Part I
Planning the Research
Step 1:Select a Subject
• Research: is the process of
gathering facts and evidence about a
topic.
• Once you have gathered your
information, you write a formal
presentation, called a research paper.
Step 1:Select a Subject
• Paper presents the results of your
investigation.
• Research paper makes a point and
then supports that point with
evidence.
Skills Needed
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reading
Writing
Organizing
Planning
Note-taking
Thinking clearly
Step 1: Select a Subject
• Can be assigned a general topic area
• Can be an idea of your own
• REMEMBER! SELECT A SUBJECT
THAT INTERESTS YOU!
Step 1: Select a Subject
• UNDERSTAND THE LIMITS OF
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
• Length of the paper
• Time allotted to do it
• Subject: Is it content
specific?
Step 1: Select a Subject
• UNDERSTAND THE LIMITS OF
YOUR RESOURCES
• Too technical or complex
• Enough info?
Step 2:Narrow the
Subject into the Topic
• Read background information
• Far East
•
Japan
•
City Life
•
Puppet
•
Religion
•
Sports
•
Baseball
•
Sumo Wrestling
•
Rituals
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Thesis-statement of your objective
•
-point you want to prove
•
-main idea of the entire
research paper
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Not an indisputable fact
• Examples: The Bororo men of the
Amazon think that knocking out their
front teeth makes them beautiful.
• George Washington was the first
president of the United States
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Not a personal opinion
Example: Tattooing hurts too much to
be worth it.
I think pierced ears are
disgusting.
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Opinions can NEVER be supported
with facts!
• Only evidence would be your own
opinions!
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Topic: Beauty
• Excellent Thesis: People all over
the world are willing to suffer for
what they think is beautiful.
• Not an indisputable fact
• Not an insupportable opinion
Step 3: State the
Objective
• People all over the world are willing
to suffer for what they think is
beautiful.
• Must gather evidence to support
• Thesis presents argument or “angle”
to defend with evidence!
Step 3: State the
Objective
• Thesis: The Sioux Indians are being
treated more unfairly today than
they were in the 1890’s.
• Words “treated more unfairly” must
be defined and then proven in the
research paper.
Step 3: State the
Objective
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ask questions:
Who?
What ?
Where?
When?
Why?
Sample thesis
statements
• The lyrics in Beatles’ songs reflect where
and how the members of the group were
brought up.
• Much of Martin Luther King Jr.’s success
resulted from his use of the passive
resistance techniques proposed by
Mahatma Gandhi.
• World War II radically changed American
eating habits.
Part II
Doing the Research
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• A bibliography is a list of books,
articles and other materials about
your topic; it is the list of sources
you will use for research.
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• Preparing a list of sources at this
time will help you assure that there
are enough materials available for a
satisfactory paper.
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• At this stage the list is preliminary
or working bibliography because
during the rest of the research you
will constantly make changes in the
list as you discover new material and
reject others that are not useful.
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• Start at library: look up nonfiction
books-which are listed three ways:
• Author
• Title
• Subject-this search is what you will
use the most! Use Boolean terms:
and, or, not.
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• And: Poverty and
Crime
Search terms
Results
poverty
76,342
crime
348,252
poverty AND crime
12,998
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• college OR
university
Search terms
Results
college
396,482
university
590,791
college OR university
819,214
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• cats NOT dogs
Search terms
Results
cats
86,747
dogs
130,424
cats NOT dogs
65,223
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
• All sources should be entered in
Noodletools as they are found.
• You can delete
as needed
Step 4: Write a
Preliminary Bibliography
Research outside library:
• Interviews
• Surveys/questionnaire
• Writing letters
• Television and radio programs (DVDs)
• Community service organizations
• Museum exhibits/special centers
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
• Organizes information you gather
• Plan for researching
• Why called working outline?
• Purdue Owl
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
• Write the thesis at the top of the
paper
• Example: The art of glassblowing
has a long and interesting history.
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
• Divide your thesis into two
subheadings:
• The Art of Glassblowing
• The History of Glassblowing
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
I. The Art of Glassblowing
A. Materials
B. Tools
C. Techniques
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
II. The History of Glassblowing
A. Inventors
B. Development
C. Early Applications
Step 5: Prepare a
Working Outline
Thesis: The art of glassblowing has a long and interesting
history.
I. The Art of Glassblowing
A. Materials
B. Tools
C. Techniques
II. The History of Glassblowing
A. Inventors
B. Development
C. Early Applications
•
A Sample Outline
Research Question: What role does language play in Shakespeare's
Hamlet?
•
Thesis: Hamlet’s inner turmoil is conveyed to us not only through voice
and gesture, but more importantly, also through word play, unusual
choices in syntax and word choice.
•
I.
II.
III.
Wordplay - Life as fiction
1.
Claudius
2.
Gertrude
3.
Hamlet
Syntax - Soliloquies illustrate Hamlet's inner emotions
1.
Examination of first soliloquy
2.
Hamlet’s response to his father’s ghost
Word Choice - Shakespeare's introduction of new words to
the English lexicon
1.
"To be or not to be" soliloquy – use of the word
"quietus"
2.
Hamlet’s choice of words in communicating with
Gertrude
3.
The graveyard scene
4.
Hamlet’s final words
Step 6: Take Notes
• Write down the information from
your reading (research) that relates
to your thesis!
• Statistics, facts
• Quotations, expert
• Examples
• Use online note cards
Step 6: Take Notes
Three types of note cards:
• Summary-main idea in a short paragraph
• Paraphrase-put information in your OWN
WORDS !
• Direct Quotation-Copy “word for word”
Part III
Writing the Paper
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Write thesis on top
Example: Baboon family life and human
family life are remarkably similar.
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Then take your note card subject headings
and develop your main points for the
outline.
• Example: young baboons
hunting for food
adult arguments
interviews at the zoo
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Organize your note cards so that
they are in logical order/group
similar ideas
• Student: “First I worked with the
pile of note cards on the baboon
young.”
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Student: “I decided to put the note card
about protection by parents first. This
way I can talk about baboons when they’re
first born.”
• Student: “ The next step is how they
learn survival skills from their parents, so
I put those note cards next.
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Student: “On this card there’s a
good quote that ties with my thesis:
‘A young baboon’s physical
independence from its mother does
not sever their relationship. As with
humans, emotional bonds endure.’”
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Student: “This will make a good link
with the next idea-curiosity of the
young. I can show how once they gain
independence they begin to explore,
just like human children.”
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
•
Choose a pattern of organization
-Chronological (time)
-Spatial (area)
-Classification (topics/characteristics)
-order of degree (importance/value)
-cause to effect or effect to cause
Step 7: Outline the
Paper
• Choose a pattern of organization
-Compare/contrast (similarities/differences)
-Analytical (parts and their relationships)
-Inductive/synthesis (specific-general)
-Deductive order (general-specific)
-Order of impression/association (sequence)
-Hierarchical order (class to subclass/subclass to
class)
Sample final draft of outline
Step 8: Write the Draft
• At this point you fill out each section
of your outline to present your ideas
and support them with the
information in the note cards.
Step 8: Write the Draft
• Introduction:
-start paper with an attention device
Examples: Quotations
Stories
Questions
Unique Facts/statistics
Anecdotes
Step 8: Write the Draft
• Introduction:
• Thesis statement should be last
sentence in the introduction before
the body of the paper starts.
Step 8: Write the Draft
• Body of Paper:
-develop main ideas
-support with details
Step 8: Write the Draft
• Conclusion:
-restate thesis and end with a
clincher
-Make your conclusion powerful
Step 8: Write the Draft
• Revise the first draft:
-check for content and organization
-check transitions
Step 9: Prepare the Final
Paper
• Title page: MLA does not require a title
page.
• See page 5 of Writing Research Papers.
• Example
Step 9: Prepare the Final
Paper
• Some teachers want a title page.
• Example
Step 9: Prepare the Final
Paper
• Title of paper should be based on
your thesis statement and should be
interesting/creative.
• Examples:
-The Dream of Success in African
American Poetry
-Pandora: The Ultimate Punishment
Step 9: Prepare the Final
Paper
• Remember show your draft to as
many people as possible! What you
do not see, others will!
• Proofread-verify parenthetical
citations, spelling and punctuation!