RESEARCH THE MHS WAY: HOW TO RESEARCH AND WRITE A FORMAL PAPER

RESEARCH THE MHS WAY:
HOW TO RESEARCH AND WRITE
A FORMAL PAPER
USING MLA STYLE
(7TH EDITION)
Mattituck Jr. Sr. High School
Research Guide
2009-2010 Revision
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Goal of Research
What Is MLA?
Six Steps to Research
Choosing and Defining a Topic
Searching for Information: Bibliography Cards
Creating a Thesis Statement
Note Taking
Plagiarism and How to Avoid It
In Text Citations and Examples
Works Cited Examples
Outlining
Writing the Paper
The Final Copy
Glossary of Research Terms
Resources
Introduction: The Goal of Research
In life, you will be called upon to seek and supply information for
business, school or for personal reasons. There are many methods to research
information and many ways to document that information. Learning how to
research involves various skills and it can be overwhelming at first.
The
experiences of
gathering,
interpreting,
evaluating
sources,
documenting information, creating a
thesis, organizing ideas, finding examples and
details, analyzing information and
communicating your conclusions are skills
that will help you in life no matter what path
you choose. Learning how to research will be
a benefit whether you are buying a car,
investigating a medical issue, or writing a
business report.
Your investigation of a topic begins
with your own thoughts and ideas. It is your
job to investigate that topic using the best
sources of information from books, reference materials, periodicals (including newspapers), web sites and
databases. This guide will help you through the research process and show you how to present your
information in MLA format.
What is MLA and why do we use it?
MLA stands for Modern Language Association, a scholarly organization dedicated to the study and
teaching of language and literature. The format created by MLA is one of the more well-known, universal
and straightforward formats. The MLA style is used by the English classes here at Mattituck Junior-Senior
High school.
Another well-known style, APA, is published by the American Psychological Association. You may
be asked to use this format when you attend college, especially if your major is in a science field.
The MLA format encourages proper citation of the resources you use in your research and formal
papers.
By using proper format, you show where specific information was found, and you quote or
paraphrase properly, so that you do not plagiarize another person’s work.
This research guide reflects the 2009 (7th edition) updates to the MLA guidelines when writing a
formal paper. Specific examples of in-text citation and bibliographic citation are given in this manual to
make it easier for you to show where your information originated.
Six Steps to Research
1. The Task- Getting Started
- Understand the assignment
Ask your teacher questions about the task and read the assignment thoroughly.
-Explore possible topics
Check the library’s catalog to see what information is available
Do a quick web search
-Choose your topic and consider what will be the main idea for the thesis?
2. Information Search
-Find the best resources for the topic using
Print- books, reference materials, periodicals
Electronic- web sources, databases
-Explore your topic by reading the resources
-Determine which sources will help you support your thesis
-Create bibliography cards
3. Take Notes
-Read, view or listen to relevant sources
-Divide information up into manageable portions- create subheadings or subtopics
-Record information from relevant sources on note cards. (See plagiarism policy) Be careful:
To credit the source
If quoting or paraphrasing, remember to include names.
-Use various sources: do not rely on one or two sources
4. Gathering and Organizing
-Check if you are on task with the assignment
-Organize your note cards
-Is there enough information to support thesis
-Fill in gaps, collect more information
5. Synthesis: Write the Research Paper
-Reread assignment: consider the audience and the purpose of the paper
- Focus on thesis
-Arrange note cards in order
-Create an outline using note cards to analyze and organize information
-Write rough draft remembering to use citations (credit your sources)
-Create a Works Cited page
- Proofread and edit for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar
-Peer-edit: Have others read and critique the paper
-Revise
-Format paper according to MLA style- heading and footers, margins, font, etc.
-Check final draft
6. Evaluation
-Critique your paper: Did I accomplish the task?
-Is the paper presentable in MLA format?
-Reflect on what you learned about your topic and the process of researching.
Choosing and Defining a Topic
Deciding on a topic is often one of the most difficult parts of a research paper. You may
have only a vague idea of what you want to write about. If the topic is too broad, you will find
yourself drowning in information. If the topic is too narrow, available information may be
minimal.
What to do?
Assignment Example: The Impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American Culture
Your Topic: The Poet, Langston Hughes
Thesis: Begin by stating the main idea of the paper and what you want to accomplish,
see Creating a Thesis Statement for more information.
Check the assignment: Your teacher may pick a theme and you have to come up with the
topic. Teachers usually assign research papers based on one of these three elements:
• Expository: an expository paper explains an issue or topic to the reader
• Argumentative: an argumentative paper takes a position on a topic and provides evidence
to support the claim. It can be an opinion, a proposal, an evaluation, an interpretation, a
comparison, or a cause and effect situation.
• Analytical: an analytical paper examines an issue or idea closely and breaks down each
section for analysis
• Consider more than one topic to investigate.
Check Print and Electronic Sources: Make sure there is enough information about the topic.
Go to the library see what is available in books, reference materials, magazines, and
newspapers.
Do a web search- Go to the library’s resources drive and access websites by subject.
Although Google may be used as a first step to see what’s available online, remember
you may find that there are thousands of hits but few articles of substance.
Use databases such as ProQuest or WilsonWeb- they are usually the best sources of
information.
Check out a few theses: Create several possible thesis statements and compare them to the
sources that are available.
Creating Bibliography Cards
When you have found a source of information, create a bibliography card for it.
Using a regular file or index card for each source, copy down the publication information.
That will help you to find the resource again, and will also help you formulate your
citations for that source. The next few pages will give examples for different formats.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR A PRINTED BOOK
Information needed: Name(s) of authors or editors, title of book, city of publication,
publication date. The information will be found on the title page of the book, as well
as the verso (“flip side” of the title page).
FORMAT: PRINTED BOOK
Author:________________________________________________________________
Title:
_________________________________________________________________
City (Include the state if the city is not well-known: _____________________________
Publishing company: _____________________________________________________
Publication date: ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
General format for a printed book with a single author or editor:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publishing Company,
Date of Publication. Print.
Sample citation for a printed book with a single author or editor:
Doe, Jane. Avoiding Plagiarism Every Day. Garden City: Doubleday, 1998. Print.
Sample citation for a printed book with three or more authors or editors:
Smith, Kathleen, et al. Copyright Law. New York: Vanguard, 1992. Print.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR AN ARTICLE FROM A PRINT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Information needed: Name(s) of authors (if article is signed), title of article, title of encyclopedia,
edition (if given), year of publication.
FORMAT: ARTICLE IN A PRINT
ENCYCLOPEDIA________________________________________
Author: ________________________________________________________________
Title of article: __________________________________________________________
Title of encyclopedia: _____________________________________________________
Edition: _________________________________________________________________
Year of Publication:
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
General format for an article from a print encyclopedia:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Encyclopedia. Edition (if given).
Publication Date. Print.
Sample citation for an article from a print encyclopedia:
Brown, Mary. “Plagiarism.” World Book. 92nd ed. 2002. Print.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR AN ARTICLE FROM AN ONLINE
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Information needed: Name(s) of authors (if article is signed), title of article, title of encyclopedia,
Publisher of online encyclopedia, Publication date, Date of access.
FORMAT: ARTICLE IN AN ONLINE
ENCYCLOPEDIA________________________________________
Author (if given): _______________________________________________________
Title of article: __________________________________________________________
Title of encyclopedia: _____________________________________________________
Publisher:______________________________________________________________
Pub.date________________________________________________________________
Date of access:__________________________________________________________
General format for an article from an online encyclopedia:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Encyclopedia. Publisher, Pub. Date.
Web. Date of access.
Sample citation for a signed article:
Honig, Donald. "Baseball." World Book Student. World Book, 2009. Web. 19 May 2009.
The following are sample citations for unsigned (anonymous) articles:
“Carver, George Washington.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2009.
Web. 21 July 2009.
“Abad Santos, Jose." World Book Student. World Book, 2009. Web. 22 July 2009.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE IN PRINT
Information needed: Name(s) of author(s), title of article, title of newspaper,
publication date, edition (if indicated), section (if indicated), pages.
FORMAT: PRINTED NEWSPAPER ARTICLE:
Author: _______________________________________________________________
Title of article: __________________________________________________________
Title of newspaper: ______________________________________________________
Date of publication: _____________________________________________________
Edition: _______________________________________________________________
Section: _______________________________________________________________
Page(s): _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
General format for a printed newspaper article:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper. Day Month Year, edition,
section: pages. Print.
Sample citation for a printed newspaper article:
Glass, David. “The Rise and Fall of Jayson Blair.” New York Times. 13 June 2003,
national ed.: D2+. Print.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR A WEB SITE
Information needed: Name(s) of author(s), title of web page or article, title of entire web site,
publisher or sponsor of site (if none, use N.p.), date of publication (if none, use n.d.), date of
access.
FORMAT: WEB SITE
Author of web page or article (if given): ________________________________
Title of web page or article:
____________________________________________________________________
Title of entire site: ______________________________________________________
Publisher or sponsor of site: ______________________________________________
Date of publication: _____________________________________________________
Date of access: _______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
General format for a web site:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article or Page.” Title of Entire Site. Publisher or
Sponsor, Publication date. Web. Day Month Year accessed.
Sample citations for web sites:
“The Moon Landing: Apollo 11.” History.com. The History Channel, 2008. Web.
29 July 2008.
Juskalian, Russ. “You Didn’t Plagiarize, Your Unconscious Did.” Newsweek.com.
Newsweek, 7 July 2009. Web. 8 July 2009.
EXAMPLE OF A BIB. CARD FOR AN ARTICLE FROM AN ONLINE DATABASE
Information needed: Name(s) of author(s), title of article, title of periodical, date of article, pages
(if given and consecutive—otherwise, use n.p.), collection (if given), name of database, date of
access, URL of database if requested by your teacher.
FORMAT: ONLINE DATABASE
Author(s) of article (if given): ________________________________
Title of article:
____________________________________________________________________
Title of periodical: ______________________________________________________
Date of article: ______________________________________________
Pages (n.pag. if pages are not given or not consecutive): _____________________
Collection (if indicated—example: Education Periodicals in ProQuest):
__________________________________________________________________
Name of Database (For example, ProQuest or CQ Researcher):
___________________________________________________________________
Date of access: _______________________________________________________
URL (database of address—optional—provide if requested by your teacher)
____________________________________________________________________
General format for an article from an online database:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Date of article: pages or n.
pag. Collection. Name of Database. Web. Day Month Year of access.
<URL>. (if requested by your teacher)
Sample citation for an article from an online database:
Badke, William. "Give Plagiarism the Weight it Deserves." Online Sept./Oct. 2007: 58
60.Education Periodicals. ProQuest. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Creating a Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is the focus of the topic and defines the main idea of the research
paper. In one or two sentences, a thesis statement makes a claim to the reader and details what
you will be proven in the paper.
A good thesis statement takes good thinking.
Brainstorm your assignment
The research paper assignment is protecting the environment.
Narrow your topic
Water pollution
Take a position
More needs to be done to protect the environment’s water supply
Develop a working thesis
With global warming, the earth’s water supply is in danger and it
is important that groundwater, lakes, rivers, and even oceans are
protected.
A Thesis Statement:
• is specific
• is strongly worded, clear and easy to identify
• usually appears at the end of your first paragraph
• reflects the type of research assignment: argumentative, analytical or
expository
• can be modified to fit the facts that you uncover later
Thesis Statements can take on a variety of forms.
1. A thesis statement is often a summary of information about your subject. This is useful for
expository assignments but may need to be expanded for analytical assignments.
Summary Example: Scientists are working hard to save a nearly extinct bird, the
California condor, before the ecosystem of California is affected.
The paper should then explain the work that scientists are doing, what the
condor is, and its importance to California’s ecosystem.
2. A thesis statement can be an assertion in an argumentative or analytical assignment. The
writer takes a position on an issue (for or against) and gives reasons.
Assertion Example: In American, health care should be considered a right like public
education, and should be funded.
The paper could then detail the state of health care in the United States and include
information on funding.
3. A thesis statement may compare or contrast two or more factors. This method works for all
three research assignments- argumentative, analytical or expository with further details.
Compare or Contrast Example: The educational system in Japan operates much
differently from the educational system in the United States.
Depending on the kind of assignment, this thesis can explain the two systems in
an expository paper, prove one system is more beneficial than the other for an
argumentative paper, or analyze the two educational systems and their philosophies.
Check your thesis: Is it strong or weak?
• Does your thesis statement make a strong claim?
• A good thesis statement is not just a fact. Does it invite discussion?
• Is the thesis is likely to interest the reader?
• Is your thesis specific?
Assignment: Nutrition
Sample Thesis A: Kids are eating too much sugar which may make them unhealthy.
Sample Thesis B: Because sugar is an ingredient that is often hidden in processed foods,
children are becoming obese and physically unfit by eating “healthy” products such as
cereal.
Using the example above, test whether A or B is the stronger thesis.
Thesis B is the better thesis. It takes a strong position. The writer will be able to discuss
sugar in processed foods and the impact on children’s health fully. Although it is longer
than Thesis A, B narrows the topic whereas A is too broad and can go anywhere. Lastly,
Thesis B is more interesting to the reader because of the specific information and its
relevance to our culture. Thesis A is an obvious statement and shows no insight into the
issue of nutrition. The use of the word may makes Thesis A weaker.
Final Notes:
-Use the test to determine whether
your thesis statement is strong or weak.
-As you research your topic and find
information, revisit your working
thesis and check to see if it fits the
information you have uncovered. You
may need to adjust your wording to
reflect new information.
Note Taking
Note taking is an important part of the research paper process. As you read through your resources,
you will need to decide what information is useful for your paper, or else the amount of material becomes
overwhelming.
To be more effective, take notes from the various sources of information for your research paper. For
good note taking, you must:
1. Understand information from your sources. Reading a source and recording information should not
be a mechanical action. Taking notes allows you to learn more about your topic and synthesize the
information.
2. Select useful information. Most of your sources will provide more than enough information and
some of it may not be relevant. Decide which information supports your thesis and topic.
3. Record the information as notes. The notes should be structured in a way that can be sorted,
reorganized and included into your paper.
Format
Keeping your notes organized is essential and will be appreciated much later when you go to write
your paper. There are three formats for note taking: using an online service, using a notebook or using note
cards. At Mattituck, we encourage students to use note cards because they are usually easier for students to
organize and reorganize their information.
Here are some guidelines for making effective note cards:
• Give each note card a subject heading and write only facts pertaining to that subject. For example, if
you are researching a person, you might have a subject heading called High School Years and the
facts about those years
• Take notes in your own words to avoid plagiarism.
• If you are using someone’s words, remember to use author’s name and copy it accurately. Give the
source credit.
• Do not mix sources on one card. If you have information from an encyclopedia and a book on the
same subject, write separate cards for each but do not repeat information.
• Notes are meant to be concise. Do not put too much detail on one card.
• Write only facts- do not use full sentences unless it’s a quote. Three facts on a card are usually
enough.
• Remember to note the source (author’s name is usually enough) and page number if it is required.
Sample Note Card: Use the following note card as a model when you create your own note cards.
Car Improvements (subject heading)
Marbach, 84 (source’s name, pg #)
-features such as anti-skid brakes will be on all cars in the future
- changes: better materials to make cars rust resistant, digital map systems,
radar collision detecting systems
- accomplished changes: hybrids and energy efficient automobiles are available
to consumers with new models underway
*Some information on note taking was provided by Hunter College Reading/Writing Center
Plagiarism: What it is and How to Prevent it
In school we are often involved in other people’s ideas and we discuss these ideas in class and in our
writing. But, it is necessary to give credit to the source of these ideas or we are stealing other people’s ideas
and words. In fact, MHS adheres to an Academic Integrity Policy that explains plagiarism and cheating.
According to the policy, plagiarism is defined as “Borrowing someone’s ideas, information, or
language without documenting the source and/or documenting the source but paraphrasing the
source’s language so closely without using quotation marks to indicate that words and phrases have
been borrowed.” (Hacker, The Bedford Handbook for Writers).
Examples of where plagiarism may occur:
• Homework papers
• Tests
• Essays
• Research papers
• Labs
• Oral presentations
• Electronic presentations
• Using the ideas or words of another without crediting the source
• Paraphrasing any source without giving credit
• Copying and pasting any material from the Internet or other electronic
media without citation
At MHS
Plagiarism and cheating are considered serious offenses at MHS. Penalties range from receiving a zero to
suspension. In addition, many English teachers have you submit your work via turnitin.com, a website that
checks for plagiarism and paraphrasing without citation.
How to Prevent Plagiarism? Use a Citation
The best way to avoid plagiarism is to give credit to the author or source of the material. This method
is called a citation. You should include a citation whenever you:
• use quotes of another’s person’s words- spoken or written
• paraphrase another’s ideas, opinion or theory
• use visual graphics
• make reference to the work of another.
The Paraphrase Paradox
Paraphrasing is taking someone’s ideas
and putting them into your own words.
Although you are being original by
restating the information, you must
give credit to the source of the
information. So use a citation.
Common Knowledge: Facts that Do Not Need a Citation
Common knowledge is information or facts that are
widely known, can be found in numerous sources, and is likely
to be known by many people. You do not need to use a citation
for common knowledge facts.
Example: George Washington was the first president of
the United States.
This is a common fact that is found in many sources. It would not have to be cited.
CITING SOURCES WITHIN THE TEXT OF YOUR PAPER
(IN-TEXT CITATION OR PARENTHETICAL CITATION)
As you research a topic, you will find information from a variety of sources.It is ethical to properly
cite the sources you use. (See the Academic Integrity policy.) You will need to indicate to your reader the
original source, both to give attribution and to enable the reader to find the original source, if needed. This
attribution is necessary, whether you are quoting directly or paraphrasing (putting something into your own
words).
These methods follow the MLA format used at Mattituck Jr. Sr. High School:
1. Directly mention the author and title of the work in the body of your paper.
Indicate the page number at the end of the cited material.
Example:
In Life in Ancient Rome, Smith and Jones attribute the fall of the Roman Empire
to the following factors . . .(40).
2. Quote or paraphrase the information followed by the author’s last name and the page number where
the information was found.
Example:
“The reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire have been documented by all of the civilizations that
have followed. They include attacks from without and decay from within.” (Smith and Jones 40).
3. If the source does not list an individual author or editor, the word in parentheses
should match the first word in the Works Cited entry. In this case, or in the case of an online source
that does not use page numbers, it is recommended that the source be mentioned in the text, rather
than parenthetically.
Compiling the Works Cited List
Entries in the Works Cited list are arranged alphabetically according to author.
If there is no author, use the first word in the entry. Do not count articles (a, an, the, e.g.)
The list is double-spaced throughout.
The first line in each entry is left-justified. Succeeding lines in each entry
are indented five spaces or ½ in.
Italicize the following types of titles:
Books
Plays
Long poems
Pamphlets
Periodicals
Films
Use quotation marks for the following types of titles:
Short stories
Poems
Articles in periodicals
The examples on the following pages:
Indicate the major changes in format as instructed in MLA version 7
Show how a Works Cited list looks
Identify different types of sources, with sample entries
List sample entries by type
Changes in Works Cited Entries and Sample Formats and Entries
Examples of Works Cited entries (Note that titles that used to be underlined are
now italicized instead. Also, the medium (print, for example) is indicated.
General format for a book:
Lastname, Firstname. Title of book. City of Publication: Publisher, Date. Print.
Book with one author
Doe, Jane. Avoiding Plagiarism Every Day. Garden City: Doubleday, 1998. Print.
Book with two or three authors
Jones, John and William Smith. Life in Ancient Rome. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1986. Print.
Book with more than three authors or editors
Smith, Kathleen, et al. Copyright Law. New York: Vanguard, 1992. Print.
Examples for Proquest online database articles:
Magazine article from Proquest
General format:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Date of Publication: pages or n. pag.
ProQuest. Web. Date of Access. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
(URL is optional; check with your teacher.)
(Note that n. pag. is used if no pages are indicated or if pages are not consecutive, and Web is shown for
medium.)
Badke, William. "Give Plagiarism the Weight it Deserves." Online Sept./Oct. 2007: 58-60,
Education Periodicals, ProQuest. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Newspaper article from ProQuest
General format:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper Date of Publication, Edition (if
given), pages or n.pag. ProQuest. Web. Date accessed. <URL>. (optional)
Bholan, Melissa, and John Valenti. "Aniston Stops Traffic." Newsday 21 July 2009, Combined
eds., A10. ProQuest. Web. 19 Aug. 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Citation for print version of above article
Bholan, Marissa and John Valenti. “Aniston Stops Traffic.” Newsday 21 Jul 2009,
Combined eds: A10. Print.
If you had obtained the same article from the Newsday.com web site:
General format:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Web Site. Publisher. Date of Publication,
edition: pages (or n. pag. if not consecutive). Web. Date of access.
Bholan, Marissa and John Valenti. “Aniston Stops Traffic.” Newsday.com. Newsday. 21
Jul 2009, Combined eds.: A10. Web. 21 Jul 2009.
Scholarly journal examples—all citations for scholarly publications include volume and issue
numbers.
Examples from Proquest:
Laud, Leslie, and Pooja Patel. "Helping Students to Add Detail and Flair to Their Stories." Preventing
School Failure 54.1 (2009): n. pag. ProQuest. Web. 21 July 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Buranen, L.. "A Safe Place: The Role of Librarians and Writing Centers in Addressing Citation
Practices and Plagiarism. " Knowledge Quest 37.3 (2009): 24-33. ProQuest. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
Print example of same article:
Buranen, L.. "A Safe Place: The Role of Librarians and Writing Centers in Addressing Citation
Practices and Plagiarism. " Knowledge Quest 37.3 (2009): 24-33. Print.
Periodical Websites (Online Magazines and Online Newspapers, e.g.)
Online periodicals, such as Newsday.com, include both the name of the website in italics and the website
publisher. If no publisher is listed, use N.p. to denote no publisher name.
General format:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Article.” Title of Website. Publisher, Date of Publication.
Web. Date of Access.
Worth, Robert F., and Nazila Fathi. "Ahmadinejad Sworn In for 2nd Term in Iran." New York Times. New York
Times, 5 Aug. 2009. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
Lubell, Sam. “Of the Sea and Air and Sky.” New York Times. New York Times, 26 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Dec.
2008.
Frieden, Terry.“Senate Judiciary Committee Votes to Confirm Sotomayor.”
CNN.com. CNN, 28 July 2009. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
Online Encyclopedia Articles:
General format:
Lastname, Firstname. “Title of article.” Title of Encyclopedia. Publisher of Encyclopedia, publication date. Web.
Date of access.
The following are examples of unsigned (anonymous) articles:
“Carver, George Washington.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2009. Web. 21 July
2009.
“Abad Santos, Jose." World Book Student. World Book, 2009. Web. 22 July 2009.
SAMPLE WORKS CITED LIST
Works Cited
"Abdul Says She's Quitting Idol." Newsday 5 Aug. 2009, Combined ed.: A11. ProQuest. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
<http://proquest.umi.com>.
Badke, William. "Give Plagiarism the Weight it Deserves." Online Sept./Oct. 2007: 58-60. Education
Periodicals, ProQuest. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
Borg, Erik. "Local Plagiarisms.” Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
34.4 (2009): 415. ProQuest. Web. 10 Aug. 2009.
Clark, Kim. "Taking a Bite Out of Cheating with the Help of Technology." U. S. News & World Report 13
Oct. 2008: 74. SIRS Researcher. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://www.sirs.com>.
Clemmitt, Marcia. "Reading Crisis?" CQ Researcher 22 Feb. 2008: 169-92. CQ
Researcher Online. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://library.cqpress.com>.
Guernsey, L.isa. “A is for IPOD or Pizza or Cash.” New York Times Upfront 4 May
2009: 12-13. Print.
Lathrop, Ann, and Kathleen Foss. Guiding Students from Cheating and Plagiarism to
Honesty and Integrity: Strategies for Change. Freeport: Libraries Unlimited, 2005. Print.
“New Frontiers in Cheating." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica,
2009. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
Smith, Kathleen, et al. Copyright Law. New York: Vanguard, 1992. Print.
Williams, Heidi, ed. Plagiarism. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Print.
Worth, Robert F., and Nazila Fathi. "Ahmadinejad Sworn In for 2nd Term in Iran." New
York Times. New York Times, 5 Aug. 2009. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <www.nytimes.com>.
SAMPLE WORKS CITED ENTRIES WITH SOURCE NOTES
ARTICLE FROM SIRS DATABASE (SOCIAL ISSUES RESEARCH SERIES, ONLINE VERSION)
Clark, Kim. "Taking a Bite Out of Cheating with the Help of Technology." U. S. News &
World Report 13 Oct. 2008: 74. SIRS Researcher. Web. 5 July 2009. <http://www.sirs.com>.
ARTICLE FROM PROQUEST DATABASE (url is optional—ask your teacher)
Badke, William. "Give Plagiarism the Weight it Deserves." Online Sept./Oct. 2007: 5860. ProQuest. Web. 5 Jan. 2009. <http://proquest.umi.com>.
ARTICLE FROM BRITANNICA ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA (UNSIGNED)
“New Frontiers in Cheating." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica,
2009. Web. 5 Aug. 2009.
SIGNED PRINT MAGAZINE ARTICLE (WEEKLY)
Guernsey, L.isa. “A is for IPOD or Pizza or Cash.” New York Times Upfront 4 May
2009: 12-13. Print.
BOOK WITH ONE EDITOR
Williams, Heidi, ed. Plagiarism. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Print.
ARTICLE FROM CQ RESEARCHER ONLINE DATABASE
Clemmitt, Marcia. "Reading Crisis?" CQ Researcher 22 Feb. 2008: 169-92. CQ
Researcher Online. Web. 5 Aug. 2009. <http://library.cqpress.com>.
ARTICLE FROM SCHOLARY JOURNAL FOUND IN PROQUEST
Borg, Erik. "Local Plagiarisms.” Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
34.4 (2009): 415. Platinum Periodicals, ProQuest. Web. 10 Aug. 2009.
BOOK WITH TWO OR THREE AUTHORS
Lathrop, Ann, and Kathleen Foss. Guiding Students from Cheating and Plagiarism to
Honesty and Integrity: Strategies for Change. Freeport: Libraries Unlimited, 2005. Print.
BOOK WITH MORE THAN THREE AUTHORS
Smith, Kathleen, et al. Copyright Law. New York: Vanguard, 1992. Print.
Outlining
What is an outline?
An outline is a method to organize your material for writing. After you have accumulated your research
materials and finished note taking, organizing the material using an outline helps the writing process. In
addition to organization, outlines helps writers structure their papers, show relationships between items, and
group related ideas.
Your teacher may require a formal outline that has specific rules involving subject heading,
numbering and indenting. Most teachers at Mattituck require a simplified outline for a research paper.
Before making an outline, organize your thoughts.
Look through your note cards and the subject headings.
Group the same subject cards together.
Next, organize the cards in the order of how you want to write the paper.
Now you need a plan and that’s where the outline comes in.
To create a simplified outline:
• Start with the Introduction- remember to include the topic and thesis
• Using the subject headings of the note cards, categorize the information into subjects
• Make each subject a section of the outline
• Become more specific. For each section bullet the main ideas of the note cards
• End with the Conclusion, remember to restate the thesis
By following your outline, you should be able to write your research paper logically with clarity and
coherence. The outline acts as a writing guide.
Sample of a Simplified Outline:
Outline
Introduction
Grabber
Topic
Thesis
Subject A
-info-info-infoSubject B
-info-infoSubject C
-info-info-infoConclusion
Restate Thesis
Summary
Writing the Research Paper
Beginning the Draft
Now it’s time to write the research paper. Gather your materials and sources and settle down
somewhere quiet to write.
Step 1
Reread the assignment. This will focus you and keep you on task.
Step 2
Check your thesis: does it need to be restated or refined? Does it fit the information you have
gathered? Will it fulfill the requirements of the assignment?
Step 3
Use your outline like a template. Follow the organization of the outline and start writing the Rough
Draft.
Step 4
Write the rough draft from introduction to conclusion.
Step 5
Consult your cards. Supplement the rough draft with information from note cards and bibliography
cards. Remember to use citations.
Step 6
Re-evaluate your rough draft. Does it fulfill the requirements of the assignment and support the
thesis.
Step 7
Revise. Move information if you have to. Restate sentences for clarity. Rework your writing.
Step 8
Edit. Correct the rough draft for spelling, punctuation, grammar and capitalization.
Step 9
Peer-edit. Have others read and critique your paper. Ask for feedback.
Step 10
Format paper according to MLA style- heading footers, margins, fonts.
The Final Copy
Check the Final Draft
Before assembling your final copy, there are some things you should check:
• Have a friend or parent proofread your paper to find errors. Listen to any constructive criticism
• Make revisions and proofread again. Is everything cited properly?
• Spell check your work one last time to check for errors
• Make sure your format is in line with your teacher’s instructions or MLA requirements.
• Put pages in proper order. The Works Cited sheet or Bibliography follows the report.
Assembly
MLA format requires students to hand in their final copy in a particular way. Your teacher may
require something different, but these are the MLA requirements:
• Type your paper on standard 8.5 by 11-inch paper in plain 12-point font. Times New Roman is
recommended
• Double-space the paper. You can achieve this by highlighting the text and hitting ctrl2.
• Set margins at one-inch all around.
• Leave only one space after periods and other punctuation marks.
• Use the tab bar to indent for paragraphs.
• Create a header in the right-hand corner that numbers all of the pages consecutively. Your teacher may not
require one for the first page.
• Do not make a title page for your paper unless the teacher asks you to. MLA requires the first page to list
your name, your instructor’s name, the course, and the date in the left hand corner. It should look like
this:
Smith 1
Jane Smith
Mrs. Jones
English 11
February 15, 2009
The American Adolescent in Literature
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger tells the
story of Holden Caulfield, a prep school student who . . .
Glossary of Research Terms
appendix- a section of additional information at the end of a paper. It can be a map, photographs, or written
material.
bibliography- list of printed sources usually organized alphabetically by author’s last name. Bibliographies
consist of all of the works you referred to while drafting and writing the paper.
cite- To show the reader where you found a particular piece of information
citation- 1. a reference to a source or author within a paper. 2. In the Works Cited sheet, it is the full listing
of a source.
database- electronic information (documents, articles, statistics, and pictures) organized for rapid search and
retrieval by a computer. Online databases include ProQuest and Wilson Web
outline- framework for writing a research paper. It serves as a guide for writing the rough draft of the
paper.
paraphrase- restatement in your own words of a phrase or idea that you found in your research. When you
paraphrase, be careful to cite any ideas that you take from your sources.
plagiarism- knowing or unknowing use of exact words or phrases from a source in your own work. Placing
a citation after the exact words does not remove the plagiarism, but putting quotation marks around all of the
quoted words does.
rough draft- first version of a written assignment. It is revised and improved in later drafts.
sources- the material used for a research paper. It may include books, web sources, databases, newspapers,
magazines and journals.
thesis or thesis statement– a clear statement of the principal point you intend to make in your paper.
works cited- similar to bibliography, see above
Sources
Book:
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th Edition) 2009.
Web Sources
The OWL at Purdue- the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University is one of the best sites for getting advice
for research papers, creative writing and grammar. It tells students how to format papers and write them.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
Modern Language Association- it is the organization responsible for the MLA format.
www.mla.org
www.mlahandbook.org
EasyBib- what would we do without this site? It automatically cites works and bibliographies using MLA
or APA citation styles.
www.easybib.com
Noodle Tools- like easybib, Noodle tools will electronically help you keep notes and citations
www.noodletools.com
Citation Machine- it too formats bibliographies using MLA or APA styles.
www.citationmachine.net
Cornell University Library- has great information on how to write a research paper and do citations.
http://www.library.cornell.edu