Assignment Prewriting Select a Topic Form a Research Question Identify Purpose and Audience Find...
30
Assignment Prewriting Select a Topic Form a Research Question Identify Purpose and Audience Find Sources Evaluate Sources Prepare Source Cards Take Notes Write a Thesis Statement Organize Information and Develop an Outline Document Sources Integrate Quotations Practice and Apply Feature Menu
Assignment Prewriting Select a Topic Form a Research Question Identify Purpose and Audience Find Sources Evaluate Sources Prepare Source Cards Take Notes
Assignment Prewriting Select a Topic Form a Research Question
Identify Purpose and Audience Find Sources Evaluate Sources Prepare
Source Cards Take Notes Write a Thesis Statement Organize
Information and Develop an Outline Document Sources Integrate
Quotations Practice and Apply Feature Menu
Slide 2
Assignment: Write a research paper (three pages minimum) in
which you present documented evidence that supports a thesis. How
were women treated during the Victorian Era? How did Victorian
innovations in police work influence the way we solve crimes today?
Where did Robert Louis Stevenson get ideas for his works? To answer
complex questions like these, you must do research. [End of
Section]
Slide 3
Select a topic that interests you and others. Consider
locationscountry, region, state, city personal interests hobbies,
sports, music historical or literary figures For our papers, we
will choose topics related to items weve touched on in class this
year. current events
Slide 4
Form a research question that asks exactly what you want to
find out from your research. Now, answer these questions about your
own paper. Developing a Research Topic QuestionsAnswers What is my
topic?the poet Robert Frost + What do I hope to learn from my
research? I want to know how he got ideas for his poems. =What is
my research question? Where did Robert Frost get ideas for his
poems?
Slide 5
Research Question: Where did Robert Frost get ideas for his
poems? Did Frost base any poems on actual events from his life? Did
Frost write about the places where he lived? Did Frost ever explain
where he got the ideas for his poems? Let your research question
lead you to form several related, more detailed questions. Now,
create at least three more detailed questions related to your
original research question.
Slide 6
The purpose of your research paper is to uncover information
from various sources. You will synthesize, or combine, the
information you gather from multiple sources draw conclusions based
on your research inform others about your findings
Slide 7
Your audience is your teacher and anyone else who will read
your paper. Consider what they already know about the topic
misunderstandings or biases they might have unfamiliar terms or
technical notations you will need to define questions they might
have [End of Section]
Slide 8
Gather information from both primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources include legal documents, letters, diaries,
eyewitness accounts, literature and surveys contain original,
firsthand information that is unfiltered and unedited
Slide 9
Gather information from both primary and secondary sources.
Secondary sources include encyclopedia entries, newspaper articles,
documentaries, and biographies provide indirect or secondhand
information
Slide 10
To find sources, use area libraries and other community
resources, such as local, state, and national government agencies
local newspapers museums, historical societies, and service groups
video stores and audiotape rental stores credible websites [End of
Section]
Slide 11
Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of
information are. Ask yourself, Is your source up-to-date? If
information on your topic is constantly changing, make sure your
sources are current.
Slide 12
Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of
information are. Ask yourself, Does the source seem factual? Check
its information against your own knowledge and against other
sources. If you find a discrepancy, or difference, between sources,
check additional resources to determine which information is most
accurate or most useful.
Slide 13
Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of
information are. Ask yourself, Does the source provide
explanations? Look for explanations that might help you and your
readers understand the complexities of the topic.
Slide 14
Determine how credible, or believable, your sources of
information are. Ask yourself, Do the sources cover different
perspectives? Some sources may be biased, or slanted, toward one
point of view. You may find that different sources present varying
perspectives on the same subject. [End of Section]
Slide 15
Keep track of all the sources you use in your paper. Write
source information on a 3- x 5-inch index card, and number each
card.source information OR use Noodletools [End of Section]
Slide 16
Take accurate and coherent notes of facts and details that
support your thesis. Note-Taking Methods Quote the information
directly, writing the authors exact words. Paraphrase the
information by restating all of the authors ideas in your own
words. Summarize the information by briefly restating only the
authors main idea and most important details. Other types of
evidence
Slide 17
Direction quotation note card Heading and source number Direct
quotation Page number Places The days Robert Frost passed in
solitude on the Gully farm in South Shaftsbury, Vermont, following
the death of his wife on March 20, 1938, were as grim as any of his
entire life. page xv
Slide 18
Paraphrase note card Heading and source number Paraphrase Page
number Places The days Robert Frost spent by himself on his farm in
South Shaftsbury, Vermont, after his wife died were the most dismal
of his life. page xv
Slide 19
Summary note card Heading and source number Summary Page number
Places Robert Frost spent his most dismal days alone on his farm
after his wife died. page xv [End of Section]
Slide 20
Write your thesis statementthe main idea of your report and the
answer to your research question. Thesis: Robert Frost got many of
the ideas for his poems from the places where he lived and the
natural areas nearby. Be sure your thesis statement has a formal
tone.formal tone [End of Section]
Slide 21
Organize your note cards using one of these methods:
Chronological order presents events in the order that they
happened. Logical order groups related ideas together explaining
the parts of a whole or comparing two subjects, for example. Order
of importance places the most important ideas first and moves to
the least important (or vice versa).
Slide 22
Create an outline of your key points and support. First, make
an informal outline that includes the major headings and broad
categories of support.informal outline Then, use your informal
outline as a guide to create a more formal outline that shows the
hierarchy of ideas.formal outline [End of Section]
Slide 23
Give credit to your sources of information. Cite sources in the
body of your paper. List sources at the end of your paper. Warning:
If you fail to cite your sources, you are committing the serious
academic offense of plagiarismclaiming someone elses words or ideas
as your own.
Slide 24
Citing Sources in the Body What to credit: However, any
information that you obtain from outside sources that is not common
knowledge must be documented. If the same information is found in
several easy-to-find sources, it is considered common knowledge.
You do not have to document it.
Slide 25
Citing Sources in the Body How to credit: You will cite sources
in the body of your research paper using the parenthetical citation
format recommended by the Modern Language Association (MLA). Please
see Purdue OWL at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ for
instructions on using parenthetical citations and preparing a Works
Cited list. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ [End of
Section]
Slide 26
Integrate direct quotations to make your paper more credible.
Synthesize the ideas in each quotation. Connect the quoted words
with your own thoughts, or provide your own interpretation of the
quotation. Be careful when inserting quotations that you dont
interrupt the papers flow of ideas. Avoiding overuse of
quotations
Slide 27
Type of Quotation Example phrase or clause Frosts images of New
England were considered part of a great American tradition (Robert
Frost Dies 5). short quotation (four lines or less) One newspaper
account of Robert Frosts death says, he exemplified a great
American tradition with his superb, almost angular verses written
out of the New England scene (Robert Frost Dies 5).
Slide 28
Type of Quotation Example long quotation (more than four lines)
In the account of Robert Frosts death in The New York Times, the
writer chose Frosts images of nature to leave a final impression of
the poet: To countless persons who had never seen New Hampshire
birches in the snow or caressed a perfect ax he exemplified a great
American tradition with his superb, almost angular verses written
out of the New England scene. (Robert Frost Dies 5) [End of
Section]
Slide 29
Use the preceding prewriting information to plan your research
paper. First, choose a topic and develop research questions. As you
research, create source cards and note cards. Then, develop a
thesis and form an outline. [End of Section]
Slide 30
Slide 31
Add the questions you think your audience might have to the
list of detailed questions you created earlier.
Slide 32
Consider interviewing experts in the subject areas you are
researching. Arrive on time with prepared questions. Take careful
notes. Be respectful and courteous. Compile the most useful
responses while they are fresh in your mind.
Slide 33
M Make a card for each source you consult in your research. You
may later discover that you need to reexamine sources that you
didnt use initially. Remember you are required to make a minimum of
20 note cards!!!
Slide 34
Source Information You will use the Modern Language Association
(MLA) format for citing sources. Guidelines for recording source
information can be found in your textbook or on Schoolwires in the
Research Project doc.
Slide 35
Other Types of Evidence Scenarios: general descriptions of
potential events or common situations Commonly held beliefs: broad
ideas that most people accept Hypotheses: educated guesses about
causes or outcomes Definitions: objective explanations of
unfamiliar terms
Slide 36
Formal Tone Be sure your thesis statement has a formal tone.
You should maintain a formal tone throughout the paper. Avoid slang
words or phrases (cool, back in the day) contractions (wasnt, whos)
first-person pronouns (I or we)
Slide 37
Thesis: Frosts poetry inspired by places where he lived, nature
Early life (San Francisco, aunts farm) Places he lived as an adult
(Derry and other farms, England) Natural areas (poems inspired by
nature walks) Conclusion: Frosts importance Informal Outline
Slide 38
I.Introduction A.Thesis statement: Robert Frost got many of the
ideas for his poems from the places where he lived and natural
areas nearby. B.Background information II.Body A. Early life 1.San
Francisco a.Once by the Pacific b.At Woodwards Gardens 2. Aunts
farm Formal Outline
Slide 39
Watch for opportunities to include graphs, charts, maps, or
time lines in your paper, and note on your outline where to place
them. Visuals can help your readers understand important ideas.
Microsoft Word includes features that make it simple for you to
include visuals in your paper.
Slide 40
Before drafting, be sure to review MLA & the teachers
formatting requirements. For example, you may need to number every
page except the first one in the top right-hand corner or include a
footer with your name. Youll also need to prepare a separate title
page that includes your name, the date, the title of your report,
and the teachers name.
Slide 41
Avoiding Overuse of Quotations Overusing quotations can make
your paper choppy and difficult to read. Directly quote a source
only when you cant more effectively summarize or paraphrase an
idea.