Scenario

When he is not grading your papers, your English teacher is busy designing book jacket covers. He is very behind schedule and the book editor is upset. He needs your help to find facts for the book jackets. He will assign the name of an author to research and you must find the appropriate information for him and design a cover.

1. You will use various print and online library resources to find the information about your assigned author.

2. You will need to find the following information to include on the book jacket cover:

• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Parents' names
• Educational background
• The dates of three major events in the person's life
• Place of current residence, if applicable
• Date and place of death, if applicable
• Title and date of the earliest important work by this writer
• Title of five other works and their dates
• One quote by the person about his/her work or writing in general
• Two critical comments about the author. One must be from a journal article.

A worksheet to record this information will be provided

3. Research your topic using the following resources:

Step 1:

Go to Netscape Navigator, then Class Links, then Library to access the The Benet Library Web Page

http://www.benet.org

Under library you will find many different resources. For this assignment click on Periodical Resources, then ProQuest. Click on Publication Type and choose Periodicals. Type in your topic and find one magazine article about your topic. Fill out the bibliographic information on your worksheet. Also in ProQuest, click on Publication Type and choose Newspapers to find one newpaper article about your topic and again fill out the worksheet.

 

Step 2:

Also under Periodical Resources go to SIRS. Find one magazine article and enter it on your worksheet.

 

Step 3:

Also under Periodical Resources go to FirstSearch. Type in the authorization number and password which were passed out. Under "Select a Topic or Database" choose Wilson Select Plus and find one magazine article for your worksheet.

 

Step 4:

Reduce Netscape Navigator by clicking on the minus button in the upper right hand corner of your screen.

 

Step 5:

Click Library Programs to access the Benet CD-ROM programs and Benet Card Catalog.

Go to Benet Card Catalog. Also browse the reference shelves in the 800's. Find one book.

Go to the CD-ROM program Discovering Authors to find additional information about your author.

 

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Product

Design a book jacket cover for one of the significant books your author wrote. Include the biographical information about the author on the back flap of the cover. On the back cover include quotes about the author and book said by other authors.

 

• You must use a variety of resources, including a book, magazine articles, and newspaper articles.
• Fill out a worksheet with the bibliographical information of the material used.

Rubrics

Teachers: Download a copy of the student worksheet that accompanies this MiniQuest. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view this file.

 

MiniQuest created by D. Sola. Copyright 1999.

All rights reserved. Last updated 8/17/00.