A Brief Intro to Research
BHS
MS. PENNELL
2013
Research Writing …
 A research paper is the culmination and final
product of an involved process of research, critical
thinking, source evaluation, organization, and
composition. It is, perhaps, helpful to think of the
research paper as a living thing, which grows and
changes as the student explores, interprets, and
evaluates sources related to a specific topic.
Primary and Secondary Sources …
 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).
 Primary sources give firsthand information, while
secondary sources provide interpretations,
explanations, and comments on material from
primary and other secondary resources.
Research Makes Students Experts …
 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
her or his knowledge in that field. It is also possible
to identify a research paper by what it is not.
Plagiarism …
 Research-based writing in American institutions, both
educational and corporate, is filled with rules that writers,
particularly beginners, aren't aware of or don't know how to
follow. Many of these rules have to do with research and
proper citation. Gaining familiarity with these rules, however,
is critically important, as inadvertent mistakes can lead to
charges of plagiarism, which is the uncredited use (both
intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or
ideas.
 While some rhetorical traditions may not insist so heavily on
documenting sources of words, ideas, images, sounds, etc.,
American academic rhetorical tradition does. A charge of
plagiarism can have severe consequences, including expulsion
from a university or loss of a job, not to mention a writer's loss
of credibility and professional standing.
MLA Formatting: The Basics
 MLA format follows the author-page method of in-
text citation. This means that the author's last name
and the page number(s) from which the quotation or
paraphrase is taken must appear in the text, and a
complete reference should appear on your Works
Cited page. The author's name may appear either in
the sentence itself or in parentheses following the
quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s)
should always appear in the parentheses, not in the
text of your sentence.
Internal Citations or Parenthetical Citations or InText Citations … Three examples
 Wordsworth stated that
Romantic poetry was marked by
a "spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings" (263).
 Romantic poetry is characterized
by the "spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings" (Wordsworth
263).
 Wordsworth extensively
explored the role of emotion in
the creative process (263).
If the author’s name is in the
text preceding the quote and the
parenthetical citation, then all
that is required in the
parenthetical citation is the page
number the text was found on.
If the author’s name is not in
the text preceding the quote or
in the quote itself, then the
writer must include the last
name of the author as well as
the page number from where
the quote came from.
Even if a writer of research is
paraphrasing an author, the page
number must be documented. If
the name of the author is not
stated in the paraphrase, then the
last name would be required in the
parenthesis as well.
Formatting Short Quotes …
Short quotations
To indicate short quotations (fewer than four typed lines of prose or three lines of
verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Provide
the author and specific page citation (in the case of verse, provide line numbers)
in the text, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page.
Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after
the parenthetical citation. Question marks and exclamation points should appear
within the quotation marks if they are a part of the quoted passage but after the
parenthetical citation if they are a part of your text.
For example, when quoting short passages of prose, use the following examples:
 According to some, dreams express "profound aspects of personality" (Foulkes
184), though others disagree.
 According to Foulkes's study, dreams may express "profound aspects of
personality" (184).
 Is it possible that dreams may express "profound aspects of personality"
(Foulkes 184)?
Formatting Long Quotes …
Long quotations
For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place
quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the
quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented one inch from the left margin;
maintain double-spacing. Only indent the first line of the quotation by an additional
quarter inch if you are citing multiple paragraphs. Your parenthetical citation should
come after the closing punctuation mark. When quoting verse, maintain original line
breaks. (You should maintain double-spacing throughout your essay.)
For example, when citing more than four lines of prose, use the following examples:
Nelly Dean treats Heathcliff poorly and dehumanizes him throughout her narration:
Maintain
They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their
double
spacing
room, and I had no more sense, so, I put it on the landing of the
Make sure your
stairs, hoping it would be gone on the morrow. By chance, or else
attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and parenthetical
citation goes after
there he found it on quitting his chamber. Inquiries were made as the end punctuation
to how it got there; I was obliged to confess, and in recompense for mark of the quote.
my cowardice and inhumanity was sent out of the house. (Bronte 78)
Adding transitions to quotes: lead ins and lead outs
 When a student quotes a source, s/he must
remember to include a transition linking the quote to
the student’s research paper. Many students think it
is acceptable to have a long list of quotes without this
type of explanation, but it is not.
 Research writing builds on the work of others – it is
critical for a student to include his or her thoughts on
the research being commented on.
Adding transitions to quotes: lead ins and lead outs
 Transitions help link previous work from other
scholars to a student’s work. Here are some
examples of transitions or lead-ins or lead-outs in
research writing:
 Human beings have been described by
Kenneth Burke as "symbol-using animals" (3).
 Readers can see that the writer is using the concept
of human beings as symbol-using animals as
discussed by Burke to build on another concept.
Adding transitions to quotes: lead ins and lead outs
 Below is an example of a transition or lead-in and a
lead-out to a quote:
 Although some medical ethicists claim that cloning
will lead to designer children (R. Miller 12), others
note that the advantages for medical research
outweigh this consideration (A. Miller 46).
 The writer is free now to build onto both of these
concepts and viewpoints.
Example of a Works Cited Page …
Works Cited
"Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action." Environmental Defense Fund.
Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.
Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New York
Times. New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.
Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times. New York
Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.
Ebert, Roger. "An Inconvenient Truth." Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth, dir. Davis
Guggenheim. rogerebert.com. Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006. Web. 24 May
2009.
GlobalWarming.org. Cooler Heads Coalition, 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.
Gowdy, John. "Avoiding Self-organized Extinction: Toward a Co-evolutionary Economics of
Sustainability." International Journal of Sustainable Development and World
Ecology 14.1 (2007): 27-36. Print.
Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming: Myth Or Reality?: The Erring Ways of Climatology. New
York: Springer, 2005. Print.
Uzawa, Hirofumi. Economic Theory and Global Warming. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,
2003. Print.
Pay close attention to how books are cited …
 Basic Format
 The author’s name or a book with a single author's name appears in last
name, first name format. The basic form for a book citation is:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of
Publication. Medium of Publication.
 Examples:
Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin, 1987.
Print.
Henley, Patricia. The Hummingbird House. Denver: MacMurray, 1999.
Print.
Eliminate Fragments …
 15. By displaying and selling their work at crafts
fairs. Artisans given people across the country to
admire and purchase their works.
 By displaying and selling their work at crafts fairs,
artisans given people across the country to admire
and purchase their works.
Eliminate Fragments …
 16. There are many different types of crafts:
ceramics, weaving, knitting, and painting are just a
few examples.
 17. One of my favorite crafts fairs is held every
summer in the Berkshire Mountains in
Massachusetts.
 18. Glassware, rugs, tapestries, vases, and colorful
prints are some of the many types of works from
which you can choose.
 19. One of the artists had the perfect gift for my
younger brother which was to display paintings
based on nursery rhymes.
Re-Write to Eliminate Comma Splices …
 John is always late for work, nobody seems to care.
 John is always late for work, but nobody seems to
care.
 Although hot summer weather is nice, it can be
dangerous for various groups of people when certain
temperatures get too high.
 Emily is in a great deal of pain because she broke her
ankle over the weekend.
Re-Write to Eliminate Run-ons …
 Our solar system has nine major planets, but only
one is known to have intelligent life.
 Most asteroids are small and far away; therefore,
they are dim and hard to see.
 If you look through Angelo’s telescope, you can see
Saturn’s rings.
What is the difference between a phrase and
a clause?
 Phrase – a phrase is a related unit of words that will
never contain both a subject and a verb.
 A clause is a related unit of words that will always
have both a subject and a verb.


Independent Clauses
Dependent Clauses

Noun, Adverb, and Adjective Dependent Clauses
Underline/Italicize versus Quotation Marks!
 Underline/Italicize
 Book Titles or Novel Title
 Plays
 Epics Poems
 Movies
 Newspapers
 Magazines
Quotation Marks
Any short work:
Short Story
Poem
Song Title
Any Article