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How to Write a Research Report for Science

How to Write a Research Report for Science. K.Marsh, Glenforest Library. What is a research report?. The research report is the written product that results from researching a topic reports the information in your own words and from your own point of view

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How to Write a Research Report for Science

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  1. How to Write a Research Report for Science K.Marsh, Glenforest Library

  2. What is a research report? • The research report is the written product that results from researching a topic • reports the information in your own words and from your own point of view • involves going to source material and synthesizing what you learn from it with your own ideas

  3. Step 1: Choose a topic • From the list that is usually provided by your teacher • Can be self generated, with your teacher's approval • Not a research question • Not a thesis statement or main idea

  4. Step 2: Formulate a thesis statement (main idea) • A thesis statement or main idea in an essay is a sentence that clearly identifies the purpose of the paper • It usually has three supporting ideas that you will support with evidence • Usually found in the first paragraph of your essay and then restated in your concluding paragraph • Is NOT a statement of fact or observation

  5. An example of a thesis statement … • Fact or observation: People use many lawn chemicals. • Thesis: People are poisoning the environment with harsh chemicals to keep their lawns free of weeds because it's easier than pulling the weeds by hand, environmental alternatives are more time consuming, and they are uninformed about the hazards of such chemicals.

  6. Make sure it's a thesis, not an announcement of the subject … • Announcement: The thesis of this paper is the difficulty of solving our environmental problems. • Thesis: Solving our environmental problems is more difficult than many environmentalists believe because of human inaction, corporate interference, and lack of government support.

  7. Make sure it's a clear main idea … • A thesis statement has one main point rather than several main points. More than one point may be too difficult for the reader to understand and the writer to support • More than one main point: Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him from becoming a world-renowned physicist, and his book is the subject of a movie. • One main point: Stephen Hawking's physical disability has not prevented him from becoming a world renowned physicist. • In this case, the three supporting ideas are revealed in the body paragraph rather than the thesis statement, which is perfectly acceptable as well

  8. Step 3: Research for your paper • First-----READ, READ, READ • Locate a variety of resources • Reference materials (red dot) • Books • Vertical files • Magazines • databases • Do NOT start with the Internet • Evaluate: Is information current? • Does the source have authority? • Have you used primary & secondary sources? • Always take notes systematically (written or electronic) • Avoid plagiarism by identifying general vs. subject-specific knowledge

  9. Primary vs. secondary sources • Primary sources are original documents that are not about other documents • Secondary sources are ones that interpret the primary sources

  10. Step 4: Record your sources • Make good notes • Document using: www.citationmachine.net or www.BibMe.org(Library page on our website under Research Tools) • Avoid the urge to "copy and paste" • Use the templates provided by the library for recording sources accurately • Never use Wikipedia in your bibliography

  11. Step 5: Create an outline • gives you the structure on what you need to say and where • tells you whether your thesis statement/main idea will work • Each major outline point is your topic sentence for each major paragraph • Written in point form • Acts a guide for the first draft • Includes evidence & sources cited

  12. Step 6: Write the introduction • Answers the questions, "What was the problem?" and "Why is it important?" • Should supply sufficient background information to allow the reader to understand and evaluate what he/she is will find in the essay • Contains the thesis statement (main idea) • Should begin with a "bang" like an apt quotation, a startling statistic, or a relevant quotation • Last sentence of introduction should provide a smooth transition into the first body paragraph

  13. Step 7: Write your body paragraphs • A minimum of three • Each body paragraph is devoted to one of the 3 supporting ideas within the thesis • Paragraphs must be in the same order as they are presented in the thesis • Each body paragraph contains at least 3 pieces of evidence for each supporting idea (quotations, paraphrasing, etc.)

  14. Step 8: Write the conclusion • Restates your thesis/main idea • Can also include a brief restatement of the other parts of the research paper such as the methodology, data analysis and results • Leaves the reader with a lasting impression and possible solutions or suggestions for action • NEVER introduces new material

  15. Step 9: Finalize your documentation • Embedded citations, footnotes, endnotes • Bibliography • Consult available sources about MLA, APA, Chicago, Turbian • Go to www.glenforestlibrary.com and click on Research Tools under the Library tab • Avoid plagiarism at all costs (again, click on the above links)

  16. Step 10: Title • the fewest possible words that adequately describe the contents of the paper • Should catch the eye of a potential reader • Is never something like: Science Essay

  17. Don't forget to proofread • Do it yourself first • Then get a friend or family member to do it • Then do it yourself again

  18. Step 11: Revision • The editing and rewriting process • Should occur a few days after you've written the first draft • Includes peer editing • Is NOT proofreading • This is the time to become your audience and your marker and evaluate your work from their point of view

  19. Step 12: Final draft • You're almost there … • This is the last step • But then make sure you proofread again

  20. Step 13: Hand it in & celebrate  • Yay!

  21. Thank you Any questions?

  22. For more information on how to write a research report, visit: • http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/ • http://www.geocities.com/soho/Atrium/1437/ • http://www.english.bham.ac.uk/staff/tom/teaching/howto/essay.htm • http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/essay.html • http://www.aresearchguide.com/styleguides.html • http://www.aucegypt.edu/academic/writers/home.htm

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