Roosevelt Middle School
Writing & Research
Guide
2008-2009
Created 5/08
Introduction
This guide is designed to provide Roosevelt Middle School students and teachers with
formal guidelines for information used for research papers and projects. It contains
examples of commonly used research resources to make citing sources more clear and
accurate.
This brief guide is based on the Modern Language Association Handbook, Sixth
Edition.
Features of this guide:
 The Big6 Skills™ Model of Information Problem-Solving
 Sample Outline
 Sample Five-Paragraph Essay
 Citing Your Sources in a Research Paper
 How to Cite Specific Sources
 Instructions for Writing a Five-paragraph Essay
 List of Transitions
 Tips for Writing
 Frequently Asked Questions
The Big6 Skills™ Model of Information Problem-Solving
The Big6™ model provides a systematic approach to problem solving and can be applied
to any research assignment. Listed below are the six basic steps of the Big6™ model and
components of each step commonly referred to as "the little twelve."
1. Task Definition
Define the information problem
• What am I supposed to do?
Identify information needed in order to complete the task (to solve the information
problem)
• What information do I need?
2. Information Seeking Strategies
Determine the range of possible sources (brainstorm)
• What are the possible sources of information I can use?
Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities (select the best sources)
• What are the best sources for this assignment?
3. Location and Access
Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
• Where will I find these sources?
Find information within sources
• Do I know how to use them?
4. Use of Information Engage (e.g.) read, hear, view, touch) the information in a source
• How will I record information?
Extract relevant information from a source
• How will I evaluate the information?
5. Synthesis
Organize information from multiple sources
• How is the information best presented?
Present the information
• How will I credit my sources?
6. Evaluation
Judge the product (effectiveness)
• Is the task completed?
Judge the information problem-solving process (efficiency)
• How can I do things better?
The phrases "Big6 Skills" and "Big6 Skills Curriculum" are all copyrights of Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz.
Permission is granted for full educational use of these terms provided that recognition is properly and duly noted. Permission is not
granted for commercial use.
OUTLINE EXAMPLE
I.
Introductory Paragraph (Your thesis statement must be in this
first paragraph)
Thesis statement: Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make
excellent house pets.
II.
Key Idea #1: people enjoy the companionship of cats
a. Cats are affectionate
b. Cats can be trained
III.
Key Idea #2: cats are civilized members of the household
a. Litter boxes help to reduce accidents
b. Cats can be declawed
IV.
Key Idea #3: cats are easy to take care of
a. Cats don’t have to be walked
b. They clean themselves
V.
Conclusion: Cats are low maintenance, civilized companions (the
topic sentence of your conclusion must tie back into your thesis
statement).
Suzie McRoosy
Ms. Eaton
Language Arts
5 April 2009
Consider the Cat
"A dog is man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but
dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many
people, a cat is their best friend. They can be good, clean, civilized companions. Despite
what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent house pets.
In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are
affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be petted, or scratched under the chin. Who
can resist a purring cat? If they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite
playful. They love to chase balls and feathers, or just about anything dangling from a
string. They especially enjoy playing when their owners are participating in the game.
Contrary to popular opinion, “cats can be trained” (Simonson 42). Using rewards and
punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted behavior or
perform tricks. Cats will even fetch.
In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats
do not bark or make other loud noises. Most cats don't even meow very often. They
generally lead a quiet existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats train
their kittens to use the litter box, and most cats will use it without fail from that time on
(“Cat Families”). Even stray cats usually understand the concept when shown the box and
will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and owners must make provision for this. A tall
scratching post in a favorite cat area of the house will often keep the cat content to leave
the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be declawed (Jameson).
Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as house pets is their ease of care.
Cats do not have to be walked. They get plenty of exercise in the house as they play, and
they do their business in the litter box. According to many cat owners, “cleaning a litter
box is a quick, painless procedure” (Fitzgerald 326). Cats also take care of their own
grooming. Bathing a cat is almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances
cats clean themselves. Cats are more particular about personal cleanliness than people
are. In addition, cats can be left home alone for a few hours without fear. Unlike some
pets, most cats will not destroy the furnishings when left alone. They are content to go
about their usual activities until their owners return.
In conclusion, cats are low maintenance, civilized companions. People who have
small living quarters or less time for pet care should appreciate these characteristics of
cats. However, many people who have plenty of space and time still opt to have a cat
because they love the cat personality. In many ways, cats are the ideal house pet.
Works Cited
“Cat Families.” Feline Information. 5 November 2007. US Humane Society. 20 March
2009 <www.ushs.felineinfo.com/htm>.
Fitzgerald, John. “Feline Maintenence.” Encyclopedia Brittanica. Fifth Edition. 2004.
Jameson, Bradley. “Cat Health.” You and Your Cat. 24 June 2005. Petsmart. 19 April
2009 <www.youandyourcat.com/cathealth/htm>.
Simonson, Figaro. Is a Cat for Me? New York: Penguin Books, 2008.
Citing Your Sources in a Research Paper:
The sources used in your research paper must be properly credited:
•
•
•
Quote the source accurately.
Use parenthetical citations within your paper to be clear about
where you have used someone else’s ideas or words.
Include a Works Cited page at the end of your paper listing all sources
used in the paper.
Plagiarism:
•
Plagiarism is the use of another's writing, videos, or graphics without giving
credit to the source. Plagiarism is unacceptable and will result in loss of credit for
your work. Plagiarism occurs when you steal someone else’s ideas or words,
leading the reader to believe that those ideas or words are yours. Plagiarism is
intellectual theft.
•
To avoid plagiarism, give full credit to your source(s).
•
Full credit includes parenthetical citations within the paper, as well as a Works
Cited page at the end of the paper.
Cite sources when:
√ the author's exact words are used (direct quotation)
√ the author's idea is used even if it isn't word for word (paraphrase)
√ figures or statistics are used in the paper
√ cite sources which agree with the idea(s) presented in the paper (summary)
Common Knowledge:
Don't cite commonly known information that appears in several sources. For example, it
is common knowledge that Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon.
*** If in doubt whether to cite the source, CITE IT. Over citing in a research paper is
excusable. Under citing in a research paper is inexcusable. ***
Definitions:
• Citation: a quoting of an authoritative source for substantiation
• Parenthetical: contained in parentheses
• Plagiarize: to steal and use the ideas or writings of another as one's own
• Quotation: to repeat or copy the words of another with acknowledgement of the
source Quotation marks ("...") mark the beginning and ending of the material.
Using Direct Quotations in a Research Paper:
√ Always cite the source of a direct quotation.
Quotations
can give
your paper
pizzazz!
√ The usual form for an in-text parenthetical citation is author’s last name
and page number, in parentheses. The period goes after the parentheses.
Example: (Smith 23).
If the quote is short (1-4 lines), blend the quoted passage into the text of the sentence.
Example:
As Bradbury has said himself, “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture.
Just get people to stop reading them” (Jones 24).
If the quote is long (5 lines or more), use a block quotation.




Double-space the quote.
Indent each line of the quote 10 spaces, 2 tabs, or 1 inch from the left margin.
Do not use quotation marks to surround the quoted passage.
End the quote with a parenthetical citation that is placed after the final punctuation of
the quote.
Example:
For example, in the book, bombers fly overhead at regular intervals as a possible war looms, yet
no one seems to notice or care, except Montag, whose awareness is awakening:
How in hell did those bombers get up there every single second of our lives! Why
doesn’t someone want to talk about it! We’ve started and won two atomic wars
since 1990! Is it because we’re having so much fun at home we’ve forgotten the
world? Is it because we’re so rich and the rest of the world’s so poor and we just
don’t care if they are? I’ve heard rumors; the world is starving, but we’re well fed.
(Bradbury 75-6)
HOW TO CITE SPECIFIC SOURCES
1. BOOK
A. Works Cited Format:
Author’s last name, first name middle initial. Title of the Book. Place of Publication:
Publisher, Publication Date.
B. Example of Works Cited entry:
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Evanston: McDougal, 1998.
C. Example of the parenthetical citation:
“His hand had done it all, his hand, with a brain of its own, with a conscience and a
curiosity in each trembling finger, had turned thief" (Bradbury 41).
2. ARTICLE IN A MAGAZINE
A. Works Cited Format:
Author’s last name, first name middle initial. "Title of the Article." Title of Magazine
Day Month Year: Pages.
B. Example of Works Cited entry:
Green, Jesse. "The Song Is Ended." The New York Times Magazine 2 June 2002: 28.
C. Example of the parenthetical citation:
"Standards were back: Sinatra was duetting with everyone from Liza to Bono, Tony
Bennett was being resuscitated as an MTV icon and hundreds of albums of great old
songs were selling at Tower Records" (Green 30).
3. INTERNET SITE
Works Cited Format:
Author’s last name, first name middle initial. “Title of the Web Page.” Title of the Site.
Publication date or date of the last update. The name of the organization
associated with the site. Access date <URL>.
Example of Works Cited entry:
Orr, David. “Verbicide.” Oberlin News & Features. 25 Oct. 2000. Oberlin College.
20 February 2004 <http://www.Oberlin.edu/news-info/00oct/verbicide.html>.
Example of the parenthetical citation:
“During a 20-minute conversation about his academic future, however, he displayed a
vocabulary that consisted mostly of two words: ‘cool’ and ‘really’ ” (Orr).
4. INFOTRAC
Works Cited Format:
Author’s last name, first name middle initial. “Title of Article.” Title of Book, Magazine,
Encyclopedia, or Original Source of Article Volume number. Issue Publication
date: Pages of entire article. Name of the Database. Company. Subscriber name,
city, and state abbreviation of library. Access date in day month year order <URL
of company’s home page>.
Example of Works Cited entry from InfoTrac:
Lewin, Rhoda. “Each of us sees history through our own eyes.” The Oral History
Review 29.2 (Summer-Fall 2002):47- . Kids Edition. Galenet. Red Lodge High
School Lib., Red Lodge, MT. 17 May 2009 <http://web3.infotrac.
galegroup.com>.
5. INTERNET – ONLINE IMAGE, PHOTOGRAPH, OR PAINTING
Works Cited Format:
Artist or Photographer’s last name, first name middle initial. Title of Work. Date work
was originally created (if given). Name of Museum, City (if given) or Web Site.
Publication date or date of the last update in day month year order. Access Date in
day month year order <URL>.
Example of Works Cited entry:
An Indian Mission Sent to Washington, D. C. 1868. Native American. 7 Apr. 2002.
8 Aug. 2003
<http://memory.loc.gov/ammem /ndlpedu/eatures/immig/alt/native_
american4.html >.
Citation: Under the image, photograph, or painting in your paper, identify the name of
the artist or photographer and the title of the work. Do not use parentheses.
6. INTERNET – ONLINE MAP, CHART, TABLE, GRAPH, OR
ILLUSTRATION
Works Cited Format
“Location.” Description such as Map, Chart, Table, Graph. Title of Site. Publisher.
Access date
in day month year order <URL>.
Example of Works Cited entry:
“Helena, Montana.” Map. U.S. Gazetteer US Census Bureau.18 Oct. 2003
<http://tiger.census.gov/ >.
Example of the parenthetical citation:
Helena, Montana is centered at 46.59652 north latitude and 112.02038 west longitude
(“Helena, Montana”).
7. ARTICLE IN A REFERENCE BOOK
Works Cited Format:
Author’s last name, first name middle initial. "Title of Article." Title of Reference Book.
Edition if listed. Date of Publication.
Example of Works Cited entry:
Gabriel, Ralph H. "Bull Run, Second Battle of." Encyclopedia Americana. International
Edition. 2003.
Example of the parenthetical citation:
Because both the Federal and Confederate armies had failed to develop an adequate
communication staff, both sides suffered heavy losses (Gabriel 758).
How do I write a five-paragraph essay?
1. Before you begin writing, decide on your answer to the question
asked of you. This is your basic thesis.
2. Then, decide on which three pieces of evidence/support you will
use to prove your thesis. These will support your three key ideas.
3. Write your introductory paragraph. Place your three key ideas in
order of strength (least to most) at the end of this paragraph. Put
your thesis statement at the very end.
4. Write the first paragraph of your body. You should begin by
focusing on your first key idea and then provide evidence which
supports it.
5. End your first paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads to
paragraph number two.
6. Write paragraph two of the body, focusing on your second key
idea. Once again, make the connection between your thesis and the
evidence supporting it.
7. End your second paragraph with a transitional sentence that leads
to paragraph number three.
8. Repeat step #6, focusing on your third key idea and using your
evidence to support it.
9. Begin your concluding paragraph by restating your thesis
statement and the three key points you've used to prove it.
10. Reread what you have written to be sure it makes sense and that
you have proved your thesis statement with your key ideas and
evidence.
TIPS FOR WRITING
 Before you start your research, build a cluster web to help lay out a
base of information to start.
 It is easier to create your thesis statement after you have done your
research and created an outline of your ideas.
 You may need to revise your thesis statement more than once.
 Use transitions to help glue your paper together. (See list of
transitions in this guidebook.)
 Never use I or you (unless specifically told that it is allowed).
 Do not use contractions in formal writing.
 Make sure you end where you began; restate your thesis statement and
your key ideas in your conclusion.
 Always proofread and have someone check your paper for errors.
 Always put two spaces after each period.
 Never make your titles in large or bold font, and do not underline
them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR CITING SOURCES
Q: Do I need to put a parenthetical citation at the end of my sentence
even if I didn’t use a direct quote?
A: YES! You must cite the original source of your information, even if you
paraphrased it (put it into your own words) and didn’t use exact words.
Q: If I use three different photos from the same site, do I have to cite
each one in my Works Cited?
A: Yes. Each photo needs to be cited independently in the Works Cited.
Even though the image comes from the same site, it may have been taken by
a different artist. Also, the image title should be displayed near the image
when presented.
Q: What if I can't find a date that the site was last updated?
A: There should be a copyright date somewhere on the website, and you
may use this as the date it was last updated.
Q: What if I can’t find the author of the web page?
A: Then skip this information and move on to the title of the page or article.
Then, when you use parenthetical citations, use the title instead of the
author’s last name.
Q: How can I find the title of a picture?
A: If the title of the picture cannot be found, then right click the image,
select Save Image As, what appears in the Save As text field can be used as
the title of the image.
Q: Can I use a picture in my presentation, even if it has the copyright
information watermarked in the image?
A: Yes. As long as your PowerPoint is for educational purposes. But
remember, you must properly cite the image in your Works Cited page.