Brick by Brick III: Live Free or Write Hard

Brick by Brick III: Live Free or Write Hard The Research Paper: Stage III A presentation by Instructor Aaron Roston Tennessee State University

Third Brick: Sentence outline Informative abstract Rough works cited

This lets us transition to

Your Research Paper!

Don’t Panic!

Extrapolation: The process of making something large from something small.

Extrapolation: One Paragraph Essay 5 Paragraph Essay Introduction, with the thesis statement. What you are going to talk about. Transition to: Topic sentence – answering a ‘W’ question. Relate to thesis statement. Then, on to How: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Conclusion. Reworded thesis statement. Reworded topic sentences. Why is it important you proved your thesis statement? Topic sentence. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Reworded topic sentence.

Extrapolation: One Paragraph Essay 5 Paragraph Essay Introduction, with the thesis statement. What you are going to talk about. Transition to: Topic sentence – answering a ‘W’ question. Relate to thesis statement. Then, on to How: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Conclusion. Reworded thesis statement. Reworded topic sentences. Why is what you wrote important to the reader? To the world? Topic sentence. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Subtopic sentence, specific support. Reworded topic sentence.

Extrapolation: 5 Paragraph Essay The Research Paper Page 1: Introduction of the topic with the thesis statement: What you are going to prove. Transition to: Page 2: Subtopic main idea related to thesis statement. Use of Source 1: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Page 3: Subtopic main idea related to thesis statement. Use of Source 2: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Page 4: Subtopic main idea related to thesis statement. Use of Source 3: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Page 5: Conclusion. Reworded thesis statement. Reworded subtopic main ideas. Why is it important you proved your thesis statement? Introduction, with the thesis statement: What you are going to prove. Transition to: Topic sentence – answering a ‘W’ question. Relate to thesis statement. Then, on to How: Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Topic sentence. Relate to thesis statement. Specific support, specific support, specific support. Transition to: Conclusion. Reworded thesis statement. Reworded topic sentences. Why is it important you proved your thesis statement?

The Introduction Introduces the topic you are going to discuss. In a short paper it is ONE paragraph. • You will need to begin with a hook, or a motivator. Use a personal anecdote – relating something about yourself to the topic

Thesis Statement It is the most important sentence or sentences in your paper. It is the purpose of your paper. It is your argument, whatever you are planning to prove or answer in about five pages.

Make It Strong And Direct: Don’t Use Conditionals (Could, Would, Might, Maybe)You Might Be Wrong, But Be Wrong And Strong!

One idea

Body of Supporting Evidence • Your thesis needs the support of three subtopics, or three main ideas proving the thesis, that are each supported with factual, verifiable evidence. • Every body paragraph begins with its own topic sentence related to the thesis statement. • The subtopics should be supported with around 4 pieces of specific supporting evidence.

Sample Breakdown of Body Pages:

Conclusion Use your abstract as a model. Your conclusion contains a reworded thesis statement and reworded subtopic ideas. The conclusion should contain the answer to the question: Why? Why is it important that you just made your point, or proved your thesis statement? This answer is also known as the clincher.

Guidelines for Use of Sources: • Consult Chapter 10 of the NCH, especially pages 234, 244, 246 for checklists Questions you need to ask yourself: • Where does this information appear, and what is its purpose? If it’s from a website, are there secondary links or links to references? (Wikipedia articles, for instance, often do not have these – don’t trust them if they don’t) • Who is the sponsor of the source – educational, commercial, government? • Does the publication or author have an obvious bias? Is the source nothing more than a marketing device? • Who is the author? What are their credentials? • When was the piece published? If from a website, how recently has the site been updated? It will say at the bottom of the page, usually. Things may have changed since publication – make sure your material is not date sensitive.

Now you are ready to begin writing a draft!

Fourth Brick: Writing a first draft! You will need four pages (around 1200 words) when you submit it, along with the Works Cited page

Citing Within the Paper: • Use MLA Style Conventions Sheet. Rules for citing entire electronic sources in-text are found in the NCH pp. 325 - 6 In-text parenthetical citations when quoting or paraphrasing: • Print sources: Author’s last name and page number -- (Smith 3) • Source with no author listed: Substitute a shortened form of the title for the author – (Report 34) • Online sources with paragraphs numbered in original: Author’s last name and paragraph number -- (Smith par. 3) • Online sources without paragraphs numbered in original: Author’s last name only – (Smith)

Rewriting: The Real Work of Writing • Once you have a complete first draft, read it aloud to yourself. Are you being consistent in tense and person? Are you avoiding repetition by using coordination and subordination? Are your pronoun references clear? If unsure, review these concepts in your texts! • Have you taken into account possible counterarguments to your thesis? In other words, what might be some possible objections to your argument? • Revise, then proofread. Read the document slowly twice, searching for errors: spelling (use the checker!), fragments, comma splices, run-ons, subject-verb agreement, etc. • You are required to have a title.

Deadline: THIS IS DUE TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. you will ALSO need your pearson ticket with your first draft Good luck!

Brick by Brick III: Live Free or Write Hard