Grade 11 University English
Culminating Assignment - The E-Portfolio
The Task
In this culminating research project, you will be conducting secondary research to support a thematic statement and presenting your findings in an e-portfolio. An e-portfolio (electronic portfolio) is an electronic collection of evidence that shows your learning journey over time. In this case, you are showing your learning during your Grade 11 English University studies.
Step 1:
As a class, we will brainstorm a list of subjects we have explored throughout the semester. These subjects must apply to two course texts studied this semester (Macbeth and The Kite Runner, and/or one of the short stories or spoken word poems). You will explore ONE of these subjects in depth through a series of reflection questions and prompts provided by your teacher.
Step 2:
Create a thematic statement related to one of the subjects. Your thematic statement will guide your research, so make sure you follow all the expectations of a well-constructed thematic statement as discussed in class and by reviewing your notes. You must not repeat a thematic statement from previous assignments.
Step 3:
You will conduct research to support your thematic statement. You must include at least one from each of the following categories (for a total of five):
· Personal Essay
· Poem or Song
· Current News Article (2016-2017)
· Journal Article from a Database or Google Scholar.
· Image (Meme or GIF)
You must make research notes to explain how each of these sources supports your thematic statement. Your notes should include a minimum of two PEE/PPA from each source to clearly articulate how the source supports your claim. For the image, you must clearly explain using descriptive language (colour, layout, text, font, etc.) MLA formatting specific to a variety of different sources should be used. Your research notes must be submitted to turnitin.com (your research notes must be clearly distinct from the script for your presentation).
Step 4:
Assemble your researched material related to one thematic statement in a digital format/app/software of your choice and present this digital e-portfolio to the class in June in a 10-15 minute presentation.
In the e-portfolio and in your presentation, you must include the two PEE/PPA from each sourced item and your analysis must clearly establish a link between your sourced item and the articulated thematic statement.
Whatever format you use to assemble your e-portfolio, be sure to upload the text of the presentation to turnitin.com.
Taking Research Notes - The Cornell Method
Books in the Library Learning Commons
Doing Your Research - The Databases
Sometimes books on your topic can be hard to find because your subject area might be really new or really specific. This is where databases will become your best friend! There are two ways to get to the databases:
- Go to the applications page and click on "Library Catalogue - Louise Arbour". Then click on Library eResources. Click on eResources. Click on Intermediate/Secondary. Then you will find all of our databases.
- Go to the Library Learning Commons MyClass page through your BYOD. Click on BYOD login. Click on MyClass (the green icon). Click on the Library Learning Commons MyClass icon. Click on databases from home. Then you will find all of our databases.
Keep in mind that if you are accessing the databases from home, you need to go to the Library Learning Commons MyClass page and click on the "Lock" icon. Once you click on the lock icon you can click on the database passwords link. You will need these passwords to access your databases from home.
BYOD Main Page
Link to the Library Learning Commons MyClass Page
Library Learning Commons MyClass Page
How To Do a Boolean Search
The Databases - Finding the Information You Need!
- The Shakespeare Collection
- Literature Resource Centre
- Literary Reference Centre
- Gale Virtual Reference Library
These databases have been specifically selected for you for this assignment because they will have the most relevant information for what you are looking for. They are better than a random search on a website because you can find a lot of information here that has been written by experts in the field. But beware! For this assignment you are not allowed to get your information from overtly biased news sources like CNN or the Toronto Star. If you are unsure if your source of information is biased, ask the librarian or your teacher! The databases should have what you need to get your work done. Please keep in mind that you cannot click the links below to get to the databases. You will need to go to the Library Learning Commons MyClass page to get there or you can click on the secondary eResources link below.
To Google or not to Google....that is the question!
MLA 8 - The New Way to Cite in MLA Format
Creating a Works Cite Page in MLA 8 Format
MLA 8 was designed to simplify the process, helping writers accurately and intuitively cite sources more easily, requiring that every source type follow the same format. This means that books, websites, periodicals, videos, photographs, and all other types of sources now use this same standard format.
MLA 8 requires researchers to locate the same “core elements” from their sources and place them in a standard order in order to create their citations.
The “Core Elements” of an MLA 8 citation, along with their corresponding punctuation marks, include the following (in this order):
- Authors.
- Title of the source.
- Title of container,
- Other contributors,
- Version,
- Numbers,
- Publisher,
- Publication date,
- Location.
The appropriate punctuation mark will follow each core element, unless it is the final piece. In this case, the punctuation mark would be a period.
Example of an MLA Eighth Edition Works Cited Page:
Patterson, James, and Chris Grabenstein. House of Robots. Little, Brown and Co., 2014.
Patterson, James, and Chris Tebbetts. Middle School: Get Me Out of Here. Little, Brown and Co., 2012.
Sparks, Nicholas. Dear John. Grand Central, 2007, p. 82.
– – – . A Walk to Remember. Warner, 1999.
Twenty-Eight Days Later. Directed by Danny Boyle, produced by Alex Garland, Fox
Searchlight Pictures, 2002.