Planning and Writing a Research Paper

1. 13 Planning and Writing a Research Paper

2. Learning Outcomes • Discover a meaningful research subject. • Narrow your research subject. • Create a researchable question. • Write a preliminary thesis. • Locate library and Internet sources. • Conduct primary research through a survey or interview. • Take notes from research materials. • Create an outline. • Compose a first draft of your research paper.

3. Discovering a Research Subject (LO13.1) • Find a suitable topic. • Understand the parameters. • Know what is acceptable. • Select your topic carefully. • Pick a topic that is interesting and meaningful to you. • Utilize various methods to find a topic.

4. Narrowing a research subject (LO 13.2) • Narrow your broad topic. • Know the assignment requirements to help you decide how to narrow your topic. • Consider the length of the assignment. • Know the number and type of sources required. • Know the assignment deadline.

5. Creating a Researchable Question (LO 13.3) • A researchable question serves as a guide to the research process. • An effective researchable question helps to develop a thesis. • Determine what you know about your subject. • Decide what you would like to know. • You can go back and revise your question after you start the preliminary research.

6. Write a Preliminary Thesis Statement (LO 13-4) • A researchable questions cannot replace the thesis statement. • Draft a working thesis. • Make sure your thesis includes your subject and your opinion. • The working thesis will help you select sources. • You may refine your thesis later as you gather new ideas from your research.

7. Library and Internet Sources (LO 13-5) • Computerized Card Catalog • You can determine if the item is available or checked out. • Search by title, author, ISBN, or subject. • Type key words to find what you need. • Spell the words correctly. • Try different key words until you find what you need. • Use “and,” “or,” or “not” to help narrow a search. • Print or jot down important information about your sources. • Use the information to help locate the source on the shelf.

8. The Stacks (LO 13-5 contd.) • Use the call number on the spine of the books to locate your sources. • Determine how the library organizes its shelves. • The Dewey Decimal System divides subjects into ten categories. • The Library of Congress Classification uses twenty lettered categories. • Look at the books nearby to determine if they may be useful. • If you can’t locate a book, ask the reference librarian for help.

9. Periodicals (LO 13-5 contd.) • Periodicals include magazines, newspapers, and journals. • Periodicals are good sources. • They contain precise and up-to-date information. • Magazines and newspapers tend to be more general. • Journals are more in-depth. • Current periodicals are organized alphabetically by title. • Old issues may be bound together and kept in the stacks.

10. Computerized Databases (LO 13-5 contd.) • Check with your librarian to find out if a specific database is available. • If a database is available, ask the librarian for a password. • When you locate possible sources, read abstracts of the articles. • Email articles to yourself that may be helpful. • Make sure to use the full article not just the abstract. • Some databases include: Info Trac, ProQuest, LexisNexis, eLibrary, and eGlobal Library.

11. Reference Materials (LO 13-5 contd.) • Most reference materials cannot be checked out. • Do not use reference materials as primary sources. • Online reference materials are also available. • Be aware that Wikipedia is not a credible source for a research paper. • Go to the web site of the American Library Association.

12. Resources (contd.) • Audiovisual materials are non-print media. • You may find useful sources in this section of the library. • The shelves are usually organized alphabetically and by type. • Ask your librarian for help if you are unable to find what you need. • Internet searches • Use as a supplement to your traditional sources. • You can access sources by using a Web browser. • Search engines can help you find what you need. • Remember, search engines are not sources.

13. Tips for Conducting Online Research (LO 13.5 contd.) • Spell your search words correctly. • Use Boolean Logic to make your search more precise. • Use “and” to look for sources that contain both terms. • Use “or” to look for any of two or more words. • Use “not” to exclude one or more words. • Click on hyperlinks to get more information. • Use the “back” and “forward” arrows to navigate Web pages. • Bookmark or print out useful sources.

14. Evaluating Sources (LO 13.6) • Author and publisher • Look to see if the author has the appropriate credentials. • Make sure the publisher and/or the Web site is reputable. • Date • Check to see when the information was published or posted. • If the information is too old for your topic, find more current information. • References • Check to see if the author documented sources. • Check to see if the source included a bibliography. • If no sources are provided, you may consider looking for other sources.

15. Evaluating Sources (contd.) • Bias • Make sure the information provided is fair. • Determine if the author may have an agenda. • Effectiveness • Decide if the content is useful. • Determine if the organization is clear and logical. • Check for information accuracy.

16. Taking Notes (LO 13.7) • Summarizing is condensing ideas from articles, chapters, or passages using your own words. • Include main ideas but not specific details. • After writing a summary, go back to the original to check accuracy. • Summarizing helps in managing large amounts of information. • Paraphrasing is restating a sentence or passage in your own words. • Your goal is to revise the original and keep every idea. • Change the sentence structure and word choice. • Don’t overuse paraphrasing in your paper. • Paraphrasing is helpful when the original is complex or technical.

17. Taking Notes (contd.) • Quoting is taking someone’s exact words and putting quotation marks around them. • Quoting should be used sparingly. • Only use a quote due to vivid wording or to show an authority’s words. • Make sure to copy the statement word for word. • Use an ellipsis (...) if you omit words. • Don’t alter the intended meaning of the author. • If the original passage contains an error use (sic) immediately after.

18. Primary Research (LO 13.8) • Surveys are questionnaires intended to gain information from people who are familiar with the research topic. • Clarify your purpose by knowing exactly what you want to gain. • Choose your participants carefully. • Set clear expectations for the respondents. • Design effective questions. • Compile and interpret the results.

19. Primary Research (contd.) • Personal Interviews • Clarify your purpose. • Choose your interviewee carefully. • Determine how you will conduct the interview. • Prepare your questions ahead of time. • Be courteous to the interviewee. • Take thorough notes during the interview.

20. Creating an Outline (LO 13.9) • Select the major points. • The outline is the framework of your entire paper. • Be flexible during the writing process if all points aren’t covered from the outline.

21. Composing (LO 13.10) • Write a first draft of your research paper. • Consider your Rhetorical Star. • Follow the steps of the writing process. • Make sure your voice is strong within your paper. • You may need additional paragraphs to support each point. • Cite your sources.