This page is a collection of resources to help you complete the term paper. You will not pass this semester of English 11 if you don't complete all parts of the term paper. Be sure to use the resources your teacher has made available to you on Google Classroom as well as these resources.

• Lists of the topics chosen by previous students to help you brainstorm topic ideas.

  • Topics from 2011

  • Topics from 2012

  • Topics from 2013

  • Topics from 2014

  • Topics from 2015

  • Topics from 2016

  • Topics from 2017 (spring)

  • Topics from 2017 (fall)

  • Topics from 2018

  • Topics from 2019

• NoodleTools

  • Use the link on the Students page of our district website to sign in. OR - log in to your school Google account and find the NoodleTools link in the "waffle menu" at the top right of your Google Drive. 

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  • If you go to the NoodleTools login page, be sure to "Access via Google for Education"

  • How to create and share a project (also consult your handbook for more information).

  • How to create and edit a source reference - do this before you take notes.

  • How to create notecards - be sure you've created the source reference first!

  • How to create an outline

  • Downloads & tutorials to help you use NoodleTools.

• Keeping a Research Log - it can be very helpful to keep track of the places you've looked for information as well as the search terms you tried. This keeps you from wasting time on methods that didn't work and helps you figure out methods that do work.

• How to write an interesting biography

• Five Steps to a Great Title from the APA Style Blog

• Samples - here are some samples of the parts of the term paper for your reference

  • One page description

  • Sample outline

  • Sample outline with notecards as it would print from NoodleTools (don't print this out - 36 pages!!)

  • Some more sample outlines from a community college website

  • Sample LMHS Junior Term Paper 

• Writing a Thesis Statement - from UW-Madison Writing Center
   

• Using Quotations and Using In-Text or Parenthetical References

  • "Acknowledging, Paraphrasing and Quoting Sources" - handout from the UW-Madison Writing Center distributed in class.

  • Remember that in the Bibliography list on NoodleTools, you can click the "In-Text Reference" link next to any citation on your list for help with in-text citations.

  • Here's a copy of the information you can find by pulling down the "Options" menu and clicking the link "In-text Reference" next to any of your Reference entries in NoodleTools.

  • Overview of in-text citations

  • Some great examples of citing the same source for a whole paragraph.

  • More information on using quotations from the University of North Carolina - includes alternatives to "said"

  • Purdue University's Online Writing Lab has a complete guide to APA Style here.

  • When to include page numbers in in-text citations

  • In-text citations for audio-visual sources

  • How to cite a TED talk

  • How to cite a YouTube video

• Printer friendly web page: makes any web page printer friendly
  
   

• Turnitin.com

  • Submitting a paper to Turnitin.com - opens a web page

  • Viewing instructor feedback - opens a webpage

Librarians are awesome!

Anytime you're doing research, whether for a class or just personal interest, the library and its librarians are going to be your best friend! Remember to ask Ms. Morris in our LMC if you need help or advice in finding information. The LD Fargo Public Library in Lake Mills also loves to help students with their term papers, so be sure to ask them for help as well.

Random Reminders

• Check out the LMC's index for American Heritage magazine for any topic related to American history - event, person, etc.

• EBSCOHost, ELibrary, and SIRS have a wealth of information from magazines, journals and newspapers.

• All Badgerlink resources are available to any Wisconsin resident. If you try Badgerlink from home and can't get in, just click on "Library Card Access" to login with your public library card.

If you insist on using Google, be sure to check out this handy infographic to getting the most out of Google.

Can't I use Wikipedia for my junior term paper?

First, you must remember that Wikipedia is an encyclopedia. Encyclopedia entries do not provide the level of detail needed for a major, formal research paper like the one you are completing. So, no, you can't cite Wikipedia as a source, nor should you quote Wikipedia in your paper. If you do, your instructor is likely to tell you to go back to elementary school. 

However...it IS possible to use Wikipedia to help you start your research. Here's how:

1. During preliminary research it can help you
   • narrow your topic
   • learn what search terms you should use, including concepts, people, places, etc.
2. As you familiarize yourself with your topic, it can help you learn some basic concepts and background on the topic that will serve as a framework for your further learning.
3. At the bottom of each Wikipedia entry is a list of the sources of information used to compile the entry. You may be able to use these original sources in your research.