Research Paper NotesResearch Paper NotesResearch Paper NotesResearch Paper Notes

There are 5 parts of the MLA research paper

1. Notecards2. Outline (double spaced)3. Title Page4. Research paper (double spaced)5. Works cited (double spaced)

We will look at each of these elements in detail.

Title Page

An MLA title page includes…• Title of paper (all caps)• Your name• Due date of paper• Class name (LA 2, 3, or 4)

How to create a title page

• Top left of page type your name.• Press return and type the due date.• Press return and type your morning LA

class. • Type your paper title in all caps in the

center of the page.

OutlineAn MLA outline isn’t really different

than other graphic organizers you may have done, just a different format:

• Type name, LA class in top left corner, return

• Type your thesis at the top, centered• Double space• Use Roman Numerals

How to create an outline

• Type the thesis (double spaced, centered) at the top• Skip a couple lines and start your outline with Roman

Numeral I.• Below that “I” use an A, B, C etc. to list your supporting

details (these are the facts on your fact note cards).• Continue in this format until you have 3 main topics

and supporting facts for each main paragraph topic.Note: You do not outline introductions and conclusions

• Note: Outline must match the order of your thesis, Cause, Invention, Consequences

The research paper• Double spaced• Written in paragraph form • 5 paragraphs (intro, 3 body, conclusion)• No contractions or slang• Do not use headers/footers• Do not type your name on the first page….that’s what the

title page was for • April 17th-19th, YOU WILL BRING YOUR OUTLINE IN FOR

CONFERENCING!!!! • We will be writing your introduction paragraph beginning

Monday, April 22nd in MORNING LA CLASS. You will compose the remainder of your essay that week at home and over the weekend.

Things to remember about the research paper

• The organization of your paper needs to match the outline EXACTLY.

• For example, as the main points in your outline are cause of invention (problem), how, when & where solution occurred (invention), and consequences (positive or negative, specifically as it affects middle schoolers) THEN your first body paragraph in the paper should be about the problem, the second about the invention and the third about consequences to middle schoolers.

Works Cited• You might know the term “bibliography”

better, but this is a works cited, slightly different.

• A WC page lists (in a very detailed manner) each of the sources you actually used in writing your research paper; a bibliography lists every source you looked at, whether you used it or not.

How to cite a book

Citing a Book1. author’s last name, first name—period2. title of book (underlined or italicized)—period3. city of publication—colon4. publishing company—comma5. year of publication (use the year that is closest to

2012)—period

Example of book citation:Smith, Jane. For the Love of Puppies. Philadelphia: Harper

Collins, 1999.

Notice the indention of the second line! This is called a hanging indent!

How to cite a book on the notecard (WC

notecard)

4

Smith, Jane. For the Love of Puppies. Philadelphia: Harper Collins, 1999.

My note: Interesting information about puppies, but more a personal tale than information.

Author’s name

Book’s title, italics

Place of Publication

Publisher

Date of Publication

Researcher’s comment

Researcher’s source number

How to cite an Encyclopedia1. Title of article in quotations, bold—period within the quotations.2. Name of encyclopedia that the article came from in italics with a period following.3. Name of publishing company, followed by date of publication of encyclopedia, with a period

following.4. Type “Web” indicating it came from the online format.5. Date the article was published in the following format: day Month (abr.) year, followed by a

period, if given.6. Date you accessed the article—period (if an online encyclopedia.)7. URL

Example of Online citation…“Ford, Henry.” Compton’s by Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition.

Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.http://www.school.eb.com/all/comptons/article-9274380

Again, notice the indention!

How to cite an Online encyclopedia on a

notecard

4

“Ford, Henry.” Compton’s by Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. http://www.school.eb.com/all/comptons/article-9274380

Title of article Name of encyclopedia, specifying edition

Date of Publication of encyclopedia

Researcher’s source number

Date of access, by student

Name of publishingcompany,plus by date of publication of encyclopedia

How to cite an Online article1. Author’s name: last name first, first name—period2. Name of article in quotations—period3. Name of magazine/periodical the article came from (underline this)—no punctuation after 4. Date the article was published5. Virtual Library (or you can name the database specifically, like KidsSearch)—period

ONLY IF THIS ARTICLE CAME FROM A DATABASE! 6. If your article did NOT come from a database, skip to previous step & type the Date you

accessed the article—period.7. URL.

Example of Online citation…Cannon, Angie. "Just Saying No to Tests." U.S. News & World Report 18 Oct. 1999: 3.

Alabama Virtual Library. 28 Feb. 2003. <http//:search.usnews&worldreports.com>

Again, notice the indention!

How to cite an Online article on a notecard

4

Boynton, Robert S. “The Tyranny of Copyright?” The New York Times Magazine 25 January 2004: 40+<http//:search.nytimes.com>

My note: Difficult to read but has interesting information

Author’s name

Article’s title, in quote marks

Date of Publication

Researcher’s comment

Researcher’s source number

Page(s) on which article appears

Newspaper’s or magazine’s title, underlined

How to cite a website1. author’s name—period

2. Article title in quotes—period

3. Website’s title (in the top gray bar of the window)

4. Article date--period

5. Date you accessed the website--period

6. URL of the website—period (just use the basic website, not the whole crazy URL)  

 

 Example...

Schuster, Alan. "Spa and Hot Tub Chemical  Questions." Ask Alan. Aqua-Clear Industries.  18 Aug. 2008. 10 Oct. 2008. www.askalan.com.

Notice the indented lines!

How to cite a website

4

Boynton, Robert S. “The Tyranny of Copyright?” Slate 25 January 2004: 12 April 2012 http://slate.msn.com/id/33044.

My note:.

Researcher’s source number

Author’s name

Article’s title, in quote marks

Newspaper’s or magazine’s title, underlined

Date of Publication

URL address

Date you accessed the site

Researcher’s comment

What do I do when all my resources have been

cited?

1. Alphabetize them according to the first word of the citation

2. Double space everything3. Make sure every line under the first

one is indented; this is called a hanging indent.

4. Type Works Cited at the top of the page in the center.

What is a research or fact note card?

As opposed to a Works Cited notecard!!

• Note cards are 3x5 index cards with only one, just one, no more than one fact per card (may be larger.)

• There are 3 components to making an MLA note card. Example on next slide.

3 Items to include on card

Cause2

Cars were too expensive for most people except for the very wealthy.

Topic – the kind ofinformation on thecard

Source Number: The number ofthe source whereyou found your information asit appears in yourlist of sources.

Fact or information youretrieved from the sourcethat you want to use in yourpaper to support your thesis.

So, what goes on the Note Card??

• As you find interesting facts about your topic, you will write them down, noting whether they are problem, invention or consequence facts on the card.

• Each idea should be paraphrased/summarized (in your own words) or quoted and written on a card.

How do you record information on the notecard?

• Paraphrase/Summarize—shorter, in your own words; rewrite what the author said

• Quote—stating exactly what the author said; must use quotation marks

DON’T PLAGIARIZE!!!! ALWAYS GIVE THE CREDIT TO THE REAL AUTHOR!

PLAGIARISM

• It's like lip-synching to someone else's voice and accepting the applause and rewards for yourself.

• IF YOU PLAGIARIZE, YOU WILL FAIL!!! …any time you take a writer’s words and use them as your own, you are plagiarizing

1. Card TopicTopic is the kind of information on the card.

Think of it as the title, or main idea of the card. After writing down the information, figure out how you could briefly categorize, or title it. Cause

2

Cars were too expensive for most people except for the very wealthy.

Topic – the kind ofInformation on thecard

2. Source Title• The source number is the number of the

name of the book, magazine, website, etc., in which you found the information, as it appears in your list of sources.

Cause2

Cars were too expensive for most people except for the very wealthy.

Source Number: The number ofthe source whereyou found your information asit appears in yourlist of sources.

Keep track of your notes, your sources, your notecards and

your original packet by keeping them together

in a folder with your name and LA period on

it.