncolib.com. b. Click on Databases. c. Click on Biography in Context. Password = broncos (You may also use Student Resources in Context.) d. Search for your person. e. Remember to look at various types of sources and use your search limiters. f. Download all selected sources to your Google Drive account. (Use Google Sign In at the top of the page. The database will create a folder for you in Google Drive.) SOURCE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Select a minimum of 5 sources and complete a row on your Source Selection form for each one. 2. Within your 5 selected sources, you must have: a. 2 biographies or reference articles (in print or from the databases) b. 1 other type of resource from the database: news or magazine article, primary source, academic journal, etc. c. 1 website selected by the database (If your person has no selected websites, please see the librarian for assistance.)

FOUR: Create a References List Use EasyBib.com to create a BIBLIOGRAPHY (and references list) of the sources you choose. 1. Log in to your EasyBib account (or create one). 2. Under your name (upper right corner), click on Settings, then Manage Coupon Codes. Enter our code for this year: cngr2015. 3. Click on My Projects (upper left corner). 4. Click New Project. 5. Fill in the Project Name (use your person’s name). 6. Change from MLA to APA. Click Create. 7. Click Bibliography (under the name of your project) to start citing your sources. CITE YOUR WEBSITE PAGES: 1. Make sure your Bibliography for your project is open in EasyBib. 2. You should be on the Website tab. 3. Copy and paste the URL for the web page you are citing into the Cite It box. 4. Click Cite It. 5. In the preview page, note what information is incorrect and what you will need to find. 6. Click Continue. 7. In the boxes, correct what is wrong and fill in what is missing (if the information is available). 8. Click Create Citation.

CITE YOUR SOURCES FROM Biography in Context or Student Resources in Context: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Have your EasyBib bibliography for this project open on a separate tab. Open Google Drive and then open the first document you saved. Find the GALE Document Number at the bottom. Copy it. Open a tab for Biography in Context or Student Resources in Context and log in. (Make sure you open the database where you found the document. Check the folder name in your Google Drive or the source citation to figure this out.) 5. Click Advanced. 6. Paste the GALE Document Number into the Search For box. 7. Use the menu on the right to change from Keyword to Document Number. Click Search. 8. In the document, click Citation Tools. 9. In the pop-up box, change the tab from MLA 7th to APA 6th. 10. Under Export, click EasyBib. Your citation has now been added to your bibliography. Follow steps 1-10 to add your next resource from the databases.

FIVE: Take Good Notes Use EasyBib.com to create a minimum of 30 NOTECARDS from the sources. See the handout titled “What goes on a note card?” for detailed instructions. You should: a. Consider splitting Accomplishments/Contributions into TWO separate focal points with specific titles based on the actual accomplishments/contributions. Example for John Dewey: #1 – Philosophy/Theory of “Instrumentalism” #2 – Book: Democracy and Education b. Create at least 6 notecards per focal point. c. Use at least 2 different sources for each focal point.

SIX: Use Notes to Write Your Essay Using APA format in Google Drive, write a 3 - 4 page essay that answers the RESEARCH QUESTION: Why does this person deserve a place in history? Your essay must ARGUE why this person deserves to be remembered as a significant contributor to our country’s history. It should also: 1. Cite information from your notes (parenthetical citation). Use EasyBib’s “parenthetical” button under each resource in your bibliography to help you do this correctly! 2. Use at least three of your sources. 3. Discuss the three focal points – motivation, preparation, and accomplishments/contributions. Create an OUTLINE in EasyBib to organize your paper. (See additional handout for instructions.)

SEVEN: Submit Your Essay through Turnitin.com Create a Turnitin.com account, join your teacher’s class, and submit your paragraph through Turnitin.com. 1. Go to www.turnitin.com. 2. Click Create Account (upper right corner). 3. UNDER Create a User Profile, click STUDENT. 4. Use the Class ID and password given to you by your teacher to set up your account. For complete Turnitin Instructions (including how to submit your paper):  Go to www.broncolib.com  Click on Research and Citations  Find and open the PDF with a full set of instructions and diagrams for Turnitin.com.