Synthesis -- Step 5 Four ways to Synthesize! Historical Papers  l  Displays  l  Documentaries  l  Performances  Required Written Material  l Student Contest Guide State Core Objectives

Historical Papers  --  Feb. 10 deadline for Utah competition
            The text of historical papers must be no less than 1,500 and no more than 2,500 words in length. Notes, annotated bibliography, illustration captions, and supplemental/appendix material do not count in that total. Appendix material must be directly referred to in the text of the paper. Extensive supplemental materials are inappropriate.
      Papers must be typed, computer printed, or legibly handwritten in ink on plain, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper with 1-inch margins on all sides. Pages must  be numbered consecutively and double-spaced with writing on one side and with no more than 12 characters per inch or no less than 10-point type. Papers must be stapled in the top left corner and should not be enclosed in any cover or binder. The title page should have no illustrations. See Guidelines for more specific rules

Sample Papers

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Exhibits/displays
Pictures of exhibits
If your forte is visual arts, design, graphics, and photography you may want to consider building a display/exhibit.  This is much like creating an exhibit for a museum.  It needs to both show visually, as well as explain the information you have researched.  Since you are limited to 500 original words, you must be concise in your wording, and  think of visual ways to show your research.  (Prove that a picture is worth 1000 words.)  See Guidelines for more details on word count for display. In addition to the exhibit a process paper is also required.

Suggestions for exhibits:

• Determine the shape you want your exhibit to be and still fit the guidelines (maximum 6 ft. high. 40 inches wide, 30 inches deep).  Displays have come in all shapes: circular -- rotating or stationary; 2 sided, 3 sided, 4 sided -- rotating; replica of an object related to your topic; sections like a book, etc.
• Besides words, how else can you share your information: short video clips, cassette recordings, music, photographs, etc.
• Media devices (e.g., tape recorders, projectors,  video monitors, computers) used in an exhibit must  not run for more than a total of 3 minutes. Viewers and judges must be able to control media devices. Any media devices used should be integral to the exhibit.
• Determine the color scheme you will use. Consider colors that are easy to see and look good with each other.
• Have large project title in prominent location
• Use something other than paper for background of exhibit:  Consider color, texture, fabric, leather, metal, wood, etc.
• Decide what the main ideas are that you want to show.  How will you organize them on the display?  These divisions should be in smaller letters than the title.  Do not hand letter.  Use computer generated text, and a laser printer or cut them carefully from stencils.  Your thesis needs to appear in a central place on the display.
• What else can you display on the board: Newspaper clippings, maps, photographs, journal entries, letters, etc.  These do not count as part of your 500 word text.
• What can you display in front of the board (or behind, or below, or on top) artifacts, tools, dioramas, textual visuals, clothing, etc.

Rule 15: Process Paper
 Entries in all categories except historical papers must include three copies of the following written materials:
 1. A title page described in Rule 11.
 2. A description of no more than 500 words explaining how you conducted your research and created and developed your entry. You must conclude your description with an explanation of the relationship of your topic to the contest  theme.
3. An annotated bibliography described in Rule 12.  These materials must be typed or neatly printed on plain white paper and stapled together in the top left corner. Do not enclose them in a
 cover or binder. TOP

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Documentaries
A documentary should reflect your ability to use audiovisual equipment to communicate your topic's
significance, much as professional documentaries do. The documentary category will help you develop skills in using photographs, film, video, audio tapes, computers, and graphic presentations. Your  presentation should include primary materials but  must also be an original production. To produce a documentary you must have access to equipment and be able to operate it. There are many ways to show your research through media sources. You can create this as an individual or as a team having 1-4 other people help you. Possible ways include:

• Video tape of a performance
• Video tape of a computerized slide show
• Synchronized slide show using two slide projectors (or one)
• Computer generated slide show (bring your own computer!)

Instruction on creating computerized slide shows: Power Point
Creating Power Point presentations  l  Power Point instruction #2

Rules related to Documentaries
Documentaries may not exceed 10 minutes in length. You will be allowed an additional 5 minutes to
set up and 5 minutes to remove equipment. Timing  will begin when the first visual image of the
presentation appears and/or the first sound is heard. Color bars and other visual leads in a video will be counted in the time limit
Rule 15: Process Paper
Entries in all categories except historical papers must include three copies of the following written materials:
1. A title page described in Rule 11.
2. A description of no more than 500 words explaining how you conducted your research and created and developed your entry. You must conclude your description with an explanation of the relationship of your topic to the contest  theme.
3. An annotated bibliography described in Rule 12.  These materials must be typed or neatly printed on plain white paper and stapled together in the top left corner. Do not enclose them in a cover or binder.

TOP

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Performances
If you have a flair for the lime-light, and enjoy acting, singing, etc.  performances may be a fun way for you to get your research across.  You can do a mono act, or write a script using up to 5 people (you included!)  A performance is a dramatic portrayal of your topic's significance in history and must be original in production.
Ways of doing performances:

• Mono act, given as if you are the person. Script can show various incidents from history.  Use props to show time change or different events
• Mono act, with one performer taking several roles: Quick change of costume indicates change of character.
• Narrator with scenes.  Actors show action, with narrator tying sections together
• News broadcaster live, using video clips of historic events.
• Interviewer and key figures done as talk show.
• Musical interpretation of history.  Use music and original lyrics to help tell the story.  Dancing can also be used.
• Reenactment of historical events.  Recreate actual scenes from history

Ways to enhance the performance

Use props with visuals that help set the time period, or event

Use signs that give critical information

Music may add to the mood

Costumes help to set an era, or event

Voice quality, clear enunciation, dialects, or accents

Ask your school drama teacher for help and suggestions

Performance guidelines
Performances may not exceed 10 minutes in length. Timing starts at the beginning of the performance following the announcement of the title and student names. Any other introductory remarks will be considered part of the performance and will be counted as part of the overall time. You will be allowed an additional 5 minutes to set up and 5 minutes to remove any props needed for your performance.

Rule 15: Process Paper
Entries in all categories except historical papers must include three copies of the following written materials:
1. A title page described in Rule 11.
2. A description of no more than 500 words explaining how you conducted your research and created and developed your entry. You must conclude your description with an explanation of the relationship of your topic to the contest  theme.
3. An annotated bibliography described in Rule 12.  These materials must be typed or neatly printed on plain white paper and stapled together in the top left corner. Do not enclose them in a cover or binder.

Required Written Material for all categories

A title page is required as the first page of written material in every category. Your title page must include only the title of your entry, your name(s) and the contest division and category in which you are entered.
Rule 12: Annotated Bibliography (sample from previous winner)
An annotated bibliography is required for all categories. It should contain all sources that provided usable information or new perspectives in preparing your entry. You will look at many more sources than you actually use. You should list only those sources that contributed to the development of your entry. Sources of visual materials and oral interviews must be included. The annotations for each source must explain how the source was used and how it helped you understand your topic.

Annotation example:
 Bates, Daisy. The Long Shadow of Little Rock. New York: David McKay Co.Inc., 1962.

 Daisy Bates was the president of the Arkansas NAACP and the one who met and listened to the students each day. This first hand account was very important to my paper because it made me more aware of the feelings of the  people involved.

How to cite Internet sources.
A Guide to MLA Documentation
A Guide to Turabian's Manual for Writers

Students will organize, synthesize, and present information.

        6512-0501
                Organize information from multiple resources.

•  Establish a clear purpose for product.
• Select a product format based on personal learning style, assignment constraints, and/or nature of information to be presented.
• Practice ethical use of information and information technologies.
•  Evaluate critically how selected information integrates to complete the task.
• Use webbing and outlining.
• Use word-processing programs to organize textual information.
• Use electronic spreadsheets to organize numerical information.
• Use electronic presentation programs or other techniques to organize pictorial information.
• Relate literature to classroom curricula; e.g., folk tales and mythology to explanations of scientific phenomena, biography to mathematics, natural history writing to science.
• Understand the qualities inherent in various genre of literature and consider use of literary genres in reporting information.
• Create, revise, and refine drafts; e.g., script, manuscript, storyboard, scientific abstract, as necessary.
• Apply criteria for quality and craftsmanship based on existing models and personal criteria.

• Present information using appropriate formats; e.g., electronic, print, media, and hypermedia.
• Use word-processing programs to present textual information.
• Use electronic spreadsheets to present numerical information and graphs.
• Tell stories and give booktalks in all forms; e.g., skits, mime, puppet shows, games.
• Cite sources in notes and bibliographies according to accepted citation and bibliographic format standards.
• Use remembering, encoding, and recalling skills in tests and other presentations.
• Use facilities and equipment responsibly for production and presentation.