Chapter 5
Writing Research Papers
Contents
I. What is a Research Paper
II. The Structure of a Research Paper
III. The Process of Writing a Research Paper
IV. Use of Quotations
I. What is a research paper?
A library paper, a term paper or a thesis.
Writing research papers
II. The structure of a research paper
Thesis statement and outline
Introduction
A research
paper
Body
Conclusion
Notes and bibliography
II. The structure of a research paper
Thesis statement and outline
A general statement that
announces the major conclusions
you reached through a thoughtful
analysis of all your sources.
II. The structure of a research paper
Thesis statement and outline
Appears at the beginning of the paper
The focus of the paper
The main point of view of the paper
Have an argumentative edge
Usually in one sentence
III. The structure of a research paper
Introduction
Explains the writer’s motive, intention or
purpose in discussing his or her topic, and
its scope and focus.
Provides the background or the situation
the reader may need.
Main Body of the Paper
Explains, illustrates, argues for,
or support the thesis.
III. The structure of a research paper
Body
The biggest part of the paper.
Where the writer elaborates his or her
ideas in detail.
III. The structure of a research paper
Conclusion
A summary or restatement of the point of
view put forward;
Or an answer to the question posed, in the
introduction.
Writing research papers
What is a bibliography?
A bibliography is a list of books, articles, and
other publications which serve as the sources
of information for your paper.
Writing research papers
Use of notes and Bibliography
Read Use of notes in the textbook by yourself,
then answer the following questions:
Why do we need to use notes in our papers?
What are the rules concerning using notes?
III. The structure of a research paper
Notes and bibliography
Notes may be placed at the bottom of the
page on which the references occur
(footnote), or given in a consecutive series
at the end of the paper (endnotes).
The bibliography should be placed after
the endnotes on a separate sheet or
sheets.
Writing research papers
The different ways of handling notes and a
bibliography:
An example of a bibliography:
Ryan, Edwin . A College Handbook to
Newman . Washington, D. C. : Catholic
Education P, 1930.
An example of a footnote:
1
Edwin Ryan, A College Handbook to
Newman ( Washington, D. C. : Catholic
Education P, 1930 ，p109 )
Abstract
A brief summary of the thesis,
major points and illustrations of the
whole paper, usually within one
page.
Examples of Abstract
Ex.1 Rethinking the Teaching of English
in the Classroom
Abstract:
The results of two surveys on Chinese College
students prompt the authors of this paper to explore factors
that result in the inefficiency of the teaching of English
writing in the Chinese classroom. The factors include:
misunderstanding of the nature of writing, and of the
teacher’s role; problem with writing textbooks; insufficient
English writing research.
Ex.2 论读者向作者的转换
--从交互的角度看“通过阅读学写
作”
摘要：阅读与写作不是两个分离的行为，而是统一
过程的两个方面。通过阅读学写作，要学会站在
作者的角度去阅读和站在读者的角度去写作。本
文通过对阅读和写作活动中各种读写交互关系的
分析，揭示了阅读-写作教学中认识和把握读写之
间的交互性是帮助学生学好写作、提高写作能力
的关键，并提供了可供参考的读写交互训练。
关键词：写作；阅读；交互；作者；读者；转换
Abstract: Reading and writing, which are essentially
interactive in nature, are best regarded as two sides
of the one process instead of two separated
performances. From this viewpoint, we can learn to
write by reading in the role of the writer, in which
the interactions between reading and writing, readers
and writers are the key factor in helping students
acquire the ability of composing. This paper is to
discuss the interactive relations between reading and
writing so as to find ways to help students in
learning to write. The paper ends up with some
interactive training exercises for learning to write
from reading.
Key words: writing; reading; interaction; writers;
readers; transforming
Structure of this paper
1. 引言
2. 阅读中的交互
2.1 读者与作者
2.2 读者与文本
3. 写作中的交互
3.1 作者与读者
3.2 写与读
4. 读写交互训练
5. 结束语
Dissertation/ Thesis
Title page
Title
By ★★★ (Writer’s name)
The name and section number of the course
The instructor’s name
Date
Main Body of the Dissertation
An Introduction Chapter (Motivation & background)
Several major categories Chapters ★
(with their various subdivisions )
A Conclusion Chapter (Contributions & limitations)
In-between chapters
•
•
•
•
Literature Review
Theoretical Bases
Study Methodology
Data Analysis, Results and
Discussions
• Suggestions and Solutions
III. The Process of Writing a
Research Paper
1)
2)
3)
4)
Writing a research paper requires
students to think, not just to go on a
treasure hunt for good quotations.
Instead they need to:
Explore an idea in a systematic way;
Interpret what they read;
Form a thesis
Support that thesis with valid and welldocumented evidence.
The Method of Research
Explore the library
Decide on the subject matter
Follow a certain order of research
Types of sources
Evaluate source materials
The reading of source materials
Write down the information on the research
cards
Writing research papers
How to write a research paper?
First, you carefully choose your topic.★
Second, you make a working outline.
Third, you gather the relevant material in order
to develop your research paper.
Forth, you compose your research paper.
(1) write your first draft as freely as possible.
(2) revise the first draft for its material
content.
Finally, go over to strengthen the research
paper.
Choose a Suitable Topic
Finding an appropriate topic
Narrowing the topic to a manageable size
Choose a Suitable Topic
Fits the assignment
Narrow enough to allow in-depth analysis
Neither too broad nor too narrow
Avoid a topic without a point or purpose
Able to reach a conclusion
American Indians
The American Indians made important
contributions to American culture / the
educational policies of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs were damaging to Indian
culture.
Prepare the thesis and the outline
• Establish the thesis
• The functions of the thesis
– It establishes a boundary around the
subject that discourages the writer
wandering aimlessly;
– It can chart an orderly course for the
essay, making it easier to write;
– It gives the reader an idea of what to
expect, making the paper consequently
easier to read.
• Write an outline
The First Draft
• Organize the notes
• Expand the notes
• Incorporate the notes
Writing research papers
IV. Use of quotations
A direct quotation: exactly the same as the
original; put in quotation marks.
An indirect quotation: an interpretation, a
paraphrase, or a summary of the original in
the writer’s own words.
Writing research papers
The rules regarding the use of quotation are:
use them sparingly,
make them a natural part of the paper,
and provide the source of every quotation.
Writing research papers
1) When to use direct quotations
Firstly, if your subject is a literary one, you would, of
course, want to represent the style of the author.
Secondly, if the original is so perfectly stated that
much of its value is in the way it is worded, you may
want to quote the original.
Thirdly, if your source has made a statement which is
so outrageous or controversial that readers of your
paper might question whether you have represented
the idea correctly, quote the original statement.
Writing research papers
2) How to use direct quotations
Firstly, when you do quote, make every effort
you can to work the quotation into your own
statement.
Secondly, if the introduction words form a
complete sentence, use a colon.
Thirdly, if the introductory words do not form a
complete sentence, imagine that the quote itself
is the rest of the sentence and punctuate
accordingly.
Writing research papers
Sample Bibliography Card:
Source key for note cards
Library call number
1.
81
S4
Cairn, John “The Cancer Problem,”
Scientific American , November 2003,
Vol.233 no. 5, 64 – 79
Eng. Ind
index
Writing research papers
Sample Note Card:
Topic heading
Incidence of cancer
About half of all cancer deaths
caused by cancers of three organs
— lung, large intestine, breast
Cairns 1. P.64
Source and pages
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