Process Paper
How I chose my topic:
Last year, I completed a project about the decision to drop the atomic bombs. It was very interesting, but I wanted a more local topic this year. So, I did some research online about famous Kentuckians, and I found Cora Wilson Stewart. Her story greatly interested me, and I knew that it would be a great fit for the theme "Rights and Responsibilities in History."
How I conducted my research:
This year, since I chose a local topic, I was able to find many documents and images in special collections libraries in my state. I visited the University of Kentucky Special Collections Library and the Morehead State University Special Collections Library. I also used the Kentucky Digital Library, which has digitized hundreds of images taken by Cora Wilson Stewart, and found two books by well-known experts on my topic. Chronicling America from the Library of Congress supplied me with many newspaper articles, and I was able to visit and take pictures of the Moonlight Schoolhouse located on the Morehead State University campus. There was an abundance of sources to find, if I looked in the right places.
How I selected my presentation category and created my project:
I chose to present my project as a website. I have had experience with the Weebly website creator, as it was what I used last year, and I was able to insert more complicated things into my website that I had not done before. I like to work with technology and find out how programs work, so this got me interested in the website format.
How my project relates to the theme:
My thesis statement is, “Cora Wilson Stewart felt that everyone had the right to literacy. She started the Moonlight Schools to spread literacy and inspire the literate to take responsibility for teaching illiterate adults.” I believe my topic fits with the theme because Stewart thought that literacy was a right that all are entitled to, as well as a responsibility because the literate must give their knowledge to the illiterate in order to spread knowledge.
Last year, I completed a project about the decision to drop the atomic bombs. It was very interesting, but I wanted a more local topic this year. So, I did some research online about famous Kentuckians, and I found Cora Wilson Stewart. Her story greatly interested me, and I knew that it would be a great fit for the theme "Rights and Responsibilities in History."
How I conducted my research:
This year, since I chose a local topic, I was able to find many documents and images in special collections libraries in my state. I visited the University of Kentucky Special Collections Library and the Morehead State University Special Collections Library. I also used the Kentucky Digital Library, which has digitized hundreds of images taken by Cora Wilson Stewart, and found two books by well-known experts on my topic. Chronicling America from the Library of Congress supplied me with many newspaper articles, and I was able to visit and take pictures of the Moonlight Schoolhouse located on the Morehead State University campus. There was an abundance of sources to find, if I looked in the right places.
How I selected my presentation category and created my project:
I chose to present my project as a website. I have had experience with the Weebly website creator, as it was what I used last year, and I was able to insert more complicated things into my website that I had not done before. I like to work with technology and find out how programs work, so this got me interested in the website format.
How my project relates to the theme:
My thesis statement is, “Cora Wilson Stewart felt that everyone had the right to literacy. She started the Moonlight Schools to spread literacy and inspire the literate to take responsibility for teaching illiterate adults.” I believe my topic fits with the theme because Stewart thought that literacy was a right that all are entitled to, as well as a responsibility because the literate must give their knowledge to the illiterate in order to spread knowledge.