Steps to Writing a Research Paper

1. Steps to Writing a Research Paper

2. Step #1: Choose a topic. • If given a topic, choose your angle or approach. • Consider what area of the topic you want to focus attention on? • Be sure you can find plenty of information on the topic. • Be sure you know how to find “experts” to interview.

3. Step #2: Review the Resources. • Go to the library. Look at the books on the shelves. Look up your topic in the card catalogue. Search the internet. Look at bibliographies in the back of books on your topic for more sources.

4. Step #3 Make a Resource File • Make an entry on a 3X5 card for every resource you find. Use the MLA style format to record the entry. Find the MLA format in the back of a good student dictionary, on the internet, in your library, or buy a copy at a book store. You are going to need it many times while you are in school • http://www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/workshop/citation.htm

5. Step #4: Commit to your topic. • Go back to step #1 if there are not enough resources on your topic to meet the requirements for your paper. • Broaden or narrow your topic. Be sure your topic “fits” the required length of your paper.

6. Step #5: Write a purpose statement. • i.e. • The purpose of this paper is to explain why surfing is the perfect sport • The purpose of this paper is to persuade you to follow the new dress code. • This will direct and focus your research and keep you from wasting time gathering information you don’t need.

7. Step #6 Do Some Research • Let’s look at some tips for doing research in books, online, and with interviews • (VIDEO) Discovering Language Arts: Research (Grades 6-8) (45:00) • (VIDEO) On-Line Research Techniques (13:00)

8. Step #7: Take notes from your sources. • Check out the books and magazines. • Take notes from your sources on 4X6 cards. • Put one main fact and its support on each card. • Sort your index cards to select the most promising resources you found.

9. Step #7 (continued) : Take notes from your sources. • You are going to want to sort your notes into categories of information later and that will be much easier if you have only one kind of information on each card. • Print from the internet. As you print from the internet, cut the information you are going to use and paste it onto a word document. • Leave white space between each paste so that the print-out can be cut into “note-cards”.

10. Step #8: Classify your information. • Sort your note cards into stacks that are related. The tallest stacks are your priority information. Discard stacks that do not have enough information to develop a well-supported subsection of the paper. • You need at least three stacks with enough information to be developed as a supporting section of the paper.

11. Step #9: Write your thesis statement. • Use your purpose statement and your note-card classifications to develop your thesis. A good thesis statement • takes a position that others might challenge or oppose • “ I once saw a popular student get beaten up for his shoes. It seemed foolish to me, but there is a lot of pressure to have the ‘coolest’ clothes. Every school should have a dress code. Research shows that dress codes can be a helpful tool in reducing peer pressure and fighting in schools. ” • Passes the “so what?” test. If the reader’s first thought is “so what?”, then you need to connect to a larger issue

12. Step #9 (continued): Write your thesis statement. • The thesis should be supported by the research that you have gathered. • The thesis should pass the “how” or “why” test. If the reader’s first response is “how” or “why”, your thesis may be too open-ended. • Dress codes are terrible. (WHY?) • Dress codes can be a helpful tool in reducing peer pressure and fighting in schools. • Surfing is the best sport because it has a long history full of amazingly talented star surfers, is practiced around the world, and has been glamorized in movies and music for decades.

13. Step #10: Develop an Outline. • Use the thesis statement and note-card classifications to help you develop an outline. In your packet, you have a sample outline. • You may want to use the “brown paper” method to lay out your facts. • (VIDEO) Section C: Outlining (06:51) Video Segment 3 of 5 from the Full VideoWrinkle-Free World of English Composition, The, Module 3: Researching and Rough Draft

14. Step #11 Use your outline to create a draft of the paper. • If writing by hand, use pencil for the rough draft. • Write on every other line or double space to leave room for editing and corrections. • Leave space at the bottom of the page for footnotes, if needed. • Insert parenthetical citations as you write instead of trying to do it after the paper is written. • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/ • http://www.headroyce.org/research/research/citations.html

15. Step #12: Edit your draft. • Share your draft with at least two editors. Make corrections. Look at word choice. Use your Thesaurus. • Focus on • Organization • Elaboration • Relevance • Clarity • Check spelling, grammar, appearance

16. Step #13: Write your final draft. • Word processors allow you to make serious revisions without starting over. Lucky you! Back in the day, we had to rewrite the whole paper by hand at every draft! • Dress For Success!! Make it look like an “A”. • The paper should be clean and unwrinkled. • Be sure to follow any specific directions you have been given for your heading, title page, etc.

17. Final Format • Paper must be typed • One-inch margins at top, bottom, left, and right sides • Text must be: • Double-spaced • Font: • Arial • Times New Roman • 12 point • Use only one side of the paper • Secure with one staple in the upper left-hand corner

18. Final Format • Title Page must have the following centered on the page • Title of the paper (no underline) • Last Name, First Name • Class Period • Teacher’s Name • Date • Works Cited Page is the last page

19. Step #14: Create your Works Cited Page • (we used to call this a bibliography when all we had to research were “biblios”, books). • Use EasyBib, NoodleTools, or the MLA Style Handbook to find the correct format to list each kind of resource you used. • http://www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citation.htm • (VIDEO) Discovering Language Arts: Research (Grades 6-8) Segment #8

20. Step #15:TURN IN YOUR PAPER! • You know you learned a lot and you feel great about the effort you made. Get your cheerleaders to help you plan a celebration!