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SJCC READING & WRITING CENTER RESEARCH WORKSHOP. SERIES 1: OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PAPER PROCESS. Review of the Research Paper Process: What stage are you at?. Exploring Organizing and Analyzing Information Ready to Outline and Write the Paper. Understand Your Assignment.
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SJCC READING & WRITING CENTERRESEARCH WORKSHOP SERIES 1: OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PAPER PROCESS
Review of the Research Paper Process: What stage are you at? • Exploring • Organizing and Analyzing Information • Ready to Outline and Write the Paper
Understand Your Assignment Due date Length of the paper Topic guidelines Style Sources required Audience Purpose Other guidelines or requirements
CHOOSE TOPICS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN! (If you are not interested in the topic, it will be harder to write an essay about it.) If you have an open topic: • Consider issues or concerns you have in your daily life • Hobbies • Interests • Favorite books/magazines/blogs/TV shows • Observe current trends that you would like to research more (e.g. Social Networking, iPhone vs. Droid, Green Business, etc.). TOPIC SELECTION
EXPLORE YOUR TOPIC Use prewriting strategies such as brainstorming, free writing, and diagramming/clustering. Read about your topic in an encyclopedia, other reference guides. Create a list of important issues, concepts, definitions, or facts to get to know your topic. Make a list of words that commonly appear in your topic to use later as search terms.
Once you have a direction . . . • The next step is to find any valid sources that have been written or produced on your topic. • Explore ASAP because you want to make sure your topic is not a dead end. For example, you can’t find enough valid sources about elephants that paint.
Common Sources for Research Papers • Articles from the library database • Scholarly vs. Popular • Newspaper articles • Trade or organization publications • Books • Preview chapters and index if applicable • Do not read an entire book if you do not have to. • Websites • The Wikipedia Talk • .gov/.edu/.org/.com • Reference Works Quick answers to factual questions and basic research tools, such as almanacs, dictionaries and encyclopedias. • Found in the reference section of the library. • Good place to start your search to gather more information and possible keywords to use in a database search. • Field Research • Interviews • Contacting Organizations
POPULAR MAGAZINES SCHOLARLY JOURNALS NEWSPAPERS TRADE JOURNALS
Early on, narrow your topic to a controlling idea, purpose, or tentative thesis. • Topic + Your Claim = Working Thesis Consider Your Purpose, cont.
From a Broad Topic to a Narrow Topic • Use words to show relationships or action to give your topic a direction: • Childhood obesity in the United States compared to other developing nations. • Acupuncture's effectiveness in treating depression in adults. • More words: develop, contribute, cause, influence, etc.
From a Broad Topic to a Narrow Topic • Topic: I amstudying_______________ • Question: because I want to find out what/why/how_____________________ • Significance: in order to help my reader understand________________________ • Source: The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, et al.(2008).
From a Broad Topic to a Narrow Topic • Topic: I amstudyingcell phones in prison • Question: because I want to find out what/why/howis the government reacting to the situation. • Significance: in order to help my reader understandhow effective is the government at policing its own prison systems. • Source: The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, et al.(2008).
Consider Your Purpose Compare/Contrast Cause and Effect Explanatory (informing readers about a topic) Argumentative (argue a claim about a topic) Persuasive (convince others of your point of view) Analysis (identifying and explaining the parts of a thing or idea and how it works) Or, any combination of the above examples best suited to express your purpose.
Know your assignment requirements. • Choose a topic that interests you. • Visit the library in person or online to find valid sources. • Narrow your topic to a manageable size. • Ask for help at the Reading & Writing Center (L103) if you have any questions. Series 1 Review Remember . . .