THE RESEARCH PAPER
What is a research paper?
• A research paper is a
carefully planned
essay that shares
information or proves
a point.
Choosing a research topic
• Am I truly interested
in the subject?
• Does it meet the
requirements of the
assignment?
• Do I have access to
enough information?
• Is the subject limited
enough?
Getting Started
• Choose a topic based on requirements.
• Ask yourself questions:
• What do I know about the topic?
• What would I like to learn?
• What will others learn from reading my
paper?
Formulate a Question
• Decide what question you want to answer with
your research.
• Formulate a Question – the answer to the
question becomes your thesis question.
• For example:
– How does exercise improve someone’s mental
health?
– What are the effects of violent video games on
elementary school children?
– What was the impact of Cubism on early twentieth
century culture?
– Should elementary schools provide more
programming in the arts?
Starting Your Research
• Decide what kind of information that you
need based on your research assignment.
• The information will be determined by your
topic and assignment requirements:
–
–
–
–
–
Current or historical or both
Biographical information
Criticism and analysis
Statistics
And More
Writing a thesis statement…
A specific subject
+
a particular stand, feeling, or feature
= an effective thesis statement
Thesis Checklist
•Identifies a limited, specific subject
•Focuses on a particular feature or feeling
about a subject
•Supported with convincing facts and details
•Stated in a clear, direct sentence (or sentences)
Sample thesis:
Writing assignment: Research paper about social issue
Subject: Homeless people
Thesis question: Who are the homeless (SUBJECT) and
what are the reasons for their predicament?(FEATURE)
Writing assignment: Research paper about human growth
and development
Subject: Personality traits
Thesis statement: Certain personality traits(SUBJECT) are
shaped primarily by the person’s peer group. (POSITION)
Searching Tips
• Begin by writing some basic questions that
you would like to answer in you report.
• Any time you find information that answers
a question, take notes on it.
Information
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Personal sources
Books
Reference works
Periodicals
Audiovisual
E-mail
Government or
business publications
PACKAGES
EVALUATING
the
INFORMATION
Is the information current?
Is the information complete?
Is the information accurate?
Is the source an expert?
Is your source biased?
OUTLINES
• Outlines organize your research material.
Without it you would not know what areas
of your research are lacking or the order
you need to go in when you write your
drafts.
Bibliography Cards
Source 1
Olsen, Shawn
M. to
Chocolate
Lover’s
• Use
keep track
ofGuide.
sources
Hayti: Charger Publishing, 1987.
• Organize by author’s last name
• Number each entry in the upper
right hand corner of the card
Summary/Quote cards:
Early
Years
of Hershey
• Note
cards:
Source 1
The first company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania,
the new
enterprise
was named
the Hershey
Chocolate
– Record
details,
information,
quotations
Company.
Record
page number
where
can be
How– they
beat competition:
With
mass information
production, Hershey
was able
to lower the per-unit cost and make milk chocolate,
found
once a luxury item for the wealthy, affordable to all.
pg. 5-6
– Use descriptive word or heading at top
Writing the draft
• “When you are writing
nonfiction, there’s no
use getting into a
writing schedule until
you’ve done the
research and you have
the material.”
-Tom Wolfe
Getting started...
Arrange your note cards into their most
logical order.
Construct an outline---a writing plan
Search for any additional information
needed to develop thesis
1. Developing your research
question and research content-
2. Writing the outline-
3. Writing the first draft -
4. Revising-
5. Proofreading and Editing-
6. MLA Documentation-
Giving proper credit
MLA documentation – there’s a certain
way to cite or “give credit” to your
sources. MLA is one of many formats
for citing information – both
parenthetically (in parentheses) and in
your Works Cited
AVOIDING
PLAGIARISM
-the act of presenting someone else’s
ideas as your own.
Final copy requirementsTitle page
Outline
Heading
Page numbering
Body
Works Cited
Example of a
completed
research paper