suzziesnowflake Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I was wondering when a research paper (with note cards, outlining, references,ect) project should be completed in what grade? Just wondering? 6th, 7th, 8th, highschool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I do not plan to do this until later in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placeofgrace Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I was wondering when a research paper (with note cards, outlining, references,ect) project should be completed in what grade? Just wondering? 6th, 7th, 8th, highschool? I asked this exact question to a homeschool mom in our support group. She has a degree in English and teaches a research paper class at our co-op. She suggested 8th grade as the earliest. High school ideally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 CLE 507 light unit in English covers a basic research paper. It was a good introduction and methodically done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 In PS, my daughter did a few research projects in 4th/5th grade, but they seemed awfully silly given the lack of writing skills that the class had. I think when a child can write a paragraph, they can write a paragraph based on something they researched... When the child has learned to write a short essay, they can write a little essay based on research.... when they can write a multiple page paper, they can handle the research side of it too. At 9 and 10 years old (my daughter and her friend), we're still working on perfecting paragraphs. We do some research, but nowhere near doing a longer paper --- just a paragraph or two for their portfolio. I'd imagine by 8th grade, they'll be able to tackle a longer project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzziesnowflake Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks everyone. My ds just started doing Connections Academy. They did a 2 page research paper. In 1.5 weeks they had to do the research, write a rough draft (of which is not a rough draft as it had to be turned in as if it were their finial draft), do an outline, note cards, cite everything. I thought it was taught earlier in the year but it was the classes 1st time doing it. Not much instruction. It was a nightmare. Everyone I have talked to says that maybe 8th grade or 9th. Granted 2 pages is not a lot but in the grand scope of things it was difficult for my guy. 1.5 weeks was just not enough time. It counts toward 45% of their grade this semester. When I emailed the teacher she made it clear that the program is tough and it is college prep. :glare: Of course we did a lab report this week and I haven't done one like the one he did since college:001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 "Proper" research paper? High school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks everyone. My ds just started doing Connections Academy. They did a 2 page research paper. In 1.5 weeks they had to do the research, write a rough draft (of which is not a rough draft as it had to be turned in as if it were their finial draft), do an outline, note cards, cite everything. I thought it was taught earlier in the year but it was the classes 1st time doing it. Not much instruction. It was a nightmare. Everyone I have talked to says that maybe 8th grade or 9th. Granted 2 pages is not a lot but in the grand scope of things it was difficult for my guy. 1.5 weeks was just not enough time. It counts toward 45% of their grade this semester. When I emailed the teacher she made it clear that the program is tough and it is college prep. :glare: Of course we did a lab report this week and I haven't done one like the one he did since college:001_huh: Honestly, I don't think that a 2 pg paper is a research paper. It sounds more like a supported report?? :confused: FWIW, the majority of my kids do exactly what you describe every single week starting in about 4th or 5th grade. I pull 3 articles for them to take notes from. They have to synthesize the info into an outline, write a rough draft, and turn in the final paper. At that age, however, they do not incorporate quotes or cite sources....they simply write a report. By 6th or 7th grade, they do start learning to incorporate quotes and cite sources (though I don't worry overly much if the citations are not quite correct.) But, of course, they have been working toward that goal from the beginning of their writing instruction. There is no way they could jump into writing/synthesizing w/no previous experience. FWIW, when I think of "research paper," I think 5-10 pgs min w/proving a thesis, etc. That type of paper I do consider high school level writing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzziesnowflake Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 I agree that a research paper is 5-10 pages! My ds can read something then paraphrase it. It was all the citing and note cards that through him off. He ended up just using different highlighters in the text instead of note cards, he even went as far as photocopying a couple of pages from a book so he could use his highlighters. I guess I was under the delusion that this type of work was reserved for high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Has anyone used Analytical Grammar's Research Paper curriculum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 In PS, we wrote a history research "paper" as a class. It was just an intro to research, 1-2 pages, not bibliography, we just used our text and one other source that the teacher read to use. It was totally teacher led. After that, in private school, we wrote two page papers regularly, we did not learn bibliographies until middle school. Our first 10 page, full research, quotes, in text citations,etc was in 11th grade. We did one Jr year and 2-4 Sr year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez J Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 FWIW, the majority of my kids do exactly what you describe every single week starting in about 4th or 5th grade. I pull 3 articles for them to take notes from. They have to synthesize the info into an outline, write a rough draft, and turn in the final paper. At that age, however, they do not incorporate quotes or cite sources....they simply write a report. By 6th or 7th grade, they do start learning to incorporate quotes and cite sources (though I don't worry overly much if the citations are not quite correct.) We are doing what you describe in 7th grade. We started this in 5th grade. (We skipped 6th grade.) She has several supplied sources from which she builds her paper. We are just now citing sources in 7th grade. I also have had her writing essays using the same methodology. The writing style is different for an essay vs a research paper. But the steps to get there are the same. She is doing this through the university model school, which is using IEW writing. The first sememster was on the key-word outlines and narrations. This whole semester will be essay and research papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Our public schools start research papers in 5th. They would have had the same time table as Connections Academy. Ds was in ps in 5th. We continued doing one research paper for 6th (short 2-3 pages). For 7th we did 2, a 5 page and a 3 page. 8th was similar. This year for 9th ds did a 10 page paper in the fall and is working on a 5-7 page paper now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I agree that a research paper is 5-10 pages! My ds can read something then paraphrase it. It was all the citing and note cards that through him off. He ended up just using different highlighters in the text instead of note cards, he even went as far as photocopying a couple of pages from a book so he could use his highlighters. I guess I was under the delusion that this type of work was reserved for high school. highlighting is a valid way to taking notes. One must be careful to not use those notes word for word when writing the paper. I feel index cards are not the best way of taking notes anymore. But I still do have my kids use the index cards for their first paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzziesnowflake Posted February 13, 2012 Author Share Posted February 13, 2012 Yeah, he's dysgraphic so writing notes out are difficult for him. This way seems to work best, he would read what he highlighted then paraphrase or direct quote. It worked ok for him, however, not sure how it will work when he has to tackle something larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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