How to Write a Research Paper Research

How to Write a Research Paper
Research
"The purpose of research
is not simply to retrieve
data, but to participate
in a conversation about
it" (Brent 109).
Plagiarism: Literally
"kidnapping;" involving the
use of someone else's words
as if they were your own
(Gibaldi 6).
To avoid plagiarism you must
document direct quotations,
paraphrases, and original
ideas not your own.
Step 1: Decide on a topic
Step 2: Begin your research
Write down the main ideas or
concepts that you discover during
your research.
Keep these notes in a safe place,
and remember to record the
sources that you are using so you
can easily document them in a
Reference Page.
Support main points with detailed
information and elaborate where
needed.
Step 3: Organize your research
Outlines help organize information
Examples of different outlines
Topic Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses,
depend on larger questions I am beginning to ask myself about my
life’s work.
I. Two decisions described
A. Art history or chemistry


1. Professional considerations
2. Personal considerations
B. A third year of French?



1. Practical advantages of knowing a foreign language
2. Intellectual advantages
3. The issue of necessity
II. Definition of the problem
A. Decisions about occupation
B. Decisions about a kind of life to lead
III. Temporary resolution of the problem
A. To hold open a professional possibility: chemistry
B. To take advantage of cultural gains already made: French
Sentence Outline
Choices in College and After
Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend
on larger questions I am beginning to ask myself about my life’s work.
I. I have two decisions to make with respect to choosing college courses in
the immediate future.

A. One is whether to elect a course in art history or in chemistry.
1. One time in my life, I planned to be a chemical engineer professionally.
2. On the other hand, I enjoy art and plan to travel and see more of it.

B. The second decision is whether to continue a third year of French beyond
the basic college requirement.
1. French might be useful both in engineering and travel.
2. Furthermore, I am eager to read good books which are written in French.
3. How necessary are these considerations in the light of other courses I might take
instead?
II. My problem can be put in the form of a dilemma involving larger
questions about my whole future.


A. On the one hand I want to hold a highly-trained position in a lucrative
profession.
B. On the other hand I want to lead a certain kind of life, with capacities for
values not connected with the making of money.
III. I will have to make a decision balancing the conflicting needs I have
described.


A. I will hold open the professional possibilities by electing chemistry.
B. I will improve and solidify what cultural proficiency in another language I
have already gained, by electing French.
Step 4: Write a thesis statement
A thesis statement is the idea
upon which your entire paper is
constructed.
Your research will provide you
with the information that you
need to prove your thesis in the
body of your paper.
EXAMPLE
“If the school day is
adjusted to begin and end
3 hours later, many
students will be forced to
quit their part time jobs.”
Step 5: Write the introduction
Begin with a "hook" which will
grab the reader's attention
immediately.
State your thesis.
Your introductory paragraph
should only be 2-3 sentences
long.
Step 6: Write the body of your paper
Write down the main points from
your research.
This will become the foundation
for your body paragraphs.
Support each main point with
detailed information and
elaborate where needed.
Step 7:Write the conclusion
Summarize the content of your
paper.
It is a good idea to restate your
thesis.
End your paper with a hardhitting sentence, anecdote or
quote which reminds the reader
that you proved your thesis.
Step 8: Edit your paper
At this point, you should ask a
parent, teacher, or friend to read
over your paper to make sure that
it is clear and concise.
You should ask for specific
suggestions which will help make
your paper stronger.
It always helps to edit your paper by
asking yourself some guiding
questions as you read through it,
such as:
(1)Does the body support the
thesis?
(2)Check over the organization of
the paper. Does it make sense?
(3)Make sure that you followed the
instructions for the assignment
(e.g., margins, spacing etc.).
(4)Check your writing for errors
(e.g., paragraph order, grammar,
spelling, etc.).
Example of a research paper
Double space
Size 12
Font type/style needs to be plain
Follow APA guidelines
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource
/560/01/
Google- Owl at Purdue APA
Step 9: Prepare a final draft
After you have thoroughly edited your
draft,
PROOF READ
PROOF READ
PROOF READ
again & revise your paper if necessary.
How do I write a paragraph?
Topic/Transitional or Hook Sentence
This sentence states what the
paragraph is going to be about,
and how it relates to the subject of
the essay and the previous
paragraph.
Sometimes accomplishing all of this
in one sentence is difficult.
In these cases, it is better to write
the "hook" first, and then follow it
with the topic sentence.
Body Sentences
Body sentences support the
topic of the paragraph.
When writing these sentences,
provide details and state
related points.
Elaborate on each of these
points where appropriate.
Closing Sentence
This sentence completes the
thought expressed in the
paragraph.
In addition, this sentence
should also set up a
connection to the next
paragraph.
A sample paragraph:
Imperialism was a foreign policy used by
the British for a number of different reasons.
An imperialist nation acquired vast amounts
of additional territory. Imperialism added to
Britain's wealth by providing raw materials
for use in its factories. Imperialist nations
such as Britain argued that they were
spreading more advanced civilization to
areas of the world that they said were
"backward" and "uncivilized." Lastly,
imperialism brought with it a great deal of
glory and prestige for the British Empire
(Killoran and Ilg. 54).
Writing Research Papers
Final Words
The goal of the research essay is not to gather information
and report on it. Research essays are assigned so that you
can study a certain topic, develop a research question, and
answer it using the materials you have studied plus your
own analysis.
Writing Research Papers
I want to see that you are thinking through an issue, not
simply explaining or quoting what you have read.
Writing Research Papers
The information you discover in your research is thus only
the foundation, the first part, of the task. What is more
important is your ability to use that information to advance
the world’s knowledge.
Vocabulary
Thesis Statement/Research Questiona complete sentence that contains one
main idea. The idea controls the content of
the entire essay.
Example:
Birth order can have a significant impact in
the formation of a child’s character.
Vocabulary
Plagiarism
using another writer’s words or unique ideas
as if they were your own
Vocabulary
In-text citationWhen you have cited inside your research
paper that it is not your own thoughts/words.
 Example:
According to Robert Young, “Numerous
psychologists believe that one’s birth order
had the greatest influence on a person’s
character” (Only Child).

Vocabulary
Reference Page
A separate page from the text of the essay.
 A list of every source or person used for your
research paper.
 ExampleBlume, Judy. Welcome to Judy Blume’s Home
Base. 9 Sept 2004.29 June 2005
<http://www.judyblume.com>.

Vocabulary
Outline

The organizational plan for your paper.
Example:
I. Introduction
of benefit of music
II. The Cause for Motivation
III. The Cause of Alertness
IV. How is this Beneficial?
V. Restate importance
"A General Guide For Writing History Research Papers" Christopher
Newport University. 1997. http//www.cnu.edu/academics/wcenter/
html/history.htm. (22 May 1997).
Briggs, Bonnie-Anne, and Petersen, Catherine, Fish. Brief Review in
United States History and Government. Needham, Mass:
Prentice Hall, 1997.
Global History and Geography Regents Examination Test
Sampler Draft, Spring 1999. New York: New York Board of Regents,
1999. http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/assess/ghist1.pdf and
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/assess/ghist2.pdf.
(28 March 2001).
Global Studies Regents Exam, June 1996. New York: New York
Board of Regents, 1996.
Global Studies Regents Exam, June 1997. New York: New York
Board of Regents, 1997.
Killoran, James, and Zimmer, Stuart, Ilg. The Key to Understanding
Global Studies. Lake Ronkonkoma, New York: Jarrett Publishing
Co., 1995
Livingston, Kathy."Compose a Thesis Statement" Kathy's Home
Page. 2000. http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/
thesis.html. (28 March 2001).
Livingston, Kathy. "Writing a Basic Essay" Kathy's Home Page.
2000. http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/index.html.
(28 March 2001).
http://www.oswego.org/
staff/tcaswell/wg/
research.htm