LINCOLN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

HMC Research Packet

th
8 Grade – Unit 3 2022

Name_________________________________8A / 8B / 8C

Date: __________________________________

Due Date ______________________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

8th Grade HMC Guidelines

Welcome to the beginning of your HMC project for 8th grade. This
year your HMC will focus on a global issue. You will choose a global
issue that you feel passionate about and will come up with three
potential solutions to this issue.

As you are now in 8th grade you will not be required to write a
certain number of paragraphs but instead you must write at least 1,000
words.

Just like last year, you will be expected to follow MLA

formatting. This time you MUST include in-text citations and cite your
5-6 sources according to the MLA guidelines on an additional ‘Works
Cited’ page. (We will go into this in more depth later on.)

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

What is a Global Issue?

An issue is a matter of concern or of interest. Often people have

different opinions about an issue and will discuss or argue about it in
order to find a solution.
Sometimes an issue can have a particular focus. For example, issues
may have a political, social, environmental or economic focus.
A political issue might be one that is concerned with the governing of a
state or country. An example of a political issue is whether Australia
becomes a republic. An example of a social issue might be how to
reduce violence on our streets.
When we talk about a global issue we are usually referring to
something that affects a number of countries and populations. It is an
issue that impacts upon or is important to the global community.

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

MIND MAP

Create a mind map with your chosen HMC topic and create three statements about

it. Then, research three ideas to support these statements

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

RESEARCH GUIDE

● As you research into your chosen global issue, it’s important to record the information
you find. It will be VERY helpful to you when you come to writing your essay. This is
the MOST CRUCIAL part of writing your HMC. On the next few pages you will find
some boxes like in the example below. Every time you find some useful information,
write the quotation (“ ”) from the source or paraphrase the idea and then explain
underneath how it is relevant to your HMC.
● Be sure to record all the details of the source underneath. You will lose points for not
completing this part.

EXAMPLE: Global Issue: Mandatory school uniforms

Useful information:
Statistics – in 2013 15% of public high
schools in the US had mandatory school uniform rules.
This was 3% more than in 1996
The use of school uniforms increased in an
attempt to reduce school violence and improve
discipline
It has been argued that they improve
school test results
The article considers whether the use of
uniforms limits free expression in students

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: __Underwood, Julie___

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): ___Under the law: School
uniforms, dress codes, and free expression: What’s the balance?__

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

_______Phi Delta Kappa International_______

Publication date: ______26 February 2018________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): _____31______

URL website (if relevant): ___http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/___

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): _____5 Mar 2018_____________

RESEARCH Notes 1

Notes from Source 1 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

____

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

RESEARCH Notes 2

Notes from Source 2 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

____

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

RESEARCH Notes 3

Notes from Source 3 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

____

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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 LINCOLN INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

RESEARCH Notes 4

Notes from Source 4 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

RESEARCH Notes 5

Notes from Source 5 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

RESEARCH Notes 6

Notes from Source 6 (continue on the back of this page if necessary):

Useful information:

Author’s last name and first name/ initial: ___________________

Title of Source (book title/ article title/ video title): _______________________

Title of Container (website/magazine/newspaper/journal that the article was in):

___________________________________________________________________________

Publication date: __________________________

Page numbers (if book or magazine): ___________________________

URL website (if relevant): _______________________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Date accessed website (if relevant): ____________________________

Works Cited

Write here your sources in MLA:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

_____________

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Final Draft Rubric

ADVANCED - 3 PROFICIENT - 2 NEEDS WORK - 1 UNSATISFACTORY – 0

CONTENT
INTRO – Includes a strong hook Includes a hook / Includes a hook / Does not include a
Includes
Reader interest and successfully some background attempts to include some recognizable hook /
includes background information to the topic background information Does not include
information to the topic and issue. to the topic and the issue background
and issue. information to the topic
and the issue
INTRO— Thesis is worded well Thesis presents problem Thesis presents problem Thesis presents one or
Thesis and clearly states and three solutions. and/or two solutions. no solution /problem.
Statement problem and three Correct placement of Components are not Incorrect placement of
solutions. Correct components is evident. easily identifiable. components.
placement of
components is
evident.
BODY Clearly presents Presents some Presents little or Does not present
Presentation relevant information about confusing enough information
of problem information about the problem. information about about the problem.
the problem. the problem.
BODY All paragraphs are Most paragraphs are Some paragraphs are No paragraphs are
Development developed using the developed using the developed using the developed using the
Hamburger/PEEL Hamburger/PEEL Hamburger/PEEL Hamburger/PEEL. No
strategy. All strategy. Most strategy. Some paragraphs support the
paragraphs support paragraphs support paragraphs support thesis.
the thesis. the thesis. the thesis.
CONCLUSION Successfully establishes Establishes the Attempts to establish Does not establish the
—
significance of topic significance of topic and significance and/or to significance of topic.
and succinctly synthesizes main ideas, summarize main ideas, Does not address main
synthesizes main ideas, simply restating the repeating the same ideas, ignoring the
words
restating the thesis in thesis with different of the thesis. thesis statement.
an original and words.
persuasive
way.
FLOW Essay flows effectively Essay’s flow is adequate Essay’s flow is stunted Essay does not flow,
Placement and due to placement of and almost all due to issues with components are placed
organization components and use of components are placed component placement in the wrong order and
transitions between accurately and attempts and/or paragraphs have does not make use of
paragraphs. to use transitions little to no transitions. transitions.
between
paragraphs.

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RESEARCH
EVIDENCE All evidence is Most evidence is clearly Some evidence is clearly Little evidence is not
AND clearly explained explained and is explained and is relevant clearly explained
EXPLANATIO and is relevant to relevant to the topic. to the topic. and/or is not
N the topic. relevant to the
topic.
SOURCES Uses at least 5-6 Uses 4 credible sources Uses 3 credible sources of Uses 2 or less
credible sources of of information that are information that are sources of
information that are relevant to the topic. relevant to the topic. information that are
relevant to the topic. They are all cited in They are all cited in the relevant to the topic.
They are all cited in the essay (in-text essay (in-text citations). They are all cited in
the essay (in-text citations). the essay (in-text
citations). citations).
MECHANICS
VOCABULARY Consistently uses Occasionally uses varied Uses basic and repetitive Uses basic and
varied
vocabulary with topic vocabulary with topic vocabulary with topic repetitive vocabulary.
specific language and specific language and specific language. Very No topic specific
successfully makes use attempts to use transition few transition language or transition
of transition words/phrases. words/phrases are used. words/phrases.
words/phrases.
PUNCTUATION Consistently uses Occasionally uses Uses simple sentence Uses simple
complex and varied varied sentence structures. Punctuation is sentence structures.
sentence structures. structures. more inaccurate than Punctuation
Punctuation is Punctuation is more accurate impedes
accurate. accurate than communicati
inaccurate on.
MLA Consistently follows Almost always follows Occasionally follows MLA Does not follow MLA
Formatting and MLA formatting and MLA formatting and/or formatting and/or in-text formatting and in-text
in-
in-text citations text citation in-text citation citation conventions citation conventions
conventions conventions
MLA Always follows Almost always follows Occasionally follows the Does not follow
Works Cited conventions of conventions of conventions of MLA conventions of
MLA Works Cited MLA Works Cited Works Cited page MLA Works Cited
page page page
Length At least 1,000 words 990-940 words 930-880 words 870 words or
Requireme (and no more (or 1,160-1,250) (1,260-1,350) fewer (or +1,360)
nt than 1,150)
Revision Piece has been Piece has been revised, Piece has been slightly or Piece has little to no
significantly revised, mainly taking into superficially revised, only revision visible and has
taking into account account teacher´s draft taking into account not taken teacher´s
not

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DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

only teacher´s draft feedback and some 2nd teacher´s draft feedback. draft feedback or 2nd
feedback, but also 2nd semester semester topics/
semester topics/activities. activities into account
topics/activities. or first draft with
teacher´s feedback
is not turned in.

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