Due Dates:        Step 1 - Choose a Book: In Class, Tuesday, January 14

Step 2 - Research Journal & Step 3 - Proposal (25): 4pm on Canvas - Tuesday, January 21

Step 4 - Read Book and Daily Log & Step 5 - Book Talk Due (35): 4pm on Canvas - Thursday, February 6

Step 6 - Research Journal (15): 4pm on Canvas - Tuesday, March 4

Step 7 - The Final Essay (75): 4pm on Canvas - Monday, March 10

Total points: 150 points

Assignment: For your first major research project, you will be dealing with challenged and/or banned books. In this unit, you will research a book that has been banned or challenged somewhere at some time—the challenge could have happened 50 years ago yesterday. The possibilities are vast, although some banned books will be off limits, those too sophisticated or too simplistic: the choice has to be age-appropriate. You will also need to choose a book that you have never read before.   

Each of you will become an expert on a challenged book. You will want to consider several questions: Why was the book challenged? By whom? What restrictions were the challengers seeking? What case was made against the book? How did others in the community/country/world react? What did the "experts" think about the challenge? Was the challenge successful? Class time and library help will be given to your research.

Research Journal: Throughout the entire research project, you should keep meticulous notes about the sources you look at, when you look at them, what you find in them, and what you need to do next. At the end of every workday, you will be required to reflect on what you found and the progress of your research.

Proposal: After listing at least five sources you used to find challenges, explain why you chose your book. Your reasoning must be supported by the factors provided in the assignment instructions, explained in your own words. Be sure to site your sources.

You will need to secure a copy of the book immediately, either through a library, purchase, or a friend. We will have a few days of class time set aside for reading. Given the time constraints, I suggest you chose a book that is not overly lengthy for your reading pace.

Book Talk: Once you have read the novel, you will record a 3-4 minute book talk about your novel. Don’t give away the ending, provide the basic information about the characters, setting, and plot, in your own words based on your reading of the novel. READ full Book Talk instructions below when it’s time to begin this portion of the project.

Research Journal: Following your preliminary research, it is time to dive even deeper into these challenges. For this section of the project, you will use newspaper articles to inform the circumstances surrounding the ban and/or challenge.

The Final Essay: Your essay will explain your position for or against banning the book You are stating your reasoned opinion of the book's challenge/ban. You have researched the issues involved with your book. You have read it yourself to form your own opinions. In the evaluation, you share your expertise.

Documentation: MLA format. In preparation for this documentation, you will need to keep careful, accurate, and thorough notes of any source you consult, on-line or off. Both the Proposal and the Evaluation will need in-text documentation and a "Works Cited" area at the end. Some class time will be devoted to all of this, but you should depend heavily on the MLA Handbook and Noodle Tool.