Osborne High School Senior Project 2017- 2018
Cardinal Capstone Research Paper
This is the opportunity you have awaited with baited breath. Yes, at long last it has arrived; the chance to showcase
your mastery of rhetorical devices, critical lenses, and argument. This research paper requires a demonstration of the
skills throughout your high school career while conducting meaningful, thoughtful research directly related to your
career interest. This paper is intended to engage the material thoughtfully.
To succeed, you will do the following:
analyze appropriate sources representative of diligent research efforts,
synthesize non-fiction sources, evaluate print and non-print rhetoric, and
create a qualified argument demonstrating your ability to consider the complexity of the issue.
Topic
Select a topic or issue of controversy related to career interest.
o Avoid stock issues such as abortion or the death penalty, as these issues will rarely be of personal interest while creating
an overwhelming pool of research to sort through.
Pay attention to local newspapers as well as national news magazines for ideas. The most compelling papers
explore extremely specific issues.
Topics will be assigned on a first come basis- no repetitions.
Research
Find sources that represent a balanced discussion of the issue. In your research review, you must include the
following:
•
Source A: one objective non-fiction source of scholarly merit (a national publication or academic
database, not a .com)
•
Source B: one newspaper editorial either for or against the issue
•
Sources C and D: two sources in favor of your argument (not web-based: magazines, news articles,
documentaries, professional journals)
•
Sources E and F: two sources against your argument (not web-based: magazines, news articles,
documentaries, professional journals)
•
Source G: one private (.com) website in favor of your argument
•
Source H: one private (.com) against your argument
•
Source J: one full-length nonfiction work or documentary
•
Source K: One non-print source of data (a graph, spreadsheet, editorial cartoon, advertisement, etc.)
Directions
Follow these directions when structuring your paper. The assignment is divided into five parts, each accessing the
skills we develop in this class, followed by an oral presentation.
I.
Introduction
Succinctly introduce the reader to the subject, the controversy surrounding it, and end with your thesis, rooted in
your sources.
II.
Research Review (approximately five pages)
9
This guide has been adapted and revised from Hillgrove Senior Project Student Handbook for Osborne Cardinal Capstone Student Handbook.