Writing A Strong Research
Paper
Essential questions: what makes a good research paper?
What steps does one need to take to write a research paper?
Group Brainstorming:
• What qualities does a strong research paper have? (choose 4)
• What qualities does a weak research paper have? (choose 4)
Key things to remember about research
papers:
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Writing is a process NOT a product.
You will turn in a research paper, but remember there are several more steps that happen
before that!
Your goal in a research paper is to learn about something new, and share your findings in
written form.
It is NOT about copying and pasting information.
They do NOT need to be boring or tedious. Think of it like you are a detective into the past!
This is your opportunity to learn about a new topic that interests you. So, have fun with it!
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Research Paper Steps:
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1. Choose a topic
2. Begin reading about your topic
3. Continue with more in-depth research/evaluating resources
4. Take notes on your topic
5. Write a thesis statement
6. Create an outline
7. Write your rough draft
8. Self-Revise
9. Peer-Revise
10. Write your final draft with list of resources used.
Step 1: Choose a Topic
• Choose a workable topic that meets all of the following requirements
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Can you find enough material on the topic?
Does the topic interest you?
Is your topic objective, not subjective? An objective topic is factual – in a
research paper you are not writing about your opinions, experiences, family, or
feelings.
Is the topic specific enough? Is the topic too broad?
Step 2: Begin Research. This step is explorative.
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What is a resource?
For this research paper, we will be only using online resources, but for other
research papers, you might be required to use books or other non-digital resources.
Start by reading general articles and websites about your topic. Gain general
knowledge on your topic. The first step of good research is simply just SEEING
WHAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE and LEARNING about the topic.
Wikipedia is an OK place to start learning, but you should not be doing the
majority of research there, and you may not use it as a resource.
Step 3: Continuing with more in-depth
research and evaluating web resources
• Evaluate internet sources carefully
– Who wrote the Web page? How qualified or
knowledgeable is the writer? Is the writer an expert or a
professional working in the area the Web site discusses?
Step 3: continued…
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How accurate is the information? Does the Web page give facts or just the writer’s
opinions? Verify the given information.
How up-to-date is the information?
Is the information biased (slanted toward one point of view), or are both sides of an
issue presented objectively and fairly?
Step 4: Taking notes on your topic
• Write down your findings on a separate sheet of paper (or, you may use
notecards), with the name of the resource and author next to it.
• Do NOT copy and paste from a source directly into Microsoft Word.
Step 5: Creating a thesis statement
• What is a thesis statement?
A 1-2 sentence summary that explains what a paper is trying to prove or
analyze. You can think of it like a topic sentence for a whole paper.
How do I write a thesis statement?
• Step 1: start with a research question. What do you want to find out about?
Some examples are below. Notice how each question would take some
research to answer.
1. Why was Thomas Jefferson opposed to slavery?
2. What happened to the Juvenile Court system to bring it to a crisis point?
Writing a Thesis Statement
• Step 2: Research enough to be able to answer the question, and take a stand
on the question.
1.
Even though Jefferson wrongfully owned slaves, he showed he valued
human life in his words, and other actions.
2. The Juvenile Court System was established to remove children from the
adult criminal system and help youth reform, but over the years, it became
a source of punishment and imprisonment.
How do you evaluate whether a thesis
statement is good or not?
• 1. Is it clear what the paper will be about?
• 2. Is there something that has been proven?
• 3. Will research be necessary to prove the thesis?
• 4. Is there only one main idea?
• 5. Is it about something that is important?
Examples of weak thesis statements:
• I believe Abraham Lincoln was a great President and a lot of people would
say he was a really great person.
• Ancient Greece had a lot of cool architecture.
• One example of a philosopher in Ancient Greece is Sophocles.
Examples of Strong Thesis Statements:
• Homer was an important poet in Ancient Greece, who greatly impacted the
artistic culture of the time period.
• The Parthenon is a classic example of Ancient Greek architecture, and a
tremendous tribute to the Greek goddess, Athena.
Looking at an example of a good research
paper.
• Work with a group of 2 or 3 people.
• Read and annotate the research paper.
• As you read, underline/highlight and take notes about what you think makes
it a good research paper.
• Can you find the thesis statement?
Step 6: Creating an Outline
• This is a “skeleton” of what your paper will look like.
• It is a method of structuring your paper and your search for information
• Your outline and structure will be tentative and rough in form
• It should include some major areas of research
Outlines: what is their purpose and how do I
make them?
• What would an “outline” of your life look like?
General Structure for an Outline
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Introduction Paragraph (includes your thesis)
Body Paragraph #1 (main idea #1)
-topic sentence
-supporting details/research
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Body Paragraph #2 (main idea #2)
-topic sentence
-supporting details/research
4.
Body Paragraph #3 (main idea #3)
-topic sentence
-supporting details/research
5. Conclusion Paragraph
Writing a Rough Draft
• Step 1: write your introduction paragraph.
Your introduction paragraph should attract reader’s attention and give the
reader an idea of what your paper is about.
Include you thesis statement in your introduction
Writing a Rough Draft
• Step 2: Write your 3 body paragraphs.
Each paragraph in the body should focus on one main idea. The sentences in
each paragraph should provide supporting details/evidence.
Writing a Rough Draft
• Step 3: Write a conclusion: write a conclusion that brings your paper’s main
ideas together and says something worthwhile. Leave the reader with
something to think about.
List your References/Citations
• At the end of our paper have a “Work Cited” page.
• This page should be an alphabetical list of resources you used in your paper.
• For this paper, we will not be using “in-text citations”, but we will be using
the MLA Style for our work cited page.
• Sample Work Cited Page
• The Purdue OWL Writing Lab is an excellent resource, to look up how to
properly cite sources. Purdue OWL
Writing your Final Draft
• Before you write your final draft, be sure to do a peer revise and a self-revise
using the provided templates in class.
• The key to turning a rough draft into a great final draft= refinement!