Research Portfolio Assignment #4—I-Search Paper: Write a 2-page reflective I-search paper on
your research process used in Research Portfolio Assignments 1-3. The title of the paper should be
your historical question (not the background for the question, just the question itself). Begin the
paper with the historical context and background about why you wanted to answer this historical
question. Next, explain how you went about locating and identifying scholarly secondary sources
about this historical topic. Explain how you determined these secondary sources to be scholarly. For
the primary sources describe how you authenticated the source (recall the example of a mis-quote
from Abraham Lincoln about the internet). If you experienced challenges or difficulties, for example
locating primary sources, then explain that. In the body of the essay, specifically identify and
footnote resources used as you analyze how each helped to answer the research question. For the
conclusion, provide the answer to your question and include an explanation about how the sources
helped to answer your question. Write a Bibliography for the last page that includes all sources used.
1. Review the previous assignments: Research Portfolio 1,2, and 3. Use this information to help
you craft the essay for this assignment.
2. Review the SAMPLE essays attached here for an idea of what the finished essay should
resemble.
3. FORMAT: Use the Chicago Manual of Style to format the essay. To access this reference book, sign
in to the EOU Library, then search “Chicago Manual of Style.” Access the electronic version of the
manual and look up the formatting guidelines.
