Unit 4: Writing for
Research
Ms. Francisco and Ms. Wint
Class: 607
Title: Introduction to Writing for
Research
Objective: Students will view a sample argument-based essay to
learn and understand the components of research-based
writing.
Things to Look Out For in Exemplar Writing:
•
-A body paragraph format: The writer usually structures his/her essay into body
paragraphs. Teachers can devote time to explaining the structure of a body
paragraph by using different types of graphic organizers. A cheeseburger graphic
organizer is a good tool as it allows for the students to see the components of a body
paragraph.
Top bread= Topic sentence
Lettuce= Supporting detail 1
Meats= Supporting detail 2
Tomato= Supporting detail 3
Bottom bread= Conclusion sentence
Things to Look Out For in Exemplar Writing:
•
-A thesis statement: The writer will make state what he/she will
be writing about. The writer will be writing about a claim
(giving his/her position or point-of-view about the issue/topic).
The thesis statement is written in the introduction paragraph of
the essay. The writer must clearly state his/her claim or what
he/she will be writing about in the thesis statement.
•
-Reasons that Show Evidence From Research: The writer will
support what he/she claims with reasons. Yet, these reason are
not valid if they are not supported with evidence. The writer
usually finds evidence in books, articles, and the internet. Each
body paragraph in the students writing should contain evidence
that supports their claim.
Things to Look Out For in Exemplar Writing:
• -Transitional Phrases: The writer will use
words or phrases in the beginning of their
sentences to carry the reader smoothly
through the essay. Teacher may refer to a
transitional phrase chart in the classroom.
• -Citing Evidence: The writer explains where
he/she found any type of evidence. Evidence
can be cited by paraphrasing (or putting
information in your own words) or by quoting
information directly from the research and
writing it in your body paragraph.
Title: What does research look like?
Objective: Students will be able to understand what a
research looks like (eg: news articles) by writing their
own short news report.
Connect:
Take out yesterday’s “Sample Essay” and “Exit Slip” We
are going to review your answers.
Great White Nearly Kills Middle School Student in NYC!
On August 12th, 2011,thirteen-year old
What, Where, When, Who
Eric Martinez was taking his usual morning swim,
was involved.
near the shores of Coney Island, Brooklyn,
when suddenly, he felt that
Quote from the
something cold brushed against his left leg.
person.
“It was 5:30 in the morning, so it was still
pretty dark….I couldn’t see anything!
I didn’t panic at first, I thought it was just
some small fish.”
However, he did start to scream as soon as his brain registered the burning
pain that resulted from a bite that was later attributed to a Great White Shark.
“I thought I was gonna die, man! I was flabbergasted!” –said MArtinez in a
phone interview. He was lucky to survive the incident with only minor injuries to
his legs.
•
Result of the incident.
Shark attacks are a growing phenomena all throughout the United Sates.
Cite facts (data)
According to an article, “Danger Runs Deep”,21 people were
from the article.
bitten only in the first eight months of 2000. Even though the
number of attacks in on the rise, “shark experts say sharks should
be more worried about people”. Their numbers are rapidly declining,
because of overfishing.
Whether we think of sharks as the beasts of the deep or poor creatures
who are on the verge of extinction, take Eric Martinez’s advise the next time
you go swimming: “Be careful out there!”
Final Advice
•
Independent Work:
Students will create their own news
report using the components in their
sample news article for ideas.
-Look at the component in your sample
article!!!
Share:
1. What features are present in your
news report?
2. How can someone use the features in
your news report as research for their
argument essay?
Title: Citing Evidence
OBJECTIVE: Students will learn how to cite evidence for their
research essays by using MLA format and quoting
information directly from a text.
A Parenthetical Citation Is:
( [Author(s) Name(s)] [Page Number Quote Was Found On] )
Example: (Smith, pg. 179)
THE PARENTHETICAL CITATION SHOULD BE WRITTEN
RIGHT AFTER THE QUOTE THAT YOU HAVE USED FROM
THE TEXT OR RESEARCH!
A bibliography looks like this:
Author(s) Name(s), Name of Book, Page Number Quote Was Found On,
Company That Published Book and Year Book Was Published.
Example: Edgar Wilson, Famous Classical Composers, Classical Publishing
in New York City in 2010.
Guided Practice:
Passage that I will be reading from:
• The author’s name was Edgar Wilson, and I am reading
from page 73 of his book called Famous Classical
Composers. The book was published by Classical
Publishing in New York City in 2010.
…Mozart was only five years old when he composed his first
pieces for the violin and was not even a teenager when he
composed his first opera.
•
The student wrote in her argument essay:
It was very clear that Mozart was a musical genius from a
young age. In his book Famous Classical Composers, Edgar
Wilson wrote, “Mozart was only five years old when he
composed his first pieces for the violin and was not even a
teenager when he composed his first opera”(Wilson 73).
Bibliography
• The bibliography at the end of the essay
would like this:
• Edgar Wilson, Famous Classical
Composers, Classical Publishing in New
York City in 2010.
Title: Thesis Statements
Objective: Students will be able to make stronger claims by
developing a thesis statement that explains their point-ofview.
What’s a Thesis Statement?
1. A thesis statement is a sentence that tells the reader
what your essay will be about.
2. A thesis statement should be specific. It should cover
only the ideas you will discuss in your paper.
– (Your research findings should support these
ideas.)
3. A thesis statement appears at the end of the first
paragraph of a paper.
Guided Practice:
Ms. Francisco’s Topic: Should Men Get Paternity
Leave From Work?
For years women have been granted maternity leave after
having a baby. Maternity leave allows for women to care for
and nurture their newborn babies after giving birth. Yet, men
do not receive paternity leave after their babies are born.
During the occasions when men do receive paternity leave, they
don’t receive the same amount of time that women do. It is
unfair that men are not given time off from work to care for
their babies. Men should definitely receive the same amount of
maternity leave that women do.
Sample Thesis Statement:
•
High school graduates should be required to take a year off to
pursue community service projects before entering college in
order to increase their maturity and understanding of the
world.
Is this a thesis statement?
Title: Brainstorming for argument-based
essays
Objective: Students will select a topic/issue for
their argument-based essay and create their
thesis statement (in the introduction).
Ms. Francisco’s Topic: Should Men Get Paternity Leave
From Work?
For years women have been granted maternity leave
after having a baby. Maternity leave allows for women to
care for and nurture their newborn babies after giving
birth. Yet, men do not receive paternity leave after their
babies are born. During the occasions when men do
receive paternity leave, they don’t receive the same
amount of time that women do. It is unfair that men are
not given time off from work to care for their babies.
Men should definitely receive the same amount of
maternity leave that women do.
Independent Work:
Students will write 3 introductions (free
writes) by using the topics/issues
provided to them by the teacher.
Students will develop a point-of-view for
each issue/topic in order to create their
introduction paragraph. Introduction
paragraphs MUST contain a thesis
statement!
Title: Developing an Introduction
Objective: Students will select a
topic/issue for their argument-based
essay and create their thesis statement
(in the introduction).
Connect: Review your 3 introduction
paragraphs and PICK YOUR ISSUE!
Ways to Start your Intro!
Remember, we want to hook the reader!
-Question: Did you ever stop and think that
many head injuries are caused because kids
don’t wear protective helmets when riding a
bike or skates?
-Fact: All throughout the world many kids suffer
from dangerous head injuries because they
don’t wear helmets.
Ms. Francisco’s Introduction:
Fact--->
For years women have been granted
maternity leave after having a baby. Maternity
leave allows for women to care for and nurture
their newborn babies after giving birth. Yet, men
do not receive paternity leave after their babies are
born. During the occasions when men do receive
paternity leave, they don’t receive the same amount
of time that women do. It is unfair that men are
not given time off from work to care for their
babies. Men should definitely receive the same
amount of maternity leave that women do.
Title: Gathering Evidence
Objective: Students will begin to conduct research for their
argument-based essays in order to gather evidence that
supports their thesis statements. (2 days)
Connect: Why is important to conduct evidence when we write
argument-based essays?
Sample Quote:
“Fathers should receive paternity leave so
that the newborns begin to feel comfortable
with them. Research shows that those
fathers who worked when their babies were
born have less of a relationship with their
children when they became older.”
• Title of Evidence: “Why Dads Should
Stay at Home”
• Author: Daniel Smith
• Website/Book/Article: www.nytimes.com
• Parenthetical Citation: (Smith, page 17)
Title: Recognizing The Counter-argument (body
paragraph 1)
Objective: Students will begin to write their argument-based essays
by creating their body paragraph 1 and giving supporting
evidence. (2 days)
Counter-argument- The opposite point-of-view or “other-side” of
the issue we are researching.
Transitional Phrases to Compare 2 things….
-Yet,
-Nevertheless,
-On the other hand,
-Conversely,
-Different than that,
Example: Some people think that paternity leave is not
important because the newborn is too small to interact
with the father. On the other hand, it is important to
know that meaningful relationships between fathers and
their kids should develop at an early age.
Ms. Francisco’s Body Paragraph 1
• There are different points-of-view regarding the issue of
paternity leave. For example, some people in America
belief that equal paternity leave for fathers is pointless
and unnecessary since newborns are too small to interact
and get to know their fathers. According to the article
Equal Maternity and Paternity Leave, “it is unclear why a
parent needs time off work to interact with their child.”
“If we want to improve relationships between parents and
children we should encourage parents to spend more time
with children when they are older and more aware of their
surroundings.” (Box, page 1) On the other hand, it is
important to understand that meaningful relationships
between a father and their child start a the early stages of
the child’s life. “Parents who care for children
immediately after their birth when they at their most
dependent and vulnerable are likely to develop stronger
emotional bonds with that child.” (Box, page 1)
Title: Developing an Outline
Objective: Students will begin to develop supporting
ideas (reasons) to support their point-of-view for
their argument-based essay.
Ms. Francisco’s Topic: Equal Paternity Leave for Men
Reason #1 – The first reason why I think that men
should receive the same amount of paternity leave as
women is because newborns should develop a
relationship with their fathers.
Evidence to support
(2 or more details and examples)
1. “Children are more likely under this model
to develop meaningful relationships with both
parents. Parents who care for children
immediately after their birth when they at
their most dependent and vulnerable are likely
to develop stronger emotional bonds with that
child.” (Box, page 1)
Title: Developing Body Paragraphs 2-4
Objective: Students will begin to write their argument-based
essays by creating their body paragraphs 2-4 and giving
supporting evidence. (2-3 days)
Components of argument-based essay paragraph
-Topic Sentence (Tells the reader what they will read
about in the paragraph)
-Supporting Details (Includes evidence from research as
well as transitional phrases)
-Conclusion Sentence (Includes transitional
words/phrases and it restates the topic sentence.
Sample Body Paragraph
• Topic Sentence: The first reason why men should receive
the same amount of paternity leave as women is because
newborn babies should develop a relationship with their
fathers.
• Supporting Details: When babies are born it is important
that they spend time with both mothers and fathers so
that they can feel comfortable with them both. According
an article titled The Pros and Cons of Paternity Leave,
“children are more likely to develop meaningful
relationships with both parents. Parents who care for
children immediately after their birth, when they are at
their most dependent and vulnerable stage are likely to
develop stronger emotional bonds with that child” (Box,
page 1)
• Conclusion Sentence: Therefore, men should receive
paternity leave in order to create positive relationships
with their babies.