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Research PaperThe steps of writing a research paper

•Choose topic•Thesis Statement•Take notes note cards (optional)•Organize notes and make final outline•Write first draft• Documentation•Revise your draft•Final draft with works cited

–You will need a folder in which to keep ALL of your information.

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REMEMBER:• If you have any questions, please see me!

• There is a terrific online resource that I use when teaching the research paper. Please utilize this as often as necessary.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/search.php

• Follow the schedule for the research paper.

• If you have ANY questions, see me. There are no “stupid” questions!

• You must turn in copies of the sources you use. Print them out or photocopy them. Failure to do so will result in a reduction of points.

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Basics

• Due 2/22/13• FULL 3-5 written pages• HAS TO BE TYPED (if you do

not have access to a computer and printer, see me immediately)

• Don’t plagiarize• Don’t throw anything away• Get a separate folder and

always bring it to English class• You must use at least 5 sources. • RELAX! It isn’t that bad!

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Possible SourcesThe list of sources that will be helpful to

you while researching.1. other people 2. institutions

and organizations

3. government

5. bookstore 4. library

7. online 6. Bibliographies .

9. Radio 8. T.V

11. Others 10. videos

Be creative!

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Note CardsCompletely OPTIONAL!

1. Use a separate card for each new subject or new source and write on only one side.

2. Write the author’s name and title of article or book in upper left of card.

3. Put a subject heading in upper right corner of card.

4. Put page number in parentheses after each citation.

5. Put your initials in bottom right of card.

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Thesis Statement• Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the main focus of your paper boiled down to one concise statement. All three of your major topics should be mentioned in your thesis statement. The thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introduction.

Example: The following is an example of a quality introduction written by a student. The thesis statement is underlined so you can find it. Do not underline it in your paper.

Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the world to Paris, to see the many attractions that can be found there. The city of romance has an irresistible draw to visitors. It is famous for its elegant dining in both the old community and the new, more contemporary part of the city. However, there are a few places in Paris that no wise visitor leaves without seeing. Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre are three of the tourist attractions that are exciting to the world.

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Developing a Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement changes your topic or research question into a claim that you will support with your research.

• The thesis statement has to go beyond stating the obvious.

• This statement is too simplistic: Too much television is harmful to children.– This will not engage your readers

because they know that too much of anything is harmful. Instead, you have to create a thesis that is well focused, raises and issue, and invites research.

• Better thesis: Violence in television in cartoons can affect children mentally, physically, and emotionally.– This raises an issue. The writer must

research violence on television (particularly in cartoons), report the findings, and explain the effects of television violence on children. *The topic and 3 subpoints HAVE to be included in your thesis!

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The Outline

1. Every line should be either a complete sentence or else just a topic. Do not mix the styles.

2. If you choose to divide a topic into smaller parts, you must make at least two divisions. In other words, you can’t have a 1 without a 2 or an A without a B.

3. Capitalize the first word in each topic.

4. Place a period after each letter or number.

5. Be sure to INDENT correctly.

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Title:

I. Introduction

Thesis statement:

II. The Body

A. Major issue one1.2.

B. Major issue two1.2.

C. Major issue three1.2.

III. The Conclusion

Makler 1

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Rogers 1

Visiting ChicagoI. Introduction

Thesis statement: Visitors to Chicago should learn about the geography, history, and attractions of the Windy City.

II. GeographyA. PopulationB. Lake Michigan

III. HistoryA. Fort DearbornB. Chicago FireC. Politics

1. Alderman2. Mayor

IV. AttractionsA. Sears TowerB. Navy PierC. Professional sports

1. Baseballa. Cubsb. White Sox

2. Basketball3. Football

V. Conclusion

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In-Text Citations (Parenthetical Citations)

The following are guidelines to help you cite your sources properly.

1. Basic citation. Place the citation at the end of the sentence that contains the material being documented. The citation should appear after the text of the sentence but before the end mark.

The Oklahoma migrants found “not a Promised Land but a man-blighted Eden” (Crockett 196).

2. Citation of an anonymous work. When citing an anonymous work (one for which no author is given), give an abbreviated, or shortened, version of the title, followed by the page number. Make sure that the first word in your abbreviated version of the title is the word by which the work is alphabetized in the list of Works Cited. Here is a citation for an anonymous work called “Some Factual Errors in Steinbeck's Portrayal of Oklahoma and Oklahomans”:

One contributor wrote that the novel contained a “number of factual errors” (“Some Errors” 647).

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3. Citation of an encyclopedia or a similar reference work. When

citing an article in a reference work that is arranged alphabetically- an article in an encyclopedia or in a biographical dictionary, for example- give only the title or a shortened version of the title.

One cause of the Dust Bowl was misuse of the land (“Dust Bowl”).

4. Citation of a work by two or three authors. When citing a work by two or three authors, give the authors’ last names and the page number.

Very little is now known about how dolphins and whales communicate (Jain, Lars, and Stein 34).

5. Citation of a nonpaginated source. If the source is something that does not have page numbers, like an interview or a recording, for example, give the name of the author or interviewee. If there is no name, give a title or a shortened version of the title.

The migrants did not have the necessary money to live decently (Gurthie).

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Works Cited-Basic Version

Use this order: 1. Author(s)2. Title in italics3. A specific volume number4. Editor(s)5. Edition other than the first6. Number of volumes if more than

one7. Place of publication8. Date9. Page numbers

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Use the following examples as models:

Author

Chopra. Deepak. Peace Is the Way. New York: Crown, 2005.

Authors, two and edition

Laudon, Kenneth C., and Carol Guercio Traver. E-Commerce. 2nd

ed. Boston: Addison,2004.

Authors, more than three

*Use et al., which means “and others,” or list all the authors.

Henson, Loiuse, et al. Culture and Science in the Nineteenth

Century Media. Burlington, VT: Ashgate,2004.

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Works Cited Page

• You must fill out a source rubric for EVERY source you use. You will staple this filled out rubric to the front of each source. Failure to do so will result in a loss of points.

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Works Cited Page

• The works cited page is the last item in your term paper. It should include all the sources you used in your writing.

1. In the center of the top line of your paper, write the following words:

Works Cited

2. Take all your works cited cards and arrange them in alphabetical order by the first word listed in the entry. Ignore the words “A,” “An,” and “The.”

3. Neatly copy the information from the cards onto your paper. Use hanging indentation. In other words, the first line of an entry begins at the left margin. The second line, and all other lines of the same entry, begin five spaces in from the left.

4. Do not skip extra lines between your entries.

5. Do not number your entries.

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Introduction

• IntroductionYour introduction is the first thing a

person will read in your paper. Therefore, it should be interesting, keep the reader’s attention, and encourage the reader to continue. The introduction should begin discussing your topic in a very general way, and then narrow down to your thesis statement.

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Conclusion

• Conclusion The conclusion contains

basically the same information as the introduction. You begin with the thesis statement restated in different words. Then, you expand to the more general topic at the end of the paragraph.

Example:Three of the world’s most exciting attractions, Notre-Dame, the

Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre are located in Paris. In order to view each site, visitors see both the old and new sections of the city, where they may sample the famous French cuisine. Therefore, it is not surprise that the city of romance continues to attract visitors from around the world.

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The Rough DraftWhat is a rough draft?A rough draft is your chance to get all your ideas

on paper. It must contain all the required parts of a term paper and it must be legible.

What goes in the rough draft?Everything!Your rough draft will have a final outline, an

introduction, the body of the paper, conclusion, and works cited page.

Get Ready…Find a place where you can spread out with lots

of room and where you won’t be disturbed. An empty floor or kitchen table would be a good choice. You’ll need your rough outline, works cited cards, and note cards. Take all of your notecards and spread them out, face up, so you can read them. As you lay them out, glance at each one to familiarize yourself with what you have.

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Organize…

Using your rough outline as a guide, group your notecards into the three main topics of your paper. You may have some that do not fin in any category. Set these aside in their own group as you may use them later.

Order…

Now, go through each set of notecards and group them within smaller groups of similar topics. Once you have all the topics established, put the cards in the exact order in which you will write about them. If you wish, you may number the cards in the lower left-hand corner in case they fall out of order.

Now you are ready to write the body of your paper.

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Writing…Begin by writing the body of our paper first. The

introduction and conclusion will be easier once this is finished. Write on only one side of the paper and leave a one inch margin all the way around. Use your rough outline as a guide. Each Roman numeral represents a section. Begin using only your notecards from Roman numeral “I” in a stack next to you. Write the information from the first card into your paper, then turn the card over, face down, in another pile. Keep the cards in order and it will make citing your sources so much easier.

Common Pitfalls1. Try not to copy your notes word for word. You

probably wrote them in a hurry and were overwhelmed with too much information at once. Try to clean up the language and make it more formal.

2. Do not use too many quotations. You should probably have no more than two quotations per paragraph. Otherwise, you are not really writing your own paper, just copying someone else’s work.

3. Do not forget TRANSITIONS! Begin every paragraph with some type of transition.

4. Do not forget to document your sources.5. Remember, this is a practice for your final draft.

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Revising…Do not forget to go back and revise your

paper once it is written. Read it all the way through once you finish writing to be sure it makes sense. It helps to read it aloud. Then, have at least two other people read it. Be sure they will be honest with you and point out any mistakes. Be sure they can understand your paper. Try to allow yourself time so that you can set the paper aside and ignore it at least overnight. Then, read it straight through again to be sure it still makes sense when it is not fresh in your mind. Last, start at the end of your paper and read each individual sentence to yourself, checking for spelling and grammar mistakes and any missing words.

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The Revising Process1. This paper must be typed in a Times

New Roman 12 point font.2. Leave a one-inch margin all the way

around the page.3. Use standard paragraphs of at least

three sentences. Do not skip lines between paragraphs.

4. DO NOT use words or phrases such as “you,” “I think,” “I believe,” “my,” or “In my opinion.”

5. DO NOT use contractions!6. Do not write sentence fragments or

run-ons.7. 3 points will be deducted from your

score EACH time there is an “I” statement or contraction. 5 points will be deducted for each fragment and run-on.

8. Use correct spelling and grammar.

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Term Paper Revising ChecklistContents: The paper has the following

sections:– Outline– Body of paper– Works cited– Parenthetical documentations

Appearance– The paper is typed in TNR 12 font.– The pages have typing on only one

side.– The paper is double-spaced.– The paper is not missing any pages.– The pages are in the correct order.– Each page has 1-inch margins all the

way around.

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Outline– The outline has a thesis statement on top.– The outline is indented correctly.– For every letter “A” there is a “B.”– For every number “1” there is a “2.”– The outline is written in all phrases or all

sentences.

Works Cited– The words “Works Cited” are centered on the top

line.– All entries are alphabetized by the first word.– All entries are indented correctly.– All web addresses appear in the same color as the

rest of the page.

Parenthetical Documentation– All sources cited in the paper appear on the Works

Cited list.– The first word inside the parentheses is the word

used to alphabetize that source in the Works Cited list.

– Every direct quotation is followed by a citation.– Every fact that is not common knowledge has a

citation.– At the minimum, every paragraph has a citation at

the end (except the introduction and conclusion).– All citations are inside the sentence’s end

punctuation.

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Body of Paper– The thesis statement is the last sentence in

the introduction.– The introduction is so general that it does

not require any citations.– All words are spelled correctly.– Every sentence is complete, with a subject

and a verb.– There are no run-ons.– Each new paragraph has a transition.– Each paragraph has a minimum of three

sentences.– “YOU,” “I think,” “I believe,” “In my

opinion,” or any variation of these are NOT used.

– With the exception of dates and measurements, all numbers that are less than four words long are written in words.

– There are no more than two direct quotations in each paragraph.

– The paper is easy to understand and makes sense.

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Term Paper Typing Rules1. Everything in your entire paper should be double-spaced,

including the outline, body of the paper, and Works Cited page. Set the spacing at the beginning of your paper.

2. Use Times New Roman 12 point font.3. Your entire paper should be left-justified, like this page. 4. Leave a 1 inch margin all the way around the page.5. Print everything in black, including web addresses.6. Number your pages. Begin with your outline as page 1.

(You have to have 5-7 pages of written paper, your outline and works cited do NOT count toward your 5-7 pages.

7. You must have a title. It can be interesting, but please remember to have it relate to your paper in some way.

8. You are to have your last name with a space, then the page number on all pages. The easiest way to do this is to view header and include page numbers.

9. Remember standard typing conventions, especially the following rules:

– Two spaces after a period or colon.– Put one space before the opening parenthesis.– End punctuation goes after the closing parenthesis.– End punctuation goes inside quotations.

10. Take advantage of your software. Remember to run the spell check. Don’t forget to save your work often! If the paper is not handed in on March 12th, it is considered late- NO EXCEPTIONS! So, in order to avoid a problem, make sure your paper is written and typed prior to the due date.

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Your paper should be compiled in the

following manner:• Paper clipped together:• Outline (complete with thesis statement)• Paper (3-5 pages of text)• Works Cited• (There should be at least 5 pages in your

complete packet.)

• Included after the stapled paper:• Each source will have its own packet!

– On top= source rubric– Printed or photocopied information (highlighted)– Stapled together

• All sources that have been used in the paper in the order they appear on the works cited page.

• (You are to copy all sources you use. This means that you need to make a photocopy of all pages used in books and print off internet sites that you use in your paper. Failure to do so will result in a lowering of your grade.)

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Grammar GuideBy the numbers.Always use digits when writing:

The name of a year 1945The day of the month November 11, 2008A measurement or percent 20 lbs. 72%A number that has a decimal 26.5 million bananasAn address, zip code, phone number A number that would take more than three words to

say 7,586.

Always write numbers as words when writing:A number that takes less than four words to say seven games or thirty-nine people

SpacingAfter end punctuation, use one space.After a comma, use 1 spaceBefore a parenthetical citation, use 1 space; do not

leave a space between parenthesis and end punctuation. The Bulls won six games

(Brown 23).Double space

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Point of ViewAvoid the first person point of view: I found information on Australia.Avoid second person: You should read this book.DO use third person point of view: Australia has kangaroos.The pronoun “one” can be used for “you” and still remain third person. Instead of, “You should eat broccoli.” use “One should eat broccoli.”

AgreementSubjects and verbs in each sentence must agree with each other in number.The verb tense must remain consistent throughout the paper.

SourcesYou must use at least five sources- only three can be from the internet (two have to be outside sources like a book or encyclopedia).

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• Timeline for English III Research Paper

• January

• 1/11/13. FINAL Topic due• 1/17/13. thesis statement due • 1/24/13. 5 sources due (printed or photocopied)• 1/29/13. Outline Due• 1/29/13. begin rough draft (If you have writer’s block, try

starting with body paragraphs, then move to your introduction and conclusion.)

• February

• 2/5/11-2/15/110. continue working on rough draft• 2/8/13. Rough draft due (complete with Works Cited

page; these will be returned the 11th.)• 2/11/13-2/22/13. Revise and edit your rough draft• Questions? Make an appointment for after school.• 2/15/13. Turn in completed final copy for 25 bonus

points.• 2/19/13. Turn in completed final copy for 15 bonus

points.• 2/20/13- Turn in completed final copy for 10 bonus

points.• 2/21/13. Turn in completed final copy for 5 bonus points.

• 2/22/13. RESEARCH PAPER DUE. • 2/23/13. Breathe.

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PlagiarismPlagiarism means copying from another’s

work and passing it off as your own. Turning in a term paper that has been plagiarizes can have serious consequences.

A paper may be plagiarized in the following ways:

• partially or fully copying another student’s research paper

• Buying or copying a term paper available on the internet

• Copying any source, including web pages, without giving proper credit through citations

• Presenting any other author’s work as your own

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Plagiarism may be purposeful or accidental. To avoid accidents, be sure that you create a works cited card for every source and use that information in your “Works Cited.” Do not try to take shortcuts by copying and pasting information from the internet into your word processor. It is too easy to forget where that information came from. Also, when taking notes, be sure that you put quotations marks around every section that you copy word-for-word. Unless you wish to use a specific quotation for its notable language, try to summarize and paraphrase information on your notecards rather than copying information word-for-word.

By this point, I am familiar with both your writing style and speaking style. Portions of your research paper that are written with a vastly different style will alert me to the possibility of plagiarism. Proving that a paper has been plagiarized is not as difficult as you may think. The technology that brought you to a source in a matter of seconds will also lead me to that same source in a matter of seconds.

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Example of Plagiarized Work

Works Cited

Psychology. [Online] Available http://www.bls.gov/oco.htm, October 10, 2001.

Original Source

Psychologists study the human mind and human behavior. Research psychologists investigate the physical, cognitive, emotional, or social aspects of human behavior. Psychologists in applied fields provide mental health care in hospitals, clinics, schools, or private settings.

Like other social scientists, psychologists formulate hypotheses and collect data to test their validity. Research methods vary depending on the topic under study. Psychologists sometimes gather information through controlled laboratory experiments or by administering personality, performance, aptitude, and intelligence tests. Other methods include observation, interviews, questionnaires, clinical studies, and surveys.

Psychologists apply their knowledge to a wide range of endeavors, including health and human services, management, education, law, and sports. In addition to a variety of work settings, psychologists usually specialize in one of a number of different areas.

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Plagiarized version

Like other social scientists, psychologists formulate hypotheses and collect data to test their validity. Research methods vary depending on the topic under study. Psychologists sometimes gather information through controlled laboratory experiments or by administering personality, performance, aptitude, and intelligence tests. Other methods include observation, interviews, questionnaires, clinical studies, and surveys.

Correctly paraphrasedThe job of a research psychologist is create a

theory and then to tests that theory. They may use many different methods to test theories. One method is to use a controlled laboratory experiment. Also, research psychologists may conduct tests on performance, aptitude, or intelligence. Lastly, they may also use surveys and interviews (Psychology).

For more information, and to test whether or not you should document particular information, go to the Purdue University Online Writing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html

Plagiarism

Purdue University

3 options for using sources

• Summarizing

• Paraphrasing

• Quoting

Summarizing• Must reference the original

source

• The text is much shorter than the original text. (For example, one may write a single page to summarize a four-page article.)

• Must use your own words, usually with a very limited use of quotations.

Paraphrasing

• Must reference the original source

• The text produced may be shorter or longer than the original text

• Must use your own words

Quoting• Must reference the original

source

• The text produced is the exact length of the original text quoted (unless ellipses are used)

• Use the original author’s exact words

• Put quotation marks around the original author’s exact words

• Include the page number of the original source from which you borrowed the author’s original language.

If you use information from a source word

for word, that information needs quotation marks. If

you do not use quotation marks, it is

PLAGIARISM!

Original Source Material: Technology has significantly transformed education at several major turning points in our history. In the broadest sense, the first technology was the primitive modes of communication used by prehistoric people before the development of spoken language. Mime, gestures, grunts, and drawing of figures in the sand with a stick were methods used to communicate -- yes, even to educate. Even without speech, these prehistoric people were able to teach their young how to catch animals for food, what animals to avoid, which vegetation was good to eat and which was poisonous.

Source: Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Plagiarized or paraphrased?

In examining technology, we have to remember that computers are not the first technology people have had to deal with. The first technology was the primitive modes of communication used by prehistoric people before the development of spoken language (Frick 10).

Plagiarized!

• Explanation: This example of student written work is plagiarized. The student copied, word-for-word, text from the original source material. Though credit was given to the author of the text, quotation marks were not used.

Plagiarized or paraphrased?

In examining technology, we have to remember that computers are not the first technology people have had to deal with. Frick believes that "... the first technology was the primitive modes of communication used by prehistoric people before the development of spoken language" (Frick 10).

Paraphrased!

Explanation: Note in this example that the passage ends with the author and page of the publication. Quotation marks are used to indicate that this passage is a word-for-word citation from the original document.

Example 2Original Source Material:

Constructivism is a movement that extends beyond the beliefs of the cognitivist. It considers the engagement of students in meaningful experiences as the essence of learning. The shift is from passive transfer of information to active problem solving. Constructivists emphasize that learners create their own interpretations of the world of information. (10)

Source: Heinich, R., Molenda, M., Russell, J. D., & Smaldino, S. E. (1999). Instructional media and technologies for learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

Constructivists do not hold views entirely opposed to those of the cognitivists. The position of constructivists extends beyond the beliefs of the cognitivist (Heinich 10).

Plagiarized

This example of student written work is plagiarized. The student included a portion of the original author's work in a sentence without using quotation marks.

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

• Constructivists do not hold views entirely opposed to those of the cognitivists. The position of constructivists "... extends beyond the beliefs of the cognitivist.” (17)

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

Constructivists do not hold views entirely opposed to those of the cognitivists. The position of constructivists "... extends beyond the beliefs of the cognitivist" (Heinich 17).

Example 3

• Original Source Material: The concept of systems is really quite simple. The basic idea is that a system has parts that fit together to make a whole; but where it gets complicated -- and interesting -- is how those parts are connected or related to each other. (17)

• Source: Frick, T. (1991). Restructuring education through technology. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation.

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

Frick states that "... a system has parts that fit together to make a whole ..." but the important aspect of systems is "... how those parts are connected or related to each other" (Frick 17).

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

• A system has parts that fit together to make a whole, but the important aspect of systems is how those parts are connected or related to each other (Frick).

Example 4• Original Source Material: Theories

differ from philosophies and models of teaching. A philosophy is a value system, whereas a theory seeks to explain real-world events and can be certified through scientific investigation. Models of teaching are approaches to the management of some aspect of classroom instruction and they may not be independent of subject area, grade level, age of the student, or the setting for learning. A characteristic of learning theories is that they address the underlying psychological dynamics of events. Thus, they provide a mechanism for understanding the implications of events related to learning in both formal and informal settings. (12-13)

• Source: Gredler, M. E. (2001). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

• Theories and philosophies are different from each other because, according to Gredler theories seek to explain real-world events and can be certified through scientific investigation... A characteristic of learning theories is that they address the underlying psychological dynamics of events. Thus, they provide a mechanism for understanding the implications of events related to learning in both formal and informal settings. (Gredler 12-13)

Plagiarized or Paraphrased?

• Theories and philosophies are different from each other because theories seek to explain real-world events and can be certified through scientific investigation. Learning theories address the underlying psychological dynamics of events, so they provide a mechanism for understanding the implications of events related to learning in both formal and informal settings (Gredler).

• Information taken from Purdue University and Indiana University.