Research Project – Senior Seminar

Research Project - Gender in American

Over the next few weeks students will be conducting research on the issue of gender in America. Students are to begin by doing general reading/research about the topic as it exists in society today and then progress toward developing a specific topic and thesis for their projects. Students need to find and use information from 3 different academic sources when communicating their supportive evidence for this project. We will have from December 1st - December 12th to research and construct their projects. The presentations of their projects are scheduled to begin December 15th. The format of this presentation can be in a wide variety of formats including, but not limited to: Slide shows, posters, time lines, tri-fold displays, etc. Check with your instructor to confirm that what you are doing is acceptable and so that you have an understanding of the expectations for your projects visual element.

Professionalism will be an important component for every aspect of your projects grade. Be neat – don’t just throw things together at the last minute. Take the time to put things together so they are straight. If you are cutting things out and pasting together cut carefully and be precise with your work. Organize your work so that it visually makes sense and so that its intentional in its presentation. Your visual should be able to communicate your message with out you explaining it to the viewer. Check for grammar – this is a formal assignment. Also check for spelling. Have people proof-read your work for errors and to make sure that what you are saying make sense. Practice giving your presentation to others and have them point out areas where you struggled to communicate your thoughts.

You could consider focusing your report on how gender roles have changed or evolved over since the 1900’s. What are gender roles like today? Are they OK or are they not OK? Is their equity in jobs, pay, rights, equality, status in our culture.

Rubric for Research Project - Presentation
Total Points 50

Criteria for presentations

Professional and practiced use of materials
•Materials were seamlessly integrated into the presentation
•Materials were integrated but not smoothly – student read from sources
•Student seemed to be learning about the materials they produced during presentation

Formal Language
Used – Both verbal and non verbal
•Exceptionally well done – formal register and body language used throughout
•OK/can improve– a mixture of casual/informal used.
•Need to improve – Casual register used. Inappropriately informal

Knowledge of their subject matter
•Student clearly learned material deeply and thoroughly understands materials. Higher order thinking is clearly displayed during presentation.
•Student had information but was unsure of it. Superficially understands material. Low order thinking is displayed during presentation.
•Student was not sure of materials and/or lacked understanding of materials.
Read it – did not know it. Little of no thinking is displayed during presentation.

The following is the range of scores for the above mentioned criteria using the following scale.
Exceptionally well done. 100% - 80%
Fairly well done but can improve. 79% - 60%.
Need to improve – work not at an acceptable level. 50% - 0%

Rubric for Research Project – Materials
Total Points 100

Criteria for presentations

Professionally made materials
•Materials are of the highest quality and professionally made. Grammar, mechanics, layout and final product are great.
•Materials are of decent quality but not professionally made. Grammar, mechanics, layout and final product have errors but still communicate message.
•Materials are not of decent quality and are not professionally made. Grammar, mechanics, layout and final product have errors that interfere with the message of the project.

Research
•All point are reinforced with source materials
•Some points have research to reinforce them but many do not. Danger of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, or laziness.
•Few or no research to reinforce your points. Dishonest or plagiarized

Prepared
•Student came into class prepared and ready to submit their work
•Student was not totally ready – needed some class time to finalize presentation
•Could not turn in project because it was generally not ready.

The following is the range of scores for the above mentioned criteria using the following scale.
Exceptionally well done. 100% - 80%
Fairly well done but room for improvement. 79% - 60%.
Need to improve – performance not at an acceptable level. 50% - 0%