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by Michelle Boyd Waters, M.Ed.
A Plethora Of Writing Examples For Middle School (& High School)
October 14, 2014 in Pedagogy
When I started my first job as a professional newspaper reporter (This job also served as an internship during my junior year in college — I just didn’t leave for about 6 years.), I quickly realized that all my experience, and all my years of journalism education had not been enough to help me write stories about drug busts, fatal car accidents and tornadoes. All the theoretical work I’d done, and all of the nifty little scholastic and collegiate stories I had done, did not prepare me for real world writing.
At that point, I had to find a solution quickly. After all, I had a deadline to meet, and it was only a few hours away.
One of my colleagues, who also served as a mentor, had the solution. She introduced me to the newspaper’s “morgue.” This was a room filled with filing cabinets in which we kept old — dead — stories arranged by reporter. Whenever I wasn’t’ sure how to write a story, all I had to do was check the morgue for similar stories. If I needed to write a story about a local drug bust, for example, I’d find another story on a similar incident, study its structure, and mentally create a formula in which to plugin the information I’d gathered.
Once I’d gained more experience, and had internalized the formula for that particular type of story, I felt free to branch out as the situation — and my training — warranted.
I do the same thing when I want to write a type of letter, brochure, or report that I’ve never written before.
This is what writing looks like in the real world.
Of course, if you’re a new teacher like me, there is one problem with providing mentor texts to my students: I have a dearth of middle school level writing sitting around in my file cabinets.
Fortunately, the Internet is full of sources, so I scoured the bowels of Google to find examples. I know how busy you are, so I’m sharing.
Expository writing examples for middle school
Below are several sources of expository writing samples for middle school students.
- The Write Source Expository Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Expository Essay Models
Finally, here is an article in the New York Times that will help you teach your students real-world expository writing skills .
Descriptive writing examples for middle school
- Descriptive Writing Samples from Novels
- Milwaukee Public Schools Descriptive Essay Samples (p. 137)
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Descriptive Essay Models
Narrative writing examples for middle school
- Writing Samples by Steve Peha (PDF)
- The Write Source Narrative Writing Samples
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Ideas and Organization)
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Sentence Fluency and Conventions)
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Voice and Word Choice)
- Oregon Department of Education High School Scored Narrative and Argumentative Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Narrative Essay Models
Argumentative/persuasive writing examples for middle school
- The Write Source Persuasive Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Persuasive Essay Models
Reflective writing examples for middle school
- Reflective essay examples from Lake Washington Girls Middle School
If you know of any other online writing example sources, please feel free to share them in the comments below.
Related topics: Argumentative Writing , Informative Writing , Mentor Texts , Narrative Writing
About the author
Michelle Boyd Waters, M.Ed.
I am a secondary English Language Arts teacher, a University of Oklahoma student working on my doctorate in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum with an concentration in English Education and co-Editor of the Oklahoma English Journal. I am constantly seeking ways to amplify students' voices and choices.
This is very, very helpful. Thank you for sharing!
As a new middle school teacher (coming from elementary) this was very helpful and encouraging.
Thank you very much for letting me know. I’m glad that I was able to help you!
Thank you! I’m glad I can help.
Your welcome
This is super helpful. Thank you!
These links are a fantastic help. Thank you!
This helped me BUNCHES! Thanks so much!
thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XD
These links are now dead 🙁
Thank you for notifying me! I have updated the post to include new (live!) links. Some of them are geared towards high school, but I think we can still use them as exemplars of what we want our students to aim for.
Comments are closed.
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- A Research Guide
- Research Paper Topics
30 Tips For Finding Great Research Paper Topics for Middle School
Useful information: What is research paper writing and how to format it?
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Scaffolding Methods for Research Paper Writing
- Resources & Preparation
- Instructional Plan
- Related Resources
Students will use scaffolding to research and organize information for writing a research paper. A research paper scaffold provides students with clear support for writing expository papers that include a question (problem), literature review, analysis, methodology for original research, results, conclusion, and references. Students examine informational text, use an inquiry-based approach, and practice genre-specific strategies for expository writing. Depending on the goals of the assignment, students may work collaboratively or as individuals. A student-written paper about color psychology provides an authentic model of a scaffold and the corresponding finished paper. The research paper scaffold is designed to be completed during seven or eight sessions over the course of four to six weeks.
Featured Resources
- Research Paper Scaffold : This handout guides students in researching and organizing the information they need for writing their research paper.
- Inquiry on the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection : Students use Internet search engines and Web analysis checklists to evaluate online resources then write annotations that explain how and why the resources will be valuable to the class.
From Theory to Practice
- Research paper scaffolding provides a temporary linguistic tool to assist students as they organize their expository writing. Scaffolding assists students in moving to levels of language performance they might be unable to obtain without this support.
- An instructional scaffold essentially changes the role of the teacher from that of giver of knowledge to leader in inquiry. This relationship encourages creative intelligence on the part of both teacher and student, which in turn may broaden the notion of literacy so as to include more learning styles.
- An instructional scaffold is useful for expository writing because of its basis in problem solving, ownership, appropriateness, support, collaboration, and internalization. It allows students to start where they are comfortable, and provides a genre-based structure for organizing creative ideas.
- In order for students to take ownership of knowledge, they must learn to rework raw information, use details and facts, and write.
- Teaching writing should involve direct, explicit comprehension instruction, effective instructional principles embedded in content, motivation and self-directed learning, and text-based collaborative learning to improve middle school and high school literacy.
Common Core Standards
This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.
State Standards
This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.
NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts
- 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
- 2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
- 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
- 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
- 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
- 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
- 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
- 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Materials and Technology
Computers with Internet access and printing capability
- Research Paper Scaffold
- Example Research Paper Scaffold
- Example Student Research Paper
- Internet Citation Checklist
- Research Paper Scoring Rubric
- Permission Form (optional)
Preparation
| 1. | Decide how you will schedule the seven or eight class sessions in the lesson to allow students time for independent research. You may wish to reserve one day each week as the “research project day.” The schedule should provide students time to plan ahead and collect materials for one section of the scaffold at a time, and allow you time to assess each section as students complete it, which is important as each section builds upon the previous one. |
| 2. | Make a copy for each student of the , the , the , the , and the . Also fill out and copy the if you will be getting parents’ permission for the research projects. |
| 3. | If necessary, reserve time in the computer lab for Sessions 2 and 8. Decide which citation website students will use to format reference citations (see Websites) and bookmark it on student computers. |
| 4. | Schedule time for research in the school media center or the computer lab between Sessions 2 and 3. |
Student Objectives
Students will
- Formulate a clear thesis that conveys a perspective on the subject of their research
- Practice research skills, including evaluation of sources, paraphrasing and summarizing relevant information, and citation of sources used
- Logically group and sequence ideas in expository writing
- Organize and display information on charts, maps, and graphs
Session 1: Research Question
| 1. | Distribute copies of the and , and read the model aloud with students. Briefly discuss how this research paper works to answer the question, The example helps students clearly see how a research question leads to a literature review, which in turn leads to analysis, original research, results, and conclusion. |
| 2. | Pass out copies of the . Explain to students that the procedures involved in writing a research paper follow in order, and each section of the scaffold builds upon the previous one. Briefly describe how each section will be completed during subsequent sessions. |
| 3. | Explain that in this session the students’ task is to formulate a research question and write it on the scaffold. The most important strategy in using this model is that students be allowed, within the assigned topic framework, to ask their research questions. Allowing students to choose their own questions gives them control over their own learning, so they are motivated to “solve the case,” to persevere even when the trail runs cold or the detective work seems unexciting. |
| 4. | Introduce the characteristics of a good research question. Explain that in a broad area such as political science, psychology, geography, or economics, a good question needs to focus on a particular controversy or perspective. Some examples include: Explain that students should take care not to formulate a research question so broad that it cannot be answered, or so narrow that it can be answered in a sentence or two. |
| 5. | Note that a good question always leads to more questions. Invite students to suggest additional questions resulting from the examples above and from the Example Research Paper Scaffold. |
| 6. | Emphasize that good research questions are open-ended. Open-ended questions can be solved in more than one way and, depending upon interpretation, often have more than one correct answer, such as the question, Closed questions have only one correct answer, such as, Open-ended questions are implicit and evaluative, while closed questions are explicit. Have students identify possible problems with these research questions |
| 7. | Instruct students to fill in the first section of the Research Paper Scaffold, the Research Question, before Session 2. This task can be completed in a subsequent class session or assigned as homework. Allowing a few days for students to refine and reflect upon their research question is best practice. Explain that the next section, the Hook, should be filled in at this time, as it will be completed using information from the literature search. |
You should approve students’ final research questions before Session 2. You may also wish to send home the Permission Form with students, to make parents aware of their child’s research topic and the project due dates.
Session 2: Literature Review—Search
Prior to this session, you may want to introduce or review Internet search techniques using the lesson Inquiry on the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection . You may also wish to consult with the school librarian regarding subscription databases designed specifically for student research, which may be available through the school or public library. Using these types of resources will help to ensure that students find relevant and appropriate information. Using Internet search engines such as Google can be overwhelming to beginning researchers.
| 1. | Introduce this session by explaining that students will collect five articles that help to answer their research question. Once they have printed out or photocopied the articles, they will use a highlighter to mark the sections in the articles that specifically address the research question. This strategy helps students focus on the research question rather than on all the other interesting—yet irrelevant—facts that they will find in the course of their research. |
| 2. | Point out that the five different articles may offer similar answers and evidence with regard to the research question, or they may differ. The final paper will be more interesting if it explores different perspectives. |
| 3. | Demonstrate the use of any relevant subscription databases that are available to students through the school, as well as any Web directories or kid-friendly search engines (such as ) that you would like them to use. |
| 4. | Remind students that their research question can provide the keywords for a targeted Internet search. The question should also give focus to the research—without the research question to anchor them, students may go off track. |
| 5. | Explain that information found in the articles may lead students to broaden their research question. A good literature review should be a way of opening doors to new ideas, not simply a search for the data that supports a preconceived notion. |
| 6. | Make students aware that their online search results may include abstracts, which are brief summaries of research articles. In many cases the full text of the articles is available only through subscription to a scholarly database. Provide examples of abstracts and scholarly articles so students can recognize that abstracts do not contain all the information found in the article, and should not be cited unless the full article has been read. |
| 7. | Emphasize that students need to find articles from at least five different reliable sources that provide “clues” to answering their research question. Internet articles need to be printed out, and articles from print sources need to be photocopied. Each article used on the Research Paper Scaffold needs to yield several relevant facts, so students may need to collect more than five articles to have adequate sources. |
| 8. | Remind students to gather complete reference information for each of their sources. They may wish to photocopy the title page of books where they find information, and print out the homepage or contact page of websites. |
| 9. | Allow students at least a week for research. Schedule time in the school media center or the computer lab so you can supervise and assist students as they search for relevant articles. Students can also complete their research as homework. |
Session 3: Literature Review—Notes
Students need to bring their articles to this session. For large classes, have students highlight relevant information (as described below) and submit the articles for assessment before beginning the session.
| 1. | Have students find the specific information in each article that helps answer their research question, and highlight the relevant passages. Check that students have correctly identified and marked relevant information before allowing them to proceed to the Literature Review section on the . |
| 2. | Instruct students to complete the Literature Review section of the Research Paper Scaffold, including the last name of the author and the publication date for each article (to prepare for using APA citation style). |
| 3. | Have students list the important facts they found in each article on the lines numbered 1–5, as shown on the . Additional facts can be listed on the back of the handout. Remind students that if they copy directly from a text they need to put the copied material in quotation marks and note the page number of the source. Students may need more research time following this session to find additional information relevant to their research question. |
| 4. | Explain that interesting facts that are not relevant for the literature review section can be listed in the section labeled Hook. All good writers, whether they are writing narrative, persuasive, or expository text, need to engage or “hook” the reader’s interest. Facts listed in the Hook section can be valuable for introducing the research paper. |
| 5. | Use the Example Research Paper Scaffold to illustrate how to fill in the first and last lines of the Literature Review entry, which represent topic and concluding sentences. These should be filled in only all the relevant facts from the source have been listed, to ensure that students are basing their research on facts that are found in the data, rather than making the facts fit a preconceived idea. |
| 6. | Check students’ scaffolds as they complete their first literature review entry, to make sure they are on track. Then have students complete the other four sections of the Literature Review Section in the same manner. |
Checking Literature Review entries on the same day is best practice, as it gives both you and the student time to plan and address any problems before proceeding. Note that in the finished product this literature review section will be about six paragraphs, so students need to gather enough facts to fit this format.
Session 4: Analysis
| 1. | Explain that in this session students will compare the information they have gathered from various sources to identify themes. |
| 2. | Explain the process of analysis using the . Show how making a numbered list of possible themes, drawn from the different perspectives proposed in the literature, can be useful for analysis. In the Example Research Paper Scaffold, there are four possible explanations given for the effects of color on mood. Remind students that they can refer to the for a model of how the analysis will be used in the final research paper. |
| 3. | Have students identify common themes and possible answers to their own research question by reviewing the topic and concluding sentences in their literature review. Students may identify only one main idea in each source, or they may find several. Instruct students to list the ideas and summarize their similarities and differences in the space provided for Analysis on the scaffold. |
| 4. | Check students’ Analysis section entries to make sure they have included theories that are consistent with their literature review. Return the Research Paper Scaffolds to students with comments and corrections. In the finished research paper, the analysis section will be about one paragraph. |
Session 5: Original Research
Students should design some form of original research appropriate to their topics, but they do not necessarily have to conduct the experiments or surveys they propose. Depending on the appropriateness of the original research proposals, the time involved, and the resources available, you may prefer to omit the actual research or use it as an extension activity.
| 1. | During this session, students formulate one or more possible answers to the research question (based upon their analysis) for possible testing. Invite students to consider and briefly discuss the following questions: |
| 2. | Explain the difference between and research. Quantitative methods involve the collection of numeric data, while qualitative methods focus primarily on the collection of observable data. Quantitative studies have large numbers of participants and produce a large collection of data (such as results from 100 people taking a 10-question survey). Qualitative methods involve few participants and rely upon the researcher to serve as a “reporter” who records direct observations of a specific population. Qualitative methods involve more detailed interviews and artifact collection. |
| 3. | Point out that each student’s research question and analysis will determine which method is more appropriate. Show how the research question in the Example Research Paper Scaffold goes beyond what is reported in a literature review and adds new information to what is already known. |
| 4. | Outline criteria for acceptable research studies, and explain that you will need to approve each student’s plan before the research is done. The following criteria should be included: ). |
| 5. | Inform students of the schedule for submitting their research plans for approval and completing their original research. Students need to conduct their tests and collect all data prior to Session 6. Normally it takes one day to complete research plans and one to two weeks to conduct the test. |
Session 6: Results (optional)
| 1. | If students have conducted original research, instruct them to report the results from their experiments or surveys. Quantitative results can be reported on a chart, graph, or table. Qualitative studies may include data in the form of pictures, artifacts, notes, and interviews. Study results can be displayed in any kind of visual medium, such as a poster, PowerPoint presentation, or brochure. |
| 2. | Check the Results section of the scaffold and any visuals provided for consistency, accuracy, and effectiveness. |
Session 7: Conclusion
| 1. | Explain that the Conclusion to the research paper is the student’s answer to the research question. This section may be one to two paragraphs. Remind students that it should include supporting facts from both the literature review and the test results (if applicable). |
| 2. | Encourage students to use the Conclusion section to point out discrepancies and similarities in their findings, and to propose further studies. Discuss the Conclusion section of the from the standpoint of these guidelines. |
| 3. | Check the Conclusion section after students have completed it, to see that it contains a logical summary and is consistent with the study results. |
Session 8: References and Writing Final Draft
| 1. | Show students how to create a reference list of cited material, using a model such as American Psychological Association (APA) style, on the Reference section of the scaffold. |
| 2. | Distribute copies of the and have students refer to the handout as they list their reference information in the Reference section of the scaffold. Check students’ entries as they are working to make sure they understand the format correctly. |
| 3. | Have students access the citation site you have bookmarked on their computers. Demonstrate how to use the template or follow the guidelines provided, and have students create and print out a reference list to attach to their final research paper. |
| 4. | Explain to students that they will now use the completed scaffold to write the final research paper using the following genre-specific strategies for expository writing: and (unless the research method was qualitative). |
| 5. | Distribute copies of the and go over the criteria so that students understand how their final written work will be evaluated. |
Student Assessment / Reflections
- Observe students’ participation in the initial stages of the Research Paper Scaffold and promptly address any errors or misconceptions about the research process.
- Observe students and provide feedback as they complete each section of the Research Paper Scaffold.
- Provide a safe environment where students will want to take risks in exploring ideas. During collaborative work, offer feedback and guidance to those who need encouragement or require assistance in learning cooperation and tolerance.
- Involve students in using the Research Paper Scoring Rubric for final evaluation of the research paper. Go over this rubric during Session 8, before they write their final drafts.
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Simple Guideline On How To Write A Research Paper For Middle School
As a middle school student writing a research paper there are a few key things you need to know. You need to pick a topic that suits your paper requirements. If you are writing a paper for an English class, you may not be able to get away with writing on the topic of economics, unless otherwise approves by your teacher. The topic you pick must be precise. You won't get very far if you pick a large topic for a small paper.
For example, writing a history research paper on the effects of slavery on the southern states is far too broad a topic, especially for a research paper that is between two and five pages. Instead, narrow down your topic to something a bit more manageable.
After you have your topic, you should follow these rules for writing the research paper:
- The first is writing a thesis statement. The thesis explains what your paper is about and what problem you are trying to answer. You want the thesis statement to be the last sentence of your introduction.
- The introduction is the first paragraph which gives the reader background. So if your topic relates to slavery then your introduction might include a sentence about what slavery was in America and how long it lasted.
- After the introduction you want the body of the research paper. The body should be three to five paragraphs based on your requirements. Each paragraph should have a specific point made followed by evidence to back up the point. That means you need to find three points to support your thesis statement. If, for example, your thesis is that cell phones should not be permitted in classrooms, each paragraph in your body should explain one point why not with evidence to back it up.
- And speaking of evidence, what is it really? Evidence is data or facts or quotes from professionals that you include to support your statement. If you claim that teenagers cheat with their cell phones in class, you should find a quote or statistic related to the number of students who cheat.
Once you are done you need to conclude your paper with the concluding paragraph. This paragraph is where you mention your thesis statement again in a different way and mention your main reasons again. By using these tips you will be well on your way to completing a great research paper for whichever class you are in.
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Sample mla research paper middle school
All 'For All Subject Areas'. Avoid including moa middle initial even if it is present in the works-cited-list entry. Use the first schoool and surname of how to write the research paper for science fair authors if you are mentioning the work for sample mla research paper middle school middlee time in the prose. Cultural Activities. Manage every step of the research paper online. Shambhala Publications, Students are directly taught everything, including How to Find Reliable sources, how to correctly format and cite Direct Quotes, Paraphrases, Summaries, and the Works Cited page, and the paper. I use these PowerPoint for my students who are writing a research paper, some for the first time. A special thanks also to Howard Anton [1], from whose book many of the examples used in this sample research paper have I hope that this saves you. Amazing bundle to help kick start your research writing unit — clear, easy-to-read directions and adaptable documents to best suit your needs for an MLA format paper. These resources take you step-by-step through the most difficult parts of research papers: How to write a thesis, the basic structure of a five paragraph essay, how to create and use in-text citations, and how to create a works cited page!!! Basic Principles. Perfect for students who need lots of support understanding how to organize and plan their research. Click on a star to rate it! HandoutsPowerPoint PresentationsResearch. This comprehensive resource includes instructions and examples for completing every component of the research project: accessing legitimate sources, conducting preliminary reading to choose a subject, creating a thesis statement, locating information and completing note cards, organizing and outlining, composing, documenting with in-text citations and a Works Cited list, and editing drafts. Asian Studies.
Sample Essays: Writing with MLA Style
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If your institution subscribes to MLA Handbook Plus , you can access annotated versions of the essays published from 2022 to 2024.
Writing with MLA Style: 2024 Edition
The following essays were selected for the 2024 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The selection committee for high school submissions was composed of Lisa Karakaya, Hunter College High School; and Heather Smith, Dedham Public Schools. The selection committee for postsecondary submissions was composed of Rachel Ihara, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York; Tarshia L. Stanley, Wagner College; and Joyce MacDonald, University of Kentucky.
High School Essays
Miguel Kumar (Ransom Everglades School)
“McCarthyism at the Movies: The Effects of Hollywood McCarthyism on the American Public”
Catherine Mao (Hunter College High School)
“ Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder, and the Beholder Is a White Man: The 1875 Page Act, Eugenics, and Beauty Standards for Chinese Women versus American Women ”
Undergraduate Essays
Rachelle Dumayas (California State University, Sacramento)
“Should Deaf Children Get Cochlear Implants?”
Holly Nelson (Johns Hopkins University)
“Creating Space? Representations of Black Characters in Regency Romance”
Chloe Wiitala (University of Minnesota, Duluth)
“ Reanimating Queer Perspectives through Camp: A Study of Frankenstein and Its Parodic Film Adaptations ”
Writing with MLA Style: 2023 Edition
The following essays were selected for the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2023 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut (chair); Rachel Ihara, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York; and Tarshia L. Stanley, Wagner College.
Caroline Anderson (Pepperdine University)
“ L’Appel du Vide : Making Spaces for Sinful Exploration in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ”
Hunter Daniels (University of South Carolina, Aiken)
“Biblical Legalism and Cultural Misogyny in The Tragedy of Mariam ”
Aspen English (Southern Utah University)
“Putting the ‘Comm’ in Comics: A Communication-Theory-Informed Reading of Graphic Narratives”
Raul Martin (Lamar University)
“The Book-Object Binary: Access and Sustainability in the Academic Library”
Grace Quasebarth (Salve Regina University)
“Finding a Voice: The Loss of Machismo Criticisms through Translation in Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits ”
Writing with MLA Style: 2022 Edition
The following essays were selected for the 2022 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2022 selection committee was composed of Ellen C. Carillo, University of Connecticut; Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware (chair); and Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago.
Kaile Chu (New York University, Shanghai)
“Miles Apart: An Investigation into Dedicated Online Communities’ Impact on Cultural Bias”
Sietse Hagen (University of Groningen)
“The Significance of Fiction in the Debate on Dehumanizing Media Portrayals of Refugees”
Klara Ismail (University of Exeter)
“Queering the Duchess: Exploring the Body of the Female Homosexual in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi ”
Yasmin Mendoza (Whittier College)
“Banning without Bans”
Niki Nassiri (Stony Brook University)
“Modern-Day US Institutions and Slavery in the Twenty-First Century”
Samantha Wilber (Palm Beach Atlantic University)
“‘Pero, tu no eres facil’: The Poet X as Multicultural Bildungsroman”
Writing with MLA Style: 2019 Edition
The following essays were selected for the 2019 edition of Writing with MLA Style. The 2019 selection committee was composed of Jessica Edwards, University of Delaware; Deborah H. Holdstein, Columbia College Chicago (chair); and Liana Silva, César E. Chavez High School, Houston, Texas.
Catherine Charlton (University of King’s College, Nova Scotia)
“‘Coal Is in My Blood’: Public and Private Representations of Community Identity in Springhill, Nova Scotia”
Alyiah Gonzales (California Polytechnic State University)
“Disrupting White Normativity in Langston Hughes’s ‘I, Too’ and Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’”
Meg Matthias (Miami University, Ohio)
“Prescriptions of (Living) Historical Happiness: Gendered Performance and Racial Comfort in Reenactment”
Jennifer Nguyen (Chaminade University of Honolulu)
“The Vietnam War, the American War: Literature, Film, and Popular Memory”
Emily Schlepp (Northwest University)
“A Force of Love: A Deconstructionist Reading of Characters in Dickens’s Great Expectations ”
Looking in Detail at a Research Paper Grading Rubric for Middle School
A research paper grading rubric middle school is important as it guides the markers on the final marks or score to award. As a student, it lets you know how to write the paper if you want to score high grades. The exact research paper rubric for middle school may vary from one institution to the other but the example below provides useful source and guide on how it should ideally be –
- Introduction: The top grade paper has exceptional introduction which grabs the attention and interest of the reader. The second grade paper may have introduction which can be described as ‘proficient’, as it states the topic well. The third grade paper has introduction that states the topic well but is not interesting. The lowest grade paper has a weak introduction, or none to the topic.
- Thesis: A top grade paper will thesis that is exceptionally well-developed, arguable, clear and definitive statement. A paper immediately below the top grade will have thesis that is clear and provides arguable statement of position. An average paper will have thesis that is somehow clear and very arguable. A poorly written paper is one in which the purpose of the paper is not very clear, and the thesis may be missing or weak.
- Support of Thesis: In the top grade middle school paper, the support for thesis is relevant, consistent and critical, and makes connections between the evidence and the thesis. For paper just below the top grade, it makes consistent connections between the evidence and the thesis. In average grade paper, it makes some connections between the evidence and the thesis. The lowest paper in this category only makes limited connections, or none at all, between the evidence and the thesis.
- Organization and Development of Thesis: A top grade paper in this category is exceptionally logical, mature, clear, and gives thorough and clear development of thesis. It provides excellent transitions both between and within the paragraphs. In the next grade, the paper provides clear and logical order which provides support for the thesis and has good transitions both between and within the paragraphs. Next, he paper is somewhat clear, and has a logical development with only the basic transitions both between and within the paragraphs. Lowest in this category, the paper lacks development of ideas and has weak and probably, no transitions exist between and also within the paragraphs.
- Conclusion: In top grade paper, the conclusion is an excellent summary of the topic and has concluding ideas of impact to the reader. The next grade paper provides good summary of the topic and has clear concluding ideas. For paper below the top two grades, the conclusion is a basic summary of the topic and has some final concluding ideas. Lowest in this category is that has no conclusion, or it contains irrelevant information, or introduces new ideas.
This is a typical research paper rubric middle school and can be used in the grading of most papers. Each category may be out of 20. With the top paper in the category getting between 16 and 20; a paper below the top grade getting between 11 and 15; average paper getting between 6 and 10; and a low grade paper getting between 0 and 5.
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A guide for 8th grade students to conduct thematic research based on a theme and a specific topic. Learn how to formulate research questions, write a thesis statement, gather, evaluate, and document sources, and create an academic essay.
The purpose of this research guide is to offer a standard format for the teaching and writing of research papers in courses at the Middle Township schools. The guide outlines the process of research, explains devices for organization of research and sources, gives examples of methods for documenting research sources within the paper, explains ...
Find sources of expository, descriptive, narrative, argumentative, and reflective writing samples for middle school students. Learn how to use mentor texts to help students grow as writers.
Find tips and ideas for choosing your research paper topic in middle school. Browse the list of 30 sample topics on various subjects and get inspired.
The research and writing process at Sunapee Middle High School is guided by the following steps. 1. KNOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A RESEARCH PAPER. The sample middle school research paper and the sample high school paper can be used to learn about the basic characteristics of a research paper. 2.
This paper explores how color affects one's mood based on different sources and a survey of sixty middle school students. It compares and contrasts three ideas on color psychology and shows the results of the survey in tables and graphs.
A Guide to Writing Your Research Paper
A comprehensive guide for students to write a research paper in English II, with topics, checklist, format, sources, and rubric. Includes a PDF file with the packet contents and examples of research terms, thesis statements, introductions, and body paragraphs.
4. Explain to students that they will now use the completed scaffold to write the final research paper using the following genre-specific strategies for expository writing: Use active, present tense verbs when possible. Avoid the use of personal pronouns such as I and my (unless the research method was qualitative).
Learn the key steps to write a research paper for middle school, such as picking a precise topic, writing a thesis statement, and providing evidence. Find examples and tips for different subjects and classes.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) developed a style guide for academic writing. Part of the style guide deals with standardized ways to document the writer's source materials. MLA provides guidelines for the creation of a bibliography (called a "Works Cited" page) and the corresponding parenthetical (within the text) citation.
Learn how to format and style a research paper in MLA by viewing a sample paper that follows the 2016 updates. Download the sample paper or use citation machines to cite your sources automatically in MLA.
Learn how to write a research paper for your science fair project, including the purpose, structure, and citation of your report. A research paper summarizes the theory, history, and methods behind your experiment and helps you understand the results.
Sample_Middle_School_Research_Paper.pdf - Google Drive ... Loading…
Research: Getting Started; Summer Reading at Ipswich Middle School & Ipswich High School; Sample Paper in MLA format. Sample MLA Paper (8th edition) This is a sample MLA paper created by the Purdue Owl. Clicking on the link will take you to the full paper and you can see what your citations and work cited page should look like when using MLA.
Research Paper Rubric
Find sample questions from previous years' regional competitions for the National Science Bowl (NSB) for middle school students. The questions are organized by rounds and sets, and cover various topics in science and energy.
Research Paper Sample Middle School - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. The document provides guidance on writing a research paper for middle school students. It discusses several challenges students face in writing such papers, including balancing thorough research with articulating their own ideas.
Avoid including moa middle initial even if it is present in the works-cited-list entry. Use the first schoool and surname of how to write the research paper for science fair authors if you are mentioning the work for sample mla research paper middle school middlee time in the prose. Cultural Activities. Manage every step of the research paper ...
Find essays that use MLA style for citing sources, selected from high school and postsecondary submissions. See the 2023 edition of Writing with MLA Style, as well as previous editions from 2019 to 2022.
This is a typical research paper rubric middle school and can be used in the grading of most papers. Each category may be out of 20. With the top paper in the category getting between 16 and 20; a paper below the top grade getting between 11 and 15; average paper getting between 6 and 10; and a low grade paper getting between 0 and 5. Writing a ...