Connecting Research and Writing Across the Curriculum

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Connecting Research and Writing Across the
Curriculum

• Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and School
  Leadership
• August 21, 2007
• District-Wide Professional Development
• Johnny E. Brown, Ph.D.
• Superintendent

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Training Outline

• Purpose of the Training
• Desired Outcomes of the Training
• Elements of Effective Research
• Writing Strategies for Effective Research
• Integrating Research and Writing
• Ideas for Research and Writing Across the
  Curriculum
• Campus-Wide Implementation Activities
• District-Wide Monitoring Expectations

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Purpose of the Training

• This training is designed to assist teachers in
  all content areas to help students learn how to
  research information on a subject that has been
  agreed upon, evaluate the information, organize
  it, and write a paper or develop a project
  resulting from the research.

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Desired Outcomes

• The achievement level of students in PAISD will
  be improved in the area of research.
• Students will know how to work independently and
  collaboratively to select a subject, find
  information, make an outline, and successfully
  write a research paper or complete a research
  project with a writing component, on an approved
  topic of interest.

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Elements of Effective Research

• I. Choose Topic
• 2. Find Information
• 3. State Thesis
• 4. Make Tentative Outline
• 5. Organize Notes
• 6. Write First Draft
• 7. Revise Outline and Draft
• 8. Type Final Paper

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Handout A Research Guide for Students

• How to Write an A Research Paper

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Writing Strategies for Effective Research

• 1. Choose a Topic
• Relevant to content area
• Focus on a specific topic
• Obtain teacher approval or use suggested
  content-related topic
• Read assignment sheet carefully to check
  required standards and expectations
• 2. Find Information
• Almanacs, Atlases
• Encyclopedias, Dictionaries
• Magazines, Newspapers, Interviews
• Surf the Net
• Libraries Public or Online Public Access
  Catalog
• Other
• Be sure to Read and Evaluate Information for
  Relevance and Facts
• Jot down bibliographical information, including
  dates

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• 3. State Thesis
• Belief, Opinion, Purpose for writing.
• 4. Make Tentative Outline
• Most important step in writing a good paper
• Helps writer think through the topic
• Helps logical flow from one point to the other
• Organize Notes
• Arrange gathered information according to the
  outline
• Dont include information that is not clearly
  understood
• Write information in writers own words to avoid
  plagiarism
• Document all quotes, borrowed ideas, etc.
• Use different colored highlighters to mark
  special references
• Use note cards, paper, or word processor to cut
  and paste

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• 6. Write First Draft
• Put notes in order according to outline and begin
  writing
• Quote directly and indicate source
• Summarize, paraphrase in writers own words to
  avoid plagiarism
• 7. Revise and Edit
• Read for content errors Double check facts and
  figures
• Arrange and rearrange ideas Reorganize outline
  if necessary
• Get someone else to read and critique
• Check paper against the assignment sheet
• Proofread for spelling, punctuation, missing or
  duplicated words, run-on sentences, fragments,
  etc.
• Do a Spell Check

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• 8. Type Final Paper
• Complete the paper 2 to 3 days before it is due
• Read and reread
• Print on good quality paper
• Be sure paper is clean, tidy, neat, attractive

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Ideas for Research and Writing Across the
Curriculum

• Class Content
• Photographs, Paintings
• Concerts / Movies / Plays
• Sporting Events
• Human Interest Stories
• Students Experiences / Curiosities
• Relate Current Events to Previous Events
• Teachers Suggestions / Brainstorming

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Handout Renaissance Period (Rebirth) 1450-1600

• An example of an activity that can be used in
  various subject areas for writing across the
  curriculum

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Campus-Wide Implementation Activities

• Keep a Daily Journal
• Free Writing Friendships, Games, Toys, Pets,
• Cheers, Marching or Dance Routines, etc.
• Class/Personal Schedules
• Class/Homework Assignments
• Notes/Questions about Lessons
• Thoughts for the Day/Vocabulary Words/Content
  Information/Ideas for Future Papers
• Practice Writing Sentences/Music Notation or
  Rhythms /Science Formulas/Social Studies
  Facts/Work Math Problems Extemporaneous
  Assignments

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Campus-Wide Implementation Activities

• Write Lyrics to Rhythms/Create Word Problems
• Write News Releases/Editorials
• Write Performance/Game Reviews/Create Brochures
• Write Letters/Resumes/Current Event Reports
• Write Scripts for Halftime Performances
• Write Essays to Accompany Scholarship or
  College Applications/Answers to Essay
  Questions
• Write Narratives/Poetry/Science Lab Reports
• Write Grocery Lists/Orders for Supplies or
  Materials
• Write Complete Sentences to Ask or Answer
  Questions
• Write Interpretations of Editorial Cartoons
• Faculty Work in Professional Learning
  Communities

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Campus-Wide Implementation Activities

• Department leaders, site-based committee members,
  and the principal must confer to determine a
  workable plan for that campus by establishing
  which and when students will receive research
  writing assignments. This will avoid the
  possibility of students papers and/or projects
  being due in every class at the same time--unless
  it is a school-wide project.

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District-Wide Monitoring Expectations

• At all levels Elementary, Middle School, and
  High School monitors will expect to see written
  evidence that students are conducting some kind
  of teacher-approved research in all content and
  elective courses.

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District-Wide Monitoring Expectations- Elementary

• Monitors will expect to see one whole-class paper
  from pre-kindergarten through first grade.
• Monitors will expect to see a one-page research
  paper written on a predetermined topic by second
  and third graders each semester.
• Monitors will expect that fourth and fifth
  graders will write at least one research paper
  and /or complete at least one research project,
  with a writing component, on a teacher-approved
  topic of interest each semester.

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District-Wide Monitoring Expectations Middle
School

• Monitors will expect to see written evidence that
  students are developing research skills, which
  may include written and verbal communication.
• In all classes, monitors will expect students to
  write at least one age-appropriate research paper
  or complete a research project with a writing
  component each semester.

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District-Wide Monitoring Expectations High
School

• Monitors will expect to see written evidence that
  students are developing research skills, which
  may include written and verbal communication.
• In all classes, monitors will expect students to
  write at least one research paper or complete a
  research project with a writing component each
  semester.

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Desired Outcomes

• The achievement level in students in PAISD will
  be improved in the area of research.
• Students will know how to work independently and
  collaboratively to select a subject, find
  information, make an outline, and successfully
  write a research paper or complete a research
  project with a writing component on an approved
  topic of interest.