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Table of Contents
Using Mobipocket
Introduction
Topic Selection
Focus Question
Thesis Statement
Research and Source Cards
Taking Notes
Making an Outline
Rough Draft
Revising and Editing
Final Draft
Research Paper Scoring Rubric
Outline Example
Citing Sources Using the MLA Style
Credits
Using Mobipocket
As you are reading this ebook, you can use the features in MobiPocket to highlight text, write
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As you are reading, you might want to highlight key sections that you might want to refer back to
as you are working on your research paper. You might also want to add notes about any questions
you have or ideas you want to remember.
You can use the navigator button at the bottom of your handheld to go forward or backward a
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Introduction
A research paper is a type of academic writing that involves choosing a specific topic, researching
what experts have to say about the topic, and then analyzing that research and adding your own
thoughts. Writing a research paper is a structured process that we will explore in this book. If you
follow the steps outlined here, you will be on a good path to a strong final research paper.
Writing a research paper begins with choosing a topic and finding a focus for the topic that will
guide the search for information. You will then need to conduct research, write an outline, and
write your paper.
Here are steps you will follow:
(This is available in the Word file Research Paper Steps.)

Choose a topic.

Write a focus question.

Write a thesis statement.

Do research on your topic and take notes.
For this assignment, you need at least 5 source cards and at least 50 note cards.

Arrange your note cards by topic.

Write an outline for your paper based on your note cards.

Write a rough draft for your paper based on your outline and note cards. This should be
12-15 pages if handwritten on every other line, or 5-6 pages if typed double-spaced.

Revise your rough draft.

Have a peer review your revised draft and make comments.

Write a final draft of your paper. This should be 3-4 pages if typed double-spaced or 6-8
pages if handwritten on every other line.

Create a Works Cited page listing all your sources in MLA format. [Link to Citing
Sources at the end.] You must have at least 5 sources.

Double-check your work, and turn it in!
Topic Selection
Choose a topic that interests you and that is suitable for research in the facilities available to you.
The topic must be narrowed so it is suitable for a typed paper of about 3-4 pages in length for this
assignment.
A good topic for a research paper should be:

interesting to you


reasonable to research using the library, the Internet, and other resources that are
available
Narrow enough to be covered 3-4 pages
1. Which of these is a better research paper topic?
animals
*sea turtles
2. Which of these is the best research paper topic?
automobiles
*Mustangs
1965 Shelby Mustang GT350H model
3. Which of these is the best research paper topic?
sports
baseball
*the 1970s Cincinnati Reds
Pedro Borbon’s play in the 1976 championship series
[focus.jpg]
Focus Question
After selecting your topic, formulate a general question that will help guide your research. This
question should also generate a number of subtopics. Your research should provide an answer to
your focus question and support for your thesis statement.
Example: What is unique about the Mountain Lion?
A good focus question for a research paper should be:



Related to your topic
Interesting and compelling (something that you’d want to know more about)
Broad enough to generate subtopics and a 3-4 page paper
1. Which of these is the best focus question for the topic the Chesapeake Bay?
Where is the Chesapeake Bay?
*How has the environmental condition of the Chesapeake Bay changed since the 1980s?
What has happened to algae levels in the Chesapeake Bay changed since the 1980s?
2. Which of these is the best focus question for the topic dolphins?
What are dolphins like?
*How do dolphins communicate with each other?
What do dolphins eat?
3. Which of these is the best focus question for the topic San Francisco?
When was San Francisco started?
*How was the history of San Francisco affected the city today?
How did the 1915 world exposition affect the city of San Francisco?
Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a single declarative sentence that states the controlling idea of your research
paper. It is the answer to your focus question. It narrows the topic to a single idea that you want
readers to gain from your essay. It asserts something about the topic, proving your purpose, your
opinion, and your attitude. The thesis is usually the first or last sentence in the introductory
paragraph.
Example: Since the Mountain Lion has extraordinary vision and is extremely fast, it is the
one of the most feared animals in the wild.
A good focus question for a thesis should:





Answer your focus question
Tell the main idea of your paper
Provide a purpose for your paper
Tell your opinion or attitude on the topic if relevant
Make the reader interested in reading your paper
1. Which of these is the best thesis statement for the focus question “Is there life on other
planets?”
There is most certainly life on other planets.
There is no evidence that there is life on other planets.
*While no evidence of life on other planets has been found yet, research is constantly being done
into this intriguing area.
In 2005, NASA scientists Carol Stoker and Larry Lemke believed that they found evidence of life
on Mars.
2. Which of these is the best thesis statement for the focus question “How can people prepare for
natural disasters?”
It is very important for people to prepare for natural disasters.
*The critical steps that everyone should do to prepare for natural disasters are to have a plan, to
have supplies ready, and to stay informed.
To prepare for a an earthquake, it is important to know what to do when one hits, to have
emergency supplies ready, and to stay informed of what is happening.
3. Which of these is the best thesis statement for the focus question “What are reasons that the
United States has strained relations with Cuba?”
The United States doesn’t like Cuba because of their politics.
After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, the United States broke ties with Cuba because it was a
dictatorship.
*Although the United States broke ties with Cuba after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 to make a
political point, that decision has not helped to change the situation.
[index.jpg]
Research and Source Cards
After you have a topic and a thesis statement, you need to begin doing research on your topic.
As you are doing research, you need to write down information about the books, web sites, or
other resources you are using. You can use index cards to do this, or you can record the
information on your handheld. (You can use the Word document called Source cards.)
During or after reading a resource for your research paper, you need to record the information
required to complete a source card. Some information may not be available, but you should
attempt to find all of the information to complete each source card thoroughly. If you take notes
from a source, you must complete a source card for your Works Cited page. You need a
minimum of 5 source cards. DO NOT LOSE THEM. If you are using index cards, put them in
research folder. If you are using a handheld or another computer, make sure to back up your file.
To complete your source cards, you will use the MLA format. You can see examples of the MLA
format here. [Link to Citing Sources at the end.] Be sure to indent every line under the first
one.
Make sure to put a letter for each source card in the lower-right corner (A, B, etc.). This will be
used to cross-reference your notes to the source.
For this assignment, at least three of your sources should be books. At least two of your sources
should be Internet sources.
See the example source card below.
[card1.jpg]
[notes.jpg]
Taking Notes
Make sure the reference you are using deals with the topic on which you are reporting. Think
about the subtopics or questions for research and skim the text first to be sure it deals with your
topic by looking for bold headings, key words, captions, and graphics.
If the resource is useful for your research, complete a source card.
Read a paragraph or section of text at a time. Reread the text if you do not understand a word or
idea. Use context clues or the dictionary to help you understand the information.
To take your notes from each source, you can use index cards, or you can record the information
on your handheld. (See the Word document called Note cards.)
Only one subtopic with details should be written on each note card. At the top of each note card,
write the subtopic in the left top corner. In the right top corner, write a letter and number that
corresponds to the source in which you took the information. The first note card for Source A
should be numbered A-1, the second A-2, etc. Write the page number(s) of the source that the
note came from in the bottom right corner. See the example below. Remember not to copy the
text word for word, and make sure to record your source information.
[card2.jpg]
As you collect research, sort your note cards by subtopic. For example, all note cards with
information about physical appearance should be put together. This will help in organizing the
information that you have collected for the research paper. This will also tell you if you have too
much information about one topic or not enough about another.
Make sure you don’t lose your research note cards. They will provide the “meat” of your paper. If
you are using index cards, rubber band them and put them in a plastic bag in research folder. If
you are using a handheld or another computer, make sure to back up your file.
[outline.jpg]
Making an Outline
Before writing the rough draft of you research paper, you need to develop a working outline to
organize your paper. The outline consists of your topic, thesis statement, and table of contents for
the paper. Use Roman numerals (e.g., I, II, III, etc.), letters (e.g., A, B, C, etc.), and numbers (e.g.,
1, 2, 3, etc.) to construct the outline. Your working outline may change during the writing of the
rough draft. Therefore, you will be developing two outlines for the research paper, a working
outline and a final outline.
The first paragraph of your outline should be an introduction. The last should be a conclusion. In
between that, you will need about three body paragraphs to present your supporting details and
research. The exact number of paragraphs will depend on your topic.
Here is an example of an outline. [Link to Outline Example at the end of document.]
[writing.jpg]
Rough Draft
The rough draft is the first draft of your paper. This is when you sit down and start writing from
your outline and research. In your rough draft, don’t worry too much about getting everything
perfect. You will revise and edit the paper later. Focus on the content and getting all of your ideas
and research down on paper. If you are handwriting your first draft, write it on every other line so
that you can revise it later.
Begin the rough draft by writing an introduction that captures the reader’s attention. In the
introduction, make sure to introduce your topic and include the thesis statement at the beginning
or end of the paragraph.
The supporting paragraphs should be written from your organized note cards. Use your outline as
a guide for organizing your writing. Write the supporting paragraphs by paraphrasing your notes
into complete sentences. You must include a variety of sentence structures to keep the reader’s
attention. DO NOT COPY DIRECTLY FROM SOURCE TEXTS. YOU MUST USE YOUR
OWN WORDS.
Your final paragraph is your conclusion. It should restate and reinforce your thesis statement.
Upon the completion of your rough draft, you should have approximately 12-15 pages of
information written on every other line.
[revising.jpg]
Revising and Editing
After you’ve finished writing the complete first draft of your paper, you should revise it to make
it more interesting and readable. The purpose of revision is to make sure your writing is clear and
interesting, that your points are well organized, that you have adequate details, and that you have
accomplished the mission of your thesis statement. You can use the Revising checklist in Word to
do this.
A good first step in revising is to look at the content of your paper. Did you follow the outline?
Did you include all the relevant information from your note cards? Are your ideas organized
well? Do you have enough detail? Look at each paragraph separately. What is the topic sentence
of each paragraph? Do you have enough information to support that sentence? If not, you may
need to add details. To do this, read the paper as though you know nothing about the topic. If you
were a reader who was new to the topic, what else might you want to know? Those are the details
to add. If you don’t have enough research, you may need to go back and do a bit more at this
point.
Once you are sure you have the right content and enough detail in your paper, check that your
writing flows smoothly. If you read the paper from beginning to end, it should flow easily with no
obvious starts, stops, holes, or bumps. A part of good flow is using effective transitions.
Next, review your paper for clarity. Again, try to read your paper not as the writer, but as an
outside reader. (Sometimes, it is helpful to put the writing aside for awhile and then to read it later
with a fresh perspective.) Read only the words on the paper and don’t think about all the research
or other knowledge you have on the subject.
Is the paper clear? Does the thesis statement naturally follow from the information presented?
Does the paper make sense? Has the goal of the paper been accomplished? Has the focus question
been answered?
Toward the end of the revision process, it’s time to trim the fat. More is not necessarily better, so
it is important to get rid of words, phrases, or ideas that don’t add anything. Read each sentence
carefully and see if there are extra words that can be dropped without changing the meaning. See
if there are sentences that are repetitive or that have nothing to do with the topic sentence of the
paragraph.
After you revise your paper, you need to edit it. This is the step where you look for errors in
spelling, punctuation, or grammar. You can use the Editing checklist in Word to do this. It is also
a good idea to have a peer review your paper as well. Often, it is easier to see errors in something
you didn’t write.
[final.jpg]
Final Draft
After revising your rough draft of the research paper and having a peer review the paper, you are
ready for your final draft. The final draft may be typed or handwritten.
For this assignment, the final draft should be 3-4 typed pages that are double spaced or 6-8
handwritten pages. You must use Times New Roman and Size 12 Font. Your final paper
should also include a title page and Works Cited page. You will also be turning in your final
outline.
Title Page
This is the first page of the research paper. It should be typed and should include your name, the
title of the paper, and the date in the center.
[works.jpg]
Works Cited Page
This is the last page of the research paper. Use your source cards to type or handwrite the Works
Cited page. After you have alphabetized your source cards, complete the Works Cited page.
Transfer the information from your source cards to the Works Cited page. Use the MLA format
handout that is attached to complete the Works Cited page. Be sure to indent every line under
the first one.
[grade.jpg]
Grading
Your final research paper will be scored according to the rubric shown here. When you are done
with your paper, check your work for each of these things to make sure you’ve done your best
work.
Research Paper Scoring Rubric
[Brad, may want to do this as a table.]
Writing Criteria
Total Possible Points
Title page
- Correct format as given
10
Outline
- Minimum of 3 Roman numerals
15
Introduction/Thesis statement
- Strong lead grabs the reader’s attention
- Expresses main idea with a thesis
- Supportive details establish purpose
25
Organization
- Information well-sequenced according to outline
- Topic adequately developed
- Transitions unify the paper
50
Sentence structure
- Sentences are complete
- Sentences are varied
20
Vocabulary
- New vocabulary included
- Varied word choice
- Vivid word choice
20
Conventions
- Spelling
- Paragraphing
- Punctuation, capitalization, quotations
15
Conclusion
- Refers back to the thesis statement
- Persuades the reader to consider thesis statement
- Ends with a closing sentence
20
Works Cited (bibliography)
- At least 5 sources
- At least 3 books
- Accurate MLA format
25
Total
-----200
Outline Example
This is an example of an outline for a research paper.
Topic: Agriculture in Africa
Focus question: Why does Africa not produce enough food to feed its people?
Thesis statement: Although Africa has a great deal of land and an abundant labor force, climate,
dependence on a limited number of crops, and a lack of advanced technology has often led to a
shortage of food.
Outline
I.
Introduction
A. Background on Africa
1. Size of continent
2. Number of people
B. Agriculture in Africa
1. Subsistence farming
a. Corn
b. Cassava
c. Wheat
2. Cash crops
C. History of famine
D. Thesis: Although Africa has a great deal of land and an abundant labor force, climate,
dependence on a limited number of crops, and a lack of advanced technology has often led to
a shortage of food.
II. Climate
A. Unpredictable rains
B. Thin weak soil
C. Droughts
III. Limited number of crops
A. Dependence on few staples
B. Nutritional balance is lacking
C. Mixing crops to help soil conditions
IV. Lack of technology
A. Traditional farming methods
B. Little or no irrigation
C. Little or no use of fertilizers
D. Potential for using machines in farming
V. Conclusion
A. Summary of above points
B. Suggested solutions
1. Irrigation
2. Diversify crops
3. Reduce cash crops
4. Update farming methods
Citing Sources Using the MLA Style
* pick up from citing-MLA.htm that we did before
Credits
Written by: Sunny Harrison, Jennifer West, Ruth Harris, and Karen Fasimpaur