Research paper 2

April 2012 – English, Gr. 11 & 12 – Research Paper – Slide 1

Writing a Research Paper


Purpose of Research Paper
• You will be taking a stand on an issue and
providing support or evidence gained from your
research to back up your position.

• Any type of writing where research and citations
are required:
• Essays, case studies, etc.


Don’t Get Overwhelmed!

• Break it down to step-by-step process.


Step 1 – Clarify Assignment
• Is topic specified?
• Length of paper required?
• What citation format is required?
– MLA – Modern Language Association
• Used in the Humanities: English, Foreign Languages,
History, Art, Art History, Philosophy, Religion and
Communication
– APA - American Psychological Association
• Used in the Social Sciences, Education, and
Behavioral Sciences
• Ask mentor any questions you may have at beginning of
process!


Step 2 – Develop a Research Question
• Provides focus for research and paper
• OWN YOUR TOPIC!
– What interests you the most about the topic?
– Make a listing of questions you would like to have answered
about the topic
– What would capture the interest of the reader?
• Pick issue that can be researched
– Make sure topic is not too broad or narrow in scope
• Resource:
– www.esc.edu/writer - Go to the “Research Room”


Step 3 – Begin Doing Research
• ESC Online Library
• http://www.esc.edu/- Click on My ESC, then Library and Learning
Resources – go to Find Info Quick Start Tutorial
• Peer-reviewed articles vs. Google search
• Accuracy/Bias
• Authority
• Currency
• Avoid certain “sources” i.e., Wickipedia, unsubstantiated sources
such as blogs, statements from non-experts.


Stop

Academic Integrity
• Cite all of your sources
• Never represent the ideas or words of another as your own –
plagiarism can result in student dismissal!
• Use index cards when doing research
• Direct Quote – put in quotation marks
• Summary – condenses information and puts it in your own words
• Paraphrase – roughly same length as original, but information is
stated in your own words.
• All of the above need to be cited – put citation information on
back of card for future reference.


Citation – States Where you Got
the Information
• Two styles used most often: APA and MLA.

• Author, year of publication, title of work, page, name of
journal, or publisher.

• APA and MLA style guidelines and much more in the
Bedford Handbook or A Writer’s Reference by Diana
Hacker.


Example: Quotation
• “In most vital organizations, there is a common bond of
interdependence, mutual interest, interlocking
contributions, and simple joy. Part of the art of leadership
is to see that this common bond is maintained and
strengthened, a task certainly requiring good
communication.”

• The direct quotation comes from page 101 of a book
entitled Leadership is an Art, by Max DePree.


Proper Way to Cite:
APA Format:
• “In most vital organizations, there is a common
bond of interdependence, mutual interest,
interlocking contributions, and simple joy. Part of
the art of leadership is to see that this common
bond is maintained and strengthened, a task
certainly requiring good communication”
(Depree, 1989, p. 101).
MLA Format:
• Paragraph as above followed by (Depree 101).


Paraphrase
• Besides quoting directly, the following is also an
acceptable way to use and acknowledge the
DePree material:
• As DePree (1989) noted, leadership requires
good communication skills that maintain and
strengthen the bonds of interdependence,
mutual interest, joy, and interlocking
contributions that exist in most vital
organizations (p. 101).
APA
• As DePree noted, … in most vital organizations
(101).
MLA


Unacceptable:
• If there was no reference to the source, the
following use of the DePree material would be
unacceptable:

Most organizations have common bonds, and part
of being a leader is to see that common bonds
are maintained and strengthened. Good
communication skills are required for this task.
(Paraphrased but with no citation).


Acceptable:
• Most organizations have common bonds, and
part of being a leader is to see that common
bonds are maintained and strengthened. Good
communication skills are required for this task
(DePree, 1989, p. 101).

• Paraphrased with proper citation.


Step 4 – Develop a Thesis Statement
• Purpose: focuses your ideas and information within the
paper and provides guidance to the reader
• TOPIC + YOUR POSITION ON THAT TOPIC = THESIS
STATEMENT
• Example:
• Adult students returning to college make up a higher percentage
of entering students than they did twenty years ago because of a
number of statistical, economic, and social reasons.


Step 5 – Organize Your Ideas
• Use mapping, outlining, or arranging of your research
index cards to place your ideas in a logical sequence.

• Sequence of ideas is sometimes determined by thesis
statement.


Step 6 - Create a First Draft
• Three major parts to good research paper:
• Introduction
• Opportunity to capture interest of reader
• Allows you to present thesis statement
• Body
• Paragraphs that provide evidence supporting your thesis statement
• Conclusion
• Allows you to provide summary of main points and should make
reader think about implications of topic discussed.
• May conclude by making a prediction or offering specific advice.


Step 7 – Begin Revisions & Proofreading
• Revision
• Have you said what you wanted to say in a
clear and effective way?
• Have you provided enough evidence to
support your thesis?
• Is information presented in most effective
order?
• Does it flow?
• Do you leave any questions in the mind of the
reader?


• Proofreading
• Checking your paper for grammar and spelling
errors
• Are you using consistent verb tense?
• Are you using variation in your use of words?
• Is there any way you can tighten your sentences?
• Did you use spell-check or a dictionary?
• Have you used proper punctuation?
• Resource:
• www.esc.edu/writer - Research Room - Revising
and Proofreading the Draft


Step 8 – Document Your Sources and
Create Works Cited Page
• Find a good handbook (such as the Bedford Handbook by
Diane Hacker) or a website (such as
www.esc.edu/citations or
www.bedfordstmartin.com/online) that will demonstrate
proper citation formats.

• Provide in-text citations for your research findings.


References or Work Cited Page
• References (APA) or Works Cited page (MLA)
should follow at end of paper
• Example of entry:
• DePree, M. (1989) Leadership is an art.
New York: Doubleday. (APA format)
• DePree, M. Leadership is an Art. New
York: Doubleday, 1989. (MLA format)
• All entries listed in alphabetical order


Step 9 – Do Final Reading & Make
Last Minute Revisions
• Always take time to do final reading

• Read paper slowly out-loud to listen for errors

• Ask someone else to read through paper to make sure you
have expressed yourself clearly

• No corrections are trivial – take the time to present
yourself in best possible light.


Step 10 – Submit Paper!
• Make sure you have adhered to all of the
formatting requirements of your mentor and
submit your paper.

• Always keep a copy of your paper on file and in
hard copy.


Additional Tips:
• Never Use Personal Pronouns in Research Papers. “I think,
You will agree,” etc. If you’re citing the works of a group
of researchers, don’t state “they found.” State instead,
“The group concluded,” or “It was determined.” Remain
totally objective - your credibility is at stake.

• If you cite research that supports your thesis, then you
should also cite works that support the opposition.

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