Planning for your Research Paper

1. Planning for your Research Paper Senior Project

2. Analytical Research Paper • Your paper should analyze the significance of your topic in today’s society • Why is it a meaningful career? • What aspects of the career make it important to society? • What does someone pursuing this career need to know about it before entering the field? • Why are you interested in this career?

3. Creating your Thesis A thesis is a statement of purpose , intent, or the main idea of your paper Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper. A thesis is a statement not a question. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

4. Example Thesis Statement • Reading teachers are essential in today’s society because they are able to identify reading weaknesses in students, teach strategies that help students become better readers, and help students learn to enjoy reading for pleasure. • Scuba diving is an important career in today’s society due to the need for professional divers in search and rescue missions. • If you don’t do a tri-part thesis, make sure you address your thesis in each body paragraph – they all have to relate! • If your 4th paragraph has nothing to do with search and rescue missions, then you need to edit your thesis or the paragraph.

5. Creating an Outline • Once you’ve established the main topic of your paper, you need to create an outline to guide the body of your research. • Why an outline? • keep track of the large amounts of information • Presents material in a logical form • Shows the relationships among your ideas • How do I create an outline? • Brainstorm all the ideas you want to put in your paper • Group related ideas together • Create main and sub headings