Writing a research paper
English 9
Step 1: Identify your topic
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Consider how long your paper must be
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The shorter the paper, the more narrow your topic
should be
The longer the paper, the more space you will
have to explore bigger ideas
Consider your interests, what resources are
available
Step 2: Research
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Take notes as you research
DO NOT simply copy/cut & paste – this will
cause you problems later on!
Keep a working bibliography
Make note of where you find each piece of
information – you will need to cite it in your
paper!
More is better, but stay focused!
First due date:
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12 notecards (minimum)
3 sources (minimum)
NO GOOGLE! NO WIKIPEDIA! You get it,
right???
Due Friday, March 25
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Library time Wed. & Thurs.
Step 3: Organize your ideas in an outline
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A good outline will make writing your paper
much easier
What is your thesis? What is your overall
opinion about what you have learned through
your study of this topic?
Sort your research notes into categories –
these will become your body
Sample Outlines
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Purdue OWL
http://docs.google.com/gview?url=http://owl.e
nglish.purdue.edu//media/pdf/2008111301304
8_544.pdf&chrome=true
Most MLA outlines follow the Alphanumeric
format
Lets’ try it!
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Here are some of my notes about trench warfare. How would you sort them?
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Trenches are ditches dug for soldiers to fight from (source A)
Trenches were composed of intricate systems of connected trenches
(source A)
“the soldier found himself powerless as an individual, crouching in
trenches for days on end, simply waiting to be destroyed from afar”
(source B)
Trenches were used for offensive and defensive purposes (source A)
Trench warfare in WWI led to massive numbers of casualties (source
A)
After WWI, many surviving soldiers had nightmares about the
horrors of trench warfare (source A)
Patrols went into “no man’s land” at night to strengthen barbed wire
(source B)
Trench life made for very strong and powerful ties between the
soldiers (source B)
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Source A: International Military and Defense
Encyclopedia, 1993
Source B: History in Dispute, 2002
Group similar ideas:
I. _____________________
A. Trenches are ditches dug for soldiers to fight from (source A)
B. Trenches were composed of intricate systems of connected trenches (source
A)
II. ____________________
A. Life was very hard and death was everywhere
1. “the soldier found himself powerless as an individual, crouching in
trenches for days on end, simply waiting to be destroyed from afar”
(source B)
2. Trench warfare in WWI led to massive numbers of casualties
(source A)
B. Trench life made for very strong and powerful ties between the
soldiers (source B)
C. After WWI, many surviving soldiers had nightmares about the horrors of
trench warfare (source A)
And so on….
Don’t forget your thesis!
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Look at all your notes:
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What have you learned?
What’s your take-away?
Example:
Thesis: Trench warfare was the most important
yet most damaging aspect of World War I.
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Now you try!
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Look at your note cards.
Sort them into groups. What main idea or
heading would you give each? This is the
Roman Numeral.
Come up with a thesis statement that
includes all the ideas you will discuss in the
body (everything in your notes).
Organize in descending order.
WWI Research Paper Outline
Thesis: Trench warfare was the most important yet most damaging aspect
of World War I.
I. Description of trench warfare
A. Trenches are ditches dug for soldiers to fight from (source A)
B. Trenches were composed of intricate systems of connected trenches
(source A)
II. Life in the trenches
A. Life was very hard and death was everywhere
1. “the soldier found himself powerless as an individual, crouching
in trenches for days on end, simply waiting to be
destroyed from afar” (source B)
2. Trench warfare in WWI led to massive numbers of casualties
(source A)
B. Trench life made for very strong and powerful ties between the
soldiers (source B)
C. After WWI, many surviving soldiers had nightmares about the horrors
of trench warfare (source A)
WWI Research Paper Outline
Thesis:
I.
A.
B.
1.
2.
II.
A.
1.
2.
B.
C.
III.
A.
B.
C.
1.
2.
Next due date:
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Outline and working bibliography due
Thursday, March 31
Step 4: Drafting your paper
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Using your outline, begin writing your paper in essay
(long) format.
Your thesis statement is the last sentence of your
introduction paragraph.
Each roman numeral in your outline becomes one
paragraph in the body of your paper.
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Remember you still need MEAT, but the paragraphs will
probably be longer than in a normal five-paragraph essay
Your conclusion should restate your thesis and
discuss your overall learning about this topic.
In-text citations: MLA
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Whenever you use someone else’s ideas
(even paraphrased):
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(Author last name page#).
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Ex. Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow
of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).
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(“Title of article” page#).
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Ex. We see so many global warming hotspots in North
America likely because this region has “more readily
accessible climatic data and more comprehensive
programs to monitor and study environmental change
. . . ” (“Impact of Global Warming” 6).
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/
In-text citations: MLA
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Include in the text the first item that appears
in the Work Cited entry that corresponds to
the citation (e.g. author name, article name,
website name, film name).
For websites, you do not need to put the
entire URL in the text citation, only the
domain name or beginning of the URL (but
you DO need the entire URL in the Works
Cited page!!)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/
In-text citations: MLA
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PLEASE, look at the sample paper before
writing your draft!!!
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/74
7/13/
Works Cited page: MLA
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Alphabetical by author’s last name or first
word in citation
ONLY list those works that you cited in the
body of your paper
Hanging indent, double-spaced
Separate page from text (insert a page break
after you are done with your conclusion)
Formatting Guidelines
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12 point Times New Roman or Arial font ONLY
Double-spaced (everything!); 3-4 pages not
including Works Cited page
1-inch margins (these should be your Word default
margins)
Left margin: Your name; My name; English 9; date
(double space between each – see sample paper)
Title centered on page; no caps, bold, italics, or
underline
Add a header to your pages: your last name page
number (see sample paper)
Next deadline
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Rough draft of paper DUE Monday, April 11
See me with questions!
You can do this!!!!