What is a research paper?
Academic writing that requires
abstract, critical, and thoughtful
inquiry based on and contributing
to the discussion regarding a
topic.
2 Types of Research Papers
 ANALYTICAL: uses evidence to
analyze facets of an issue
 ARGUMENTATIVE: uses evidence
to attempt to convince the reader
of your particular stance on a
debatable topic
Analytical Research Papers
 Begin with a research question about
which you have not come to any
conclusions.
 Survey the discussion to familiarize
yourself with the various viewpoints.
 Critically assess or analyze the
discussion and respond with your own
addition and/or evaluation.
Argumentative Research Papers
 In contrast to the analytical approach,
argument requires that you take a
stand on a controversial issue while
using sufficient and credible evidence
as support.
 Not necessarily thesis driven but rather
set up to draw conclusions.
Example
 TOPIC: the contributing factors to
childhood obesity
How would an analytical research paper
look in comparison to an argumentative
research paper?
Read the Assignment Critically
 When provided with a writing prompt,
determine the action words or verbs
used in the assignment as they will
lead you to a clearer picture of what
you are expected to do.
 EX: argue, analyze, compare/contrast,
discuss, evaluate, reflect upon.
Read the Assignment Critically
 Also highlight or underline the key
phrases or terms that you are expected
to discuss.
 After reading the prompt and thinking
critically about the question, ask your
professor to help clarify if you are still
unsure about what is expected.
Picking Your Topic
 Your prompt may not provide you with
a specific topic. Therefore, you must
develop your own based on very
general guidelines.
 Begin by merely thinking about ideas
that seem interesting to you in some
way. Look through your notes and/or
textbook or converse with peers from
your class for ideas.
Invention Techniques
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1.
2.
3.
4.
If you are having difficulties coming
up with a topic or narrowing one
down, there are several techniques
you can try.
Freewriting
Brainstorming
Mapping
The Five Ws: who, what, when,
where, how, and why
Audience and Rhetorical
Situation
 The framing or rhetorical situation will
help you to assess your audience
which will help determine the overall
style and tone of your research paper.
 Make sure to determine as much as
you can about your audience prior to
beginning the writing process.
SCOPE
SCOPE
 preliminary research
 refining of your topic.
Why do preliminary research?
 Library Familiarization: getting to know where things are
and dipping your toes into the whole research pool before
diving in head-first.
 Discovery: what topic fascinates you?
 Examination of the Available Resources (even if you're
familiar with the general subject area and the library): to
see how feasible delving further into the topic will be.
How to conduct preliminary
research
 Go to Libros and enter some keywords that have to
do with your subject.
 Go to the appropriate stacks. Flip through books
and see which topics catch your eye and interest.
 Go to one of the university’s research databases
and enter your keywords again. Browse through
some of the articles and abstracts, much like you
did while wandering the stacks.
Should you broaden or narrow
your topic?
 Pay attention to the amount of resources.
Are there 100 books about your topic? Or
only two?
Narrowing
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 One- or two-word topics are usually too broad.
 Use the journalist's 5Ws (who/what/when/where/why) to
narrow your focus
Example
General Topic: fashion
Time span: 1920s
Place: US; urban; big cities (not rural)
Person or group: youth; college age
Event or Aspects: sexual attitudes; behavior; sociological
 Narrowed Research Question: What did American youth
fashion of the 1920s say about sexual mores?
Broadening
 Too narrow a topic means tracking down resources
will be a pain. No resources, no research paper.
 Use the journalist's 5Ws again
(who/what/when/where/why) but this time use
them to draw connections between your narrow
topic to larger issues
Broadening: Example
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Example
Specific Topic: Are genetically altered soybeans safe for consumers?
Alternate focus: bioengineered or genetically altered foods
Alternate Place: general: US, Europe
Brainstorm Focus on: Person or Group: consumer advocates vs. FDA
and scientists
 Brainstorm Focus on: Event or Aspect: labeling foods; regulations
 Broadened Research Question: What are the main issues/concerns of
consumer activists in the labeling controversy over bioengineered
foods?
Organization
Don’t Feel Confined to
Traditional Roman Numeral Structure
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Webs are good (Logical Map).
Bullets are good.
Flowcharts are good.
Reasons to Use an Outline
OUTLINES:
 organize your thoughts
 organize your research
 point out structural weaknesses
 eliminate "The Shotgun Technique" (writing
down everything you know and hoping some of it
is pertinent)
 make writing the rough draft MUCH easier
 are easy for professors/tutors/friends/family to go
over with you (people try to avoid you when you
have only a rough draft to revise)
Organization will be easier if
you:
 Take notes on sticky notes ( I highly
recommend this.)
 Take notes on the computer so you can cut
and paste
 Take notes on only one side of the paper so
you can cut into strips
Steps to Making an Outline
 Read through all of your notes
 Reread the assignment to make sure you
know what the professor is asking you to
do
 Go to your quiet place and see if you see
any major classifications in your notes
Steps to Making an Outline
 Start moving your note cards around to put
them into structure
 Label them in that order (yellow dot for
idea 1, blue for idea 2, etc) when they seem
to be ordered. (Leaving breadcrumbs)
 Now you can feel free to rearrange to find
another structure that is perhaps stronger.