The Research Paper
A Hands-On Approach
The Research Paper
• There will come a time in most students' careers
when they are assigned a research paper.
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Anxiety
Procrastination
Confusion
Unfamiliar
Inexperienced
• Never fear—inexperience and unfamiliarity are
situations you can change through practice!
• Writing a research paper is an essential aspect of
academics, and should not be avoided on
account of one's anxiety.
• There are few individuals for whom this process
comes naturally!
• Even the most seasoned academic veterans have
had to learn how to write a research paper at
some point in their careers!
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Diligence
Organization
Practice
Willingness to learn (and to make mistakes!)
Patience
A research paper is...
• a detailed exploration/explanation of a particular topic
based on a variety of expert sources;
Research: What It Is
• the culmination and final product of an involved process
of research, critical thinking, source evaluation,
organization, and composition;
• Primary and secondary sources are the heart of a
research paper, and provide its nourishment;
without the support of and interaction with these
sources, the research paper would morph into a
different genre of writing (e.g., an encyclopedic
article).
• The research paper serves not only to further the
field in which it is written, but also to provide the
student with an exceptional opportunity to increase
his or her knowledge in that field. It is also possible
to identify a research paper by what it is not.
Research: What it is not.
A research paper is not...
• simply an informed summary of a topic by means of
primary and secondary sources. It is neither a book
report nor an opinion piece nor an expository essay
consisting solely of one's interpretation of a text nor
an overview of a particular topic.
• Instead, it is a genre that requires one to spend time
investigating and evaluating sources with the intent
to offer interpretations of the texts, and not
unconscious regurgitations of those sources.
• The goal of a research paper is not to inform the
reader what others have to say about a topic, but
to draw on what others have to say about a topic
and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully
offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand.
This is accomplished through two major types of
research papers.
Two Major Types of Research Papers
• Argumentative
• Analytical
• The argumentative research paper consists of an
introduction in which the writer clearly
introduces the topic and informs his audience
exactly which stance he intends to take; this
stance is often identified as the thesis
statement.
Argumentative research paper:
• An important goal of the argumentative research
paper is persuasion, which means the topic
chosen should be debatable or controversial.
Analytical Research Paper
• The analytical research paper often begins with
the student asking a question (a.k.a. a research
question) on which he has taken no stance. Such
a paper is often an exercise in exploration and
evaluation.
Organizational Patterns in Research
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Chronological (time sequence)
Comparison/contrast (similarities/differences)
Topical (smaller units comprising the whole)
Problem-solution (problem addressed; potential
solutions analyzed)
Choosing a Topic
• The first step of any research paper is for the student
to understand the assignment. If this is not done,
the student will often travel down many dead-end
roads, wasting a great deal of time along the way.
• Do not hesitate to approach the instructor with
questions if there is any confusion. A clear
understanding of the assignment will allow the
student to focus on other aspects of the process,
such as choosing a topic and identifying one's
audience.
Topics…
A student will often encounter one of two
situations when it comes to choosing a topic for
a research paper.
• list of topics
• choice of topic left up to the student
Brainstorming/Prewriting
• Brainstorming is often a successful way to get
some of these ideas down on paper.
• Seeing one's ideas in writing is often an impetus
for the writing process.
• Though brainstorming is particularly effective
when a topic has been chosen, it can also benefit
the student who is unable to narrow a topic.
• It is also important for the student to keep in
mind that an initial topic may not be the exact
topic about which he ends up writing.
• Research topics are often fluid, and dictated
more by the student's ongoing research than by
the original chosen topic.
• Such fluidity is common in research, and should
be embraced as one of its many
characteristics.
Identifying an Audience
• The concept of audience can be very confusing for
novice researchers.
• Should the student's audience be the instructor only,
or should the paper attempt to reach a larger
academic crowd?
• These are two extremes on the pendulum-course
that is audience; the former is too narrow of an
audience, while the latter is too broad. Therefore, it
is important to address an audience that falls
somewhere in between.
• Try to imagine an audience that would be
interested in and benefit from your research.
• For example: if a student is writing a twelve page
research paper about ethanol and its importance
as an energy source of the future, would an
audience of elementary students be appropriate?
• Instead, the writing should be accessible to an
audience of engineers and perhaps to the
scientific community in general.
What is MLA Style?
MLA Style establishes standards of written
communication concerning:
• formatting and page layout
• stylistic technicalities (e.g. abbreviations,
footnotes, quotations)
• citing sources
• and preparing a manuscript for publication in
certain disciplines.
Who Should Use MLA?
• MLA Style is typically reserved for writers and
students preparing manuscripts in various
humanities disciplines such as:
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English Studies - Language and Literature
Foreign Language and Literatures
Literary Criticism
Comparative Literature
Cultural Studies
Where do I begin?
• There is neither template nor shortcut for writing a research
paper;
• again, the process is, amongst other things, one of practice,
experience, and organization, and begins with the student
properly understanding the assignment at hand.
• As many college students know, the writer may find himself
composing three quite different research papers for three
quite different courses all at the same time in a single
semester. Each of these papers may have varying page
lengths, guidelines, and expectations.
• So, learn the correct process NOW!!!
Questions every research writer should
ask…
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What is the point of my research?
Can I tell the reader anything new or different?
Do I have a solution to a problem?
What is my theory on the research subject?
4Rs of Research
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Recent
Reliable
Relevant
Representative
Taking Notes from Source Material
• After determining you are going to use a source,
first prepare a 3x5 source card (see examples);
• Read and highlight pertinent information;
• Prepare a notecard by filling in the author’s last
name (or 1st word in title if there is no
author)and page number in the top right corner
of the 4x6 card;
• Write your note on the same 4x6 card; it should
be a complete sentence; and, remember, one
idea per card only!
• Then, go back and write one or two words on the
top left line of the card to identify its contents at
a glance!
• Continue to takes notes from that source
(magazine article, webpage, etc.) until you are
finished with relevant information;
• Next, move on to another source;
• Continue with the same process…source card
first followed by as many notecards as you can
take…
Source Card for a Book (3x5)
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Author’s/Editor’s last name, first name
Title of Book (italicized)
Publisher
Date of publication
Place of publication
Source Card for a Periodical-magazine, scholarly journal,
newspaper (3x5)
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Author’s last name, first name
“Title of article”
Title of Periodical (italicized)
Volume (if given)
Date
Exact pages
Source Card for a Website (3x5)
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Author’s last name, first name (if given)
“Title of Document”
Title of Webpage (italicized)
Organization/affiliation (if given)
Date of last update or any other version numbers
Date of visit
Medium (Web)
URL (for personal use to go back to page)
Notecard Format (4x6)
Slug (1 or 2 words)
Author’s Last Pg. #
Complete Note in Sentence Form
(1 idea per card to make it easier for you to
organize into paragraphs for your paper)
Types of Notecards
• Summary (brief overview of material)
• Paraphrase (restati ng in own words and writing
style)
• Direct quote (exact words of source in quotes;
use sparingly!)
Things to remember about notetaking:
• These notecards turn into you paper—do them
right the first time and typing up your research
will be a breeze!
• The source cards become your bibliography (or
in MLA style, your Works Cited); do not leave
any section blank when preparing them!
Major Issues List
• Now that you have determined your research topic,
you now have to think about what aspects of the
topic you plan to cover in your paper
• On a blank 3x5 card, write your research topic on
the top line and the potential subdivisions of your
paper below it
• Be as specific as you can
• The number of subdivisions you plan to cover
depends upon the topic
• The order of the subdivisions is up to you and can
change as you complete your notetaking (and you
have a better idea of what will be included)
Thesis Statement
• One statement that specifies the point of the
research
• It expresses what you plan to do with your
research topic
• It is the statement of the aim, the goal, and the
main idea of your paper
• It controls and focuses the paper
• It is closely related to the organizational pattern
of your paper
• It can be developed by using sources expert
sources of information
• It conforms to notecard evidence and title
• It IS NOT a question
• It DOES NOT begin with “I am going to tell
you…explain…”