women's history research paper
RUBRIC – RESEARCH PAPER
| This rubric helps students develop a precise historical research paper and serves as an objective grading tool for the professor. Learning Objectives People undertake research projects throughout their academic and professional careers in order to:
| Grade Points |
| FORMAT: The research paper is 8 to 10 pages long, not counting the coversheet and bibliography. The paper’s introduction, body, and conclusion are keyed in with double spacing and in Times New Roman 11- or 12-point font. It has a separate coversheet presenting title, author’s name, course title, professor’s name, and date posted. The page after the cover sheet begins with the title of the paper (repeated from the cover sheet). Only indentations indicate the beginning of new paragraphs. (No double spacing between paragraphs) Each page other than the cover sheet has 1” margins on all four sides. Pages are numbered on the top of each page (MSWord: Insert, Page Number, Top of Page) with no other header information (no name, title, etc., just the page number). Subtotal | 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 10 % |
| INTRODUCTION: The paper’s introduction is one or two paragraphs long and written entirely in the third person. It presents the topic, explains its importance, and designates what to expect in the paper’s body. It contains a thesis statement explaining the objective and purpose of the paper. It gives readers a clear concept of what to expect in the body of the paper. Subtotal | 2% 3% 8% 2% 15% |
| BODY: The body provides solid, factual evidence that precisely and consistently supports the thesis. The body is historically accurate and includes the writer’s interpretations of its essence and significance. The body of the paper contains no chapters or subtitles, but is one continuous composition. The body contains no extraneous material beyond the scope of the thesis stated in the introduction. The body cites a variety of research sources demonstrating the student’s ability to do historical research. The body is logically organized, elucidating, and interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. Subtotal | 7% 5% 2% 3% 3% 5% 25% |
| FOOTNOTES: (In MSWord, click on References, Insert Footnote to begin.) Each footnote cites a part of the paper derived from another source – not the student writing the research paper – and provides readers with the information needed to locate that source by using Chicago Style. A footnote may also present detailed explanations from sources that would distract from the main message of the paper if located in the body of the paper, itself. Each footnote is single spaced, begins with the author’s FIRST NAME (if provided), ends with a period and is correctly formatted in Chicago Style at the foot of the page. (Because source information is footnoted, parenthetical citations do not appear in the body of the paper.) Subtotal | 5% 5% (-8%) 10% |
| CONCLUSION: The conclusion briefly revisits the thesis statement, but words it differently. It summarizes the principal thesis-supporting evidence presented in the body of the paper. It logically and systematically states the significance of the paper’s thesis to the history of the period. It does not include information not mentioned in the research paper, itself. Subtotal | 2% 3% 3% 2% 10% |
| ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: The bibliography begins on the page following the conclusion and is separated from that page with a hard return. (In MSWord, click on ctrl/enter at the same time). It cites only scholarly books, websites, journal articles, and primary sources. None of the citations are course materials, encyclopedias, dictionaries, novels, or children’s books. (Encyclopedias and dictionaries may be used when needed, but do not cite them as they are not specific enough to be considered scholarly.) It contains no less than 8 research sources and no more than 12. It is correctly formatted and alphabetized as required by Chicago Style. Each citation is single spaced with a hanging indentation. (In MSWord, click on Paragraph, Indentation, Hanging) Double spacing separates each citation from the next. Each citation includes a single-spaced annotation written in the third person that briefly summarizes the citation and evaluates its significance to the development of the research paper. Subtotal | 2% 4% 5% 3% 1% 1% 4% 20% |
| EDITING AND PROOFREADING Careful editing has ensured that all sections of the paper are carefully organized and thought-provoking. Careful and repeated proofreading has ensured that there are very few careless errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, indentation, phrasing, and proper word usage. Subtotal | 5% 5% 10% |
| TOTAL | 100% |
