Research Paper 101
(Social Studies)
RVCS, 2015-2016
Instructor: Mr. John Wiley
Click speaker icon for audio on each slide…Did you
hear baby Carson making his appearance? 
Section 1: Preparing to Write the
Research Paper
**THE FOLLOWING SLIDES ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL GRADES**
Welcome!
• World History
• World Geography
• U.S. History
• American Government
The Research Paper (The Technical Stuff)
• Each grade will have page-length requirements
• MLA Format (12 point/Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, doublespaced, properly sourced)
• Four Deadlines (subject to change):
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1- October 21st
2- December 18th
3- March 2nd
4- May 20th
The Research Paper (The Inspirational Stuff)
• The power of asking QUESTIONS
 Don’t simply ask “what;” ask “why” and “how.”
• You choose the topic
 Pick something that interests you personally
• Change the world! (one paper at a time)
 With this research paper, you will attempt to make an impact on how we
understand ___________ (World History/Geography, U.S. History, Government)
• You will become a published author in RVCS’s first ever research
journal—this will be available online for people to read towards the end
of the school year
A Note on Sources
• There are two kinds of sources that you will be able to use: Primary and
secondary Sources
• Primary Source—A piece of information that goes directly back to the
person/time period you are studying
 Example: If you were to do a research paper on the religious views of George
Washington, a primary source would be something that George Washington (or a
person living during his lifetime) wrote.
• Secondary Source—A later composed analysis on your topic
 Example: Ron Chernow’s book, Washington: A Life, was published in 2010, and is a
later analysis on Washington’s life.
• Focus on primary sources in your research paper!
Narrow Down Your Topic as Much as Possible
• Examples of an overly-broad topic:
 “The Blue Ridge Mountains”
 “A History of Egypt”
• Examples of a correctly precise topic:
 “Tall, Grande, or Venti?: The Origin of Starbucks”
 A research paper based on the letters of a relative or personal hero
• Why so narrow?
 It forces you to base your arguments on primary source material, rather than just
copying an expert—this allows you to contribute to your field of study
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Keep It Digital
• Make sure you keep track of all your research
 Paper note cards?
• Mr. Wiley’s method:
 By using a Microsoft Word document, type up all of your potential quotations that
you could incorporate in your paper as you research your topic.
 When you have compiled a reasonable amount of material, then you can start
writing your paper (on a different Microsoft Word document).
 As you write your paper, you will have pages of quotations to either quote word-forword when necessary or summarize—always cite properly.
• Your paper must be digital (.doc or .docx) when you turn it in
Outline for Paper on James Madison’s Religious Upbringing
• Intro
• Madison’s Family
• Madison’s Education
• Madison’s Denomination in 18th Century Virginia
• Conclusion
Research Paper Notes
• Intro/Conclusion/Miscellaneous
• Madison’s Family
• Madison: “[my ancestors were] planters and among the respectable though not the most opulent class.” (Qtd. in Kowalski 158)
• Madison’s Education
• Madison’s Denomination in 18th Century Virginia
Section 2: Requirements for Each
Grade
**THERE IS ONLY 1 SLIDE LEFT THAT IS APPLICABLE TO YOUR GRADE. YOU
MAY SKIP THE OTHER 3.**
World History (9th)
• 10+ pages
• Preferably, your topic would be not strictly focused with the United States (since you
will have U.S. History in the 11th grade), but I might make an exception
• As you think through possible subjects, you can start with a broad topic, but then
narrow it down as far as you can
• MAKE SURE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC!
• 4 deadlines:
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1- Topic introduction; compiled sources (12+)
2- Research begun (3 pages completed)
3- Research continued (7 pages completed)
4- Research finished (10+ pages completed) AND publically presented/defended before group of
honors students.
World Geography (10th)
• 11+ pages
• Your topic can be pretty flexible, as geography is rather broad. I would suggest
something from the following sub-topics of geography: physical geography, cultural
geography (like music, art, entertainment), geography of religion, linguistic
geography, or a topic in history that is relevant to geography
• As you think through possible subjects, you can start with a broad topic, but then
narrow it down as far as you can
• MAKE SURE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC!
• 4 deadlines:
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1- Topic introduction; compiled sources (13+)
2- Research begun (4 pages completed)
3- Research continued (8 pages completed)
4- Research finished (11+ pages completed) AND publically presented/defended before group of
honors students.
U.S. History (11th)
• 12+ pages
• What makes U.S. History so accessible is that most of your sources are in
English. You have a lot of freedom here in terms of your topic.
• As you think through possible subjects, you can start with a broad topic, but
then narrow it down as far as you can
• MAKE SURE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC!
• 4 deadlines:
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1- Topic introduction; compiled sources (15+)
2- Research begun (4 pages completed)
3- Research continued (9 pages completed)
4- Research finished (12+ pages completed) AND publically presented/defended before
group of honors students.
American Government (12th)
• 15+ pages
• Your topic can range from something technical, such as constitutional history or the
structure of government. However, it can even extend into a controversial social issue
or economics.
• As you think through possible subjects, you can start with a broad topic, but then
narrow it down as far as you can
• MAKE SURE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC!
• 4 deadlines:




1- Topic introduction; compiled sources (18+)
2- Research begun (6 pages completed)
3- Research continued (10 pages completed)
4- Research finished (15+ pages completed) AND publically presented/defended before group of
honors students.