M.E.R.P. The Middle East Research Project
General Information
Major Due Dates:
- RAD Form due dates: SEE the Daily Plan handout
- Rough Draft, including a Bibliography -
- Final Paper and Bibliography -
Step 1: Research
Overview:
- You will complete a minimum of 5 RAD forms from separate sources. You may complete up to 7 RAD forms.
- RAD form due dates vary by class. See the Daily Plan handout for your specific due dates.
Research Expectations:
You will use high quality, trustworthy resources and will take detailed, comprehensive notes.
- You will be given a research packet including a research plan worksheet, grading rubric and RAD forms. You will be required to keep your plan updated and to bring your packet to class daily.
- A portion of your grade will depend on your selection of resources. If you aren't sure whether something can be trusted, ASK!
- Bias can be a major problem when researching controversial topics. Learn how to identify bias in a source.
- Remember that notes should be in your own words. To avoid problems with note taking:
- don't write notes in complete sentences, instead use bullet points, short phrases, facts and ideas.
- don't take notes sentence by sentence, instead read paragraphs or sections and then summarize what you believe are the main points in your notes. You can always look back quickly to make sure dates and other specific pieces of information are correct.
Suggestions for Research:
- These resources are high quality and trustworthy!
(hint, hint, hint)
Print encyclopedias and books from the library! A few are on the cart in the computer lab/library, but there are many more in the MS and US library. Search the library catalog, or ask Ms. Harris to help you find what you need.
NOTE: It is a VERY good idea to use the following database resources first:
The History Resource Center World database
Opposing Viewpoints database: You will be required to state and explain an opinion on your topic. This database will be helpful to you in gathering information as well as providing examples of opinion essays.
eLibrary database of newspaper and magazine articles, interview transcripts and more.
Other trustworthy resources:
- MERP research links on Moodle
- The CIA World Facbook
- Country Studies at the Library of Congress
- Portals to the World at the Library of Congress
- BBC World News: The Middle East
- Google search: site:gov middle east
- Here's a good one from the White House: Peace in the Middle East
- Women in the Middle East
- Education in the Middle East
- Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East
- Terrorism in the Middle East
- The Taliban
- Taliban & Afghanistan
- Oil and the Middle East
- Interent Research Guides from the Middle East Institute at Columbia University.
Note: You can limit a Google search to a particular type of site by starting your keyword search with the term - site:gov (or site:org, site:edu, etc). Although you can't always trust every result, it will decrease the number of sites you find to those that might be more helpful (such as sites from libraries and schools).
Step 2: Write your paper (and the bibliography)
Bibliography Instructions and Sample Bibliography