Process and Information
RESEARCH PAPER
Due Dates, etc.
The first draft of your research paper is due in your English class on November 2nd or
November 3rd (depending on whether you have English on an A-day or a B-day). It will be
worth approximately 10% of your grade. Late papers will be marked down heavily based on
teacher policy.
The final draft of your research paper is due to your Support Teacher by the end of A+ on
December 13, 2009 Late papers must be submitted to the Senior Project Review Board.
Computer or printing issues are not valid excuses so plan ahead. Failure to turn this in on
time will result in loss of privileges and could risk your graduation in June, 2011.
Getting Help:
As a senior, you are expected to know how to write a research paper. If you need assistance
on writing your research paper, you have the following resources:
 Your support teacher, English teacher, Civics/Econ teacher or any other teacher
 SVHS Style Manual (library website: www.svhslibrary.org/Librarywebsite/) [currently
being updated]
 The Librarian
 Library/lunch Workshops
 Tier group
Formatting and Content Guidelines
Your research paper should contain the following:
 Proper MLA Heading (see Style Manual)
 Body
5 – 10 pages long (this means your paper must be AT LEAST 5 FULL pages)
1 inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman font
Double spaced (in paragraphs and between paragraphs)
Pages numbered (no page numbers on title page, outline, 1st page of body – so start
numbering with page 2 on page 2 of the body)
Thesis statement must be bolded or underlined.
Sources cited in the body of the document (parenthetical citations)
 Works Cited Page
Reference Sources:
Be sure to use a variety of sources when researching your topic. A minimum of three different
TYPES of sources is required. One must be an article found on a database. Examples of
different types include: books, reference books, Internet, video, interviews, periodicals,
pamphlets/brochures. General information sites such as Dictionary.com, or Quotes.com do not
count as one of these three minimum. Do not cite Wikipedia (but do use it for great links to other
sources!)
Turning It In:
Staple your paper. Do NOT put it in a folder, binder or report cover.
When you turn in your final draft, include your first draft with the rubric used to grade it.
Be sure to save the file safely for revision or a clean copy!
Research Paper Helpful Hints
Minimum Requirements
In addition to meeting the minimum length requirement, there are three individual aspects of
your paper that, if missing, will result in a grade of “Below Basic”. They are the thesis,
parenthetical citation and works cited
Thesis
A thesis statement declares what you believe and what you intend to prove in your paper. A
good thesis statement makes it much easier to write a paper. It must be a point you can argue
like a lawyer arguing a case. A statement of fact is impossible to argue. For example, stating
that the Titanic sank in 1912 is not arguable and, therefore, is not a thesis statement. Stating
that the Titanic sank due to a deadly combination of design and manufacturing flaws can be
argued and would make an excellent thesis statement.
Parenthetical Citation
This term is simply a fancy way of saying that you are telling us where your facts are from using
parentheses ( ). Arguing your paper is like arguing a case in court and resources should be
used like witnesses to support your argument. A lawyer would not stand up in front of a jury and
declare himself or herself an expert in DNA, prescription drugs or any other technical aspect of
a case. The jury simply would not trust him or her as an expert. You are in the same position.
The person reading your paper is not going to trust you as an expert in the subject matter you
are covering. Go out and find experts! Give them credit by putting their name (or what ever word
appears first in the works cited) in the parenthesis after you use their information. Plagiarism
occurs when people fail to give credit to the sources of their information. Plagiarism will
result in an automatic failure.
Examples of parenthetical citation:
BOOK, etc.: Many believe that the quality of steel used in the construction of the Titanic was
sub-standard due to a coal strike that occurred at that period of time (Ballard 42).
BOOK. etc.: Ambrose states in his book Nothing Like It In The World that, without the training
of massive amounts of men during the Civil War, the construction of the
Transcontinental Railroad would have been impossible (126).
WEBSITE: Austen’s novels are highly prized not only for their light irony, humor and depiction
of contemporary English country life, but also for their underlying serious qualities
(Dawe).
Works Cited
This is where you list, in alphabetical order, the resources you used in your paper. You are
giving credit to those people who helped you make your argument and you are giving the reader
the information they need if they want to look at the information for themselves. Be careful to
use high school appropriate resources. The Magic School Bus would not be a high school level
resource, but most of the material in the library would qualify. You must have at least 3 types of
sources in addition to any general information site such as quotes.com. Wikipedia can be useful
for your research, but is not cited or counted as an academic source.