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Research Paper Guide
Research is formalized curiosity;
it is poking and prying with a purpose.
Zora Neale Hurston |
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Choosing a
Topic
- Select a topic that interests you
- Select a topic that can be researched with reasonable thoroughness
- Formulate a thesis question around which your research will be
centered and focused.
- As you gather information, your thesis will
"write itself."
Two characteristics of a working thesis:
- It is fine-tuned (not too broad)
- It is limited enough to make it manageable
Too Broad: Abuse
More Specific: Child abuse
Thesis Questions: Is child abuse a myth of reality? What laws protect our
children? Who are the victims and perpetrators? What is being done to combat
abuse? What are the types of child abuse? Where does abuse occur?
Working Thesis: More must be done in homes, schools, and daycare centers
to protect our children from sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect.
Too Broad: Psychology
More Specific: ADD
Research Questions: What is ADD? What causes ADD? What treatments
are recommended? What are the effects?
Thesis Questions: How should parents identify and treat a child having
ADD?
What treatments for ADD show the most promise?
Are herbal treatments best for ADD sufferers?
Working Thesis: A combination of herbal remedies, behavior modification
and therapy is the best way to treat ADD in terms of safety, efficacy and
long-range benefits.
Too broad: Education
More Specific: Bilingual Education
Research Questions: What is bilingual education? Where is there bilingual
education? What are the laws concerning bilingual education?
How effective is
it? How do students having received bilingual education fare in the long run
compared to other?
Thesis Question: Is bilingual education in our high schools in the best
interest of our children?
Working Thesis: Bilingual education in high school is doing a disservice
to our students and to the taxpayers
Typing/Writing Note
Cards
Note cards may be in the form of a quotation, a paraphrase,
or a summary.
* Quotation: An exact repetition of words.
When quoting make sure that what you copy is word for word.
Put quotation marks around all quoted material.
This way you will know for sure when you are writing your report that
material should go in quotes.
* Paraphrase: A restatement of a passage into your own words.
Taking notes on a paragraph or a few paragraphs and write them in your own
words.
* Summary: A brief restatement of major point or facts of a larger portion of
writing.
Taking notes in our own words on the entire article – giving main ideas.
Turn article over and write from memory.
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Helpful Suggestions for writing Note Cards
Each note card must contain only one point.
Take notes one source at a time.
Put letter in the top left.(Letters correspond to sources on your
Works Cited cards)
Put # on the top right. (optional - to keep track of your cards)
Put page # on bottom .
Cards may be word processed or hand-written.
(Internet sources may not have page #. If there is a paragraph # write
that ; if not, write no page for your own
reference, so that you know you didn't forget about it.)
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The Beauty of Note Cards
They provide you with an easy way to keep track of information you may use
in your report.
They allow you to easily group related material from differing sources.
Titles on note cards simplify the grouping of related materials.
They allow you the flexibility of grouping cards in various organizational
patterns, until you find a pattern that best suits the needs of your paper.
Three Sample note cards from source A (time.com)
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A Biggest Benefit 1
"The biggest benefit may be the creation of greater lean body
mass, which burns calories more efficiently and keeps weight in
check."
No page |
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A Wt. Training Benefits 2
Weight training is good for heart, lungs, muscle mass, &
good-looking body. It is increasingly recommended for hear patients, but
in moderation.
No page |
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A Weight Training 3
Weight training is a great exercise
No page |
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One paragraph of your report may look as follows:
Weight training improves the heart. Experts once thought that only
calisthenics could strengthen the heart. Current research indicates this is not
true. Janice Horowitz writes of the benefits of weight training: "The
biggest benefit may be the creation of greater lean body mass, which burns
calories more efficiently and keeps weight in
check."
Work Cited
Horowitz, Janice M. "All Pumped Up." Time 6 Mar. 2000. 13 Mar. 2000
<http://www.time.com/time/personal/2000228/healthhtml>.
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Incorporating Quotes and
Paraphrases..........................4
In- Text Citations
All borrowed information that is not common knowledge must be
documented.
Ideally, the author and the page number must be cited.
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Weight training is recommended because it creates "greater lean
body mass, which burns calories more efficiently and keeps weight in
check" (Horowitz 71). |
When the author is not mentioned in the essay itself, the author’s
name must be included in parentheses after the quote or paraphrase. If the
page # is known, include it after the name. There is NO comma and
there is NO p. pp. before the
page #. The period goes after the parentheses |
Janice Horowitz writes, "The biggest benefit may be the creation of greater lean body mass, which burns calories more efficiently and keeps weight in check" (71). |
When quotes are introduced with the he said/she said, or with similar
expressions that indicate a pause, include a comma before the quotation.
The first time a name is introduced in an essay, include both the first
& last name.
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According to the Web article entitled "All Pumped Up," weight
training creates "greater lean body mass, which burns calories more
efficiently and keeps weight in check." |
When including articles from the Web which have no author, refer to the
title of the Web page. Usually papers are easier to read and flow more
smoothly when the title is inserted within the essay rather than in
parentheses. If there is no page #, obviously none can be inserted in
parentheses. |
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Janice Horowitz compares the benefits of weight training versus
conventional exercise programs. She explains that traditional exercises do
not benefit the body in as many ways as does weight training. The greatest
benefit to weight training is that it keeps one’s weight down (71). |
Paraphrasing:
Paraphrased material must be cited in the same format as quoted
material. Include the author and page # when known.
The current trend is to include the author’s name in the essay
itself, rather than in parentheses. |
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Janice Horowitz writes of the benefits of weight training: "The
biggest benefit may be the creation of greater lean body mass, which burns
calories more efficiently and keeps weight in
check" (71).
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When an independent clause (complete sentence) introduces a quotation,
a colon is generally used.
When the author is introduced in the body of the paper, do not repeat
the name in parentheses.
When the page # is known, include it in parentheses before the period. |
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INCORRECT DROPPED QUOTE
Weight training is great. "The biggest benefit may be the creation
of greater lean body mass" (7l). We should try it. |
INCORRECT DROPPED QUOTE
Never DROP A QUOTE as a full sentence. Always introduce a quote.
A comma or colon should precede a quote. |
Note: Barnet & Bedau in Current issues and Enduring Questions
write, "Quotations should occupy no more than 10 or 15 percent of your
paper" (208).
Research Paper
Format
1. Topic: must be approved by instructor
& related to readings from text
2. Spacing: double
3, Font size: 12
or 10.
4. Font Type: Easy-to-read font like Arial, Times New Roman, or
Courier
5. Pagination: Upper
right-hand corner l/2 inch down -your last name is followed by page #.
Do not include commas or periods.
Start numbering with page 1.
5. Margins: Leave a margin of between l" and 1˝ inches on
all sides of the page
- Title Page
: MLA format does not require a title
page
- MLA Format
: Research paper must conform
to all MLA specifications with one exception: The thesis statement and topic
sentences be in bold print.
- My Additional Requirements
: A minimum of 6 sources & 6
pages of text..
.
**************************************************************************************
First Page of
Paper
Layout of First Page- When No Cover Page is Used
Everything is double-spaced. There is no extra spacing after the page number
, date, or title of the paper
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Smith 1
John Smith
Professor Walkup, 5 English 111
15 May 2000
Bilingual Education: A Disservice to Students and
Taxpayers
When my grandparents immigrated into this country from France, life was
difficult. They had little money and did not speak English……………..
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Margins are at least one inch but no greater than 1 ˝ inch all around
SAMPLE FIRST PAGE
Should you prefer including a traditional cover page, use the following
format:
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Bilingual Education: A Disservice to Students and
Taxpayers
By
John Smith
Professor Walkup
English 111
May 15, 2001
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When using a cover page, the first written page of your report should look as
follows:
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Smith 1
Bilingual Education: A Disservice to Students and
Taxpayers
When my grandparents immigrated into this country from France, life was
difficult. They had little money and did not speak English…………….............
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Documenting Electronic Sources (Works
Cited)
Abbreviate all months except for May, June and July.
(Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov.,
Dec.)
If a URL must be divided, treat it only after a slash. Do not add a
hyphen at the break. |
Electronic Sources :
- Personal and Professional Sites
CD-ROM
Smith, John. "Investing on the Internet." Los Angeles Times
4 May 1999: A3. CDNewsBank. CD-ROM. NewsBank. May 2000.
For material published in print that you have obtained on a CD-ROM, start by
citing the article in the standard format, and then add the following:
*Title of the database, underlined
*The publication medium (CD-ROM, diskette..)
*Name of vendor
*Electronic publication
**************************************************************************************
E-Mail
Smith, John. "Censorship of Essays." E-Mail to A. Rosa. 11 Nov.
1999.
*Start with the author's name (or alias or screen name) , & if there is a
subject line, include that in
quotation marks.
*Next type the designation "E-mail to" followed by the name of the
person to
whom the E-mail is addressed, and the date of the message.
**************************************************************************************
Online Magazine
Eskenazi, Michael. "G.I. Blues in Black and White." Time 24
Nov. 1999. 24 Nov.
1999 <http://pathfinder.com/time/interstitials/inter.html>.
Provide information in the following order:
*Author -last name first - a period after first name
*Title of article - in quotes - place a period inside the quotation marks
Note: If the title of the article is a question, include the question
mark inside the quotation mark
and do not include a period. "What Can You Do to Promote Cultural
Mainstreaming?"
*Title of magazine underlined - with no punctuation following it.
*Date of online magazine followed by a period
*Date you accessed the magazine - no punctuation follows the year
*URL address - in angle brackets. A period follows the closing angle bracket.
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Documenting Electronic Sources – Continued
Online Newspaper
Copage, Eric. "Tables are Waiting on the Internet." New York
Times on the Web
24 Nov. 1999. 25 Nov. 1999
<http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/11/biztech/articles/24reserve.html>.
Provide the following information in the following order, when available:
*Author (last name first with a period after first name)
*Title of article - in quotation marks with a period before the closing
quotation mark.
*Name of magazine underlined
*Date of newspaper followed by a period
*Date you read the article (no period or punctuation after the year)
*URL address - in angle brackets - followed by a period after the angle brackets
***********************************************************************************
Personal and Professional Sites
Scorch, M. Welcome to Gran Gran's Graphics. 21 Nov. 1999
<http://home.att.net/~scorh2/>.
Smith, John. Homepage. 29 Nov. 1999. 30 Nov. 1999
<http://members.tripod.com/smith>.
Include available information in the following order:
*Start with the creator of the site (not the editor or compiler )- last name
first followed by
a period
*Type the title of the site, project, or database, & underline it.
*If there is no title, write a brief description, such as Homepage -
but do not underline
Homepage.
*Editor or compiler of the project or database
*Latest date on site followed by a period
*Your access date
*URL address in angle brackets. A period follows the angle brackets.
**************************************************************************************
World Wide Web
Smith, John. "Cloning and the Insurance Industry." Electronic
Genetics Newsletter.
29 Nov. 1999. 30 Nov. 1999
http://www.westpub.com/Educate/matchsci/insure.htm>.
Include the following information, if available, in the following order:
*Author's name
*Title of the cited material in quotation marks
*Title of the complete work underlined (or italicized)
*Publication date
*Date of access
*URL address in angle brackets, all followed by a period.
Documenting Other Sources (Works
Cited)
Book with one author
- Book with Corporate Author
- Book: Selection from an anthology, collection, or critical edition.
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Book with one author
Doe, John J. Writing Strategies. New York: Harper, 1999.
Author Book Underlined Location Abbreviated Publisher Year Period
Name Reversed
Book with two authors
Doe, John J. and Jane Smith. Writing Strategies. New York: Harper,
1999.
Type the authors’ names in the order in which they are given on the book’s
title page.
(The names are not necessarily in alphabetical order. Reverse the name of the
first author only,
putting the last name first.
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Book with Corporate Author
Association for the Advancement of English. Writing Strategies. New
York: Harper, 1999.
Bank of Boston. Automated Banking. Boston: Bank of Boston, 1999.
A Corporate author would be listed on the title page The name of the corporate
author may be the
same as the publisher’s name. Companies, groups, associations... are
considered "authors."
Book: Selection from an anthology, collection, or critical edition.
Brown, Jane. "The Winning Introduction." Writing for Success.
Ed. James Smith. New York: Harper, 1999.
Many English students find themselves quoting short stories for an anthology or
essays that have been
compiled by an editor.
Start with the authors’ name & then put quotation marks around the short
story or essay. Then put the title
of the book underlined, followed by Ed for editor.
Additional example
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Literature: An
Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed.
X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gaoia. New York: Harper Collins, 1999. 373-75.
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Current Issues &
Enduring Questions. Ed. Sylvan Barnet and
Hugo Bedau. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999. 360-362.
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Magazines
Monthly journal or magazine, pagination by issue
Smith, John Joseph. " Three Great Writers that
Shaped the Nation." Smithsonian Nov. 1999: 10l-104.
Smith, John. "Three Great Writers that Shaped the Nation." Journal
of Basic Writing 5.l (1999) 24-37.
When each issue of the journal is numbered separately, include both the
volume & issue number.
Put a period after the volume number and write the issue number right after
the period, so 5.1
indicated volume 5, issue 1.
DOCUMENTING OTHER SOURCES - CONTINUED
Weekly or biweekly journal or magazine
Saporito, Bill. "Wrestling With Your Conscience." Time 15
Nov. 1999: 72-74.
Saporito, Bill. "Wrestling With Your Conscience." Time 15 Nov.
1999: 72+.
"Wrestling With Your Conscience." Time 15 Nov. 1999: 72-74.
For weekly or biweekly magazines include the day, the month and the year,
followed by a colon
and the page numbers.
When pages are not consecutive in a magazine, include the plus sign.
When there is no author, start with the title of the article in quotes.
Newspapers
Daily Newspaper
Smith, John. "Censoring Writing." New
York Times 5 Dec. 1999, nat. ed.: B1.
Unsigned article
"Censoring Writing." New York Times 5
Dec. 1999, nat. ed.: B1.
An Editorial
"Censoring Writing." Editorial. Norwich Bulletin
30 Nov. 1999: C3.
Doe, Jane. "Censoring Writing." Editorial. Boston Globe 30 Nov.
1999: C3.
Letter to an editor
Smith, John. Letter. Norwich Bulletin 1 Nov. 1999: C3.
Smith, John. Letter. New York Times 1 Nov. 1999, late ed.: A18.
Do not include the article (The, A, or An) before the title of the paper.
When the edition is included in the newspaper’s masthead, include it.
For editorials, provide the name of the author when known.
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A Personal Interview
Doe, John. Personal interview. 1 Dec. 1999.
To cite an interview that you conducted, indicate the
name of the person you interviewed (spoke with).
Then write the designation "Personal interview."
this is followed by the date of the interview.
A Personal letter
Smith, John. Letter to the author. 22 Dec. 1999.
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A Sound Recording
Scarlatti, Domenico. Keyboard Sonatas. Andras
Schiff, piano. London, 1999
Jones, John. Interview with John Smith. Audiocassette. Columbia: American
Audio Prose Library, 1999.
List the following:
* Author or composer
* The title of the work
* Names of the artists
* The production company
* The date
If the medium is not a compact disc, indicate Audiocassette, Audiotape,
or LP before the name of the
production company.
Sample Works Cited Page
Double space the entire page.
- Include no extra spacing after the words "Works Cited" or
between entries.
- Entries are in alphabetical order
- The first line of each entry is at the left. Subsequent lines are indented
1/2inch (for 5 spaces).
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Smith 8
Works Cited
Doe, Jane. "Censoring Writing." Editorial. Boston Globe 30
Nov.
1999: C3.
Doe, John. Personal interview. 1 Dec. 1999.
Smith, Joan "Cloning and the Insurance Industry."
Electronic
Genetics Newsletter. 29 Nov. 1999. 30 Nov. 1999
http://www.westpub.com/Educate/matchsci/insure.htm>.
Smith, John. "Censoring Writing." New York Times 5
Dec. 1999,
nat. ed.: B1.
Smith, Richard. Writing Strategies. New York: Harper, 1999.
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Note: Most authors and titles of articles in this handout are fictitious.
Abbreviate all months except for May, June and July.
(Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.)
If a URL must be divided, treat it only after a slash. Do not add a hyphen at
the break.
GOOD LUCK!
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