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English
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Science
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Passion Research Paper

Your next writing project will feature your first integration of research into your writing. For this assignment, we will work on how to find useful and credible sources, how to cite in-text, how to comment on quotes, and how to do a Works Cited Page in MLA format.

In The Alchemist, the king of Salem describes to Santiago what he calls his Personal Legend:

“It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives” (Coelho 24-25).

In this writing project, you will describe your Personal Legend, your passion or calling in life. What do you want to do with your life? What do you want to accomplish? How will you be spiritually fulfilled and happy?

Outline:
Paragraph One: Introduction
Hook: Grab the reader’s attention by introducing your passion.
Provide background information (childhood experiences, lessons, etc.)
about why this is your passion.
Thesis: What is the main point of your paper? (1-2 sentences)

Paragraph Two: Your Personal Legend
Describe in detail what following your personal legend/ passion will look like
in your life. Provide examples of the following: what your life will be like,
how you will be spiritually fulfilled and happy, and how you will be helping
others and making the world a better place. Connect your ideas with one
quote from The Alchemist.

Paragraph Three: Researching the Passion (can be two paragraphs if you wish)
In this paragraph, you will incorporate research into your essay. Include at
least three quotes (each one from a different, credible source) that provides
information into your chosen passion. For each quote, you need at least two
sentences of commentary in your own words following the quote.

Paragraph Four: Conclusion/ Action Steps
For your conclusion, create an action plan of how you will follow this
passion. Be detailed and concrete.



Notes on Research Writing:
Using research doesn’t mean you lose your own voice in the writing. The research is meant to provide more support and concrete facts for your argument, but your commentary and analysis in your own words is most important! It is also important that you evaluate sources for credibility and bias. Therefore, I am requiring that any source you use has an author that is credited for writing the article or information (no Wikipedia). If your article is written by an established company or foundation, then I will let you use that but check with me first. Avoid sources like Wikipedia, Study.com, Ask.com, and similar generic/ crowdsourcing websites.

Writing Steps:
Brainstorm ideas for the outline
Gather research. In your notebook, gather three separate quotes (1-2 sentences) about your chosen passion. Write down all the information in MLA Format about the source for each quote. Also, choose one quote from The Alchemist you can incorporate into Paragraph Two.
1st Draft writing.
Read over out loud and revise. Make larger changes.
Read over again with a partner. Make editing errors (format, punctuation, grammar, etc.)
Publish by making sure it is perfect and in your English folder.

MLA Citations:

In-text citations: Cite the author’s name and page number after the quote (Sunderland 24).
If there is no page number, cite the author’s last name (Sunderland).

Works Cited: You need an MLA Works Cited Page as your final page. I will put an example at the end of this document. Here is a helpful resource: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/

For citations, you want to put all of the available information about a source onto your Works Cited page. I want you to complete your Works Cited Page on your own, so that you can understand it; I don’t want you to use a site like EasyBib. I will put the standard format for books and online articles here:

Books:
Author last name, Author first name. Book Title. City of Publication: Publisher Name, Year of
Publication, Medium of Publication.

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. Print.
Online articles:
Author last name, Author first name. “Article Title.” Name of Website. Publisher, Date of
Publication. Medium of Publication. Day Month Year of Access. Link.

Lubow, Arthur. “The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright.” Smithsonian. June 2009. Web. 27
January 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-triumph-of-frank-lloyd-wright-132535844/?no-ist

Citations and Plagiarism
If you are quoting a source directly, it needs to be in quotation marks. If you are paraphrasing a source and putting it into your own words, you still need to cite the author after you are done paraphrasing. If you do not do these citations, that is plagiarism. For plagiarism, you will get an F on the assignment and a referral to the Dean. It only takes one sentence to plagiarize and get an F!

Thesis:
Your thesis should be 1-2 sentences and the main point of your essay. For this assignment, your thesis should address the following questions:

What is your personal legend (passion) in life and why?
How are you going to follow this passion and make it a reality?


Due Dates:
Name your document PassionResearchPaper. Your essay should be around 3 pages, not including the Works Cited Page.

Due Friday 2/5/16: Research Notes in notebook: 3 quotes from 3 different sources with all of the information of each source written in MLA format.

Due Friday 2/12/16: 1st Draft of writing in English folder.

Due Friday 2/19/16: Final Draft in English folder (100-point writing grade)

Rubric:

You will be assessed in four areas with the following grades:

Excellent: A=25/25
Solid: B= 20/25
Developing but Needs Improvement: C= 18/25
Inadequate: F

Organization: 4-5 paragraphs. Strong Thesis and Topic Sentences. Transitions between
paragraphs.
Research and MLA Format: 3 quotes, 3 different sources. Quote from The Alchemist.
Correct MLA citations and MLA Works Cited Page.
Commentary/ Analysis: For each quote, minimum of two sentences following in your own
words. Developed, detailed, and descriptive writing in Paragraphs 1, 2, and 4. Shows
critical thinking, reflection, and insight.
Conventions: Revised for proper spelling, punctuation, grammar, clear sentences, and MLA
Format.



























Works Cited

Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. Print.
d2 Architects. “Five Personality Traits That Make a Good Architect.” Web. 27 January 2016.
Retrieved from
http://www.d2architects.co.uk/five-personality-traits-that-make-a-good-architect-571.html
Lubow, Arthur. “The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright.” Smithsonian. June 2009. Web. 27
January 2011. Retrieved from
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-triumph-of-frank-lloyd-wright-132535844/?no-ist
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. “Becoming an Architect.” Web. 27
January 2016. Retrieved from http://www.ncarb.org/Becoming-an-Architect.aspx












First Name Last Name
Mr. Sunderland
English 9
19 February 2016
Pursuing the Path of the Written Word
When I was growing up as a child in the late 80s and 90s, I had no cell phone, no cable TV, no Facebook, no Instagram, no Netflix, no Internet...not much technology now that I think of it. My bedroom was filled with an ever-growing collection of books, and my free time was spent playing stickball, baseball, roller hockey, basketball, and football with my neighborhood friends. Not many kids nowadays will grow up like I did. I woke up in the morning, rumbled groggily down the steps, and read the newspaper with my bowls of cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, etc. etc.).. This was my sacred morning ritual. I mainly read the sports page, but sometimes would venture to the comics or movie reviews. Even to this day, my habit is to read a magazine or newspaper of some sort while I eat. I enjoyed reading about my favorite sport (baseball) and my favorite team (the Philadelphia Phillies). I developed a passion for the written word, a passion that has stayed with me throughout my life. My Personal Legend is to follow this path of the written word into the field of journalism, because words, language, and information bring joy and meaning to my life. I am going to make this passion into a reality by continuing to read, write, learn, and absorb information about journalism and writing not only in my academic studies in high school and college but also with my own free time and my own self-direct learning. My goal is to make the world a better place in my own small way through my words and language.
I look into the crystal ball, and I see a future in which I follow this Personal Legend. If I don’t follow this passion, I know I may end up working in a job for which I feel no energy or enthusiasm. I don’t want to live like that. I don’t want to dread coming to work on Monday. I want to feel alive each day of my life, not like some walking, working zombie. In my crystal ball, I see what my life will be like: as I progress through high school, I will work persistently to excel, especially in my English classes, where I will refine and sharpen my writing skills like a samurai sword. I will join the school newspaper staff, and I will cover our high school sports teams, as well as other school events. I envision myself watching the Lions dominate on the basketball court, as I furiously take down stats and notes on the game. I return home and after 30 minutes...voila! A story appears. My hard work and persistence will pay off, as I am able to attend a university with a top-notch Journalism program, like Syracuse University or Stanford...or even a Jesuit school like Santa Clara or Holy Cross. I further refine my writing and reading skills in college, while meeting new people, experiencing new adventures, and exploring different studies. These are steps on the path to my ultimate goal: working for a major newspaper, like the San Francisco Chronicle or The New York Times. I will be spiritually fulfilled and happy as my work brings my joy, and I am able to entertain and inform others through my writing. This work will enable me to help support my family and build a great future for my children. I will have time to pursue other important areas in my life, such as health and fitness and my spiritual and faith life. I will help others by volunteering at local schools to teach students about writing and journalism. I believe this is the path I am meant to follow, so I know that following this passion won’t just benefit me; it will also benefit others through my words and experiences. My goal is to enjoy life, live mindfully, and to help others as much as possible. I take great inspiration from the camel driver’s words to Santiago in The Alchemist: “If you concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man...Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living right now” (Coelho 87). This is my ultimate goal in life, to live positively in the present moment. For me, the best way to do this is to pursue my passions of writing and journalism.
Although I have had many experiences in reading newspaper, magazines, and authors, I know I have so much to learn about journalism and the written word. I am only scratching the surface of my knowledge, and I am like a ravenous raccoon searching for more wisdom and knowledge. I know that a quality journalist must be someone who is adaptable and flexible to changing situations and changing forms of stories. About the changing nature of journalism, Rafael Olmeda writes, “Blessed are the adaptable, for they shall embrace change.” Just in my own lifetime, journalism has changed. Where I used to run down the stairs to read the newspaper, I now read most of my news online. I know I must be flexible to adapt to different technologies and different forms of writing, like blogging and digital storytelling. I know that some people say that journalism and newspapers are dying. David Simon, the creator of the HBO show The Wire, addresses this issue: “High-end journalism is dying in America and unless a new economic model is achieved, it will not be reborn on the web or anywhere else.” My goal is to keep high-end journalism alive, in any form that takes. I know that without that daily newspaper every morning, my love of words and reading would have never developed. I want to make that same impact to the next generation, to show them that words and storytelling matter, now more than ever in an increasingly shortened attention span, Snapchat, digital era. Following the path of journalism will require me to possess many quality values. One of these values is integrity/honesty: “Without integrity, it doesn’t matter how good of a writer the journalist is or how wonderful his sources” (Mulroney Clark). To me, this is the most important thing. Yes, I love writing and yes, I love language. But ultimately, I will live a life with integrity, faithfully reporting on the world’s events and telling truth to the readers.
I have created an action plan in order to make this Personal Legend come truly alive. First, I will be persistent and diligent in my academic studies, in both high school and college. I will pursue any paths to work on a school newspaper. I will continue to read the newspaper and news websites daily, and I will continue to research ways to become an even more effective writer. I will explore internships and any openings to work on a local newspaper, and I will do everything I can to make a positive first impression with the people at the company. I will be fully dedicated to improving as a writer, reader, learner, and journalist. I will always be focused on my happiness, spirituality, and my quest to serve and help others. I will always keep my passions in my mind as I pursue career paths and make important decisions in my life. Beyond anything else, I will follow the wisdom of the camel driver in The Alchemist and try to live mindfully and happily each day. In this way, I hope to inspire in others the same joy and discovery that I felt every morning in my childhood when I ran down those steps, devoured that cereal, and opened that newspaper.











Works Cited
Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. Print.
Mulroney Clark, Janet. “The Qualities of a Good Newspaper Journalist.” Chron. Demand
Media. Web. 7 February 2016.
<http://work.chron.com/qualities-good-newspaper-journalist-22454.html
Olmeda, Rafael. “10 Qualities of a Good Journalist.” World Journalist Institute. 3 November
2007. Web. 6 February 2016. <http://www.worldji.com/resources/view/49>
Simon, David. “David Simon’s Testimony at the Future of Journalism Hearing.” Read Clear
Politics. 9 May 2009. Web. 6 February 2016.
<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/05/09/david_simon_testimony_at_the_future_of_journalism_hearing_96415.html>