Quick & Dirty Overview
of Writing Research
Papers
Presented by~
The Student Learning Commons
Writing Services Coordinator
Take time to explore and focus on a
topic that motivates you
A question may be suggested
to you…but if not—ask
questions about the topic.
Is it possible to create a
real community using
online communication?
Do you have an
opinion about the
topic or question?
Of course an online
community is
possible. I met all my
best friends on
Facebook!
Other ways of generating ideas …
TOPIC
Review class notes and
readings
Making a concept map
And 
Talk to people!
Just to see what’s out
there …
Get to know library resources
…but don’t just check out stacks of books!
Explore articles, databases, epublications and journals, and
discipline-specific resource
links.
For research help in Communication courses, go to
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/researchhelp/subjectguides/cmns/cmns.htm
Don’t just brain-dump—organize!
While taking notes, use KEY
WORDS to keep your ideas
organized and on track.
~~~
You could record notes and
citations using RefWorks (a handy
library tool) or old-fashioned notecards …
A “bibliography” card…
CALL NUMBER/
DATABASE INFO
Full Bibliographical Info (author/s, title,
publication info, year, page-range (for article
or chapter), URL, date you retrieved URL …
General summary of source (very brief)
and/or exact quote
A “note-card”…
Last name/short title of
source
KEY WORD(S)
ONE significant exact quote, paraphrased
idea, set of facts, or concept from this source.
Adding your own comment is good practice.
+ PAGE number(s) if applicable
Try breaking your position and main
ideas / notes down into a rough outline
Intro  Position (about online community)
Body 
Part 1: Definition(s) of community (what others say)
Part 2: History/types of online forums
Part 3: “Cases” or examples; analysis using criteria
developed in parts 1 & 2
Part 4: Wrap up and conclusion(s); further
questions?
Create and support a structured position
Assume you’ll need at least two
(or more) well developed subpoints under each part of your
mini-outline.
The 1st C: coherence
Make your INTRO coherent and engaging—so
readers will want to keep going …
Hook your reader with an event, anecdote, example, or
question.
Outline the main issue or problem you’re focusing on.
Provide background or context.
Present your thesis--typically the
final (or close to final) sentence of the
introduction (Note: describing what the
paper will cover is NOT a thesis).
The 1st C: coherence
Make your CONCLUSION count …
Avoid … “In conclusion”!
Bring the reader back to your thesis without repeating
it word-for-word
Don’t introduce new evidence
But do outline further areas of inquiry,
and/or suggest a sense of significance.
Why does what you’ve written matter?
What should your reader take away from it?
The 1st C: coherence
…also means checking the overall
“connectedness” of ideas …
Is my thesis / position clearly stated? Do all
my main points develop it?
Does my paper answer the research question
posed?
Are my main points arranged in a logical
sequence?
The 2nd C: cohesion
On a finer level, you also need to check for
connections between sentences, such as
appropriate transitions, summary words, and
repetition of key concepts throughout a
paragraph.
Go here for some further strategies to improve
cohesion.
Use the three P’s of revision
lagiarize-proof—acknowledge your sources!
The library and the Student Learning
Commons can help you learn more. For
example, try the Library’s “do-it-yourself
tutorial” on avoiding plagiarism.
Here’s a sneak preview of two common citation styles…
What a parenthetical citation looks like:
APA (Volkman, 1998, p. 72)
MLA (Volkman 72)
What a References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) entry looks
like:
APA
Volkman, J. (1998). Cruising through research: library skills for
young adults. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
MLA
Volkman, John D. Cruising Through Research: Library Skills for
Young Adults. Englewood: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.
Visit http://lib.radford.edu/tutorial/VII/comp.asp for more examples...
Use the three P’s of revision
eers—if possible, ask a trustworthy
second reader to read your writing for
expression, flow, or logic.
Use the three P’s of revision
Check for usage and tone …
Are you using discipline-specific terms correctly and
appropriately?
Are you writing at a level of formality that fits the assignment?
Are you using passive verbs or active verbs as appropriate for the
assignment or discipline?
Passive/Objective (“The experiment was conducted.”)
Active/Personal (“As a child, I experienced racism.”)
Is your language unbiased, gender-fair, inclusive?
Use the three P’s of revision
olish!—
Use a spell-checker to catch “typos.”
Read the paper aloud slowly and mark up problem areas.
Keep a list of your problem-areas and their solutions.
Use available writing resources to help you learn to edit
and proofread.
Any questions … ?
Feel free to follow up at http://learningcommons.sfu.ca