The Research Paper - Henry County School District



Steps in the Research Process

1. Select a topic:

a. Start by picking a topic from the list.

b. Brainstorm the topic and list keywords that you can use to search the library databases. This will help you make sure that you understand your topic and that you can find sources of information.

c. Narrow your focus and write a specific research question.

2. Find and evaluate sources (Mrs. Smith and Ms. Herman will help you find sources)

a. Look for magazine articles, online articles, and books.

b. Mix primary and secondary sources in your research.

c. Make sure that your sources are valid and reliable

i. Authority: is author an expert in the field?

ii. Why is author presenting information?

iii. URLs: .gov and .edu are generally best

d. Is information current/ outdated?

e. How objective is your source?

3. Read and fill in your scaffold packet

a. Make sure that you have carefully read your sources.

b. Compile information for ALL sources.

c. Document source and page numbers on ALL quotation and paraphrases.

4. Develop an outline

a. Write your thesis statement

b. Decide how to organize paragraphs

c. List supporting details

5. Write a rough draft

a. Put your outline into sentence form

b. Include parenthetical citations for any information that you take from a source: quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.

c. Use proper MLA format for citations and works cited.

6. Complete Final draft

a. Proofread your work and revise the content.

b. Line edit for mistakes in grammar, as well as style. EDIT OUT: a lot, stuff, things, good, bad

c. Be sure to review MLA format requirements for the essay, works cited page, and parenthetical citations.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Must use a minimum of four sources

2. Must include properly cited quotations and paraphrases throughout the essay

3. Must be 4-5 pages minimum of text + one page of Works Cited

4. Must be typed, double spaced in 12 pt. Times New Roman font.

Step One: Selecting and narrowing your topic:

Consider a current issue that is debatable and write a question that you would like to answer with your research.

For example:

• Aging:

- Should insurance pay for cosmetic surgery to de-accelerate the aging process?

• Animal Rights:

- Should the government regulate the use of animals in cosmetic or medical testing?

- Should the penalties for animal cruelty be increased?

• Capital punishment:

- Should the criminally insane be executed?

- Should the appeal process be amended for convicts on death row?

• Homelessness

- Should taxes be raised in order to fund the building and maintenance of homeless shelters?

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Definitions:

1. Quote: Anything copied word for word from the original source

2. Paraphrase: Source material put into your own words

3. Summary: Main points from source material put into your own words

ALL QUOTES, PARAPHRASES, AND SUMMARIES MUST BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SOURCE IN ORDER TO AVOID PLAGIARISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Use quotations when……

• It is awkward or difficult to reword the original

• Statistical information cannot be changed

• You want to highlight a striking phrase, sentence, or passage

•

Use paraphrasing when….

• The sentence or passage you are recreating is nothing special

• You have already used several quotes, but you want to include the gist of the information from a source

• You need to simplify or condense the full meaning of the original

Use summarization when….

• You only need key points from the sources.

• Providing support for claims adds credibility to your writing.

• Examples from several points of view are necessary.

Examples:

Original Passage:

Students frequently overuse direct quotations in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final {research} paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

Paraphrase:

In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

Summary:

Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).

Plagiarized:

Students often use to many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.

From

Develop an Outline

1. At the top of the paper, center the word Outline. Do not bold or underline!

2. You do NOT include your introduction or conclusion in the outline

3. Your thesis statement is written on the outline.

4. Use Roman numerals for each of your arguments.

5. Each argument must be supported by at least three pieces of evidence.

6. At least one piece of evidence must use a quote.

Sample:

Outline

Thesis: The government should enact laws that would create harsh penalties for those who practice cruelty to animals.

I. Argument One

a. Evidence

b. Evidence

c. Evidence

II. Argument Two

a. Evidence

b. Evidence

c. Evidence

III. Argument Three

a. Evidence

b. Evidence

c. Evidence

Writing a Rough Draft

Introduction:

• Start with an attention getter.

o Thought provoking question (no rhetorical questions)

o Shocking statement or statistic

o Quote

o Anecdote

o History of issue you are debating

Remember that your attention getter must effectively “hook” your reader. If it is boring to you, it will be boring to your reader.

• Transition to your thesis. You must make the connection between your attention getter and your thesis for your reader.

• Thesis Statement: This is a statement of your opinion regarding the issue you are writing about.

o Should be ONE sentence

o Should NOT contain “I think” or “I believe.”

o Should also NOT refer to your paper as in “In this paper, I will prove…”

o Should be the last sentence of your introduction

o Should only argue ONE side of the issue

Body Paragraphs: You need a separate body paragraph for each argument. For a strong essay, you need at least two arguments. Do not include weak arguments or arguments for which you do not have supporting evidence.

• Transition: single word, phrase, or hook

• Topic Sentence: This is a statement of your first argument.

o Must relate argument to thesis

o Must come early in the paragraph

• Evidence- three to five specific examples which support your argument

o Must be clear how evidence supports your topic sentence

o Must be documented to indicate the source of the information

• Concluding statement: This is the same as your topic sentence, just in different words

Conclusion:

• Reworded/ restated thesis

• Summary of points

• Clincher statement

Parenthetical Documentation

When you use the information from your note cards in your paper, use parenthetical documentation to give credit to the source of the information.

Viso 3

Many would be actors and actresses attempt to achieve fame and recognition by creating characters and regularly posting videos on YouTube. However, according to Ben McGrath, a writer for The New Yorker, this venue can also be competitive. He demonstrates this with a story of Stevie Ryan, known to You Tube regulars as Little Loca, concluding that “the quest for stardom that had led her to Hollywood now pitted her against nonprofessionals in Toronto and Pittsburg and Tasmania” (McGrath 87).

Note: ALL INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM A SOURCE MUST BE DOCUMENTED- WHETHER YOU QUOTE or PARAPHRASE!!

MLA Parenthetical Citations

It is necessary to use a Parenthetical Citation when you reference the works of others. This allows people to know which sources you used in writing your essay and then be able to look them up themselves, so that they can use them in their scholarly work.

What goes in the citation?

• The author’s last name and the page number (s) of the source from which the quotation is taken must appear in the text. The author's name must appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase. If there is no author put the “title of the article” in parenthesis.

• The page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. Many internet documents are not paginated—then omit page #

Note: A complete reference should appear in your works citied list for both direct quotations and paraphrased statements. All sources on your Works Cited page must appear in your paper.

You are expected to use at least one quotation per body paragraph. Other evidence should be paraphrased.

Direct Quotations

• To indicate short quotations (fewer than four typed lines of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks and incorporate it into your text.

• Provide the author and specific page citation in the text

➢ Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263).

➢ Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

• Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the parenthetical citation. Question marks and exclamation points should appear within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage but after the parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.

• Place quotations longer than four typed lines in a free-standing block of typewritten lines, and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented one inch from the left margin, and maintain double-spacing. Your parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)

Three Main Types of Lead-ins:

|Partial Sentence Lead-ins (no comma): |

|According to Foulkes' study, dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (184). |

|Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality" (Foulkes 184)? |

|Partial Sentence Lead-ins (with comma): |

|Cullen, a well-known poetry analyst, concludes, "Of all the things that happened there/ That's all I remember" (11-12). |

|Full Sentence Lead-ins (use a colon): |

|Johnson introduces an innovative method for research in his study: “Imagine a research paper that actually includes the use of other sources. These sources can|

|be obtained from specialists” (222). |

Concerns that may come along as you are using quotations:

Information retrieved from

TRANSITIONS

• Use transitions between pieces of evidence within your body paragraphs as well as between arguments.

|addition |again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further,|

| |furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreover, next, second, |

| |still, too |

|comparison |also, in the same way, likewise, similarly |

|concession |granted, naturally, of course |

|contrast |although, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time, despite that, even |

| |so, even though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, |

| |nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, |

| |regardless, still, though, yet |

|emphasis |certainly, indeed, in fact, of course |

|example or |after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, |

|illustration |indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, |

| |specifically, that is, to illustrate, thus, truly |

|summary |all in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brief, in conclusion, in |

| |other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the |

| |whole, that is, therefore, to put it differently, to summarize |

|time sequence |after a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at last, at length,|

| |at that time, before, besides, earlier, eventually, finally, formerly, further, |

| |furthermore, in addition, in the first place, in the past, last, lately, |

| |meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly, simultaneously, |

| |since, so far, soon, still, subsequently, then, thereafter, too, until, until |

| |now, when |

From Guide to Grammar and Writing



Works Cited

• Work cited pages are important tools to help you and your reader find the information used during research.

• A Work Cited is a list of ONLY those sources you have cited in your research.

Include the source from your bibliography card in your Works Cited. Sources are listed alphabetically on the Works Cited page.

Viso 4

Works Cited

McGrath, Ben, “It Should Happen to You: The Anxieties of You Tube Fame.” The New Yorker. October 16, 2006: 86-95.

Formatting:

1. Create an entry using MLA format. ( can help with format)

2. Title your document as Works Cited.

3. Alphabetize your entries by the first letter of the author’s last name or the first letter of the title if there is no author.

4. Double space the document WITHOUT extra spaces in between entries.

5. Indent all of the entry EXCEPT the first line which should be left justified.

6. Make sure your last name and page number is in the upper left corner. Since the WC is considered the last page of your paper it should be numbered according. If the last page of your text is page 3, your works cited will be page 4.

Sample:

Dyrhaug 6

Work Cited

Linz, David, Edward Donnerstein, and Steven Penrod. “The Effects of Multiple Exposures to

Filmed Violence Against Women.” Journal of Communication. February 7, 2006.

March 13, 2007.

Smith, Martin. "World Domination for Dummies." Journal of Despotry 1.2 3 Feb. 2000: 66-72. Ebsco. Megafile. Burnsville High School Library, Burnsville, MN. 19 February 2003

Tomson, Ellen. “Where the Girls Aren’t: A Recent Study finds Movies Aimed At Young

Children are Top-Heavy with Physically Aggressive Male Characters.” Saint Paul

Pioneer Press. October 25, 2006. March 13, 2007.

MLA Formatting

MLA Header: Goes on 1st page, upper left corner and double spaced:

Your Name

Teacher’s Name

Course (English III)

Date

NOTE: Do not do this as a header/footer. The header should be typed at the top of the first page only!!

Quotes:

• Short quotes go in quotation marks followed by parenthetical documentation.

• Quotes 4 lines or longer are indented from left margin and use no quotation marks.

NOTE: ALL INFORMATION, QUOTED OR PARAPHRASED, MUST BE PARENTHETICALLY DOCUMENTED!!!!!

Page Numbering:

1. Go to “View” command on tool bar.

2. Select “Header/ Footer.”

3. On the top tool bar, select the right alignment icon.

4. Type your last name and 2 spaces.

5. Select # icon on the pop up bar and then select close.

Works Cited: (see packet)

Works Cited is a separate page at the end of your paper, but is numbered according to the last page number of the paper.

Sample Paper:

To look at an example of a sample paper using MLA formatting, go to Purdue’s OWL.

Select “MLA 2009 Style Guide,” then choose the Undergraduate Sample Paper.



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Step Six: The Final Draft

Research Checklist

Use the following checklist to make corrections in your final draft:

Content:

o Effective attention getter

o Clear, concise thesis

o Clear topic sentences

o Written in 3rd person

o Quotes are integrated with text

o Transitions used between ideas in paragraphs

o Transitions used between main points

o Three sources used to support points

o Effective clincher statement in conclusion

MLA Format

o MLA Header on 1st page

o MLA page numbering

o 1” margins: top/bottom, both sides

o Works Cited alphabetized

o Hanging indent used on WC entries

o Double spaced

o Times New Roman font

o Correct parenthetical documentation of sources

o All sources cited are included on Works Cited

o All sources on Works Cited are used in text

Punctuation, Usage

o Quotes are correctly punctuated

o Paragraphs are indented

o Spelling is accurate

o Subject-verb agreement is correctly employed

o Commas are used correctly

o Correct use of italics and quotations for titles

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Indirect Quotation/Quotation within a Quotation:

Sometimes you may have to use an indirect quotation. An indirect quotation is a quotation that you found in another source that was quoting from the original. For such indirect quotations, use "qtd. in" to indicate the source.

Sample: Sam I. Am argues that high schools are pressured to act as "social service centers, and they don't do that well" (qtd. in Seuss 259).

Unknown Author:

If the work you are making reference to has no author, use an abbreviated version of the work's title. For non-print sources, such as films, TV series, pictures, or other media, or electronic sources, include the name that begins the entry in the Works Cited page.

Sample: An anonymous Wordsworth critic once argued that his poems were too emotional ("Wordsworth Is A Loser" 100).

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