M R S . L I G O S L M S , B A Y S H O R E M I D D L E S C H O O L
Tips for Writing a Great Research Paper
Understanding your Assignment
Understand the topic and your teacher’s requirements
- Is this an explanatory or informational report ?
if so, focus on the facts
- Is this a persuasive report?
if so, include your own opinion to persuade the reader
Understanding your Assignment
Understand the length and requirements given by your teacher
How many pages or slides?
Does my report require video or images?
What format can I use (paper/multimedia)?
What freedom do I have in picking my topic?
Where can I find resources?
When is my deadline?
Choosing your Topic
Choose a topic that interests you
Conduct preliminary research to make sure that you will have enough resources to persuade or inform your reader
Getting Organized
Define your main idea
Be a “detective” and conduct thorough research
-include information from various sources: books, videos, interviews, websites, maps
Create an outline, mind map or K-W-L chart to collect and organize your thoughts
Example of an OutlineTopic: Armadillo
I. Introduction
II. What do they look like?
A. Size
1. 14 -30 inches long
2. 9-66lbs
B. Armor
1. Hard outer shell
2. Can roll up in a ball for protection
III. Where do they live?
A. Region (North & South America)
B. Burrows
IV. Conclusion
Example of a Mind Map
Armadillo
Size
Food/Diet
Habitat
9-66Lbs
burrow
North & South
America
K-W-L
What I know already What I want to know What I have learned
I know they have hard armor covering their bodies
Why do they have armor?
To protect them against predators such as: bears, wolves and cougars. They also have bad eye sight which makes them vulnerable.
Tips for Writing
Your report should have an introduction, body and conclusion (beginning, middle end)
Your introduction should include something to keep your reader interested such as an interesting statistic or descriptive word picture.
Your conclusion should summarize what you know. Think about what you want your reader to remember.
Examples of Introductions
The armadillo looks like a slow animal, carrying its heavy armor but it isn’t. It can travel up to speeds of 30mph.
It is three and a half million square miles of sand, rocks and mountains about the size of the United States and covers parts of ten countries. It is the Sahara, the world largest desert.
More Tips for Writing
Building sentences and paragraphs
a sentence contains a subject + a verb
a sentence contains at least one thought
start a new paragraph with each new idea
each paragraph should contain a topic sentence, several sentences that support evidence or provide information, a concluding sentence
Don’t be boring! Include information to keep your reader interested
Review your Work
Reread your report. Sometimes reading aloud helps you identify areas that do not flow.
Make sure your spelling and grammar is correct.
Have someone else preview your work and give you constructive comments.
Give credit to all of your sources!
Bibliography
Gaines, Ann. Ace Your Research Paper. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2009. Print.
Scholastic Writer's Desk Reference. New York: Scholastic, 2000. Print.